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De Wet, Johan

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Johan de Wet, knifemaker

Johan de Wet (b. 1979) resides in Honeydew, Gauteng, South Africa. He grew up with his grandparents in Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape and was always tinkering in the garage making weapons like ninja stars, spears, blow dart arrows, and even a crossbow as a youth. Johan's father, who was a knifemaker himself for a few years, was good friends with renowned knifemaker Rob Brown. Johan would visit his father multiple times a year, leading to Johan being captivated by knives as a child. After high school Johan moved to Florida, Gauteng where he worked at a gym while enrolled in Police training. He served 8 years on the police force before moving to a security role with a local school. During this time, Johan began to get reacquainted with knifemaking. Though his early inspiration came from legendary knifemakers Rob Brown and Piet Grey, it wasn’t until he visited Neels Van den Berg in 2017 that a passion reignited to try his hand at making his own knives.

In April of 2017 Johan set up his own knife workshop and began making knives as a part time hobby. He quickly immersed himself in the knifemaking community. In August 2019, he became a proud member of the Knifemakers' Guild of Southern Africa. He left his full-time job in December 2020 to pursue knifemaking full-time starting January of 2021. Johan slowed down his production in January of 2024 due to health issues, but continues to create knives as a cherished part-time hobby.

Johan’s knives reflect a commitment to high quality and excellent ergonomics. His knives are made by hand and are of his own design with exceptional fit and finish. His knives today often show the influence of renowned knifemakers Bob Loveless and Neels Van den Berg. He prefers to utilize a variety of South African hardwoods and durable synthetic materials for his handles, both of which are an excellent choice for a hard use working knife. High quality stainless steels such as Bohler N690 and Sandvik 14C28N are often used for the blades. He has his profiles laser cut for accuracy. He then grinds the blade and shapes the handle by hand. The blades are then hand sanded and bead blasted to give them a non-reflective finish. His blades are heat treated in house. His sheaths are hand stitched and fit to each individual knife. With a focus on practical, well-designed knives offered at accessible prices, Johan de Wet is dedicated to crafting tools that meet the needs of knife enthusiasts and users everywhere.

Affiliations:

  • Knifemakers' Guild of Southern Africa
  • Southern African Bladesmiths Association

Johan de Wet receiving his Guild Membership

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(NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE)
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