Skopelos Antonis Ampelakias, Skopelos Antonis Ampelakias knifemaker, Skopelos craftsman, Skopelos knives, Skopelos knifemakers, Skopelos local art, Skopelos artists, Skopelos culture, Skopelos traditions, Northern Sporades, Greece

ANTONIS AMPELAKIAS

SKOPELOS KNIFERMAKER
SKOPELOS ARTISTS

Mr. Antonis Abelakias is a worthy continuator of the art of the knife or “knifemaker” on the island of Skopelos. He explains below his involvement with the famous Skopelos knives.

“My name is Antonis Abelakis. I was born in March 1976 and I live permanently in Skopelos, where I come from. My interest and involvement with knives arose from a chance event in 2016 which brought me in contact with Christos Patsis who was the last of the old knifemakers of Skopelos and from whom I got my first, decisive lessons in the art. In 2019 I was contacted by Christos Hatziotis, a knife collector, owner of a related business, and an experienced connoisseur of the subject, who was preparing a book about the knife makers in Greece. He liked my work and included me in his book. This was the occasion for me to get to know better and communicate with some of the knifemakers of the Association of Greek Knifemakers and then to become a member of the Association.

My crafts are inspired by the traditional Scopelian knife and using the Scopelian technique I create modern, decorative, and utilitarian crafts. I could say that my knives have as their main purpose the use and for this reason, I focus on absolute functionality and ergonomics, without neglecting aesthetic excellence. I make butter knives, food knives, kitchen knives, and cleavers for domestic and professional use, as well as hunting knives and shepherd’s knives. The materials I use to make the knives are recycled steel, commercial steel, male and female goats, ram horns, and calf bones. I make the sheaths of the knives from scotch wood.

Another interesting process is the repair of old knives. Apart from the joy of bringing back the creations of the famous, old Scopelite craftsmen, I feel that I am entering a continuous process of study and learning.

From my participation in exhibitions of folk artists in Volos and Skopelos, I have noticed the interest of many people in the traditional techniques that must be preserved because they condense the experience of centuries and offer objects made by the human hand and the human soul, and for this reason unique.”