Skike Knives
My name is Pieter VanSchaick and I am a full blown self-taught steel addict. Nothing quite feeds my addiction like grinding a chunk of super steel or titanium on a 3 Horse Power, knuckle ripping, ceramic belt grinder. It's the smell of burnt steel - that constant and lingering aroma that never seems to leave my shop. It's white hot titanium raining down on my hands - occasionally igniting into a 6000 degree flash burn. But I know if I just hold steady for a few seconds longer, I will achieve perfection
I've ground knives all the way down to final edge just to have them ripped from my hands and consumed by my grinder's insatiable non-bias appetite. I know I've put in a good day's work when I am covered in steel shavings and my hands ache with productivity.
The stereo type of being left handed and creative is very true - custom runs deep in my blood and shows with every blade I make. I like to think that grinding my blades by hand breathes fire and soul into the steel. It's almost like there is a magnetic primal attraction when handling a custom knife - it's truly a page in the maker's life and a tribute to all things hand made.
Knives and knife-like tools go back 2.5 million years. Due to its role as humankind's first tool, certain cultures have attached spiritual and religious significance to the knife. A lot of my designs are inspired from sharks. They are the most evolved apex predators on the earth, and you can see shark-like styling cues throughout most of my builds. I only build my knives with the absolute best technologically advanced materials on the planet, period. My approach to design is a no-bullshit kind of attitude. I build every knife with the intent that someone's life will depend on it. My goal as a knife maker is to provide the highest caliber knives using the best of my abilities at all times, and to create legendary bad-ass blades.