This craft workshop is dedicated to the manufacture of the typical Mallorcan penknives with ram’s horn handle and Mallorcan kitchen knives.
Here, all manner of cutting tools related to the islands’ rural existence are manufactured, such as handsaws, sheep-shears, sickles, axes, blades for trimming palm trees, tree grafting tools, etc.
Typical Mallorcan knives
There are in fact seven different models of Mallorcan penknife: the Trinxet, the most popular due to its half-moon shape, for cutting farmhouse bread; the “D’Empeltar”, for grafting; the Fisherman’s penknife, for cutting fishing wire; the Shepherd’s knife, for game and skinning animals; the “Etxurat” and the “Porquer”, both used in the field; and finally the “Gatzolla”, also curved, though not as much so the “Trinxet”, that is used for vines.
Lluc Ordinas, considered a master of the trade, continues in this profession which has been passed down through his family for four generations.
We hold the master craftsman certificate, and our workshop is officially registered as a craft enterprise. We manufacture handles using various materials, the most popular being ram horn. They are also made from deer antler, olive wood, pressed wood, etc. We use two types of steel: the most traditional is carbon steel, commonly known as iron since it rusts if left wet.
They also use stainless steel with different alloys for better tempering. Majorcan kitchen knives feature a pointed shape with a round, turned handle. They are manufactured in four sizes: for peeling potatoes, cutting cheese, cutting meat, and the largest one for vegetables, etc.
There are varieties for different uses, such as slaughter knives, skinning knives, paring knives, boning knives, cleavers for bones, etc.
The handles are manufactured using different materials, with ram’s horn being the most popular material. They also come made from stag’s horn, olivewood, laminated wood, etc.
