From ancient times, Russia was famous for its masters of weapons. This is not surprising - the land rich in resources contributed to the active development of crafts. As archaeological research shows, steel in Russia began to be used already in the 9th – 10th centuries. Household items and cold steel were made from it, which is distinguished by great strength. With the development of industrial production, the peak of which occurred in the 18th – 19th centuries, leaders in the steel industry — Tula, Nizhne-Tagil, Kamsko-Votkinsk, and Verkh-Isetsky plants — were distinguished. And among them, thanks to the research passion of his chief engineer P.P. Anosov, Zlatoust plant won the greatest fame. It was he who owned the disclosure of the secret of damask steel manufacturing technology , which envied all European manufacturers.
Types of knives
Today there is no need to use blades as a weapon, but they have a very popular applied purpose. Hunters, fishermen and even tourists are happy to buy a damask knife. Knives (manufacturers offer a wide range of models) meet the practical needs and financial capabilities of consumers. Another impressive category - perhaps the largest - is collectors. Richly decorated, high-quality made daggers are one of the main segments of production.
Russian manufacturers of knives
Today, European and Chinese models are quite widely represented on the market. The cheapness of the latter often seems attractive to customers, but the quality generally does not match the proud name of Damascus steel. European counterparts are much closer to the properties of this unique alloy, but their price is often too high. Russian knife manufacturers are trying to combine decent quality with reasonable cost, and quite often they succeed.
Zlatoust companies
Like almost two hundred years ago, the center of knife production today is Zlatoust. At the beginning of the 19th century, German craftsmen from Solingen, Klingenthal and other cities were invited to train local artisans. Since then, this city has been considered the place where the best knife manufacturers concentrated.
One of the first to establish mass production of blades in the 90s is the company "A&R". Very soon, knives from Zlatoust began to be delivered also to the West, which indicates their high quality. At the same time, price categories of products are designed for different consumers. An excellent hunting knife with excellent cutting qualities can be bought in the range from 2 to 4 thousand rubles. The company's assortment also includes decorative, gift, ornate knives, which are a real work of art.
Pavlovsk knives
Russian manufacturers of knives have a long history in Pavlovo. Fedotov’s workshop specializes in forging Damascus and is constantly experimenting with new compositions in order to achieve an original design and excellent steel qualities. An important fact is that the workshop has its own area for hardening blades, including three electric furnaces and a bath containing hardening means. Thus, the entire steel production process is under their full control. Maintaining the tradition of making blades, the craftsmen pay much attention to design, trying to breathe new life into canonical forms.
The company with the sonorous name "Clear Falcon" relatively recently appeared on the knife market, but has already managed to gain a certain authority. Hunting and tourist models are made of stainless steel 110x18 and D2, which allows hardening the cutting surface to 61 units on the Rockwell scale. In an effort to cover the widest possible range, the enterprise produces not only knives, but also checkers, sabers and other ceremonial and historical weapons.
One of the leading places is occupied by the company “Russian Bulat”, which produces hunting, fishing, tourist and creative knives. The workshops of the Shirorogorov brothers, Sander, Kizlyar and knives from Vorsma are also widely known.
The best masters of the blade industry
Those who have a knife rather a decorative interest should look for author's knives. They are completely safe, as they are not perfect, and their appearance will reflect the personality of the master who made them. Most often, such knives are more expensive than applied knives, but they also look much richer and more interesting. In addition, it is a perfect and very fashionable gift today.
Among the masters of the blade industry, there are some names that cause special respect among experts. One of such unquestioned authorities is I.Yu. Pampuha, the third generation hereditary blacksmith. His work was honored to be exhibited in museums - the Armory, the Museum of Blade Weapons in St. Petersburg. The second decade has already gone by, as he creates weapons from Damascus and Damascus steel, strictly observing the technique of ebb, forging and sharpening of the blade. For his products, the master uses stainless and alloy damask, mosaic damascus and other metals. For the handles of daggers, Pampuha chooses the most noble and expensive materials - mammoth tusk, walrus fang, ebony. Inlaid with mother of pearl and precious stones, such knives deserve the windows of museums.
Andrey Biryukov’s products are also widely known among knife lovers . According to user reviews, the prices of his blades meet the quality criterion as adequately as possible. Knives made of powder steel produced by his forge were very popular. This material is practically not susceptible to rust and has excellent cutting properties.
Thus, despite the big break and partly lost traditions, Russian knife manufacturers can very well represent damask and damask products on the world and domestic markets. What is not surprising - the historical memory turned out to be so strong that it overcame generations.