Inspired by Japanese blacksmiths that forged Samurai swords along with his time working in several “World’s Best” and Michelin-star restaurants, Ryan Geiger-Duran set out on a unique path forging knives by hand. The self-taught blacksmith does every element of the process himself, including the wood handles. He even made his own furnace and forging shed.
Ryan Geiger-Duran’s Knives Carry a Culinary Edge Forged by Fire
The end result: beautifully made knives of exceptional quality. “The knives I make are the ones I wanted to use,” he says, adding that his “tens of thousands of times sharpening knives” for the master chefs he’s worked with gave him an edge (pun intended). He finishes the wood handles in a way that resists water warp and cracking.
For his collection, Geiger-Duran salvages wrought iron that he collects from old wagon wheels on New Mexico farms and sources woods. Desert ironwood and redwood burl are his go-to’s.
Crafted by Hand, Rooted in New Mexico
His followers on Instagram are the main source of his growing popularity. He recently completed a 120-piece order of steak knives. The order was intended for Mexican-born, World’s Best Chef, Daniela Soto-Innes’ newest restaurant Rubra in Punta Mita, Mexico.
Lucky for us locals, Geiger-Duran shows his work at the Contemporary Hispanic Market. For this summer’s show, the eighth-generation New Mexican plans to make a set of limited-edition knives. The knives will come exclusively out of New Mexico materials. These include piñon wood and unearthed wrought iron.
He offers paring knives, petty knives, and knives for meat and fish, that range from $115 to over $800. You can find Geiger-Duran every other Saturday at the Santa Fe Artist Market next to the Railyard Farmers’ Market.
Story by Wendy Ilene Friedman
Photography by Tira Howard
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