Philip Dunn is a South African bladesmith and member of the Knifemakers Guild of Southern Africa. Every blade that leaves his forge is made entirely by his own hands — from raw steel to finished edge.
Philip Dunn came to knifemaking through a fascination with steel and how it behaves under heat — the way a billet changes character with every fold, every weld, every pass through the forge. Damascus, more than any other form, rewards patience and punishes shortcuts.
Over more than a decade of forging, he has built a practice that is entirely his own — no production lines, no outsourcing, no compromise on material. Each knife is conceived, forged, ground, heat-treated, and finished by Philip himself.
His work spans hunting knives, kitchen blades, collector pieces, and bespoke commissions. The thread connecting all of it is the Damascus pattern — always different, never repeated, impossible to fake.
The Maker’s Mark
Stamped into every blade Philip forges.
A knife is a tool. It should hold an edge, fit the hand, and survive hard use. But a Damascus knife is also an object worth keeping — worth passing on. Philip builds for both standards simultaneously.
He does not make limited editions or numbered series. Every knife is already limited — there is only one, and the pattern in its steel will never occur again.
“No two Damascus patterns are the same. Every blade I make is the only one of its kind that will ever exist.”
The Knifemakers Guild of Southern Africa is the continent’s leading professional body for bladesmiths. Membership requires demonstrated mastery of forging, heat treatment, finishing, and handle work — assessed by fellow Guild members.
Philip Dunn holds full membership — a standard achieved by a small number of smiths in Southern Africa. When you buy a Dunn Blades knife, you buy the work of an accredited craftsman, not an enthusiast.
Years forging
Handmade
Craftsman
Commission a blade, ask about current stock, or simply reach out. Every enquiry is answered personally.
