Mitarza cutlery in Bastelicaccia
The Belgian writer Hendrick Conscience said, "It is in fire that iron is tempered and becomes steel... It is in pain that man finds the revelation of his strength."
A revelation is exactly what Jean-Yves Mouillevois had for cutlery.
The one who installs his company Mitarza Knives” in 2017 in the village of Bastelicaccia is the archetype of the cutler of yesteryear, the one whose know-how has no limits, in short, the passionate.
“I have been collecting knives since I was 8 years old, I can’t help it, it’s ingrained in me.
The Corsican knife is an object of art requiring a unique mastery in the world, which Jean-Yves does not fail to remind us. He is first and foremost a collector and he talks about his passion with so much enthusiasm that we let ourselves be carried away as if we were budding collectors. His twinkling eyes, pride and debate bring to light so many practices and talents that it is impossible not to be interested.
“One day my wife told me to stop collecting knives, so I started making them”
He makes his knives from design to manufacture, freehand, without cutting with a metal plate which makes each one unique. He works without machines, with precise gestures, which makes each product a performance.
It is obvious that the knives fashioned by this artist have a soul and a history, first in his workshop and then with the person who will buy it.
He is the indispensable tool of the shepherd but also of the Corsican hunter, who are extremely demanding customers “they sometimes bring me the horns of animals they have killed and they say to me “Jean-Yves transforms that into a knife”, that’s what I like in my job, it’s a real challenge”.
He obviously has several strings to his bow as he handles leather making cases for his knives and for firearms but also purses and bags and objects of all kinds.
His investment in cutlery and craftsmanship has no limits, so much so that he is the president of the Corsican Association of Craftsmen at the origin of an ephemeral store open from April to September in the heart of the city of Ajaccio with nearly 20 passionate craftsmen like him.
He favors the contact with the customer in different fairs and markets in Corsica and direct sales but recently he markets his products thanks to an e-shop.
In short, a craftsman as one does not make (almost) any more…
Mouillevois Jean-Yves – couteau.mitarza@gmail.com
