I made my first knives in 1992 when I needed a final year BA project and decided to design and make a set of three folding knives. I made the Damascus steel with Richard Quinnell at the Fire and Iron Gallery and tried to figure the rest out by myself.
I moved to Sheffield in 1994, hoping to become an apprentice to one of the knifemakers. Instead, I ended up doing a Masters degree (and later a PhD) in Metalwork and Jewellery at Sheffield Hallam University and thoroughly enjoyed applying an academic framework to my practical work.
My background is in design and metalwork / jewellery and my work over the last ten years has focused on creating different forms of knives in an innovative and exploratory manner. The knives that I made during this period reflect this.
Recently, I have been working with traditional knifemakers in Sheffield as part of on-going post-doc research project at Sheffield Hallam University, with Dr N Wood and funded by Arts & Humanities Research Council. This has enabled me to explore different methods of slip-joint folder assembly and design, both traditional and contemporary.
My beautiful workshop is a converted public toilet, built in 1906 for male tram drivers.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the generous professionals, particularly other knifemakers, for their support and technical dissemination. Much of their work can be seen at www.britishblades.com
I moved to Sheffield in 1994, hoping to become an apprentice to one of the knifemakers. Instead, I ended up doing a Masters degree (and later a PhD) in Metalwork and Jewellery at Sheffield Hallam University and thoroughly enjoyed applying an academic framework to my practical work.
My background is in design and metalwork / jewellery and my work over the last ten years has focused on creating different forms of knives in an innovative and exploratory manner. The knives that I made during this period reflect this.
Recently, I have been working with traditional knifemakers in Sheffield as part of on-going post-doc research project at Sheffield Hallam University, with Dr N Wood and funded by Arts & Humanities Research Council. This has enabled me to explore different methods of slip-joint folder assembly and design, both traditional and contemporary.
My beautiful workshop is a converted public toilet, built in 1906 for male tram drivers.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the generous professionals, particularly other knifemakers, for their support and technical dissemination. Much of their work can be seen at www.britishblades.com
