A hand forged Kitchen Knife - Gillon x Clement knives

I've been a big fan of Tim from Clement Knives for many years. He is a talented bladesmith with a fascinating approach to knife making. Essentially, he makes beautiful kitchen knives from waste he's found. His knives really are exquisite, razor sharp, balanced and a pleasure to use. So when I got the opportunity to collaborate with Tim on a knife, I leapt at the chance.

I was fascinated by the idea of taking something someone has thrown away and turning it into something beautiful. Given that I live a stone's throw from the sea, we thought it would be amazing to use plastic that had washed up on the beach below my house here in West Dorset. When Tim came to visit, we headed down through the woods to the beach and collected cracked shards of fish crates, pieces of lobster pots, plastic oil drums, broken pipes, buoys and other odds and ends that Tim thought could be used.

Each knife has a handle made from recycled beach plastic collected here on the Dorset coast, while the blade is hand forged from reclaimed steel, originally from discarded nitrous oxide canisters, with a high carbon steel core giving it a wonderfully sharp, durable cutting edge. Each knife is made from around 95% recycled materials.

No two knives are exactly the same. Each one has been individually crafted by Tim and has its own unique look and feel. The handles vary slightly in colour and pattern depending on the plastics used, while the blades differ fractionally in shape, as each is forged by hand. It's this individuality that makes them so special.

The blade measures 175 to 180mm and the handle approximately 120mm. Altogether, the knife weighs between 130 and 140g. Its size, coupled with its weight, makes it incredibly dexterous to use and capable of making light work of everyday kitchen tasks.

Each knife comes with a care sheet explaining how to maintain it properly. As the knives are fresh from the forge, they should be thoroughly washed by hand in warm, soapy water before their first use.

I know our knife project won't make a dent in the amount of plastic washing up on our beaches, but it sends a positive message about what can be done if you put your mind to it. Every time I chop, slice or dice something, I'll think about the story behind this knife, the talented man who made it, the plastic we collected together on the beach and the discarded steel canisters. In a world of throwaway culture, it reminds me that there is still some hope.