AWARDS 2024: Join us in May!

Australian Knife Making Awards 2024: Join us!

• Beginner-friendly knife making competition 
• Held each year in May
• Free to enter
• Get feedback on your knife - become a better maker
• Live streams with more detail + Q&A + GIVEAWAYS
• Prizes and trophies to be won

When is the AWARDS held?

The AWARDS are held in May each year. 

The knife can be started any time but has to be completed in the month of May. 

Beginner-friendly?

This is for all makers wanting to take part.

The Best Knife From Kit category is for makers using ready-made blades, making their own handle.

Then Best Beginner Outdoor Knife is for beginners making both the blade and handle.

The Best Chef Knife is an "open" category meaning experienced makers will take part.

The Best in Show is the "anything goes" category and the only category for damascus steel.

(A later post will detail all criteria requirements)

Why Enter the AWARDS?

You get feedback on your knife from some of the most experienced makers in Australia.

Based on the photos you enter, they will try to give you some advice on what to focus on to become a better maker.

Plus why not enter for the fun of doing a competition, watch the live streams - you might even win a trophy!

How to Enter the AWARDS?

• You need to be in Australia or New Zealand
• You can enter only one knife in one category
• You need to decide if you quality as "beginner" or "advanced" maker
• Note the 4 photos needed + description of the knife
• Enter on a form that will be available the last 2 weeks of May 2024
• Join Australian Beginner Knife Making on facebook for all the updates and to see photos of other makers working on their entry along the way

Live Streams?

There will be 4 live streams in May: (dates to follow)

1.  AWARD launch stream: Info + Categories + GIVEAWAYS
2. Info session 1: more details, what photos to take + GIVEAWAYS
3. Info session 2: judging criteria, how your knife will be scored + GIVEAWAYS
4. WINNER ANNOUNCEMENTS: Winner knives, Judging feedback + GIVEAWAYS

Judging feedback?

Each judge will review your knife description and photos and score it on a range of criteria.

The average score across judges within your category decides your placement.

More importantly than the placement perhaps - you get the judges scores back with their judging comments.

These are based on your photos and you get several pairs of experienced eyes giving their view and helpful advice on how to improve your making.

Many makers consider this the best part of taking part. You are not handing a knife to a non knife-making mate who will pat you on the back "yay, you made a knife!" but to experienced makers trying to help you improve your skills.

The Australian Knifemakers Guild has some of the most experienced knife makers in Australia and they are volunteering their time to help you improve.

Am I a beginner?

The categories are split into Beginner and Open categories.

You need to decide yourself if you qualify as a beginner and if not, join the Open categories.

A Beginner is here defined as 

• a fairly new maker who does not consider themselves to deliver technically advanced knives
• a beginner maker does not for instance make mosaic damascsus or folding knives
• never been a member of a knifemakers guild
• never exhibited at a physical knife show
• never won a Trophy in the AWARDS before

The definition is a bit loose on purpose, this is a beginner-friendly competition aimed at letting both new and experienced makers have a go. Maybe benchmark your skills a bit and get some guidance on what to focus on next, maybe build some confidence towards taking your making up a notch. Maybe join the Guild?

How to get involved?

• All info will come out on the Australian Beginner Knife Making Group on Facebook, 
• as well as on the email newsletter from Nordic Edge
• New articles will go up on the Blog after each Live Stream with summary slides of categories, requirements, what photos to take, how the knives will be judged, etc