Dutch Knife Exhibition 2017

Dutch Knife Exhibition 2017
 
The Netherlands boasts one big knife show, the Dutch Knife Exhibition, which is held annually. The 11th edition took place on the 22nd of April.
 
Text and pictures: Bas Martens
 
This year’s Dutch Knife Exhibition (DKE) was the busiest ever, both in regard to the amount of visitors and exhibitors. The name might be cause for some confusion: it is not an exhibition but a regular knife show with a mixed offering of international custom knifemakers, industrial knives, and knifemaker’s tools and materials. The show is held in a large restaurant on the outskirts of Tiel, a small town in the central provinces of the Netherlands. The following pages show a selection of the knives presented at the DKE. As can be seen, the level of craftsmanship varies from relatively simple to exquisite artisanship.
 
The jury awarded the following prices:
Best Folding Knife: Alfred Dobner
Best Fixed Knife: Erik Markman
Best Production Knife: Adola
Best Art Knife: Joost Franken
Best of Show: Véronique Laurent