Random Knives #2
INQUIRIES ONLY
This five layer go mai looks at the Bowie concept through the prism of eastern swordsmithing. Impeccably forged and centered, the manner in which it reminds of a Japanese saber is at first surprising - until you let the separate elements fall into place before your very eyes. The blade, each one of its strengths bared where it counts; the seppa true to its name, tightening the fittings; the sober stainless-steel guard flanked by mokume-gane inserts whose wood grain enhance the sense of a natural transition to the stabilized desert ironwood handle. A knife beautifully draws on the richness of two bladesmithing cultures, a spectacular combination that could only be achieved and revealed by artist craftsmen of Lautaro and Mauro’s caliber.

Serial number

RK-HT-L-W

Construction

Hidden tang

Blade

1070 core/1070/304ss steels

Damascus

Go-mai

Grinds

Flat

Guard & Fittings

Steel guard with Mokume-gane inserts and seppa (nickel silver, copper and brass)

Handle

Stabilized desert ironwood

Build time

95 hours

Engraving

N/A

Sheath

Serial number JG-C-C-N-RK
Exterior Calf with full grain leather insert
Lining Calf
Concho Sterling silver
Stud Bronze, milled by Nicolas Verschuere
Build time 10 hours

Knifemaker

Random Knives

From Argentina.

From a very early age Lautaro loved working and creating things with his hands. It was in his genes; his father painted murals, created sculptures and built scale models; his grandfather on his mother’s side, a car mechanic with a passion for knives, would let young Lautaro fiddle in his workshop. In his last school year, his metallurgy professor allowed him and a classmate to make a blade in his charcoal forge. Lautaro was hooked. After 6 months in college studying industrial design, he realized making knives was his calling, rather than designing automobiles. He soon began to sell his creations, attending local fairs and exchanging with recognized knife makers from my country. One of them was Mauro Santacatterina, practically a neighbor in Buenos Aires... Mauro, too, was attracted to handcrafts early on: one of his grandparents had an iron foundry and the other made anything – scale replicas of ships, knives, swords, firearms... – he could think of. Together with his father, who also had manual abilities, young Mauro made swords, shields, helmets and bows. He soon became interested in knives, fascinated by their history and manufacture, as well in ancient and medieval weapons, and blacksmithing in general. So much so that he would eschew university for knife making. He soon grew in his craft, discussing new processes and techniques with fellow bladesmiths, like Lautaro Julio – who soon floated the idea of creating a brand together. Born in 2018, Random Knives is an artistic project for experimenting with all styles, knife models and construction techniques.