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Paulo Tuna

  • Knife maker
  • Coimbra, Portugal
  • Master Artisan
Paulo Tuna Knife maker
Contact
Portuguese, Spanish, English
Hours:
Monday to Friday 08:00 - 18:00
Hours:
By appointment only
Phone:
+351 962614388
© All rights reserved

Forging his own path to knife making

  • • Paulo left the art world to create functional work with the same passion
  • • His grandfather gave him his first knife
  • • He considers each handmade knife to be an artwork

Paulo Tuna’s favourite place is at the forge preparing his next blade. A trained sculptor, he spent 15 years creating artworks in metal and wood while working as a sculptor and metal technician at ESAD Fine Art School in Caldas da Rainha. His love for blades goes back to his childhood when he won a knife in a raffle and his grandfather let him keep it. “That moment marked me,” he explains. Years later Paulo bought a knife for his grandfather but when he was not happy with its quality, he went to the factory to complain and ended up being shown around. When Paulo walked out it was a point of no return. With the help of his family he left his stable job at the university to turn to knife making.

Read the full interview

Works

  • © Paulo Tuna
  • © Paulo Tuna
  • © Paulo Tuna
  • © Paulo Tuna
Photo: © Paulo Tuna
Chef’s knife and bunka knife

The blades of these knives were hand-forged from steel. The handles were fashioned from myrtle wood, each one carefully designed to suit the weight and length of the blade to provide the best balance possible. The bunka knife is a general-purpose tool that can be used for many kitchen tasks from chopping and dicing vegetables to preparing meat.

Length 21 cm
Length 13 cm

Photo: © Paulo Tuna
Santoku knife

The blade of this Santoku (“three virtues”) knife was forged from 64 layers of triple-twisted Damascus steel. It is an all-purpose knife, ideal for chopping, dicing and mincing. The handle, made from horn from the water buffalo and rosewood, gives a comfortable and well-balanced grip. The blade is protected by a sheath.

Length 18 cm
Length 13 cm

Photo: © Paulo Tuna
Special puukko knife

The puukko is a traditional Finnish multi-purpose knife intended to be carried on the belt. The blade of this puukko knife was forged from 360 layers of Damascus steel, while the handle and protective sheath were made from stabilised ebony wood and bronze.

Length 12 cm
Length 13 cm

Photo: © Paulo Tuna
Small cleaver

The blade of this small cleaver was hand-forged from carbon steel and fitted with a specially created Portuguese olivewood handle. The rectangular base of the blade is perfect for cutting meat but also for crushing garlic or preparing vegetables.

Length 17 cm
Length 13 cm

Enjoy an experience with Paulo Tuna

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