-
Image
-
Image
-
Image
-
Image
-
Image
-
Image
Utensils: Knife and Spoon Making
In this demo-focused virtual course students will utilize standard jewelry tools to create a versatile knife suitable for all manner of utilitarian purposes, such as those in the kitchen, studio workshop, or garden. They will learn various knife-making techniques such as sawing, drilling, filing, riveting, and heat treatment.
Additionally, the course will include instruction on crafting silver spoons, focusing on forging an ingot into a finely shaped utensil. The students will also gain knowledge on creating tools essential for the process of utensil fabrication.
For more information about virtual courses, visit our Virtual Course FAQ page.
Meet the instructor
Matthieu moved from Paris to New-Mexico when he was 19, where for seven years he studied Navajo, Hopi and Zuni jewelry techniques. He was immediately drawn to stamping, making concho belts and bracelets. He then moved to Mali, West-Africa and worked for a few years with the Fulani, Tuareg and Bambara jewelers.
In 1999, Matthieu settled in Montreal Canada and continued his studies by going to a jewelry school and learning a more classical part of the trade. Over the years, Matthieu has returned to Africa regularly.
In 2014, Tim McCreight and Mattheiu Cheminee created the Toolbox Initiative, a non-profit organization that helps jewelers in West Africa through the gifts of donated tools.
“I have been stamping and making stamps since the beginning and have developed a form of stamping design by creating patterns that fill the entire piece of metal. This is called “tessellation”.
Matthieu has written two books, “Legacy, jewelry techniques of West Africa“, “The Art of Stamping", both published at Brynmorgen Press and Inadan, The Mastery of Tuareg artisans published at Schiffer publishing. A new book will come out in the spring 2025; Chain making for jewelers.
Visit Matthieu's website or instagram page for more info on his work.
Materials & Tools
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name to be redirected to a page where you can view the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is not required - observers are welcome.
Metal/Raw Materials
- 0.5” x 2” x brass sheet – 18g (Rio Grande)
- 40g x fine silver casting grain (Rio Grande)
- 1 x O-1 tool steel blank – 3/32” x 1” x 18” (Jantz Supply, Online Metals, or other)
- 1 x brass rod – 3/16” (Jantz Supply)
- 1 x piece of wood, any type - 2” x 1” x 8”
- 6 x small brass nails (Home Depot)
Basic Hand Tools
- 1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
- 1 x bench pin (Rio Grande)
- 1 x half round hand file - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
- 1 x coarse flat file (Penn Tool Co.)
- 1 x rotary tool - flex shaft, micro motor, etc. (Rio Grande)
- 1 x set of needle files - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
- 1 x scribe (Rio Grande)
- 1 x rawhide / plastic mallet (Rio Grande)
- 1 x riveting hammer (Rio Grande)
- 1 x steel block / steel surface (Rio Grande)
- 1 x small steel ruler (Rio Grande)
- 1 x sheet of sand paper - 220 to 600 grits (Amazon)
- 1 x calipers (Amazon)
- 1 x dividers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x parallel pliers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pack sawblades – 2 (Rio Grande)
- 1 x 3/16” drill bit (Amazon)
Basic Forming Tools
- 1 x ball peen hammer (Rio Grande)
- 1 x forging hammer (Rio Grande)
Basic Soldering/Torch Set-up
- 1 x fireproof area - steel sheet, tiles, etc. (Amazon or Home Depot)
- 1 x compressed charcoal block - hard (Rio Grande)
- 1 x torch - Smith mini, Silversmith, or butane (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
- 1 x striker or lighter - Silversmith system has one (Rio Grande)
- 1 x soldering tweezers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x cross lock tweezers (Rio Grande)
- 1 x tempered glass container or sink - for quenching and rinsing
Other/Miscellaneous Items
- 2 x clamps (Home Depot)
- 1 x full sheet label sticker paper (Amazon)