Hello Pierre, can you tell us about your artistic creations? You are a jack-of-all-trades, but you are currently working as a knife maker. How do you manage all your projects?
I have always been attracted by aesthetics and especially by nature in general. I studied fine arts and all manual work interested me. I started by doing painting, exhibitions, tattooing, wooden wall decorations...
For the past three years, I have devoted myself exclusively to engraving, sculpting and designing knives that I make to order!
I combine techniques such as stone inlay, marquetry... These are complete creative processes that mix wood, steel and mineral. It is like assembling several artistic projects, a condensed creation that corresponds to me.
You grew up in the Arcachon basin, can you tell us about your first fishing experience?
Needless to say, as a child, I used to pick up knives with my grain of salt on the beaches! But my first real memories are of eel fishing. We would leave early before sunrise, join Jean-Claude the bearded one, and we would embark in a makeshift raft. A pre-war pinnace.
It is with the foëne that we used to hunt, at low tide... I remember the time when my father had the eel's head still hanging on his finger when he was preparing them in the sink and his body was still wriggling! Another time...
And today, are you still fishing or has this episode traumatized you?
I have fond memories of those fisheries, but I don't do them anymore. Now I live in the mountains, and I like to take my kids trout fishing in the valley rivers on occasion. But I'm mostly dedicated to my business. The fish is much more important in my workshop than at the end of my line!
I had the chance to make knives for passionate fishermen who, having seen my work, asked me to carve and engrave handles in honor of their favorite fish: trout in boxwood and rosewood, with inlay of padouk essence, octopus in grenadilla...
The list is not exhaustive and I just made a hit on a pike!
Each knife is a unique piece? How do you manage your order book ?
Yes, each knife is made according to the wishes of my customer. I first made my name by word of mouth in my valley, making knives for local individuals, hunters and fishermen. Also, thanks to the cutlery groups on Facebook, I was able to expand my network all over France!
Today, it takes two months from the first contact to the delivery of a fully customized knife: choice of wood species, shape, good visual compatible for an engraved reproduction... From the type of blade and its engraving, to the inlays of stone(s) on the handle...
What is the spirit of your creative process? What are your upcoming projects?
It is the chemistry between the object, the customer and me that fulfills me in my work. I have at heart to continue to offer affordable products. This is why my priority is to honor the orders to come by taking care to answer, as well as possible, the wishes of my customers.
In the long term, I would like to enrich my panel by working on a more personal series with new details: forging my own blades, inlaying silver threads and precious stones...
The idea is to go upmarket by working like a goldsmith. But all this takes time and total involvement!
Thank you Pierre! A little word to conclude? How do you place an order?
Thank you for sharing my passion through yours! If you need a unique blade with the effigy of your favorite fish, you can contact me directly on Facebook : Pierre Angot.
