A knife is a tool, and as such it needs to be only effective to have utility. To make a knife a thing of beauty has to be motivated by something other than a desire for a useful tool, and that motivation almost always finds its inspiration from passion. When it comes to this smith, that is the word to comes to mind. I remember a time, not long, after I had met him, I received a video chat unexpectedly, and when I answered he told me he wanted to show me around his workshop. HIs passion for what he does, was so infectious, it made quite an impression on me.
To start off, please tell us a little about yourself.
Hello, my name is Alessio, and I live in Italy in a small town in Ciociaria called Ceccano. I live with my partner Dorotea Gizzi aka dorokitsune. I love nature and I alternate my hobby with walks in the mountains.
What sparked your interest in knives?
I have always had a weakness for sharp objects, in fact since I was a child I have always collected knives bought in various places in my country.
What inspired you to get into this craft, and how did you learn?
I have been making knives for about 10 years. I started in 2015 when after seeing some forging videos online, I tried my hand at forging a railway nail, using a coal forge left to me by an elderly relative.
Do you have a favorite knife that you have made, and what makes it stand out?
I love making mainly forged kitchen knives, the most beautiful knife I have made, from my point of view, was a kitchen knife. A tuna and large fish sword made with the sides in ancient iron, alternating with other metals and nickel, and with a core steel with a high content of Tungsten. This was combined with a Poplar handle that I stabilized myself, that had a mammoth spacer as a decoration.
What is the most important aspect of a well-made knife?
In my opinion a good knife must first of all be balanced, you must understand if the customer prefers a heavier or lighter knife, and if they want a stainless steel or a carbon steel knife. It is important to determine for whom the blade is intended to better understand how meticulous they will be for maintenance.
What keeps you going?
Every day I try to delve into the use of new materials, steels, fossils, woods. You always need to be curious so you will continue to be interested and never fall into monotony. Never leaving out the details of the works that one creates that makes them special.
What kinds of knives do you make?
I love making knives for chefs, so I really enjoy making kitchen knives so I have put a lot of effort into making sure they perform as they should. I also enjoy other creations such as field knives for hunting, and sometimes typical Roman style folding knives.
Any knife makers out there that impress you?
Since I have been making knives, I have closely followed a craftsman, a wizard of Damascus, Salem Straub. For me he is an example I think one of the best knife makers in the world.
Any specific breakthroughs or revelations in your knife making journey?
I have always enjoyed forging steel, lately for a few years I have become passionate about forging stainless steel, managing to also make stainless steel sanmai, and subsequently titanium damascus.
Any other sources of inspiration?
Many times my partner Dorotea, an expert in drawing, helps me in the design of my blades. Sometimes she has also tried her hand at the art of scrimshaw, engraving handles in ivory, bone, and wood. You can see her work on her Instagram profile http://www.instagram.com/doroscrimshaw
How do you develop a design, and fine-tune a heat treatment?
Over time after numerous tests, mistakes, and experiments you gain greater understanding of the right heat treatment. You may even slightly modify the datasheet of each steel. I would like to point out that for the best outcome of your heat treatments nothing must be left to chance, and temperature-controlled furnaces are needed for excellent results. And you can’t neglect a very important factor: each steel and each heat treatment is created for a specific use.
For more examples of his work, and to connect with him, check out his Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/alessiodemilioknives
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