Dan Piergallini walks a fine line between craftsman and artist. Though he makes knives that are displayed in a Plant City art gallery, he is careful to remind those who admire his work that they are meant to be tools.
“There’s not a person in this world who doesn’t use a knife every day,” Piergallini said.
Whether that is a butter knife, a pair of scissors or a butcher knife, these tools are a common necessity. But Piergallini’s custom knives are one-of-a-kind works of beauty.
Piergallini’s interest in knives began long ago when he was a Cub Scout.
“We had strict rules in the scouts about safety of knives … and we had training programs, which I still abide by,” Piergallini said.
As he grew older, his interest and knowledge grew, and he regularly attended knife shows, where he saw all types of handmade knives.
“Being a carpenter by trade, I thought, ‘I can make those,’” Piergallini said. “It only took me 15 years to figure out how.”
About 25 years ago, he began making knives. He observed the masters and picked up tips here and there, but he mostly taught himself.
Though knife making was always a hobby for Piergallini, it soon became a lifestyle. He is a voting member of the Knifemaker’s Guild, a prestigious international organization. At a more local level, he is the president of the Gator Cutlery Club of Tampa Bay.
Piergallini’s wife, Sandy, is the secretary of the Gator Cutlery Club. She didn’t have much of an interest in knives before she met her husband, but his passion was contagious.
They are also knife purveyors. They have about 450 knives at the moment and are always buying, selling and trading. They travel throughout the eastern United States to attend about 12 knife shows each year.
Start to Finish
Piergallini estimates that he has made about 400 knives in his lifetime, and each takes 10 to 40 hours to complete. But each one is a unique combination of materials, function and design. They are all made by hand.
He labels himself a purist.
“I’m old-fashioned,” Piergallini said.
The first step of the process is to draw a sketch of the knife on paper. The sketch is transferred to plexiglass and then cut out.
The plexiglass template is set on top of steel, and a scribe is used to scratch the outline into the steel. Then Piergallini uses a band saw to cut the basic shape out of the steel.
Piergallini hollows the blade to create a concave effect not seen on flat tools such as butcher knives. He finishes by attaching the handle and embellishments.
“No one touches the knife but me, start to finish,” he said.
Piergallini uses a variety of materials for his handles, sourced from plants, animals and manmade materials.
One of those handle materials is mastodon bone, but deer antlers are more common. Piergallini said it has taken years of experience to be able to identify the bones he finds out in the wild.
“Most of the bones and things that we use are in the ground from thousands of years ago,” he said.
Piergallini’s knives are available at the Art Lounge Gallery, a co-op of artists at 119 E. Reynolds St.
“They allowed me in here as an artist,” Piergallini said. “I told them I’m a craftsman, and they said, ‘No, your stuff is art-worthy.’”
He also makes appointments at his home for people who are interested in purchasing a custom knife. Piergallini is also known as one of the best local knife sharpeners to businesses, such as The Corner Store and Hicks Custom Meats.
More information about Piergallini’s work, and his contact information, can be found at PiergalliniKnives.com.
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.