With Father’s Day just around the corner, we’ve found an activity that’s sure to please everyone. Forget mass-produced disposable items! At this workshop in eastern Paris, you can try your hand at the art of cutlery-making in just a few hours to craft your own knife from start to finish! Here’s how it works.
Create your own knife in a Parisian workshop
Located at the end of a courtyard near the Faidherbe-Chaligny or Rue des Boulets metro stations, you’ll discover a workshop unlike any other:the Atelier Ballerait. A space entirely designed to teach the basics of knife-making.
During a session of about three hours of hands-on work, Charles—your instructor for the day and one of the last cutlers in Paris—guides each participant in designing a custom kitchen tool. The experience begins with selecting the raw material for the handle.
Once the best side of the block has been identified, the markings are outlined with a marker. The steel blade serves as a template on the blocks to sketch out the future handle, which is very often cut into a half-moon shape to ensure a solid grip. Next comes the step of using the cutting equipment to rough out the shape.
Engraving, polishing, and final assembly
Before the parts are welded together, a stop at the engraving station allows you to inscribe your initials directly onto the steel using a precision tool.
The two parts of the handle are then run over sanding belts. The polishing step smooths the surface under your fingers and makes for a much more comfortable grip. Assembly requires careful gluing, firm tightening, and precise nailing, followed by a final sanding that sets the final ergonomic shape. But the end result is simply magnificent! You’ll find yourself holding a unique and useful object that will help you prepare all your delicious dishes.
A fun activity that might just be the perfect Father’s Day gift! Sessions run from Tuesday to Saturday and cost an average of 149 euros for 3 hours.
Location: 37 bis rue de Montreuil, 75011 Paris
