Lionsteel
Lion Steel Knives was founded in in 1969 in Maniago, Italy by Gino Pauletta and his wife Cesarina. The company continues today under the direction of their sons; Gianni, Daniele and Massimo. The family-owned Italian company made great strides in quality with a large investment in top-of-the-line machinery. The brand Lionsteel was inspired from a lion steel sculpture, handmade by Gino's grandfather.
It was 19th century when Lionsteel history began. Chisel workers were climbing Mount Jouf, just over Maniago, to cut stones that would then be used to create unique sculptures. These brave men were equipped with sled and chisel, but especially with a lot of good will and nerve. One of the results was the native stone lion sculpture made by Gino Pauletta’s grandfather.
The young Gino, founder of Lionsteel, was afraid of this lion and resolved to cut its tail with a saw, thus angering his father. However, he then decided to follow the Maniago’s knife tradition, and in 1969 he founded, with his wife Cesarina, his own knife company. In the 1980s, when he needed a new name for his growing business, he decided to redeem himself towards the stone lion with the broken tail, dedicating the name of his company to it. Since the core activity was working steel, he chose the name Lionsteel.
Initial production mainly revolved around hunting knives made for the Italian market. Modern
Lionsteel dates to the end of the 20th century, when Gino’s sons Daniele, Gianni and Massimo began working in the company. They brought new and fresh ideas which led to a renewal in the product line and in the production process: new CNC technologies, advanced design software and IT solutions were adopted. The first years of the 21st century also marked a shift in the product range: EDC (Every Day Carry) knives, which are ideal for everyday life and “live” in the pocket or in the bag of their users, became the core products.
With the new SOLID® knife technology Lionsteel heralds a new era in the utility knife production process. The handles are made of a single piece to achieve the ultimate hardwearing and sturdy knife handle. The cornerstones of Lionsteel are still the artisans who work inside the company. While using cutting edge technology, Lionsteel is more about the people who make every product special. The company now employees about 20 specialized workers and is present in 34 countries. The Lionsteel mission ensures all knives are manufactured in its factory in Maniago: no third party products are sold, and no production is outsourced.
All products are proudly Made in Maniago, Italy. This ensures a meticulous and fanatical check over product quality. Each single result requires a great deal of commitment, passion and persistence.
The individual work, the commitment of the whole Pauletta family and the complete LionSteel
team dedication are the features that explain the prestigious and remarkable achievements of
all these recent years
Lionsteel Knives continues to introduce designs that are advances in technology and quality. The philosophy of Lion Steel is to produce the knives using the highest quality materials and world class quality control.
The philosophy of LionSteel is to produce the knives using the highest quality materials and world class quality control.
