I am still working on my bread baking skills. In the meantime, whenever I can swing it, I buy bread from a local bakery. We have several local places that sell the really good Artisan breads.
I love fresh bread. It stays fresher if I slice it as we use it than when the bakery slices it. Thus, I like to slice my own. . . or at least I like its freshness.
I always used a serrated knife to slice bread (and tomatoes). It worked okay. However, Artisan breads were hard to slice because of their crusts. Plus, I always had trouble getting uniform slices.
One day at the local farmer’s/artisan’s market, I decided to finally try these unusual knives a man was selling. I had seen him at the market before, and I was curious.
The man asked if I was right-handed or left-handed. I said right. He handed me a right-handed knife. He had me slice into a loaf of bread as a demonstration. The knife was wonderful. It was Artisan bread, but it sliced as easy as butter.
I reached for my cash.
Smoky Mountain Bow Knife
He explained that he made the knives out of a selection of hardwoods with several different stains. I chose a right-handed, walnut wood with a cherry stain.
The knives were 25 dollars, but were worth it. They come with a protective cover for not just the knife, but also the user as they are very sharp.
They can be used for more than just bread. Fruits and vegetables are also easy to cut.
Caring for them requires little effort as I just clean the blade with a dish cloth and dry before putting in the cover.
He also sold hand-made cutting boards, but I just bought the knife.
There is no web site listed on the tag. I lost the paperwork that he gave me. He has not been back to the market when I have gone again. However, he did include a phone number on the tag. If you are interested let me know. I will give you the phone number.
The Smoky Mountain Bow Knife is a wonderful hand-made kitchen instrument that I don’t know how I ever managed without.
Any idea where I can find a source for this knife? I just posted a recipe for an oatmeal-sunflower bread that demands a good knife for cutting …
Thanks for your kind words on the squash post, Paula! come back often and we’ll share cooking thoughts… Susan
The number is 1-256-504-1310. The company is called Smoky Mountain Bow Knife. I believe it is a very small operation. They are made by a very nice man.
i also found the adirondack bow knife which is the best and sharpest knife i ever owned! heres their number 518 221 7263
Thank you! It is great to know that there is more than one great one out there.
His name is Harold Collins (256)504-1310. No website. He also does beautiful cutting boards. I just bought 2 of his bow knives today at the Stone Mountain Yellow Daisy Festival in Atl, Ga.
I live in Augusta, GA and visited the Christmas in the South Show today. I tried the Smoky Mountain Bow Knife and fell in love with it. I was hestitant in purchasing there as my husband is right-handed and I am left-handed. I make sour dough bread often requiring my husband to use a knife to cut the bread when he wants a slice. IF I can get in tomorrow long enough to purchase two of them (one as a gift to our daughter for Christmas), I will buy there; otherwise, I will definitely call the # on the brochure to order.
I still love my Bow Knife. I use it frequently and it is still great!
do you have the brochure that you could fax or scan to me?? I’d love to have one or more of these for friends and family.
My parents live in Savannah, GA and got me this for Christmas last year. I was trying to find his web site so that I could buy more as gifts! This knife is truly that good. It works better than any other bread knife I have, plus it just looks really cool. My favorite part is that every slice of bread is the same thickness as a result of the shape of the bow. We’ve got to convince this man to get a web site – think how many more he’d sell as a result of blogs like this!
I agree! He really needs a website.
I just purchased the “The Tennessee Mountain Bow Knife” blade (and mahogany bread board) at a crafts fair in Gatlinburg, TN. (4/21/11.) The knife I purchased looks just like the one shown at the top of this site so I think it is the same person. Here is website and address information that came on the page with history and use and care of the knife:
to order replacement blades
Mail check for $8.00 To:
Southern Kitchen Designs
3512 S. Chapel Hill Road
Decatur, AL 35603
http://www.Southernkitchendesigns.com
There is no mention of the knife, or bread boards on the site, but there is a place to send them a message on site. I bet it is ithe same man ya’ll bought from.
Thank you, so much!
Hi for the Tennesse mountain/Foxcreek bow knife
://foxcreekbaskets.com/products/tennessee-mountain-bow-knife
Foxcreek Baskets on facebook.
Videos also.
Hi I order 2 knifes on 4 27 11 my check# is 2532. I have not got my return ck. back.Please check you files to see what happen. Thank you , Mary Kay.
Hi, Mary Kay! I hope you received your knife and enjoy using it as much as I do mine. I just wanted to let you know that I am not affiliated with the sales or manufacture of the knife in any way. I think you probably want to contact them directly.
How can I purchase the knife?
You can purchase the knife from my parents at http://www.logcabinteaco.com or from my sister and her husband foxcreekbaskets.com
Paula, so glad to meet you! I love my Smoky Mountain Bow Knife, and I also got mine from Harold Collins at a local craft show. Unfortunately, he still doesn’t have a web site so when I did a search, I found you.
So glad to meet you and I can’t wait to look around some more.
Joan
Joan,
I am very glad you stopped by! I did not remember the man’s name who sold them. Thank you so much. I hope you enjoyed looking around. Please come back and visit any time!
just got back from Gatlinburg,TN..they were having a craftsman show and the bow man was there.I bought one- and love it
I BOUGHT THE ADIRONDACK BOW KNIFE AND IT IS BY FAR THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN MY ARSENAL OF KITCHEN KNIVES! I UNDERSTAND THEY WHOLESALE I WANT TO SELL THEM IN CHICAGO…
I was gifted one of these this past weekend from my bf’s mom (from Tennessee!). I LOVE this knife! It cuts my homemade bread loaves perfectly! I’ve never been able to slice it so thin and accurate! Love this knife!!! 🙂
My husband and I visited Chattanooga back in July 2013 for our 26th wedding anniversary. While there we went to the farmers market and came across a booth selling the Smoky Mountain Bow Knife. The man asked if I was right or left-handed and I told him “left”. He asked me to try the knife.
Now over the years we’ve been married I can’t tell you how many knives I’ve bought and eventually gotten rid of because I ended up very disappointed in their performance, and it’s made me a huge skeptic of ‘the sharpest knife you’ll ever buy’ speech. Needless to say when he told me this I was thinking, “Yeah. Right. Where have I heard THAT before.”
Well, I’m here to say that Mr. Harold Collins made a true believer out of me with his bow knife. Never have I EVER had a knife stay true to that claim. I will never buy any other brand of knife. I only wish we had bought one of his cutting boards when we had the chance. They were beautiful! And even though the knife we bought is perfect I’d love to have another one that is made for right-handers so my husband can have one for that rare occasion he might want to cut something.
Thank you, Mr. Collins, for making such an awesome product!
P.S. Please get a website!
I see all of you love your Bowknife. I saw these products at the Oaks Craft Fair in fall of 2014. I purchased the chopping bowl with the curved, fitted blade. I can’t imagine a better investment of around $70 than these two matching items. I make a chopped salad with zero mess, then eat from the same bowl I prep in. No doubt the most unique and useful craft purchase ever.
http://thebowknife.com/home
We bought our Smoky Mountain Bow Knife from Mr. Collins at the 2012 Holiday Craft Fair (maybe not the right name) in Savannah, GA. I don’t remember how much we paid for our right-handed bow knife but it was more than we would normally invest in a piece of cutlery. And invest is truly the correct word. It makes beautiful tomato slices and cuts through fresh bread like it’s hot butter. I cherish that knife like no other. It is a piece of functional art. Thank you, Mr. Collins!
Love my Smoky Mountain Bow Knife. It must be at least 10 years old and still cuts like it is brand new. I have no recollection of having the option of a right-handed or a left-handed bow knife. Still have the paper he gives out when a purchase is made. It is wonderful to know that in 2016 he is still selling them!
I can’t find the paper Mr. Collins gave me when I bought my Bow knife. Could you give email me a copy of the paper? I am giving my mother one of his Smoky Mountain Bow Knives and would like to give a copy of the of the paper. Thank you.
diannakay49@hotmail.com