Aly Kang (China)

My childhood memories are always filled with the scent of wood. My greatest joy growing up was crouching nearby, watching my father work with wood. The intense focus he displayed while sanding, cutting, and shaping, along with the way his tools moved obediently in his hands, are deeply etched in my mind.

Later, when my hands first grasped a steel billet, that familiar sensation returned. Forging knives, I realized, was like reenacting my father's dialogue with wood—only now, my chisel was a belt sander, and my canvas was steel. Every knife I create carries the principles I learned from him: the feel of the material, the balance, and the unwavering focus on function. From carpenter's daughter to knife maker, this path unfolded naturally and with unwavering conviction.