FiCX 2018
FiCX 2018
The fifth edition of the Forum international de Couteau Contemporain (International Forum of Contemporary Knives - FiCX) was held in Paris, on the 15th and 16th of September 2018. The show featured 100 knife makers, slightly more than last year’s edition.
Text and pictures: Louis Blanchet Kapnist
Text and pictures: Louis Blanchet Kapnist
The entrance of the Carreau du Temple, home of the 5th edition of the FiCX.
Le Carreau du Temple, a wonderful place in the centre of Paris, hosted the 5th edition of the Forum international de Couteau Contemporain (FiCX). I feasted my eyes, not only because the hall is very bright, but also because of the extremely high level of international knife making craftsmanship. There were great names present at the forum such as: The German Jurgen Steinau, the unbelievable work of Russian artist Basil Vorobiev whom I only knew thus far through some pictures on the Internet. I discovered the poetic universe of the Japanese Soichi Machimoto, the wonderful productions of the American Tim Wright and I could admire the superb knives of the Alaskan couple Haley and Adam DesRosiers. Next to them were the knives of Danish maker Steffen Toksvig, which encouraged the immediate return to the kitchen to try them. There were the highly original products by Franck Funke, and it is always a pleasure to handle one of the impressive knives by Samuel Lurquin.
And then, of course, there were the sometimes eccentric projects from Alain Valette and, for a Frenchman like yours truly, the pleasure to see the top of the French knife makers present with their work: Raphael Durand, Philippe Jourget, Davis Lespect, Philippe Lemonnier, Franck Souville, and many others.
The pictures show a small selection. Next year’s date has not been set yet.
And then, of course, there were the sometimes eccentric projects from Alain Valette and, for a Frenchman like yours truly, the pleasure to see the top of the French knife makers present with their work: Raphael Durand, Philippe Jourget, Davis Lespect, Philippe Lemonnier, Franck Souville, and many others.
The pictures show a small selection. Next year’s date has not been set yet.
The Carreau du Temple is bright and spacious.
One of Jurgen Steinau’s wonderful knives.
A wonderful set by Russian artist Basil Vorobiev, inspired by the Russian M1891 military rifle and its
spike bayonet.
A knife by the Japanese Soichi Machimoto.
A back lock folding knife by Tim Wright.
Haley and Adam DesRosiers from Alaska are both Master smiths of the
American Bladesmith Society.
One of the kitchen knives by Danish maker Steffen Toksvig.
A short fixed blade by Franck Funke.
A Hunting knife by Belgian maker Samuel Lurquin. The blade is San Mai, made from Inox 420 and 80crv2.
The handle is Desert Ironwood.
Work of the French maker Alain Valette.
The ‘Nid de Frelons’ (Hornet’s nest) by French maker Raphael Durand. The blade is RWL34, the handles
are warthog, cut by Serge Raoux.
A folding knife by Philippe Jourget. The blade is CPM 154 CM, the grip plates marbled carbon fibre.
The liners and pocket clip are made from anodised titanium and the bolsters and backspacer are zirconium.
A folding knife by French maker Philippe Lemonnier. The blade is RWL34, the bolsters Bass String Damascus
and the handles are Micarta.
Franck Souville makes his model Bad Guy with many different materials. This example has a
100C6 blade with a black stonewashed finish and Richlite grips.
A wonderful piece by Russian knife maker and artist Vlad Matveev.