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ABDUR- RASHEED MAHOMEDY commenced knife making in 1992 - a time when South Africa was getting ready to experience some dramatic changes.
An avid knife collector initially, he regularly attended shows and travelled long distances to thoroughly acquaint himself with the craft of knife making. He feels proud to have been one of the last students to have attended the final workshop conducted under the auspices of the KGSA, a joint project, undertaken by some of its famous, pioneering officials and stalwarts like OWEN WOOD, PIET GREY, DAVID PIENAAR, PETER BAUCHOP, BERTIE RIETVELD, JAN POTGIETER and the then up and coming KEVIN HARVEY. There were no clubs or institutions at the time where one could go and learn “the craft”. Coming from a white collar background where his ancestors had absolutely no technical expertise, due primarily to their merchant trading aspirations, further increased the challenge.
However, Mahomedy's dream was not to be relinquished to some mere “technical” obstacles. He relentlessly pursued this by attending a course at the then Durban Technical College to thoroughly acquaint himself with the divergent family of stainless steels, particularly those utilised in knifemaking. Thereafter he attended another course in jewellery making to develop some basic embellishment skills. About this time, he met BUZZ BEZUIDENHOUT via FANIE LA GRANGE at one of the DURBAN EASTER KNIFE SHOWS. Buzz was contemplating starting a club in Durban to teach and encourage other aspiring individuals about custom knife making. Mahomedy was one of THE DURBAN KNIFEMAKERS CLUB’s inaugural members and he has since then continued to contribute to its progress both in an administrative capacity and in encouraging other tyros to get on track.
He first exhibited at the DURBAN EASTER KNIFE SHOW in 1995 where he sold a pair of hunters nicely finished in indigenous red ivory wood and kudu horn. The following year he won an award in the novice section for the best Bird & Trout Knife, one executed in kudu horn, with coloured liners and ARMIN WINKLER engraving. In 2006 he won an award at this same show, in the same Category, but in the open Section obviously, for "AL - JAMEEL - THE BEAUT". In September of this same Year, he won an award at the SA KNIFEMAKERS GUILD SHOW for his classical MEDIEVAL DAGGER in the Historical Category.
He enjoys working with exotic and indigenous woods, ivories, mother-of-pearl and our abundant, latently beautiful horns. As all his present knives are made via the stock removal method, he utilises ATS 34, and likes the myriad, dramatic combinations of damascus steel (both carbon and stainless). He also does his own heat treating. Some of Mahomedy's knives are embellished with engraving by either ARMIN WINKLER or ELKE HENLEY. He considers collaborations with collectors and special commissions as a means to diversify and improve skills.
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