Innovation - Function - Design

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About Me

I have been making knives since 1994 on a part-time basis; in the year 2000 I made the decision to become a full-time knife designer and maker.

Haslinger Knives - Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Often in life we are blinded by the multi stimuli of our primal senses. We fail to see the things around us. I am inspired by the things around me – the way a branch grows out of a tree, the shape of a leaf, artwork, and sometimes even a movie. Architecture is yet another medium which, if envisioned on varying scales, can yield some interesting knife design ideas.

Thomas Haslinger

As an artist, my sense and direction have gone from a strictly utilitarian purpose to a form of expression that figuratively speaks to people, without sacrificing the purpose of the knife. To be able to blend materials, so ancient & exquisite as ivory from a mammoth tusk with a piece of modern steel is a gift to me. To take this gift and make it into an art that emotionally moves human beings, is a reward that I can not measure in mere words. To me there is no greater sense of accomplishment than this.

What I Do

Firefly knife with Japanese handle wrap

I have been making knives since 1994 on a part-time basis; in the year 2000 I made the decision to become a full-time knife maker. I am a former member of the Canadian Knifemakers Guild, which I joined in 1997, as well as a former member of the Deusche Messermacher Guilde since 2010.

The joy of creating a one-of-a-kind knife that will last a lifetime is represented in each knife that I make – in its beauty, design, craftsmanship, and function.

All of the steps involved in crafting a handmade knife – from the design, cutting out the rough shape, grinding, heat treating, polishing, and fitting – are done by myself. In addition, the leather sheaths I make for each of my knives are hand stitched and treated for longevity and performance.