National Knife Museum

On November 29, 2006 the National Knife museum held it's grand opening at it's new home inside Smokey Mountain Knifeworks in Sevierville, Tennessee. The museum was the created in 1981 by Jim Parker and later turned over to the National Knife Collectors Association. Chattanooga, Tennessee was the home of the museum until 2001 when the property was sold. The massive collection of some 12,000 knives have been in storage until now.

Kevin Pipes, owner of Smoky Mountain Knifeworks, donated the space on the mezzanine in the new addition to his "world's largest knife showplace" in Sevierville. The new museum has 4,500 square feet of floor space and 3,000 square feet of wall space allowing plenty of room for permanent and rotating displays.

The museum showcases an incredible collection of every type of knife imaginable and examples from many of the most famous knifemakers. There is a timeline display of knives throughout history and many other very interesting displays. The knives are beautifully displayed in well lit custom display cases. Not all of the NKCA's 12,000 knives are on display at once. Instead they will be rotated on a regular basis so there will always be something new to see.

As I said, the museum is housed within Smokey Mountain Knifeworks which, aside from being an incredible 3-story knife showroom and store, is a knife museum in itself with numerous displays of rare and antique knives throughout the store. Outside in the parking lot is a small building which houses a working custom knife shop operated by Kelgin Knifemakers Co-op. With all of this in one location, it is a trip well worth making for any knife enthusiast or collector. It is a beautiful area to visit anyway being just a short distance from Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Many thinks to Kevin Pipes, Smoky Mountain Knifeworks, and NKCA for making this available to all of us.

Admission to the knife museum is free and it is open during business hours of Smoky Mountain Knifeworks.


The National Knife Museum is located on the Mezzanine inside Smoky Mountain Knifeworks.


Hall of Fame knifemaker Gil Hibben looks at the knives.


The grand opening ceremony was presided over by (foreground left to right) Kevin Pipes, owner of Smoky Mountain Knivesworks,
Case knife historian Shirley Boser, museum director Pete Cohan, NKCA president Clarence Risner and other members of the NKCA board of directors.


A whittling and carving display and demonstration


Knifemakers Guild vice president Wayne Hensley and president Gil Hibben.

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