About de Clercq Knives

The Story

de Clercq Knives was established in 2004 by me, Matt de Clercq.  The decision to to start making my own knives was made after many frustrating attempts to process and cook game with inexpensive knives that performed poorly.  I figured that it would be cheaper to just make a quality knife myself.  Eventually, I did make myself a good knife, but it was evident that it would have been a lot cheaper and faster to have just bit the bullet and purchased a quality knife from the get go!

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Making knives has turned into a passion and hobby of mine that I enjoy in the evenings and weekends.  Since all of my life I have loved fishing, hunting, and eating, it makes sense that my focus is on making blades that will get a lot of use in the kitchen, around the BBQ and while enjoying the outdoors. 

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Knife making has proven to be fun and rewarding.  It is truly an honor to make unique creations by scratch that a hunter will pack on his next adventure or that a cook will use to prepare a special meal for others.  Choosing the right steel, grinding the intended edge geometry, correctly heat treating the steel, and shaping the handle evenly, all with the person in mind who will one day use the knife encourages me to create a clean professional looking tool that will be utilized and treasured.

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For me, being a knifemaker is not about pumping out a bunch of knives to make a profit.  I take a lot of pride in educating myself, working with others on special projects, listening to how my knives perform as well as spending time with other makers in the knifemaking community.  I'm loving the journey, sharing this passion with my family and friends, and making things that others will enjoy.