Knives and Tools
Illustration, merchandising, writing and photography for Europe’s largest distributor of outdoor tools and equipment
Knives and Tools are Europe’s largest distributor of outdoor tools for gardening, outdoor adventure, camping, cooking and everything in between. I began working with them back in 2019 as a writer, regularly contributing to their blog with tool reviews and articles. Today they are one of my biggest clients and we have expanded our relationship to include photoshoots, merchandising, tutorial videos and even live bushcraft courses.
Creative Direction
Design
Illustration
Photography
Social Media
Patch design
Gear Reviews
The most regular and frequent interaction I have with Knives and Tools is through writing. I regularly contribute to their website with reviews and articles. Below are some of my chosen favourites over the years
According to the company, the design of the Norden series embodies Fiskars long heritage of axe craftsmanship, a tradition that dates back to the 17th century. Fiskars have been around a long time, and know what they’re up to when it comes to tool making. From garden tools, to crafts, and of course axes, they have established themselves as a company dedicated to producing affordable quality tools for everybody.
The truth is, I believe the tool writes the article; each one as unique in its quirks and character as the next. Steel choices, shapes, hardness, materials and profiles give a blade its character, and my job has simply been to bring to light, in my own words, what my feelings are when interacting with these tools. With such variety and choice out there, I believe there is a perfect knife for everyone. I believe I have found such a knife for my own needs. The LT Wright Gary Wines Bushcrafter is simply my most favourite knives I have ever owned.
What do you think of when somebody says a survival knife? Do you picture an 8 inch chunk of carbon steel? Scalloped micarta scales, Serrated edges and oversized jimping? That’s usually what springs to my mind when I hear the term. Oversized and chunky, and fit to split an oak table in half, but lacking in finesse or nuance. Enter Fällkniven… the knife company whose job it is to design survival tools for some of the most badass men and women on the planet… specifically, Swedish fighter pilots. Their knives are about as removed from the look of a survival knife as you can imagine, at first glance at least. But underneath this cool and calm appearance is a tool ready to tackle an army.
Merch & Illustration
In 2021 I worked closely with the Knives and Tools team to produce a range of merchandise. We wanted to offer the customer something that they could associate with Knives and Tools, and keep the company at the front of customers' minds, not just when using the website to purchase something, but whenever they were out in the wild, using their kit. We know from Instagram followers that people enjoy being able to tag their favourite brands and stores, so with things like patches on their bags or cups and saucepans to cook with on the campfire, Knives and Tools will be right there along with them.
Accessories
Social Media
In the early stages of the pandemic, when a lot of people were confined to their homes, Knives and Tools were trying to think of ways to help relieve some of the boredom people were facing. We decided to produce a series of videos around subjects that people could try in their own homes, and didn’t need to be out in nature to practice. I came up with 3 subjects and recorded videos for them, so people could come along and try for themselves.
