Eager to continually renew the patterns that decorate the blades of our knives, Deejo is always expanding its collections so you can find that Deejo that is unique to you. An essential new creation which may seem simple or evident but is the result of a long and demanding process.

In the beginning there is the desire, the desire to tell a new story on our blades and at the same time demonstrate to the public the contentment of having this story in their pocket, a pocket knife which says a little about who we are and what we love. Because a Deejo knife is useful and also because a Deejo knife, in truth, is beautiful.

The first Deejo collections were largely inspired by classic tattoo iconography, from the marine world of sailors and the high seas, or reaching back in time to the so-called ‘primitive’ societies, or hidden in the underground world of the prison system. These tattoos played and still play a social, religious or mystical role.

On the margins of these traditional motifs, we have developed themes which express our passions: for the aficionado of fine watches, the biker or the cyclist, the fisherman or the water sports enthusiast...Today, it is our customers who demand new motifs, such as in recent years: music, literature, long-distance travel and the automobile.

On the basis of these desires, Deejo develops ‘moodboards’, boards composed of photos, illustrations and real tattoos that define the overall graphic intent of each project. This compilation constitutes an indispensable basis of inspiration for our illustrators, who then work to design an image and to frame their subject on a characteristic support: we must consider the specific attributes of the Deejo blade, its thread, its slight curve of the back, its point, and its screw on the axis that allows its articulation. So many unexpected elements for graphic artists accustomed to working on round, square or rectangular formats.

Mélina Berteau, actively involved in the development of the new Deejo collections since 2017, says, ‘if the exercise is actually more difficult than it seems, especially at the beginning, I am now trying to make these constraints assets for original creations that ultimately make Deejo knives singularly unique’.

Then follows the meticulous inking work, in pencil first then on computer, where every detail is carefully thought through to render the perfect tattoo. Initial tests on our laser engravers—Deejo ‘tattoos’ are indeed made using this technique that is both precise and durable—allow us to verify the technical feasibility of each tattoo and assess the final real rendering. It is not uncommon for a tattoo to go through several rounds between the graphic department and the production workshop to resolve differences, striking or minute, between the virtual rendering on the screen and the true rendering on the blade, in particular in regard to the different finishes and sizes of Deejo knives currently available.

And Mélina concludes: ‘Deejo wants to make its knives a singular object, a remarkable and recognised accessory. I very much like this requisite and every new tattoo is a new challenge I enjoy taking up with enthusiasm’.