Willie van Niekerk
- knife maker at Kiwi Blade Knives
CELEBRATING UNIQUENESS AND DISTINCTION
We love individuality, beauty, functionality and form.
Is it luxurious these days to value uniqueness and distinction in our modern throw away world? Probably yes – but we also think it is a necessity – to put back a bit of humanity and hand-made charm and quality into the world.
Who needs another short-life product which is designed to be used today and thrown away tomorrow? Cheap materials and careless quick manufacturing only lead to disappointment and frustration – not to mention, waste.
To us, personalisation and authenticity provide a colourful and meaningful contrast to the grey drabness and superficiality of the modern world of mass consumerism.
We care about our customers and design knives with you in mind – and we design them to last. Our human hands, designing for your human hands – as has been the way for timeless centuries.
At Kiwi Blade, I guess you could say that we are happy to turn back the clock a bit in appreciating the ways of old – valuing time, the love of craft, perseverance, precision and the beauty of good functionality and design.
To us, a knife has to be a durable and reliable tool as well as an object of beauty. It should do what it was designed to do, time after time, and feel amazing to use while you are using it. And it should look good and make you feel proud to own it.
The balance of the knife, how it feels in your hand, the strength and sharpness of the blade and the visual design and purpose of the knife should all fit with who you are.
We see the world as a place where performance, reliability and beauty coexist.
Life should be fun and doing the things you love should be effortless with the tools you love.
Mass production, it seems, rockets along with little concern for people, the environment and local communities and economies. That is not us. We love to make knives for individuals which are as unique as their owners.
And we know that you have your own needs and preferences when it comes to owning a knife – and we value that.
If you want something distinctively different that won’t be mistaken for anything else, we can make it. If you want to repurpose an old piece of steel or repair a much loved knife, we can do that too.
And if you want something well crafted and beautiful for the kitchen or to use in the great outdoors, chances are we already make it – have a peek in our shop window or come and visit us.
Join us in our mission to defy the ubiquitous plaque of sameness. Come and help us brighten the world, one knife at a time.
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Willie van Niekerk is a knife maker who is originally from South Africa. He first fell in love with knife making on a survival course when he was 16 years old and has been making tactical, hunting, fishing and kitchen knives ever since. Passionate about the outdoors, sustainability and respecting the environment, he tries to get out into the wild as often as possible – that is, when he is not cooking up a storm in the kitchen. To read more about Willie’s thoughts on design and his long time passion for knife making, click here
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If you would like to know more about the processes and considerations that might go into making a custom-made knife for you, give Willie a call. He will be happy to discuss the ins and outs of the process… and how it will fit for you exactly.
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Willie van Niekerk Ph: 022 464 7499