Sharp Of Blade And Wit

Lance Paradis, cutler, has been sharpening knives since he was four years old. Most Saturdays you'll find the Irish American running his stall at the Matakana Farmers' Market, dispensing newly honed blades and his freshly honed wit in equal measure.

As a very small boy, Lance says he loved to whittle pieces of wood, and became intrigued with the sharp-edged implements he was using. At four he was given a set of small knives and a whetting stone by his father, and hasn't looked back. By the age of 20 he reckons he had learned to effectively sharpen most tools.

In the United States he used to made "bespoke" knives, and is planning to do the same here once he's set up a proper forge. He thinks there's nothing quite like a perfectly balanced knife that fits into the hand for which it was created.

He believes New Zealanders would do better not to buy the ubiquitous cheap knives on the market, but search out the oldies in junk shops and garage sales.

David Steemson hangs out with Lance at his Saturday stall, while he chats to customers. Amongst others, they meet a man who says he's just "the fish filleting bitch" and another who used his pocket-knife to cut the umbilical chord of his new born son.

Lance's tips: Don't keep your kitchen knives loose in a kitchen drawer. Store them on a magnetic strip. A wooden knife block harbours germs.

Producer: David Steemson