Michal Melicherčík

Blacksmith

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From paper rings to knives

Michal has always been intrigued by different materials
He tries to preserve the techniques of his ancestors
His first foreign order came truly from afar

Michal Melicherčík's interest in craft was largely influenced by the region he was born in. Podpoľanie, the area in the heart of Slovakia, is full of traces of the original crafts and craftspeople continuing various traditions. Michal's first experience of his craft was when he created his first blacksmith forge from old bricks he found lying nearby to his home. Nowadays, he tries to base his craft on ethnographic tradition he discovers on his research visits to museums and private collections, not only in his own local region but also in other countries such as Ukraine. And as for the future of his craft he is not worried at all: “What I observe around me is a great interest in crafts of all kinds,” he says.

Interview

When did you first decide to pick up this craft?
Already as a young boy I admired the tools my grandfather had in his workshop. I loved working with different materials which also influenced the choice of my primary and high school. In 2008 I saw a pastoral knife by master Milan Látka which opened my eyes to a new path.
What was the first object you made?
I remember making my first knife out of wood when I was seven. I had to wait for the first proper one until I was 15. And I can also recollect a memory of the first ring I made – it was made of paper and for my mother who still keeps it somewhere.
Do you master any specific techniques?
I try my best to use old techniques and apply them to modern products as well. I believe this is the way for them not to die out. One such technique is inlaying with plastic which was used in the Podpoľanie region at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
What is a memorable moment in your career?
I guess it was the moment I quit my day job and began to pursue my craft full-time. I also vividly remember the moment I got a first order from abroad. It was for a shepherd-like knife and I was sending the order all the way to California.

Michal Melicherčík is a master artisan: he began his career in 2008 and he started teaching in 2008