RICK AND EARL
In mid-January 2023, I, together with another Dutchman (Earl), and two Germans (Sam and Marcel), attended the knife forging course at RUIG. What a fantastic and beautiful experience! Under the enthusiastic and skilled guidance of the blacksmith, I crafted a beautiful 200-layer Damascus knife with a wooden handle and a fire hearth rivet. All of this took place in a rural location in a well-equipped workshop, with a very relaxed and casual atmosphere. I want to thank Gerwin and Nicole for their excellent care, and not to mention the delicious lunch.
Best regards, Rick
A weekend in the blacksmith's workshop, resulting in a seriously impressive knife that you can be proud of. This is the brief summary of a two-day workshop, where we worked intensively with fire, heat, iron, wood, and heavy machinery. However, the complete experience cannot be captured in a short piece of text, but what is worth mentioning was the warm welcome we received.
Gerwin is a highly experienced craftsman with passion and patience; he guides you every step of the way. He lets you do what you can and takes over where necessary. It helped me to explore a direction that I knew I would love. Therefore, my introduction to knife making leaves me wanting more. I will definitely come back to learn the tricks of the trade from the master.
Regards, Earl Ketting Olivier
We took part in the Damascus knife forging course at Gerwin in June 2022. As soon as we arrived at the forge we were totally thrilled. Gerwin gave us a warm welcome and within two days we forged a great knife!
