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Born in 1952 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Dave Skinner embarked on a unique journey that spans from a successful career in optometry to the intricate world of knifemaking. While still practicing as an optometrist today, knifemaking has become more than a serious hobby of his. It’s no surprise that the finer details of optometry would translate so well into a skilled profession such as knifemaking.
Dave grew up in Johannesburg where he attended school for optometry. After marrying his wife, Cathy in 1980, they relocated to Port Elizabeth where Dave still runs his optometry office today. A quick search on the internet reveals glowing reviews of Dave’s optometry business, showing he is well loved and revered by his community.
Skinner's journey into knifemaking began in 2011, after he spent a week at Heavin Forge in Belfast, South Africa, under the guidance of Mastersmiths Kevin and Heather Harvey. Immediately after the course, he started forging on his own, refining his skills, and finished his first blade late in 2011. Their Introduction to Damascus course ignited a deep passion for the art of forging, particularly in creating patterned damascus steel and differentially hardened blades showcasing the traditional Japanese clay zone heat treating technique called a hamon.
Dave returned to Heavin Forge in 2015 for an immersive two-week ABS Introduction to Bladesmithing course. This helped Dave refine his skills and techniques to the next level. Currently Dave is an apprentice with the American Blade Society. In 2016, Skinner's dedication to his craft was recognized when he was admitted to the Knifemakers’ Guild of Southern Africa.
Dave’s work primarily features high carbon steels or damascus for high performance. He occasionally uses stainless steels for his chef knives, blending functionality and easy maintenance with artistry.
Dave's knifemaking journey has been influenced by several renowned figures in the field. Mastersmiths Kevin and Heather Harvey have been crucial mentors from the very beginning. Other notable knifemakers like Lin Rhea, Jason Knight, Samuel Lurquin, David Lisch, Salem Straub, and Mike Quesenberry have also inspired him, shaping his approach and technique in the craft.
Today, Dave Skinner continues to balance his career as an optometrist with his dedication to knifemaking. His work, marked by meticulous craftsmanship and a deep appreciation for the traditional aspects of the craft, stands as a testament to his adventure from a respected doctor to a respected knifemaker.
Boning Knife/Utility (Honesuki) - 5-1/3" with Wild Olive |
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Bunka (Chef's Knife) with Wild Olive |
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Chef's Knife (4-3/4") with Wild Olive |
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Chef's Knife (5-1/3 in.) with Corrugata Burl |
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Chef's Knife (5-1/4") with Wild Olive |
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Chef's Knife (8-1/3 in.) with Curly Mango - Shiro2 San Mai |
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Chef's Knife (8-1/4 in.) with Black Ash Burl |
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Chef's Knife (8-1/4 in.- S Grind) with Stabilized Spalted Maple |
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Chef's Knife (8-2/3 in.) with Maple Burl - 1070 San Mai |
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Chef's Knife (8-2/3 in.) with Masur Birch and Micarta |
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Chef's Knife (Bunka) with Curly Mango (6-1/2 in.) - Shiro2 San Mai |
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Chef's Knife (Bunka) with Sneezewood |
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Chef's Knife (Bunka) with Spalted Maple (6-1/2 in.) |
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Chef's Knife (Gyuto) with Elm Burl (8-1/2 in.) - VG10 San Mai Damascus |
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Chef's Knife (Gyuto) with Maple Burl (7-1/4 in.) - VG10 San Mai Damascus |
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Chef's Knife (Petit Gyuto) with Masur Birch (5-1/2 in.) - VG10 San Mai Damascus |
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Chef's Knife with Maple Burl (5-1/3 in.) |
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Chef's Knife with Masur Birch (7-2/3 in.) - VG10 San Mai Damascus |
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Chef's Knife with Masur Birch Burl (7-1/2 in.) |
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Chef's Knife/Petit Gyuto (5 in.) with Spalted Birch and Damasteel |
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Chef's Knife/Santoku (5-1/2 in.) with Maple Burl |
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Chef's Knife/Utility (5-3/4 in.) with Masur Birch |
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Chef's Slicer (Sujihiki) with African Blackwood |
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Chef's Slicer (Sujihiki) with Black Ash Burl |
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Chef's Slicer (Sujihiki) with Masur Birch |
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Copper Damascus Santoku (7-3/4 in.) with Stabilized Elm Burl |
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Damascus Chef's Knife (8-3/4 in.) with Maple Burl |
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Fillet/Boning Knife with Black Palm |
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Meat Cleaver with G-Carta |
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San Mai Chef's Knife (Bunka) with Oak Burl (6-3/4 in.) - Shiro2 |
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San Mai Damascus Chef's Knife (Bunka) with Elm (6-3/4 in.) |
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San Mai Damascus Chef's Knife (Bunka) with Masur Birch Burl (7 in.) |
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Utility Knife (Petty) with Ash |
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Vegetable Cleaver (Nakiri) with Wild Olive |
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Gatsby Steak Knife with SG2 Stainless Damascus San Mai and Cocobolo Liberty Wood (Set of 4)
Messermeister Edge Guards are a perfect way to protect the edge of your knife. They are especially convenient for in-drawer storage and are perfect for storing and transporting knives in knife rolls and bags.
$5.60 Details
Renaissance Wax is the #1 choice of major museums and art galleries for the preservation of the precious pieces.
Renaissance Wax is a revolutionary formula that is a semi-synthetic micro-crystalline fossil-origin wax entirely free of, damaging acids. It remains chemically neutral and is therefore completely safe, even on vulnerable surfaces.
Guard your precious pieces against the damaging effects of humidity, heat, dust, environmental destruction, aging, and ordinary wear. Renaissance Wax provides a barrier against fingerprints and the devastation of water, wine, alcohol and other spills. With its high moisture resistance, it forms a durable, lustrous protective coating. Prevents tarnish, corrosion and "bloom". Remains completely waterproof.
Flitz is an excellent metal polish for carbon steel knives as well as fiberglass. This anti-tarnish formula lasts up to 6 months. It is non-abrasive, non-toxic, non-flammable, acid-free, won't dry out, and leaves behind no residue. Not designed for Damascus steel.
$22.95 Details
This Rust Eraser nicely cleans and buffs away scratches & light surface rust on metal surfaces and more. 320 grit abrasive is suspended in a slightly "springy" rubber matrix, making it perfect for cleaning up slight imperfections on both curved and flat surfaces. The 320 grit Rust Eraser is very quick to remove rust and scratches and provides a clean looking satin finish. To clean up a surface faster, either start at the 46 grit Rust Eraser or the 120 grit Rust Eraser.. Measures approx. 2 3/4 inches x 1 1/2 inches x 1/3 inch.
Made in Japan.
For centuries, camellia oil has been used to protect the finest Samurai swords. A small amount applied to your carbon steel knives will keep them free of corrosion and rust. Camellia oil is non-toxic and non-allergenic.
This spray bottle is a great size for professional chefs who want a bottle to carry in the knife bag.
Serrated teeth effortless remove fish scales while ensuring less mess than traditional fish scaling with a knife. Fish scales are removed by teeth, while leaving flesh intact -- with less effort and less mess. A rubber guard keeps fish scales from scattering. Made from stainless steel by Kai (Shun) for strength and to prevent corrosion. Dishwasher safe.
$14.95 Details
This set has everything you need to properly take care of your knives.
Ceramic rods provide the best touch up possible between sharpening. By removing very little material, the blade is honed to a razor edge. Fine ceramic rods will hone a knife to the most optimal edge. However, if a considerable time has passed since honing or sharpening, a coarse rod is often required. Generally, a ceramic rod should be approximately the length of the longest knife that you will be honing. This set comes with a 12 inch fine ceramic rod.
Over time, ceramic rods build up metal particles that clog the abrasive surface. The Superaser cleans the surface of all ceramic rods so that they will continue to hone just like they did when they were new.
I was really excited when the folks over at ChefSteps (www.ChefSteps.com) told me about their favorite kitchen shears. Their recommendations are always pretty spot on. (If you don't know about ChefSteps, go over and check them out!)
MAC's forged kitchen shears really get the job done. They will make quick work out of hard shellfish shells, poultry bones, fish bones, and miscellaneous packaging. One blade is micro-serrated for holding onto slippery surfaces while the other has a razor-polished edge that slices cleanly through tough shells and bones. The drop-forged stainless steel blades are some of the strongest we could find. They are held together by an adjustable nut with a quick-release joint so that you can maintain tight blade-to-blade contact and yet be easily taken apart for cleaning (very important in a kitchen shear!). Strong enough to cut through a penny, these shears were designed for heavy-duty kitchen tasks. Slightly right-handed handle but we know some lefties who use them too. These sharp and smooth functioning shears feature a blue textured/rubber grip.
Made in Japan.
Fish Bone Tweezers help effortlessly remove bones from fish.
These Fish Bone Tweezers are made by Kai, the maker of Shun Knives. The angled tweezer makes it very efficient. The ergonomic handle allows either a home user or a professional chef to effortlessly work for extended periods. This Japanese-made tool looks as great as it feels!.
Made in Japan.
This magnetic knife strip can be used for just about anything you can imagine. As long as it's magnet friendly, you're good to go. You'll wonder how you got along without it!
Unlike typical magnetic holders that rely on steel rails, this rack won't ding or nick your high quality blade steel. Your knives will stay sharp longer because wood is edge-friendly. Also, unlike traditional countertop knife blocks, bacteria cannot get trapped in deep slots.
Your knives and tools will be safely secured. With the holding power of rare earth magnets, this strip is capable of holding heavier items such as large hand tools. Holding-power is dependent on shape, friction and size of item. For large items, such as heavier hand planes with a relatively small contact area, we recommend two horizontal racks spaced several inches apart.
To store knives horizontally, two racks can be set vertically spaced several inches apart. The construction methods used to make these strips are such that the entire block seems to be a single piece of wood. Only premium solid hardwoods are used. These magnetic knife holders are backed by a lifetime guaranty.
Unlike typical metal rail magnet bars, these are attractive, designed to accentuate and blend with their environment. Natural sycamore wood figure and tone will vary on each knife strip.
Handmade in the USA.
Bradford Knives are handmade in Renton, Washington. His background working in an aerospace machine shop is clearly evident in these high performance, elegant steak knives.
We're very excited about these steak knives. In fact, they are literally some of the best steak knives we've ever seen!.
Super Gold II (SG2) powdered metallurgical (PM) steel is combined with the beauty of damascus cladding. A high performing Takefu SG2 PM stainless steel core is surrounded by thin layers of stainless damascus steel. The resulting cutting edge is tempered to Rc 62 - 63 (very hard!) for exceptional edge holding, but is easy to sharpen due to the small grain structure. The incredibly small crystalline size of this PM steel results in superior edge holding when compared to nearly any other stainless steel used in the knife industry.
The blades are full flat ground for high performance, effortless slicing. They were heat treated by Peters' Heat Treating, for a superior, long lasting edge (Hrc 62-63).
Cocobolo toned Liberty Wood handle scales are set on the full tang using Corby fasteners. Liberty Wood is a natural, engineered wood laminate using sustainably-sourced birch veneer and resin. The water-based resin is infused deep into the wood fibers which acts as a plasticizer and gives the final material its characteristics. Its durability greatly exceeds that of normal hard woods and it is able to obtain a high polish. The handles are nicely contoured with a palm swell.
This four knife set is accompanied by a leather storage pouch, also made in the USA.
Exceptional fit and finish!