Oysters are special: They live under the sea and endure years of storms, currents and waves to become a delicacy. These years have made the oyster tough, and you will need a good tool to open it. So why not have an oyster knife that is just as special as the oyster? With an Emergo Designs handmade oyster knife, every oyster you open feels like it has a pearl inside.
This page is all about my oyster knives: the history, the design and how I make them. Emergo Designs makes all the knives in the Netherlands, in a workshop that’s located 10 meters from the water. Please scroll down to see more.
Alexander Bol, Photo by Mechteld Jansen
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Why Oysters
As a child, I spent my summers working on our family’s oyster fishing ship. Our family has been growing and fishing oysters for more then a 100 years in the Eastern Scheldt region in the Netherlands. It’s really special to be out on the water and I look back with great memories.
I was also interested in designing and making products. I became an engineer and combined my passion for knife making with my family heritage. In 2014 I developed my first oyster knife. Now my company Emergo Designs makes and sells exclusive knives that ship all over the world.
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How it’s made
Every knife that I ship is made by me, and each knife is different because they are made by hand. An oyster knife starts as a piece of RWL34 or Damasteel. I use these materials because they are very rust resistant. The steel is (waterjet) cut and hardened to a hard and springy state where it is perfect for opening oysters.
I then ground the bevels and glue the handles. The material I use is different per model, but it is always a beautiful hardwood that gives a knife character. The final steps are making a case, etching the makers mark and quality control. It takes 8 to 20 hours to make an oyster knife from scratch. I show this in the video below:
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Photo Gallery
A close-up on the Damasteel
The Damasteel ads another layer and makes this knife maybe the most exclusive oyster knife in the world.
A combination of forge welded Damasteel and Desert Iron Wood.
The flax fiber knife is limited to a 10 piece edition.
The flax fiber knife is limited to a 10 piece edition.
The flax fiber knife is limited to a 10 piece edition.
5 oyster knives together in the summer of 2017
A special version that went to Sweden. This knife has a notch for the thumb. It gave her more and better control over the knife when opening an oyster.
A wide shot of the Flax-Fiber edition. This knife went to The Hague.
Side by side of the Flax and Original edition. Both are limited editions.
A quick picture of the ”originial” oyster knife. This knife went to Japan
A limited edition flax fiber oyster knife
An overview of some of my work.
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Oyster knife models
Every knife I make is handmade, so if you want a specific delivery date, please contact me before ordering. Emergo Designs offers 3 models:
The original Emergo Designs oyster knife
This is the ”original” oyster knife model, designed in 2014. It is a limited edion of 50 pieces, made from RWL34 steel and Paduk wood.
This is the Flax fiber oyster knife: It has a handle of laminated flax fiber and therefore it is a durable bio-based material. It will last you a lifetime.
Named after one of our families fishing ships, this is the Jacomina model. Might it be the most exclusive oyster knife in the world? It features Damasteel damascus steel that has an amazing etched pattern in the steel.
