Engraved knives
- Nemanja is a self-taught knife maker
- His knives are entirely handmade
- He engraves his knives with wild animals
Making his first knife, Nemanja Mijić from Novi Grad in the northwest of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not think that it would become his passion, joy and source of income. But the desire for perfection led him to master an unusual craft that few people in his country do. Dissatisfied with the first knife he made, he constantly tried to make it better and more beautiful. Today, his beautifully designed handmade knives are made for people from all over the world. “Making knives by hand is a physically demanding job and it's pretty dirty,” says Nemanja, "but when you hold in your hands something in which you have invested a lot of time and effort, sweat, dust and scratches on your hands become completely irrelevant.”
INTERVIEW
I love each aspect of my craft. The only thing I would single out is the feeling when people tell me they love my work, because it is a proof that I make quality items that are appreciated.
People don’t know how much time I actually spend in my workshop. Sometimes it’s a classic work day, but often I stay in the workshop late into the night. I even stay in the workshop until the morning on occasions.
Sometimes, I feel an inspiration that awakens in me a desire to finish a knife as soon as possible, especially if it's something innovative. I can't wait to see what I imagined in my head to come to life.
I was once contacted by a man whose son, then a ten year old boy, loved to watch shows and videos of people making knives. On this boy's birthday, his father surprised him by bringing him to my workshop to watch how I work, and to try it out on his own. He was thrilled.
2 EXPERIENCES
