Arno Bernard Arno Bernard Knives is a family of knife makers who use their heritage of craftsmanship handed down through many generations of knife makers to design and create custom knives. Their workshop is located outside of Bethlehem, a beautiful town in the Eastern Free State of South Africa. The rolling hills, green grasslands and beautiful water of South Africa are ample inspiration for an artist perfecting his craft, and the variety and uniquely beautiful African animals inspire each knife design.
Arno Bernard Knives is a family of knife makers who use their heritage of craftsmanship handed down through many generations of knife makers to design and create custom knives. Their workshop is located outside of Bethlehem, a beautiful town in the Eastern Free State of South Africa. The rolling hills, green grasslands and beautiful water of South Africa are ample inspiration for an artist perfecting his craft, and the variety and uniquely beautiful African animals inspire each knife design.
Arno Sr. and his four sons are all actively involved in the designing and manufacturing of each knife model. The marriage of functionality and artistry is what Arno Bernard is best at — a quality, functional blade with a unique artistic flair that is distinctly African.
Arno Bernard Sr. made his first knife out of a saw blade in 1979 and has been a member of the South Africa Knifemakers Guild since 1994, when he founded the company. While Arno Bernard Sr. could have been like most custom knifemakers, satisfied to make a few knives a year in relative obscurity, Arno Jr. and Franco had a whole different idea about what they saw as their dad’s strength in knifemaking — a quality custom knife at an affordable price. They joined forces with their father to establish and continue the family tradition of knife makers. Another of Arno Sr.’s sons, Juan, handcrafts the sheaths that are made specifically for each knife. Recently his youngest son, Ruan, has joined the business straight out of college. All of the sons are following in the footsteps of their well-known knife maker father.
Today, the Bernard family are ushering in a new era for young South African knifemakers who seriously love their craft, their family, and the customers who own their knives. They are often heard quoting a phrase their father coined – “There is no greater pleasure than seeing our knives being used!” True to their vision — Arno Bernard Knives are handmade knives of outstanding quality and manufactured from premium materials at affordable prices. The simple designs are both practical and aesthetical and therefore these knives are suitable for either collecting or everyday use. Accordingly an Arno Bernard knife is an excellent companion, gift and heirloom. Arno Bernard Knives believe that the quality of a knife lies in the type of steel, the type of grind, the handle material and finally the finishing of the knife. These unique custom, handmade knives are crafted from hollow ground Böhler N690Co high carbon stainless steel for a razor sharp edge with excellent edge retention characteristics. These knives also feature full tang construction, and each comes packed with a genuine hand crafted African Cape Buffalo leather belt sheath. We are proud to offer these superb custom hunting knives and know you will be pleased with the excellent fit and finish as well as their outstanding performance in the field.
