Pro Craftsman Pierre Rodrigue Interview

Greetings everyone! Here is your chance to learn a little more about Pierre Rodrigue, the proprietor of Rodrigue Knives. Pierre graciously took time away from the workshop to answer a few questions for us and we truly appreciate him doing this for everyone here. Below is some fantastic insight in to Rodrigue Knives and the man behind the business. Kindly devote a few minutes and enjoy the interview!

Who are you? Where are you located?
My name is Pierre Rodrigue, and I am a part time knife maker, full time surveyor, husband and father to 3 beautiful girls. I call Lloydminster Alberta, Canada home, but grew up on Canada’s east coast.

How did Rodrigue Knives get started?
Kind of an odd story really. I hunt a fair bit, have been for a few years. Of course, along with hunting, comes the chore of field dressing game. I used to carry a back pack, with half dozen or so knives that were sharpened prior to each hunt. I had a few, for the reason of keeping a sharp edge through the different tasks required. It was annoying!! Holy crap! Really? There had to be better options. I started asking the steel suppliers for knife steel. No body had a clue? I was introduced to a gentleman, who offered me a piece, I ground out a knife shaped object, and he heat treated it for me. The following fall, I used the knife to field dress and skin 5 deer! Huge improvement! I showed a couple friends, and workmates, they asked if I could make one for them, Soon I had a few orders. I developed my first website, as a place to keep photos available for anyone to look at. Soon I joined my first forum, and was hoping to get noticed for my hunters, and folders. Someone seen a fillet knife that I had made, and was showing it in the kitchen section. The asked me to pop in and see what was being said about it. That generated a few more orders. That's about it really.



Do you have any formal training or was it 'learn as you go'?
My first few were learn as I go. School of hard knocks. I showed them to family and friends, and had them go over them, and “pick ‘em apart” They were all too picky!! But it helped me be critical. I did a folder course with Bryan Lyttle, a master knife maker in his own right. Look him up, you’ll see what I mean! I also did a weekend forging course, to understand Damascus, and san mai, the rest I developed along the way.
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On average how long does it take to make a knife from start to finish❓

Depends on the knife really. If I were to start, and work through to completion, anywhere from 8 to 30 hours, depending on size, and complexity.

How many knives do you own? How many of those have you made?
I probably have a half dozen folders, maybe 5 hunters, 25-30 kitchen knives, some vintage ones as well. I have a folder, a hunter, and 6 kitchen knives that I have made. The kitchen knives are seconds.

Are you a one man army or do you have a support team?
Completely a one man show.

What is the strangest/oddest request you've received from a customer?
If anything has been weird, it was a request to carve a dragons head and body on a straight razor, and make the scales look like wings. A cool idea, but I don’t have a clue how to execute it. I also had a guy want to commission a sword, with an outlandish handle.



What do you do with knives that don't make the cut?
They don’t get completed, or they become bench knives, or tossed in a tool box to live out their usefulness as rejects!

You're stranded on a desert island and you can only have one knife...what do you choose?
Well I think for practicality, I would have a large camp knife or a shorter machete. That’s if I have no other tools at my disposal.

What do you cut most with your knives? Veggies? Meats? Zombies?
A balance of both really, meats and veggies. I do most of the cooking at home, so nothing food related is safe! As far as zombies go, I like to engage them at say 1000 meters, this way I keep crap off my blades. If they get close enough for blade use, I have a few swords…

Do you do much cooking? If so what is ​

As I mentioned, I do most of the cooking, and baking. My wife is a really good cook too, I just usually take over the kitchen, and she is good with that. As for a favorite dish? No. It depends what I’m in the mood for. There isn’t much I won’t try.



Do you make anything besides kitchen knives?
I make hunters, fillet, folders, and tacticals. Recently straight razors. More kitchen knives, than any other. I also make my own sheaths, wood and leather. I make cutting boards, shaving brushes, and a few other odds and ends.

Is it harder or easier to make a straight razor than a knife? View attachment 993 How does the process differ?
Loaded question. One is no harder or easier than the other. Both have their issues. A razor goes much quicker, because its smaller, so it seems easier. Also doesn’t take as much time finishing. Razors are typically hollow ground, knives are convexed, different use’s results in different process to build.

Do you have any other hobbies? Hunting, fishing, wet-shaving, all of the above?
Haha! Yes, all the above! I hunt, birds, and big game. Fish when I can. Been wet shaving for a couple years, have a collection (growing) of vintage Sheffield razors. Make my own gear. I bake, make wine, love long distance shooting, metal work, drawing (pencil/pen/pastels/charcoal)
Were you nervous making your first professional "for sale" knife ? Did it feel any different then any knife you had made before?
Well, the first few knives, I made for friends/co workers. I was quite proud of my new found skill, and didn’t stress it much. However, once n the forums, selling the first “ordered spec knife” i was a tad paranoid, yes.

What is your favorite knife to MAKE?
I still enjoy folders, razors, and any knife that is a one of, or different from the masses. San Mai knives, and damascus are cool, cause its like Christmas kind of. You never know for sure what your gonna get till you etch it.


What is your favorite part of the knife making process? Why?
I would say designing is the most enjoyable, and the interaction with customers. Apart from that, final finish, and polishing and the photos.

What is your least favorite part of the process? Why?
Hand finishing!! Because I like my skin, and I typically have less of it when doing some steels. I hate working with gloves, I am a guy who likes to touch and feel, looking for imperfections.

Power hammers. Do you have one? Home brew or manufactured? ] How did it change things? Do you still use the ole Armstrong version to make a knife from scratch?
I have access to a friends homemade pneumatic 50 pound hammer. It does speed things along. However I am building a 50 ton press. Its quieter, and moves steel more efficiently I think. I would love to get one of the Japanese style hammers, and/or a nice tire hammer. Yes, I do use hammer and anvil as well.

Is there a specific maker that you draw most of your inspiration from?
There are a few. A friend of mine, Brian Lyttle has been an early inspiration. I learned to make folders with him. As far as kitchen knives go, I have always looked up to Devin Thomas. His work is outstanding, fit and finish is impeccable, has mastered damascus, and is just one hell of a nice guy. I am privileged to know him.

Is there a specific steel that you prefer to work with and why? On the other hand, is there a steel that you really dislike or just outright refuse to work with and why?
I like most CPM steels I have worked with. I also like O1. They make great blades, have a nice grain structure, and hold great edges. I am not a fan of D2, however have tried CPM D2. It is an improvement, but I would not use it for a kitchen knife. Just don't like it.



Most of the kitchen knives and hunters that I do, are essentially the same to work on. In that they have a blade under 12” long, and a couple inches wide. So grinding and finishing requires similar steps. Cleavers, and hunters with gut hooks are a PITA. I won’t do gut hooks any more, and avoid hand finishing cleavers. Like Butch said to me once, like polishing a license plate!

How many beards? And which is your favorite?
Beards? Just one, had it for 10 years or more. Kinda like the goatee. Now had you meant bread, well, there are 8 or so that I make. My favourite is cinnamon raisin. I am working on my sourdoughs, trying to nail the nuances of them. Have baguettes figured out, working on no kneed formulas, have a stellar sandwich bread.​

Your overall designs are pretty fresh and not cookie-cutter. How about cross-sectional geometry? Do you study and imitate the geometry of other knives, or do you prefer to develop your own shapes intuitively or through experimentation and testing?
A lot of my designs were developed or tweaked based on feedback from users. I also cook a lot, and have my own feelings. As far as emulating other products, I think it will be difficult to improve much on Japanese knives. They have so many use specific knives its crazy! I mean a knife just to cut eels! So if I can incorporate features of two or three use specific knives, into a great all rounder... That is the goal. Cross sectional geometry? Yes of course, it is very important. To have a custom cut through a potato for instance and not have it stick is sweet. Making that happen by determining how and where to adjust geometry, is part of the puzzle, and keeps it interesting. Sometimes I gain or loose performance, by a geometrical decision. Testing rules.

Have you or would you make a single bevel knife?
I have not yet, but am planning to.

Do you make utilitarian monosteel knives?
Yes of course. The majority of my knives are stainless or carbon mono steels. Designed to take a beating. Even slice shoes! Ask Theory lol!!



How do you do it all, the full time job, the family, and all the knife ​

Not easily, or successfully. It usually means one suffers for the other. If I am making blades, or forging, the family is put on the back burner, and vise versa. Work just ruins everything else! I balance where I can, sometimes out in the shop after dinner, when I have the energy. An hour or two means a lot. The little petty I just did, was profiled and HT’ed. To grind, polish, etch, and build the handle from scratch took an evening. I ended up buying a new respirator with a full face shield, and filters capable of removing all dust, and nuisance vapours. There is a TON of crap floating in the shop when I get going!

Was there ever a knife you made that you liked it so much you thought about keeping to yourself rather then selling it?
For a while, I didn’t want to let any of them go. Each was unique, and has a little bit of me built in. Sometimes christened with sweat or blood... Not so much blood any more! Skin is getting tougher... Recently though there have been a couple special ones yes, that were hard to let go of.
Would you like to add any final words for the members of the KKFora?
Gentlemen (and ladies of course) Jim and company have went about starting a resource, and a community consisting of people from all walks of life, profession’s, and backgrounds. We are fortunate to be here from the beginning. You have at your disposal, home cooks, professional cooks, trained Chef’s, retailers, wet shavers, BBQ nuts, sharpeners, handle makers, knife makers, and supporting craftsmen and hobbyists. There should be no question you can ask, that someone here can’t help you with, be it a spice blend, to a wine pairing, all the way to knife and steel selection. As a member here, you are asked only to participate, and add where you feel comfortable. Ask questions without fear, and add to conversations as you wish. This is the beginning of what I hope to be a thriving, friendly community, filled with people with similar likes and passions, I for one am proud, and humbled to be part of it, and will contribute what I can when asked, and sometimes where I am not asked!

Pierre

My friends call me Bear…​

 

Thank you Bear! Great interview!

 

Thats was a fun read.. Thanks Pierre & Jason

 

Really interesting stuff, the interviews are a great idea, thanks guys

 

Like.

 

Thank you for Sharing!

 

Thanks Jason and Bear!

 

Great job guys,.. cant wait till Pierre tries more beards.

The Tactical Walrus makes a great read for sure.

 

Thanks for the great read guys

 

A wonderful interview and knowing the man himself after having the pleasure of meeting him made it that much better. Bravo to you both.

 

I like these interviews a lot,it shows the person behind the name.

 

Hunting guide as a second job maybe? or 3rd...or 4th job.

 

Maybe not as a job, but forsure as a favor.

 

Love it! I've always been a fan of your knives, though I've never had the opportunity to handle the one. Your aesthetics very much match my own, and your knives reputation as great cutters is impeccable. I've got to admit though that I wasn't expecting to find an interview with some insights into the man behind the knives.

Again, love it!