In the record time of only 6 years, Dirk Hofmeister has succeeded in becoming a firmly established figure among knife designers as well as among productive semi-custom knifemakers - a goal that many knifemakers, despite their hard work and heart and soul, do not achieve in a lifetime. The unmistakable feature of his knives is their angular design with immense material thicknesses, manufactured using the most modern production techniques. The knives are rightly called by their pithy names from Nordic mythology. Dirk Hofmeister tells us how he keeps his inner idea machine running and why his company and his knives bear names from Nordic mythology.
Dirk, what efforts did the scouts from the Nordic world of the gods Asgard have to go through to track down an excellent bladesmith like you?
(Laughs): They did indeed have to go on a long journey, which led to Hilzingen/Binningen near Lake Constance. However, I grew up in the tranquil village of Tabarz in the beautiful Thuringian Forest.
When did your enthusiasm for knives begin?
I started collecting knives as a child at the age of 9. I could dust off kitchen knives from my mother, and since we ran a pub and had enough knives, I hung one or two on the wall as decoration. When I was about 12, I tried to make knives myself. A scar on my finger still reminds me of it today. I collected knives assiduously until I was 47. I would even go so far as to say that I had one of the largest knife collections in Baden-Württemberg with about 1000 knives.
Can you still remember your first knife?
The first knife was actually the one I borrowed from my mother's kitchen.
Collecting knives is definitely a great passion. But that was probably not the end of the line for you, are we right?
Exactly, at the age of 47, the idea of making my own knives matured. Although I had already owned many knives in my life, I wasn't completely convinced by any of them, so I sold my entire collection and started building and designing knives on the side. My penchant for perfection awakened in me the hunting instinct for the perfect knife. The first knife was the "Boker Plus URD". This was intended as a knife with interchangeable handles that could be personalised using 3D printing.
A step that must have cost a lot to overcome! How did things continue after that?
In March 2017, I founded my own company "Midgards Knives" and have been working as a knifemaker ever since. In the middle of 2018, I finally set up my own business as a knifemaker and designer and gave up my previous profession. We currently employ 12 people who actively support us in our work.
What did your professional career look like before you started your own business as a knifemaker?
I completed a 3-year training as a safety officer abroad. This was followed by another 4-year apprenticeship in merchandise management. In 2018, I finally set up my own business. We recently opened a branch in the USA in December 2022 with two employees.
Your knives combine striking design, high functionality and outstanding quality. Tell us more about your recipe for success.
Through my years of collecting knives, I have had many knives in my hands and have developed a feeling for what works and what does not. So far, we have developed 220 models and 3D printed the handles and sheaths to match. We are being asked more and more by other companies for help with design questions and problems. About 10% of our ideas come from our own Facebook group, where we definitely implement some ideas from our ever-growing community under the heading "Knives by Freaks for Freaks". Our YouTube and Instagram channels also contribute significantly. We place particular emphasis on transparency so that we can work openly with our followers and inform them about our progress and challenges at any time.
Looking at the range of Midgards knives, you mainly address tactically experienced and outdoor enthusiastic customer groups. How do you meet their demands?
In the tactical field, I have gained a lot of experience abroad through my training in security services. So I know how tactical knives work and how they are best used. The rest comes from my previous experience as a knifemaker since 2017.
Is it also possible to have a custom-made knife made?
Making a customised knife is our daily business. Of course, you can also book a knife-making course with us.
What makes a knife a Midgard knife?
We offer particularly robust, powerful knives with mainly thick blades to our customers and dealers. All knives bear names from Norse mythology. This idea originally came from my daughter, who was writing a novel about Norse mythology at the time. We like to take our inspiration from historical models and then produce them in a modern way. In conclusion, the company "Midgards-Messer" is the only company known to us worldwide that combines handmade knives with the 3D printing process for handles and sheaths. This applies to all our models.
