European Knife Show Strasbourg 2023
On 11 and 12 February this year, the sixth edition of the European Knife Show (EKS) was held in Strasbourg. After a somewhat difficult anniversary last year (a change of venue and a few remaining health measures), the show is back in full swing. More knifemakers, higher quality: the EKS 2023 was bigger and better than ever!
Text and pictures: Bas Martens
What are the most important European knife fairs? Most enthusiasts will agree: Gembloux, Thiers, Solingen and Strasbourg. All four have an international character, with both participants and visitors coming from virtually all over Europe (and sometimes far beyond) . All four are popular with knifemakers, who sometimes have to struggle to get a table, and popular with the public. It's the familiar circle: a show with lots of good knifemakers attracts lots of audience, which in turn generates more knifemakers.
We have said it before: it is admirable that the EKS has developed into one of the best European knife show in just a few years. It is hard to say how they did it. Yes, a flawless organisation of course, by Séverine Weishaar and Gregory Pohl, and their many collaborators. Also the quality of the participants: the EKS features some of Europe's best knife makers. But beyond that? Sometimes venue plays a role, but that hardly seems to be the case. The EKS is as enjoyable in the current Hilton as it was in the former Hôtel Mercure. So what is the secret ingredient, the 'potion magique' that makes the EKS such a pleasant show? Who knows, just enjoy.
This year's EKS 2023 participant list had just under 100 names. That is far more than we can show here, but given the high standard of the knives on display, we have photographed a knife from almost half of the participants.
For the first time, the organisation awarded a number of prizes, in different categories. The winners are:
Best folder : Jean-Baptiste Lévêque
Best fixed blade : Pekka Tuominen
Best kitchen knife : Joel Matter
Best Innovation : Bastien Toubhans
Special Jury Award : Romain Alvarez
Text and pictures: Bas Martens
What are the most important European knife fairs? Most enthusiasts will agree: Gembloux, Thiers, Solingen and Strasbourg. All four have an international character, with both participants and visitors coming from virtually all over Europe (and sometimes far beyond) . All four are popular with knifemakers, who sometimes have to struggle to get a table, and popular with the public. It's the familiar circle: a show with lots of good knifemakers attracts lots of audience, which in turn generates more knifemakers.
We have said it before: it is admirable that the EKS has developed into one of the best European knife show in just a few years. It is hard to say how they did it. Yes, a flawless organisation of course, by Séverine Weishaar and Gregory Pohl, and their many collaborators. Also the quality of the participants: the EKS features some of Europe's best knife makers. But beyond that? Sometimes venue plays a role, but that hardly seems to be the case. The EKS is as enjoyable in the current Hilton as it was in the former Hôtel Mercure. So what is the secret ingredient, the 'potion magique' that makes the EKS such a pleasant show? Who knows, just enjoy.
This year's EKS 2023 participant list had just under 100 names. That is far more than we can show here, but given the high standard of the knives on display, we have photographed a knife from almost half of the participants.
For the first time, the organisation awarded a number of prizes, in different categories. The winners are:
Best folder : Jean-Baptiste Lévêque
Best fixed blade : Pekka Tuominen
Best kitchen knife : Joel Matter
Best Innovation : Bastien Toubhans
Special Jury Award : Romain Alvarez
Organisers, jury and the five award winners. The winners are, standing from the left: Pekka Tuominen,
Bastien Toubhans, Jean-Baptiste Lévêque and Joël Matter. Kneeling: Romain Alvarez.
(Photo courtesy Erik Chateau)
The next edition of the EKS is already on the agenda: 3 and 4 February 2024, again at the Hilton Hotel in Strasbourg. European Blades Mag. will keep you informed, but in the meantime you can always check the EKS website: www.euroknifeshow.com, available in English, French and German.
The ‘Piccolo’, a folder by Adrien Giovaninetti. The blade is Damascus, the handle is Mammoth. The
blade length is ca. 105 mm.
The ‘Drac’ by Alain Conesa. The blade is mosaic Damascus, the handle material is G10 with a
reconstituted white turquoise inlay. The spring is chisel-engraved.
The ‘Vendetta’ by Alexandre Musso. The blade is Damascus, the handle Mammoth. Overall length is 21 cm.
Swiss maker André Perret numbers his knives. This is Nr. 259. The blade is Damasteel, the handle is
stabilized Maple, Gold and Ebony. Overall length is 20 cm.
Tim Bernard (Névé) is best known for his folders, but this is a fixed blade. The blade is V10A steel
with Hamon, the handle material is G10. The overall length is 30 cm.
Bastien Toubhans (Atelier Beau Merle) presented this picnic set: folding knife, folding fork, and of course
a corkscrew. The blade is C100 carbon steel, the two-piece fork is hardened Inox. The handle scales are
red Sambar stag. The corkscrew was filed by hand.
A folding knife by Jean-Luc Millécamps (Celtmen). The blade is XC70 / 90MCV8 / 15N2 Nickel / 100 CRM4
Damascus steel, the handle material is Giraffe bone and Bubinga wood.
The Model ‘Bull’ by Sébastien Werquin. The blade is home-made XC75 / 90 mcv8 Damascus,
the bolsters are Inox Z40 and the handle scales are Warthog.
The ‘Mont d’Arbois’(a mountain in the French Haute Savoie), a linerlock front flipper by Cyril Doche.
The blade is RWL34 Inox, the liners are grade 5 Titanium, the bolsters mosaic Damascus and the
handle scales are Mammoth Ivory.
The ‘Hunter’ by Daniel Jobim. Blade and bolster are mosaic Damascus, the handle is Mammoth ivory.
Stefano Domenicali (DomingoKnife) presented his first linerlock folder. The blade is Böhler K720 and
K600 home-made Damascus, the liners are Titanium and the handle scales are Mammoth. The blade
pivots on ball bearings.
‘Le Tonneau’ (the barrel) by Yann Nominé, who works with Renaud Dumarçay as ‘Les Couteliers de
Fontainebleau’. This notched slipjoint folder has a 14C28N blade, and Oak barrel handle scales.
A Naikiri by Fred Mercky. The 155 mm blade is San Maï from Aogami super and Inox. The handle is Olive wood.
The ‘G1’ by Frédéric Collin. The blade is C130 . Nickel / 15N20 San Maï. The handle is Grenadille.
Overall length is 20 cm.
A ‘Bouledogue allongé’ (alongated Bulldog), by Frédéric Marchand. The blade is XC75 Carbon steel,
the handle is Camel bone. Overall length is 17 cm.
‘L’Alpin d’Argent’ (the Silver Alpine) by Guillaume Antoniucci. The blade is Damascus forged with Gerard
Almuzaia, the bolsters are silver coins and the handle is warthog, with scrimshaw by Ellia Jouveaux.
The ‘Persian Slim XL’, a backlock folder by Jean-Baptiste Lévêque with hidden fasteners. The blade is
RWL34, the handle is Gidgee wood. Overall length is 230 mm.
‘Le Mineur’ (the Miner) by Jean-Claude Laforet. The blade is Zladinox Feather Damascus, the handle is
fossil tooth.
A linerlock folder by Jean René Floch. The blade is Damasteel Fafnir, the handles are Arizona Iron Wood.
The liners have filework. Overall length is 193 mm.
The ‘Sika Integral’, a framelock folder by Jerôme Hovaere (Torpen knives). The blade is Achim Wirtz
Damascus, the frame is Titanium. Overall length is 185 mm.
A Nakiri by Jérôme Tanghe. The blade is XC100, the handle is Paddouk and Mango wood.
A linerlock folder by Joël Grandjean. The blade is Carbon Damascus, and pivots on ceramic ball
bearings. The bolsters are Damascus. The handle scales are stabilized Poplar. The backspacer
is from Ironwood.
An impressive Fighter by Joël Matter. The blade is 90mcv8 / 15N20 Damascus, the bolster and end
cap are solid bronze. The handle scales are Ironwood. The sheath is leather and sturgeon.
Although Jean-Pierre Martin calls this knife the ‘Basic’, there is little basic about it. The blade is Bertie
Rietveld ‘Dragon Skin’ Damascus, the handles are Fat Carbon. The knife has Martin’s ‘Magic’ pocket clip.
A notched slipjoint (cran forcé) folder by Karim Valentin (Les Couteaux d’Hure). The blade is
homemade feather Damascus. The bolster is Z40, the liners are titanium. The handle scales
are Mammoth ivory.
‘Stan’, a linerlock folder by Maxime Belzunce. The blade is RWL34, the bolsters are titanium and
the handle scales are Ironwood.
The ‘Dague’ (Dagger) by Maxime Rossignol (La Forge de Max). The blade is Cu-Ni steel, the handle
material is Fat Carbon.
A linerlock folder by Metin Anan. The blade is Balbach Inox Damascus. The handle is Grenadille
with Maple inlays. Overall length is 200 mm.
The ‘K-Marade’ by Michel Grini. The blade is Suminagashi SPG2, the handle material is red Narra root (Amboyna).
A fixed blade by Nicolas Bertet (La Forge de la Rivière). The blade is San Maï, made from 135C3 and
Puddle steel. The knife has a forged guard and the handle material is Red Ash.
A Damascus slicer by Nicolas Palmade (Atelier La Bigorne). The blade is C130 and 15N20 Damascus,
the handle is Elm Burl and Palisander.
The ‘Rackham’, a folding knife by Nicolas Weber (Weber Knives). The blade is 26C3 steel with Hamon,
the bolsters are Brass and the handle scales are textured Bog Oak. Overall length is 207 mm.
The ‘Philéas’, a notched slipjoint folder by Pierre Thomas (Atelier Ôdae). The blade is N690, the handle
scales are carbon ‘Paillette’ (glitter).
‘Tanto’ by Paolo Gidoni (Gidowolf). The blade is M390 Inox, the handle is antique Ivory. Overall length
is 215 mm.
The ‘Stilletto’ by Christian Goldmann (Pegasus Knives). The handle is Damasteel round bar, the handle is
stabilised Spalted Birch with Copper. Overall length is ca. 30 cm.
‘Le Choix des Femmes’, a lady’s handbag knife by Pekka Tuominen. The blade is 15N20 and 80CrV2
Damascus, the bolster is silver and the handle is Walrus Ivory.
‘Le Montarin’ by Philippe Soeuvre. The linerlock folding knife has a mosaic Damascus blade and Giraffe
bone handle scales. Overall length is 21 cm.
The Thorn-TRS (Top Release System) by Carlos Queirós (Queirós Knives). The blade unlocks through
the small notch on the spine, a mechanism designed by Queirós. The blade is Damsteel Vinland,
the handle has Zirconium bolster with 24K gold inlay and custom pivot screws. The handle scales are
Mammoth Ivory.
The ‘Jewel Dagger’ by Roberto Ottonello. The blades pivots in the handle, and the sheath pivots around
the blade, giving several ways to open and close. The blade is N690 Böhler steel, the handle is Titanium
Grade 5. Overall length is ca. 10 cm.
‘L’Arbec’ by Robin Forissier, named after the cabins or shelters in the French Southern and Antarctic
Territories, for scientific research, where Robin worked for over a year. The 9.5 cm blade of this folder
is RWL34, the handle material is Ebony. The spine has extensive file work.
‘Le Titan’ by Stéphane Robin (Coutellerie le Cellois). The Damascus blade, the bolster and spine
have been sculpted by hand. The bolster is patinated Inox, the handle scales are Mammoth Ivory.
The ‘Karma’ by Sébastien Kaps. The folding knife has a VG10 Suminagashi blade. The handle
scales are Mammoth tooth.
A framelock folder by Silvain Dixneuf. Blade and bolsters are mosaic Damascus. The handle
scales are Tamarind.
Olivier Lamy (Skua Coutellerie) presented this ‘Ardea’ folder. The blade is Inox / Carbon Suminagashi,
the handle is Maple.
Stéphane Espi showed the ‘Goldorak’, two mirror image linerlock folding knives inspired by the
Japanese Manga with that name. The blades are RWL34, the handles are Micarta and Titanium.
A linerlock folding dagger by Stéphane Sagric. The blade is RWL34, the handle is Zirconium and Fat
Carbon. Overall length is 22 cm.
A folder by Vincent Lafaye. The blade is RWL34, the handle is Carbon Damascus. Bolsters and
liners are from one piece.