Andre Thorburn

Andre Thorburn

Andre grew up on a farm outside Warmbaths, South Africa,where he learned to think for himself, and work with his hands.

After high school he trained as a pastor, married his wonderful wife, Marietjie, and became a family man. While pastoring in 1989, he met Roelf Swanepoel who introduced him to the art of knifemaking. To fund the building of his first grinder he sold his beloved golf clubs and golf cart.

He sold his first knife in 1990 to a friend and became a full time knife maker in 1996. He also became a member of the Knifemakers Guild of Southern Africa in 1995. He since won several prizes at knife shows around the country for example in 2001 he won “Best working folder” at the Durban Easter knife Show and as recent as the 2003 Invitational Show in Hoedspruit where he won the Best Folder award. He believes that custom knives must be excellent in form and function. Also Andre conducts knife making courses to aspiring knife makers.

He also sold many knives to overseas customers and since 1999 attended knife shows in Europe. (Paris (France) Bern and Lugano (Switzerland) Solingen, Munich and Sindelfingen (Germany) as well as Gembloux (Belgium) In 2001 he also became a member of the German Knife makers Guild.