Dionatam Franco M.S. #2
INQUIRIES ONLY
The fascinating floral mosaic Damascus dazzles with the degree of symmetry achieved, its mesmerizing effect only enhanced by the beautiful ricasso. The handle, crafted from 20 000-year-old fossilized mammoth ivory, is a way of paying a just homage to the centuries-old art of Damascus. The material around the hidden tang appears translucent, silky and somehow surreal to the touch. Finally, as a testament to Dionatam’s incredible mastery across the range of skills involved in bringing such a work to life on the flanks of the mirror-polished hot-blued guard, arabesques engraved with 24K gold and telling a different story on each side. In the words of the maker: “I imagined feeling the breath of an Arctic breeze”.

Serial number

DF-HT-D-S

Construction

Hidden tang

Blade

1084/15n20 steels

Damascus

Floral mosaic pattern

Grinds

Flat

Guard & Fittings

Hot blued forged 1045 steel guard

Handle

Fossilized mammoth ivory

Build time

270 hours

Engraving

Engraved guard with 24k gold inserts

Sheath

Serial number JG-C-CA-C-DF
Exterior Calf with caiman insert
Lining Calf
Concho Sterling silver
Stud Samuel Lurquin’s damascus, milled by Nicolas Verschuere
Build time 13 hours

Knifemaker

Dionatam Franco

Dionatam started making knives at age 14 for the simple pleasure of creating his own. By the time he turned 23, after graduating from Paula Souza Technical College at 19, his passion had become a vocation. In 2016, he obtained is Journeyman Smith stamp from the American Blade Society, winning that year’s Best Damascus Blade award to boot. Two years later, he was admitted into the select group of less than 200 holders of the Master Smith title; he is one of three in Brazil. Dionatam also manufactures some of the tools of the trade, such as tongs and hardies as well as sanders, hammers, hydraulic presses and forges. He teaches, too. It is quite a sight
to watch him put a new blade through its paces behind his workshop, hacking fourby-fours in two “because it needs to be a tool first!”