Dionatam Franco M.S. #3
INQUIRIES ONLY
Similarly complex, this creation by Dionatam associates a floral mosaic Damascus blade with a fossilized whale bone handle. Both elements, by their material and the heritage they evoke, harken back to the roots of knifemaking, yet in a very refined and modern way. The elegance continues in the tinted whalebone handle and the bridge to the blade in the form of a perfectly sculpted, hot-blued guard with a mirror-polish finish. The combination of materials and the 24K gold skull motif engraved on the guard together were inspired by a reflection on life and the elements that structure it. The fit and finish are second to none.

Serial number

DF-HT-D-S2

Construction

Hidden tang

Blade

1084/15n20 steels

Damascus

Floral mosaic pattern

Grinds

Flat

Guard & Fittings

Hot blued forged 1045 steel guard

Handle

Fossilized whale bone

Build time

290 hours

Engraving

Engraved guard with 24k gold inserts

Sheath

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

Knifemaker

Dionatam Franco

From Brazil.

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!”