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<p>Jamaicans are known to be trailblazers, a people who not only think outside the box but also often discard the box in pursuit of our passion.</p>
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<p>This is exemplified by Jabulani Johnson, an engineering student at the University of Technology (UTECH), who keeps his skills sharp — literally. This native of Spanish Town, St Catherine is a master knife-maker.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://buzz-caribbean.com/app/uploads/2019/07/jabulani-johnson-1024x614.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-122" /><figcaption>Jabulani Johnson putting the finishing touches on one of his pieces.</figcaption></figure>
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<p>“Knife making is an art form from back in the days of the Japanese Samurai warriors. When the wars ended, the Samurai sword makers were soon out of business and so they started making knives instead,” Johnson told <strong>Buzz Jamaica.</strong></p>
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<p>Johnson is self-taught in the art of making knives. He shared
that in his previous career as a cook he had difficulty finding a good knife.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://buzz-caribbean.com/app/uploads/2019/07/Knife-1024x614.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-121" /></figure>
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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-default"><p><strong><em> "In 2017 I made my first knife. It was ugly but I loved it."</em></strong></p></blockquote>
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<p>“I began researching and learning for more than a year. I
would watch videos and fine-tune my skills and I got better and better at
it," he said. "In 2017 I made my first knife. It was ugly but I loved
it. A chef saw it and asked where I got it and I told him I made it and he
bought it. So I started posting pictures and people gravitated towards it and
Karma Knives was born.”</p>
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<p>The name came about because, for him, it speaks to reaping
what you put out in the universe. It takes an average of two weeks to finish a piece.</p>
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<p>The response to his work has been good. “The first person to
hold one of my knives was Chef Brian Lumley. I gave him two knives and he loved
them so much that he bought two more and then spread the word. I started
gaining clientele from both in Jamaica and overseas so I have clients in the
United States, Germany and even as far away as Australia,” he said.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://buzz-caribbean.com/app/uploads/2019/07/knife-1-1024x614.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-119" /><figcaption>Chef Sasha Gordon also uses Karma Knives.</figcaption></figure>
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<p>To possess a basic Karma Knife, you need to shell out a
meagre US$150 for an 8-inch chef’s knife.</p>
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<p>“Every additional inch is an additional US$15. The most
expensive knife I have ever made went for US$500, which was a special
customised piece. One of the last customised pieces I made was a Japanese sushi
knife with red, green and gold in the handle. It was fun because it also
allowed me to learn as I evolve.”</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://buzz-caribbean.com/app/uploads/2019/07/Knife-cut-1024x614.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-118" /></figure>
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<p>Johnson has plans to have a company with employees who can
put Jamaica on the map for producing high-quality knives.</p>
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<p>His work is already holding its own against other more
established global brands.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://buzz-caribbean.com/app/uploads/2019/07/knife-fire-1-1024x614.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-125" /><figcaption>A Karma knife being forged.</figcaption></figure>
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<p>“My biggest challenge is getting some customers to appreciate what goes into making these knives. I need to start a YouTube channel so that they can see the intricate process and what exactly goes into making a Karma Knife,” he said.</p>
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