First Name:

Tiaan

Surname:

Groenewald

KGSA Number:

Member Type:

VOTING MEMBERS

Craft:

Telephone:

072 5035 688

Email:

tiaangroenewald@yahoo.com

Web Site:

Facebook:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/tiaangroenewaldruagknives

Does Courses:

Yes

Course Info:

1. Introduction to bladesmithing.(One day course where each member make a Blacksmith's knife.)
2. Introduction to making Pattern welded steel (Damascus). One day course where members can look and learn.
3. Pattern welded steel (Damascus) course where members make their own billet. (Hands on)
4. Fixed blade knife making course. Forged or stock removal method.
5. Preparation for guild member application one on one course. (Making a knife from start to final assessment.)
Contact me for more information.
072 5035 688
Stationed in Bloemfontein, Free State.

Profile:

I was born and raised in the Goldfields, Freestate in a small town called Odendaalsrus. In 1993 I moved to Bloemfontein and joined the SADF (South African Defence Force) then latter called SANDF and served for 16 years as an instructor and IEDD (Improvised explosive device disposal) operator. After my military career ended, I opened my own renovations company till present.

My interest in knife making started at a young age of thirteen when I made my mother a kitchen knife out of an old saw blade. From lack of knowledge the knife broke after 4 years of hard work. In later years I tried my hand in knife making again but equipment/tools was a problem.

In the beginning of 2014 my son Ruan Groenewald asked me if we can make a knife, but not any knife, it had to be a Damascus knife. So we set of on this journey, after some nail biting moments and a lot of sweat and tears we ended up with a billet of Damascus. Ok it did have a flaw in it but we did it.

In October month that year my son was in a serious accident. While he was in hospital with brain injury I went of my rocker, my dad told me to do something to calm myself so I got a hammer and hit the living daylights out of a piece of steel and ended up with another piece of Damascus. After 13 days my son lost his fight in hospital when he was declared brain dead...

So I had the two pieces of Damascus and decided to finish what we started. I made the first knife with the flaw and we wire cut his name Ruan in the blade. The second piece of Damascus was a better attempt but still far off. As I did this the bug bit me all over, and it also helped me to get through this ordeal and till today I just want to make that one perfect knife for my son.

In 2015 I joined the Bloemfontein knife makers club and saw there is a whole knife maker’s world out there. In 2017 I joined the Knife Makers Guild of South Africa.

The logo on my knives is Ruag, and it's like that for two reasons. Abbreviated Ruan Groenewald and secondly and more important the Holy spirit in Hebrew is “Ruach or also spelled Ruagh”

Currently I'm a part time knife maker and sell my knifes mainly at the Knife Maker Guild show, Bloemfontein show and orders.

Knife: Ruag hunter
Category: General Knives
Status: Display Only
Notes: Blade steel: ATS 34 Bolsters: 303 Stainless steel Handle material: Resign stabilised Giraffe bone. Wine filing work on back of blade.

Knife: Side ringed parrying dagger
Category: General Knives
Status: Display Only
Notes: The dagger was made with Damascus(blade, guard and pommel) I used Wild olive for the handle material and all engraving was done by Julien Marchal.

Knife: Fighting Knife
Category: General Knives
Status: Display Only
Notes: Blade steel: ATS 34 Guards and bolsters: 316 Stainless steel Handel material: York gum burl with red formica liners