Mark Liss loves making knives in his workshop in western Canada.

Mark Liss loves making knives in his workshop in western Canada.
Photo Credit: Michelle Panting

Canadian knife maker sends crafts worldwide

Marc Liss likes to salvage materials like strong saw blades, old whisky barrels and bison horn as well as wood from around the world to craft knives that are unique and beautiful. He and his partner, Kayla Penelton, founded a company called Origin Goods to make and sell jewelry from their farm in the western province of Manitoba.

Liss tried making knives at his brother’s metal workshop and fell in love with the craft. He posted his knives on line and soon had a following of aficionados and chefs from around the world. Now people order from places like the U.S., Australia, English, China, and last month he had an order from Dubai.

The Japanse Kiridashi is a simple pocket knife.
The Japanse Kiridashi is a simple pocket knife. © Origin Goods
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‘It…kind of blows me away’

“It’s exciting when people from Dubai find me and want to support me and buy my work,” says Liss. “On one hand I can’t really believe it…It’s not something I ever expected to be doing and every time I get an interesting order like that, or any time I get any order, it still kind of blows me away.”

Liss likes to go to a bi-annual craft fair nearby where he can meet people and share his enthusiasm for his knives. He makes all kinds of products including hunting and outdoor blades, but currently favours kitchen knives because he knows they will be used daily and perhaps be passed down through families.

The Western Santoku is made from a saw blade.
The Western Santoku is made from a saw blade. © Origin Goods

Getting kitchen knives ‘to rock nicely’

Kitchen knives require more thought and work. “Basically they’re quite thin,” he says. “You can’t have a big, chunky kitchen knife with thick steel. You have to grind it down very thin… more thought has to be put into the shape of them  in order for them to rock nicely on the cutting board.”  He finds them more difficult to make but more satisfying.

Two utility knives are wrapped in hemp.
Two utility knives are wrapped in hemp. © Origin Goods

Knives have history

Liss likes to scour the country side for materials to use. He likes to find old circular saws from sawmills that are often made of high quality steel. Antlers and horns are among the materials he uses for handles. “I do prefer finding it (material) when I can because then there’s a little bit of history in it and it tells a bit of a story before you start making the knife.”

Marc Liss and Kayla Penelton originally founded Origin Goods as a jewelry company.
Marc Liss and Kayla Penelton originally founded Origin Goods as a jewelry company. © Marc Liss and Kayla Penelton originally founded Origin Goods as a jewelry company.
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