Handcrafted Knives by Sid Jones
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About Sid Jones Handcrafted Knives
Sid Jones Handcrafted Knives’ workshop is situated in Belfast, Mpumalanga, South Africa, a small town 200km east of Pretoria. This is a farming and mining area at an altitude of over 6000ft (1800m), which means bright sunny days but cool nights. Cosmos country (see picture).
I have been making knives, as a hobbyist, since 1996, when I made my first two knives, influenced by a blade design of the French art knifemaker Pierre Reverdy. My working life was spent in engineering, in which I did my apprenticeship. Being retired, I now have the time to pursue my hobby with as much energy as age will allow.
In 2007 I qualified as a member of the Knifemakers Guild of Southern Africa. Although I have since allowed my membership to lapse, this bears testimony to the quality of my workmanship.
A perusal of my gallery will illustrate the types of knives I make, using the stock-removal technique with suitable carbon and stainless steels, heat treated to a Rockwell hardness appropriate to the knife’s purpose.
Knife News
July 2018
Knives currently for sale include:
- a bird & trout knife
- utility knives
- sub-hilt fighters
- hunters
Handcrafted Knives, or Handmade Knives?
What's the difference between "handcrafted" and "handmade"? Many knifemakers (and others) will say "it's just a matter of personal preference". Both terms describe individually-made works of art with a functional use. Yet, in modern times, few people truly use no machinery to make their knives, hence our preference for "handcrafted" - "a work requiring manual and artistic skill" - with the use of power tools where needed.