Knifemaker Biography

Dellana is a sole authorship knife maker specializing in lockback folding knives.  She got her start creating in metal when she studied jewelry making with the noted studio jeweler Earl Pardon at Skidmore College.  After leaving Skidmore, she started her own jewelry business creating art jewelry with precious metals and gemstones for private clients and art jewelry galleries like the Aaron Faber Gallery (5th Ave., New York, NY).  Dellana did this successfully for 17 years before her interest in Damascus steel and knives led her to become a full-time knifemaker in 1995.

Dellana made her first knife (a slip joint) as a young jeweler living in Honolulu, HI.  She found a pattern in a craft book and, using the minimal instructions and few photos provide, figured it out on her own - she knew no one to ask any questions of.  She was thrilled with the whole experience of this project and her fascination with knives was born.  Even though she was intrigued by knives she didn’t make another one for 17 years.

Dellana met the esteemed ABS Mastersmith Jim Schmidt in the mid-’80’s but did not start learning knife making from him until 1993.  Jim taught Dellana to forge her own Damascus steel and to create the mechanisms for lockback folding knives.  He was an excellent mentor and he and his wife, Linda, became dear friends of Dellana’s. 

Dellana specializes in lockback folding knives.  She is known for her unique design style and use of precious metal and gemstones in her fully functional knives.  She forges the Damascus steel for all of her knives as well as doing all of the engraving, filework, and other embellishments.  She has won numerous awards for her knives and has been featured in many national and international publications over the years.