Albert, Stefan

My name is Stefan Albert and I live in a small Slovakian town called Filakovo . I have always been amazed with the miracles of nature and animal world. Unfortunately I couldn’t continue my studies as a graphic or engraver, but I have never given up my dreams. I started engraving 10 or 11 years ago. At an early stage I was getting acquainted with wood and bone, then I continued with making knives for friends. I have gradually grown to acquire different technologies and met wonderful people who introduced me willingly the hard but yet amazing world of steel, giving me useful advice. I use various materials for my knives: steels 440 C, ATS-34, RWL, Damasteel and different damasts. The handle material also can be any wood or bone, gems or semi-precious stones. However my favorite materials are those who I can scrimshaw, like tusk of mammoth or elephant, horn of buffalo's, wart-hog, and occasionally tooth of hippopotamus. I also find a lot of pleasure in making miniature knives. As I cannot stop drawing and I like challenges, I prefer portraits the most, making them usually with scrimshaw. I try to make everything on my own but my most beloved technologies are the deep engraving and the colored negative scrimshaw.