The Owl and the Knives

I started knifemaking in about 2007 in Bavaria. I was born in the early 80´s and knives have always fascinated me since I was young. At the beginning of my time as a knifemaker I worked mostly with an angle-grinder, but since then, I´ve built my own knifeworthy grinder and it got me really hard into making knives. In 2017, I joined a group of knifemakers in Bavaria, near Munich, called the “Messerarbeitskreis Olching” (Knifemakersguild of Olching). It helped me a lot to hear and see what other knifemakers do and trains my own knifemaking skills.

I´m working my way through many knife styles and I´m still experimenting with them. To the German scene, my knives may look a bit harsh, but I don´t mind, because my style is orientated to the American scene. Another great inspiration for me is the Instagram community.
There are only a few knives I built a second time, because in my opinion that´s not very creative. Knifemaking should possibly happen with a different idea and a purpose for every knife.
Knifedesign has no end, there are unlimited possibilities of designs.


Many people ask me about my symbol, the owl. I spent much time in the internet searching for a worthy logo for my knives and the Greek mythology caught my attention, so I decided that my spirit animal should be the “owl of Minerva”, which has been used as a symbol of knowledge, wisdom, perspicacity and erudition.


I really liked the quote from G. W. F. Hegel from the Wikipedia article:

“Philosophy, as the thought of the world, does not appear until reality has completed its formative process, and made itself ready. History thus corroborates the teaching of the conception that only in the maturity of reality does the ideal appear as counterpart to the real, apprehends the real world in its substance, and shapes it into an intellectual kingdom. When philosophy paints its grey in grey, one form of life has become old, and by means of grey it cannot be rejuvenated, but only known. The owl of Minerva takes its flight only when the shades of night are gathering. ”

— G.W.F. Hegel, Philosophy of Right (1820), "Preface"

This quote mentions a big reason why I like making knives. Knifemaking gives me the feeling of building something with my hands that lasts much longer than I will, and maybe when the night comes over me, the owl should spread its wings and fly away.

And who can´t deny that building or wearing knives is no philosophy?