We have chosen to show 2 of Roland Stroembergs knives, because they match each other in style. Both knives have obtained first prize at the big knife competition in Ludvika, Sweden in the open class, group A (this is the elite-group) in 1997 and 1998.

The knife from 1997 has a handle in masurbirch, that has been cut across the grain and dyed in order to make the pattern more visible. The blade is forged by the Swedish blade smith Johan Gustavsson from Norrkobing, and it is a pattern welded (or damascene) blade. The sheath is made from semi tanned leather with a pauted pattern on the front, and then dyed in brown colours. All fittings are made from 925-silver. Please pay special attention to the elegant way the engraved pattern in the upper fitting continues in the inlay in the handle.

The knife from 1998 has a handle made from oil-treated elm-root. Once again a blade from the smithy of Johan Gustavsson has been chosen, this time a nickel damascene blade. The sheath is sown from semi tanned leather, and all fittings are made from 925-silver. On this knife please observe that the engraved pattern in the fitting on the sheath continues in the pauted pattern on the front of the sheath.

About Roland Stroemberg:

Roland Stroemberg lives in Moerlunda, which is situated in the south-east part of Sweden.

With a bit of nerve one could still call Roland Stroemberg a "beginner" as a knife maker, as he has only been making knives since the autumn of 1995. Before he joined his first weekend-course in knife making he was a hobby-taxidermist, as well as a marksman participating in competitions. In the beginning Roland Made simple utility-knives, but he soon moved on to pauted sheaths with multicolour patterns. Only in the spring of 1997 he bought his first plates of silver, and started making silver fitted knives.

But when you take a look at Roland list of results since then, you definitely don’t see much of the above mentioned "beginner". His first silver fitted knife won first prize in the decorative knife-class at the exhibition in Soederhamn, Sweden. It was only his third silver fitted knife he sent to Ludvika, where it obtained first prize (see the picture)! He managed to repeat this achievement in 1998, and as can be seen in the pictures, these prize are well deserved.

There is a lot of ideas and creativity in Rolands knives, and when this is combined with very high craftsmanship, the result becomes unique and very attractive. The fact that these results all have been achieved in such short time, just make Roland Stroembergs work even more impressive.

Like so many other knife makers Roland Stroemberg fell a need to create. When you make knives, there are a lot of opportunities to work with a big number of different materials, and via craftsman like skills create the expression you intend. Roland doesn’t make many knives with the same theme, but constantly tries to renew himself, in order to avoid getting stuck in a specific style. The more materials and work processes you control, the more opportunities you have, and therefore extending your craftsman like abilities is the major incitement to tread new paths.

Roland Stroemberg have several times participated in exhibitions, and among these are the big hunting- and fishing exhibitions here in Denmark (in Herning every second year and Odense the remaining years). Furthermore he is the chairman of "Smaalands Knivmakare" (the knife makers in Smaaland, Sweden).