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Jean Wilke was born in 2002 in Pretoria where he still resides today. He started knifemaking at only 14 years old when he encountered Forged in Fire. The color of the steel, the sound of the hammer on the anvil, and the skill of the bladesmiths immediately mesmerized him. Unlike other teenagers, however, this was not merely a passing interest, but a burning passion that grew stronger over time. In 2016, for his 14th birthday, Jean received a special gift from his parents -- a one day smithing course with Dennis Kriel. He was immediately hooked. At 15, he found himself on a two week intensive Introduction to Bladesmithing course at Heavin Forge. Despite having no prior mechanical training or experience, his ascent was nothing short of incredible. By the time he was 18, he had earned a place in the prestigious Knifemakers’ Guild of Southern Africa, all while still navigating his school years. He was the youngest person to ever be welcomed into the Guild. This impressive feat marked the beginning of what would become an illustrious career.
On November 30, 2020, Jean took a significant step in his career. After finishing school, he drove to one of his mentors, Mastersmith Neels van den Berg, removed his school blazer, and proclaimed, “I am now a full-time knifemaker!” The very next day, Jean embarked on his journey as a full-time craftsman, immersing himself fully into his passion.
The initial months of Jean's full-time career were challenging. The solitary nature of working alone in his workshop was tougher than he had anticipated, thrusting him into the harsh realities of adulthood. Despite these hurdles, the additional time and focus he invested in his craft led to a noticeable increase in the complexity and detail of his knives.
A turning point came when Jean's family visited Mastersmiths Kevin and Heather Harvey at Heavin Forge. While there to collect a horse Heather had gifted to his brother, Jean’s father casually mentioned the possibility of Jean becoming an apprentice at Heavin Forge. This idea was initially dismissed by Kevin. “A Guild member is nobody’s apprentice!” exclaimed Kevin. The next morning brought an unexpected opportunity. Kevin, having reconsidered, proposed a unique arrangement: Jean could become a part-time intern, spending two weeks at Heavin Forge and two weeks in his own shop each month.
This arrangement led to exponential growth in Jean's skills. His work soon gained recognition and he won two categories at his first KGSA show—an almost unprecedented achievement. His growing reputation also caught the eye of Daniel O’Malley, who began representing Jean's work at BladeGallery.
At Heavin Forge, Jean honed his skills in damascus steel making, deepened his understanding of knife theory, and mastered the art of intricate detailing. The experience at Heavin Forge became a dream come true for the young maker. Notably, at the age of 18, he was invited to assist with the premium ABS Introduction to Bladesmithing course—which was typically restricted to people 18 or older only. Since then, he has become a regular assistant and the “braaimaster” (BBQ master) during the evenings.
Jean also utilized his newfound skills to create a series of his own courses, including a two-day forged knifemaking course and a two-day sheath making course. Many students who trained under Jean have gone on to the more advanced courses at Heavin Forge, further solidifying his role as a prominent educator in the knifemaking community.
In December 2022, Jean expanded his workspace from a 30m² workshop to a 70m² facility. This new space allowed him to invest in additional machinery, including a power hammer, milling machine, and steel lathe, which in turn improved both his production capabilities and his ability to train more students.
One challenge Jean has faced is his inability to test for the ABS Journeyman Smith rating, primarily due to visa issues preventing him from attending Blade Show. Nonetheless, Jean remains determined to overcome this obstacle and aims to participate in Blade Show 2025.
Jean’s passion for knifemaking is profound. He sees it not merely as a profession but as an intrinsic part of his identity. His goals are clear and ambitious: to achieve ABS journeyman and master smith ratings, gain an invitation to the Art Knife Invitational, and ultimately to create knives so masterfully crafted that they will awe future generations of archaeologists.
Jean Wilke’s journey is a testament to dedication, skill, and an unwavering love for the art of knifemaking.Awards:
Chef's Knife (6 in.) with Carbon Fiber |
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Chinese Cleaver with Koa |
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Forged Chef's Knife with Curly Birch (6 inch) |
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Integral Chinese Cleaver with Maple Burl |
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Integral Damascus Chef Knife (6-1/2 in.) with Synthetic Ivory |
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Mosaic Damascus Chef Knife (6-1/4 in.) with Synthetic Ivory |
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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!