Colonial Knives

Grohmann: \'grow man\

Grohmann Knives Limited is a small family business with a big reputation. It is an Old World story that began before the second World War, when a commercial buyer from Quebec traveled once a year to a factory in Sudetenland, then a German region of Czechoslovakia, to buy pocket knives. Every year the buyer would urge Grohmann the production manager at the plant, to come to Canada , promising him help to get started. Mr. Grohmann would always decline as he was happy in his own country, but after the war, the political situation grew desperate and in 1949 Rudolph Grohmann accepted the offer.

Within a year, Grohmann and his family arrived in Nova Scotia at the invitation of the provincial government-funded Pictou Cutlery, which closed after three years. Mr. Grohmann, determined to make knives, built a garage workshop & began producing & engraving folding knives designed by himself. Shortly after, Deane H. Russell, the private secretary to Prime Minister MacKenzie King, was tired of only finding imported knives at every store he went into. He thought there should also be Canadian knives on the market, so set out for a knife maker to help him make his dream come true. Mr. Grohmann met with Mr. Russell and together they set out to design truly Canadian made knives. After field testing with the help of hunters & trappers across the far north, the D.H. Russell Belt Knife Original #1 was born. The Original, along with various other designs, won many awards and recognitions worldwide. Grohmann and Russell created three more models together, the #2 Trout and Bird, #3 Army, & #4 Survival.

"Grohmann Knives Limited" was formed in 1961 by the family and was run by one of Grohmanns' daughters Berta & her husband Michael Babinec Sr.   They passed it down to their three sons who all worked in the business at one time, Norman, Roland and Michael Jr.   Michael Jr. with daughter Michelle are now running it today along with approximately 25 employees including Michelle's husband Scott who is Production Manager. Over the years, Grohmann Knives has designed more award-winning Canadian outdoor knives to add to the collection.

 

In recent years, six lines of kitchen knives have also been added to their production, as well as many unique, custom made knives & machine knives. Grohmann Knives are sold the world over in many countries.

Rudolph Grohmann Feb 11, 1895 - May 20, 1978

At Grohmann Knives, making knives is as much an art as a trade.
The top quality knives are produced with as many as 53 steps between starting point & finished product.