Metal Monkey Knives

Tobi Bockholt, a former secondary-school teacher, is a full-time knifemaker in Tasmania's Huon Valley, working from Franklin. He came to the craft in 2015 restoring old carbon-steel knives, and now makes high-end custom kitchen blades — forging his own Damascus and san-mai steel with individual organic patterns and fitting handles in predominantly Australian timbers. A member of the Australian Knife Makers Guild, he has taken chef-knife honours at the Sydney Knife Show and also runs knifemaking courses.