Hi, I'm Scott Starkweather, owner and maker behind Starkweather Cutlery in Wakefield, Quebec.

 

I've been making knives since 2018, though my fascination with them started much earlier.

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Before I started making knives, I spent my entire career working as a chef. For more than 15 years, knives were the tools I relied on every day. I sharpened them, maintained them, wore them out, and developed a strong sense for what makes one perform well and another fall short.

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Like most things that capture my interest, knifemaking started with a simple question: how are these things actually made? I began researching, watching videos, experimenting, and learning. I'm entirely self-taught, guided by a lot of trial and error and a willingness to be brutally honest with myself about the quality of my work.

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Today, every blade is forged, ground, heat treated, and finished by me. While I appreciate beautiful craftsmanship, performance always comes first. Heat treatment, edge geometry, comfort in hand, balance, and cutting feel are the things I obsess over.

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My years in professional kitchens gave me a head start in understanding what makes a knife work long before I ever forged my first blade. The finishing on that first knife wasn't much to look at, but it was sharp enough to shave with.

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I've always been drawn to Japanese kitchen knives. They're lighter, faster, and capable of taking an incredibly keen edge. My work is heavily influenced by that philosophy, but without feeling bound by tradition for tradition's sake. I take inspiration from Japanese forms and performance while allowing myself the freedom to explore new materials, construction methods, and design choices.

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To date I've made more than 400 knives. The feedback I hear most often is that they cut exceptionally well and that they have a bit of personality. That's exactly what I'm aiming for.

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At the end of the day, my knives are tools first. I'm a maker by nature, and I enjoy the challenge of producing objects that perform at a high level and are built to be used. The artistic side is there too, and occasionally it takes center stage in a custom piece, but every knife that leaves my shop is meant to earn its keep out in the field.

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Thanks for stopping by, and I appreciate you taking the time to look at my work.