The History Behind The Original

Georgia Oyster Knife^TM

Oysters are one of America’s favorite foods. We eat them steamed, fried, and straight out of the shells. There’s that business about how oysters might be aphrodisiacs, but does that really matter? Regardless, they’re low-calorie, rich in vitamins and minerals, and tasty plain or seasoned with salt, lemon, or cocktail and hot sauces. Of course, the question has always been: how do you get the stubborn little bivalves open? 

In the 18th and early 19 century, the local blacksmith would make the knife and the user could customize it to be as sharp or as safe as they prefered.  In that same tradition, Russell Browne, an ornamental blacksmith in Savannah, now provides steel knives you can file to your own preference and the tip will work with your style for as long as you shuck oysters.  (Simply coat the steel with wax or oil after filing as you would any steel tool to preserve the finish.

The Georgia Oyster Knife^TM is the knife for life. Each knife is hand-forged from a single piece of steel, so there are no plastic handles to break or flimsy blades that shake loose or dimple. Our wide, curved handle is better for your hands and wrists than those on the usual, mass-produced knives. All of our knives feature a thumbguard to provide leverage and grip so even the novice shucker won’t slip up. The decorative twist echos the historic ironwork here in Savannah and the bottle opener speaks to another Savannah Oyster Roast  tradition!

Our Lowcountry Oyster Knife^TM is made from round steel so it fits well in your hand. This is most similar to the original design that would have been used in the 18th and 19th centuries along our coast.  The smaller, more pointed tip allows you to open and enjoy those smaller, May RIver (a.k.a. Daufuskie/Bluffton) oysters a little easier.  The open design of the handle allows any of our knives to fit well in your pocket or on a belt loop.

All of our knives are made from treated mild steel.

Each knife is hand-forged, so expect variations, but all measure about six inches long, with a 1½ inch blade.

The bottle-opening handle is beefy enough to also act as an effective "cluster-buster" when needed. This is a colonial multi-tool!

Our Shucker's Mat ^TM  is another improvement on a century-old conceptual design.  Farmers along the coast used tractor tire inner tubes to protect their hands from shucking knives.  We've added a wrist guard & brass-grommetted webbing strap to allow this process to be one-handed on & off.   The strap also allows for a more secure placement & traction on the oyster.

Our Great-Grandparents had great ideas;   We promote building on their ingenuity & resourcefullness.