József Tarjányi

Knife maker

Share Save Itinerary

A family legacy

József combines multiple skills to handcraft knives
Fish knives are among his prized worked
He is one of less than 10 Hungarian artisans practising the craft

For seven generations, József Tarjányi’s family, who hails from the great southern plains of Hungary, has been creating handmade pocket knives. A craft which is in increasing danger, there are few people left in the region that can claim to be a master of the trade, which relies on multiple skills and techniques. Among these include familiarity of working with wood and metal forging skills. Each pocket knife requires detailed and painstaking work, a tremendous amount of patience, combined with attention to detail. Made to last, József prides himself on providing beautiful and durable multi purpose knives. You can rest assured of the quality as he promises a life-long guarantee on his blades.

Interview

How did you come to learn your trade?
My father-in-law hailed from a 150-year tradition of making pocket knives, which carried the Csatári-Tarjányi family name. Today, the knives I make are still made according to the same age-old customs, everything is made by hand using the tools I inherited from him. The only difference is today I stamp my product with my name.
Which work brings you the most pride?
Most definitely my fish knives. I craft these unique pieces with the handle in the shape of a fish. This particular work of mine speaks to the local fishing tradition. The symbol of the fish is also engraved in the handle and is celebrated among local religions as a sign of peace. They are one-of-a-kind.
What materials do you use in their making?
My blades are made out of rust-free metal to ensure their longevity. For the handles, I use a variety of materials from deer antlers to bull horns and different types of wood from walnut to wenge, which is a type of timber.
What makes your knives unique?
You will rarely find handmade pocket knives these days, which of course makes them a singular gift. But more importantly, perhaps, it is the blades that make these knives exclusive. You can buy factory-made versions, but often you will find that the sharpness of the blade does not compete with my hand finished version.

József Tarjányi is a master artisan: he began his career in 1986 and he started teaching in 2015