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28 GOURMET TRAVELLER

PHOTOGRAPHY RODNEY MACUJA (BURT’S BEES) & REBECCA NEWMAN (CUT THROAT KNIVES)

Aidan Mackinnon has created

custom blades featuring rain

clouds, galah wings and a map

of one knife-owner’s home town.

Since starting Cut Throat Knives

in 2015, he’s also teamed up with

whiskey-makers, vegan taxidermists

and the florist from his wedding (he

encased some of her dried flowers

in knife handles). Some designs are

more straightforward and the knives

attract attention for the quality of

their blades. Mackinnon works with

two bladesmiths and a leathersmith

in a Coburg North studio.

What inspired your knife obsession,

Aidan? I came across a guy making

chef’s knives by hand and I knew

that I wanted to do something

similar. I went from my first class to

launching Cut Throat within a year.

In your line of work, you must get

your fair share of cuts and injuries?

We try to take safety as seriously as

possible, but accidents do happen.

Not only are we working with

sharpened tools, but steel at

1,000 degrees can give you

fast. Almost everything

can hurt you pretty

u have to ensure

right headspace when

ont of the machines.

orated some

erial into your knives,

ped-up American

hat have you most

enjoyed working with? One of my

favourites was the collaboration with

Starward Whisky where we used

their old barrels to make a handle.

The Blood Money design used

real US dollars; you can buy bags

of shredded currency from the

US Mint. It’s great for confetti if

you want to make it rain.

What’s the story with your

collaboration with The Dapper

Dead? I heard about this vegan

taxidermist in Scotland who uses

reclaimed roadkill to make sporrans

(the bag you wear with a kilt), and

I knew I wanted to work with her.

We decided to create a small run

of sporrans with matching sgian

dubhs, small ceremonial daggers.

What’s next? More limited editions,

including one collaboration with

an augmented-reality artist where

the blade comes alive through the

phone, and another project with a

sneaker company. We have our

leather line, chopping boards,

monthly classes and most likely a

trip to Japan to go to the Seki Knife

Festival. Who needs sleep, right?

Knives from $325 each,

cutthroatknives.com.au

MEET YOUR MAKER

a burn really

in our spacec

quickly, so

u’re in the

stepping in

You’ve incor

creative mate

cluding rip

dollar bills.

The Rainy Dayz knife

designs by Aidan

Mackinnon(top right)

are a tribute to his

(soggy) home town

of Melbourne.

T YOUR KER

Get a handle on these sharp designs

from this inventive Melbourne studio.

IN THE TENT

Only 40 minutes’ drive from Brisbane and the Gold

Coast, picturesque Mount Cotton is a favourite day trip

for hikers heading bush and bon vivants heading to

Sirromet Wines, one of Queensland’s largest wine

producers. To make a weekend of it, the winery has

opened 18 well-appointed tented pavilions in the

bush, with several suitable for families. Guests can

dine at three on-site eateries or on their tent veranda.

Rooms from $280, minimum two nights, including

breakfast. Sanctuary by Sirromet, 850-938 Mount Cotton

Rd, Mount Cotton, Qld, (07) 3206 2999, sirromet.com

Tented pavilion

at Sanctuary

by Sirromet.