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Cut Throat Knives
A cut above

Cut Throat Knives

Aidan Mackinnon threw himself into knife making convinced that quality cutlery enhances any culinary experience. “Cooking is one of life’s great joys and knives are often our primary interaction between ourselves and our food.” In his shop in Melbourne, Australia, he lovingly forges high quality knives so that they can be used and passed on to generations of cooks.

Photo credits: Cut Throat Knives

“A knife takes between 3-5 days to make, starting with the raw ingredients of steel and wood. It all begins with the heat treatment of the steel. Heat treatment is the life and soul of knife making, what defines a great blade from a piece of junk (…) When done right all of these steps come together to form a beautiful piece, something that will be used, abused and cherished.”

Aidan always had a special interest in gastronomy and the culinary arts, and wished to become a chef even before starting university. “My mum is an amazing cook, and her passion for cooking and hosting dinners is something I am really grateful to have taken on in my own life.” Making knives was just a hobby, an outlet for creative expression, before it actually became his trade.

According to Aidan, each knife is imprinted with emotional connections, with ties that bind the maker and the user throughout time and uses. A real heritage and history that is important to share in a world where objects lose their value to the point of becoming trivial.

Photo credits: Cut Throat Knives

“The difference between a German or Japanese factory knife that has 15 different robots put it together and my knives that have been in my hands for three to five days where I have laboured on every element of the blade, is in attention to detail. There is a human element to this and that’s what’s important.”

Aidan carefully selects high quality raw materials. The iron he sources comes from the best Japanese and Swedish producers. “I have a few favourites but am constantly exploring other steels and testing them to see how they perform. I use a huge selection of materials for my handles but try to mostly use Australian woods. I have used 200-300 different types of woods on my handles, as well as doing some more modern reinterpretations with resin and bone.”

Photo credits: Cut Throat Knives

“I try to work with a lot of other Australian businesses to create unique objects. I’ve worked with florists, whiskey makers, bee keepers and charities on limited edition knives that tell a story, and hopefully connect with other people.”

cutthroatknives.com.au