The foundation of the Giagu workshop
The Giagu workshop was born in Pattada in 1985, founded by Salvatore Giagu and Maria Rosaria Deroma, the first woman to specialize herself in the craft of knife making.
After learning the art of knife making in the workshop of an old blacksmith, they decided to devote themselves to the exclusive production of knives, while in the past these were made together with other tools and iron utensils intended for the agro-pastoral environment.
The passion, the experience and the careful attention to details are the values that have characterized the whole activity of Giagu’s workshop, handed down to their sons that today represent the new generation of knifemakers of the workshop.
The limited production, realized by order and for some models numbered progressively, makes each Giagu knife a unique piece, marked by the stamping on the blade of the head of the mouflon and the writing GIAGU PATTADA, guaranteed for 10 years and delivered to the customer with an additional guarantee of maintenance and free sharpening-polishing service.
The Giagu workshop was born in Pattada in 1985, founded by Salvatore Giagu and Maria Rosaria Deroma, the first woman to specialize herself in the craft of knife making.
After learning the art of knife making in the workshop of an old blacksmith, they decided to devote themselves to the exclusive production of knives, while in the past these were made together with other tools and iron utensils intended for the agro-pastoral environment.
The passion, the experience and the careful attention to details are the values that have characterized the whole activity of Giagu’s workshop, handed down to their sons that today represent the new generation of knifemakers of the workshop.
The limited production, realized by order and for some models numbered progressively, makes each Giagu knife a unique piece, marked by the stamping on the blade of the head of the mouflon and the writing GIAGU PATTADA, guaranteed for 10 years and delivered to the customer with an additional guarantee of maintenance and free sharpening-polishing service.
Inside the workshop
The processing takes place in full respect of tradition in a small laboratory in the historic center of Pattada. Through the use of the same tools of the past, every single knife is shaped entirely by hand.
Even the simplest model requires at least two days of workmanship and depending on the models there are waiting lists of up to four years.
The contribution of the sons has been fundamental to reduce the waiting time of the long list of orders: Adriano Giagu (1993), an engineering graduate from the Polytechnic of Turin, owner of the company GIAGU PATTADA, and his sister Letizia (1998), competently carry out the work of production in the workshop and management of the business.
The processing takes place in full respect of tradition in a small laboratory in the historic center of Pattada. Through the use of the same tools of the past, every single knife is shaped entirely by hand.
Even the simplest model requires at least two days of workmanship and depending on the models there are waiting lists of up to four years.
The contribution of the sons has been fundamental to reduce the waiting time of the long list of orders: Adriano Giagu (1993), an engineering graduate from the Polytechnic of Turin, owner of the company GIAGU PATTADA, and his sister Letizia (1998), competently carry out the work of production in the workshop and management of the business.
Here every visitor can live a unique experience deepening his knowledge of the knife by visiting both the showroom and the laboratory, where he has the possibility to confront directly with the craftsmen.
The artisan research
In Giagu’s workshop the work go on with constant passion and careful attention to shape and details: Only in this way each piece made can boast its quality and uniqueness. The idea of favoring and enhancing the traditional knife has led in the early years to research and recovery of ancient forms such as the “corrinas”, which are now widely re-evaluated and reproposed as a table knife.
The experimentation of alternative materials, such as ivory, damask, coral, gold filigree and others, never used before, led in 1991 to patent some models on their own design, inspired by the Sardinian land (model Antico), by its nature (models Muflone, Onde, Foglia, Elica) and by its traditions that reveal common forms to various typical artifacts (model Torciglione).
In Giagu’s workshop the work go on with constant passion and careful attention to shape and details: Only in this way each piece made can boast its quality and uniqueness. The idea of favoring and enhancing the traditional knife has led in the early years to research and recovery of ancient forms such as the “corrinas”, which are now widely re-evaluated and reproposed as a table knife.
The experimentation of alternative materials, such as ivory, damask, coral, gold filigree and others, never used before, led in 1991 to patent some models on their own design, inspired by the Sardinian land (model Antico), by its nature (models Muflone, Onde, Foglia, Elica) and by its traditions that reveal common forms to various typical artifacts (model Torciglione).
International collaborations
The two artisans have acquired considerable experience in the field by participating, over the years, in various international and national exhibitions of the sector (EXA in Brescia, SICAC in Paris, Salon of the Artistic Knife in Cannes, Espolama in Lugano, Messer in Stuttgart, etc.) attending numerous fellow craftsmen from various parts of the world who over time have become friends. In 1995, 10 years after the beginning of the activity, the new workshop was inaugurated with an exhibition in the historical center of the town, the central Via Vittorio Emanuele. To celebrate this anniversary, the Giagu family organized in
Pattada the “1st International Exhibition of the Custom Knife” recording a remarkable turnout of collectors and knife lovers of all nationalities (over 15,000 attendees) and contributing both to the enhancement of the typical product and the promotion of the international knife.
In 1998/99 they taught in the course for “Craftsman of the Sardinian knife” promoted by Sardinia and over the years they have hosted professional internships for students from other schools in their workshop.
In 2011, the Culter Museum, the first international knife museum, was inaugurated.
From February 23, 2018 to June 9, 2019, MUSE museum of science in Trento exhibited 6 knives provided by Giagu laboratory and Culter Museum as representative tools of Sardinian tradition, history and culture.
The two artisans have acquired considerable experience in the field by participating, over the years, in various international and national exhibitions of the sector (EXA in Brescia, SICAC in Paris, Salon of the Artistic Knife in Cannes, Espolama in Lugano, Messer in Stuttgart, etc.) attending numerous fellow craftsmen from various parts of the world who over time have become friends. In 1995, 10 years after the beginning of the activity, the new workshop was inaugurated with an exhibition in the historical center of the town, the central Via Vittorio Emanuele. To celebrate this anniversary, the Giagu family organized in
Pattada the “1st International Exhibition of the Custom Knife” recording a remarkable turnout of collectors and knife lovers of all nationalities (over 15,000 attendees) and contributing both to the enhancement of the typical product and the promotion of the international knife.
In 1998/99 they taught in the course for “Craftsman of the Sardinian knife” promoted by Sardinia and over the years they have hosted professional internships for students from other schools in their workshop.
In 2011, the Culter Museum, the first international knife museum, was inaugurated.
From February 23, 2018 to June 9, 2019, MUSE museum of science in Trento exhibited 6 knives provided by Giagu laboratory and Culter Museum as representative tools of Sardinian tradition, history and culture.
From the workshop to the Culter Museum
The passion of Salvatore and Maria Rosaria led in 2011 to the creation of the first knives museum in Pattada, at the Giagu-Deroma building, formerly the site of the workshop and exhibition.
The Culter International Knife Museum is unique in Italy for the exhibition offer, which proposes a particular path:
1) a section dedicated to the International Knife, with a selection of exclusive pieces made especially for the Museum by artisans working in Sardinia, in the rest of Italy and in various parts of the world: Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and New Zealand;
2) a historical section that illustrates the evolution of the ancient knife, with the most representative pieces of the production of Pattada and Sardinia, together with tools and utensils typical of daily agro-pastoral
life;
3) the exposition of the artisan knives made by the Giagu family with classical models and new knives in shape and materials up to exclusive patented pieces;
4) the production workshop, where the knives are still made with traditional methods and
traditional method and typical materials.
The passion of Salvatore and Maria Rosaria led in 2011 to the creation of the first knives museum in Pattada, at the Giagu-Deroma building, formerly the site of the workshop and exhibition.
The Culter International Knife Museum is unique in Italy for the exhibition offer, which proposes a particular path:
1) a section dedicated to the International Knife, with a selection of exclusive pieces made especially for the Museum by artisans working in Sardinia, in the rest of Italy and in various parts of the world: Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and New Zealand;
2) a historical section that illustrates the evolution of the ancient knife, with the most representative pieces of the production of Pattada and Sardinia, together with tools and utensils typical of daily agro-pastoral
life;
3) the exposition of the artisan knives made by the Giagu family with classical models and new knives in shape and materials up to exclusive patented pieces;
4) the production workshop, where the knives are still made with traditional methods and
traditional method and typical materials.
