HISTORY

The history of the Révész Knife Workshop

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REPOSITORY OF KNOWLEDGE 

 About craft knives in general

Most of the work processes are carried out by human hands, in addition to the use of natural materials. They are completely different from factory, machine-made pieces. Therefore, the parts and handle panels do not fit together as accurately as their factory counterparts. We try to center each knife, but the antlers and horns can "pull" it over time and it is not certain that it will be in the center. Due to their natural nature, no two pieces of antler or horn-handled knives are alike.

The blade of a good knife does not rattle, we can check this by pulling it with small sideways movements when it is open. A knife needs to click - This means that in the closed state we can still push the blade inward a little, and then the spring pushes it back to its original position. This is important because, in the closed state, the edge of the knife does not sit on the spring and does not take its edge out.

Correct use

The most important thing is to avoid cutting on porcelain or glass surfaces. The fine edge of the hardest and best-sharpened blade wears quickly on the previously mentioned surfaces.

However, all cutting tools lose their original sharpness over time, so sharpening is necessary first. We recommend the Tyrolit double-sided sharpening stone, which can also be found in our online store, if someone learns the correct sharpening technique, he can comfortably use his knife for years without sharpening.

However, if grinding does take place, we only entrust our knives to professionals with adequate experience. We do NOT recommend the different sharpening tools that only need to be kept in the knife or pocketknife, as they scratch the surface and do not achieve the desired effect.

When closing knives, guide the blade in by hand, do not let it hit, primarily for safety reasons, and secondly, in this case, the blade can cut into the spring that takes out the edge of our knife. This is especially true for long, thin, straight knives, e.g. bacon cutters.

Attention!

The spring of the Révész knives is made of carbon steel due to the appropriate spring force and durability. In most cases, the handle panels are made of some kind of living material (wood, antlers, horn). Taking all of this into account, it is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN to put the knife in the dishwasher.

 Cleaning

After use, wash the blade with a sponge containing washing-up liquid, then shake the water out of the knife and wipe the blade before closing it. If the handle is also dirty, wash it with water and wipe it dry immediately. Soaking in water in the sink is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN, because as a result, the natural material absorbs water and then dries out again, which is why it becomes deformed and frayed.

Knives with carbon steel blades begin to "patinate" during use, this means that the blade takes on a dark gray color, which is less shiny than the original.

Maintenance

In the case of knives with horn handles, the handle should be smeared with a little fat with your fingers every 2-3 months / sheep fat if you have it at hand, and then wiped with a cloth after a day. This is good for the horn because it doesn't let it dry out too much, so it doesn't become brittle or dull.

If we do not touch our knife for a long time, it is necessary to drip 1-2 drops of instrument oil between the blade and the spring in the closed state before use. Then open and close it a few times, so that our dry knife will work easily again. Even if it is in daily use, it is worth doing this every few months. HINT: How to apply the oil correctly? - Dip the tip of a toothpick into the oil and then drop the oil in the right place.

If the inside of the knife is dirty, put a small cotton ball on a toothpick and use it to remove the dirt. We avoid using WD40 and similar agents because they dry out our knives. We also recommend a toothpick, in its natural form, to remove dirt from spring decorations.

Storage

They should not be stored in a damp, musty place, this environment is not good for the handle panels and the spring either. It has a negative effect on the appearance and operation of the knife.

They can be perfectly stored in a pocket or case during daily use. If we don't use them often, we can safely leave them in the apartment. In addition to carrying out the above-mentioned interim maintenance, a knife can remain usable for decades.

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Hungarian knife culture

After the first three years of my studies in ethnography, at the end of my bachelor's degree, I aimed to present a special group of traditional peasant culture and handicrafts, typically Hungarian knives, as the topic of my thesis. This thesis was by no means comprehensive, I tried to create a comprehensive picture of the topic to the best of my ability and scope. At that time, I focused on the types of knives from Debrecen and the research of the long-standing Debrecen knife-making craft. I presented in detail the relevant material from the collection of the Déri Museum in Debrecen, based on which I tried to create the most detailed possible picture of the former knife culture of the city of Cívis and its surroundings.

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About the Fehérvár knife

Fehérvár bicska was famous all over Transdanubia. Its name refers to its place of origin and production, Székesfehérvár. The old masters decorated the handles of some types of knives with the red and blue colors of the city's flag. Different types of knives were made: tail, French, seal, nader, völgyelt, head curve, sniccer. The steel knife could also be used to extinguish fire. The knife with a clawing blade was used by shepherds to heal the feet of sheep (Pesovár 1983, 19). Its popularity is indicated by the fact that the Fehérvár knife is often featured in the XVIII-XIX. in cultural historical sources of the 19th century. The author of the canvas print entitled The Privileges of Ordinary Pipe Smoking, created after 1789, spoke highly of it: "... Tobacco is the most blessed smoke in the whole world; We also strongly recommend that this expensive grass not be cut with a krajtzak bit, or some other silly wad, but with the famous Fejérvár, bone-spinning sharp bit..."

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