During this workshop, you will be introduced to fine relief wood carving in a relaxed and accessible way. You will work with pear wood, a soft and friendly type of wood that is ideal for taking your first steps in fine wood carving. While shaping your own keychain, you will discover how to create decorative edges and how small details bring a design to life.

At your own pace, you will work with professional tools such as chisels, knives, and gouges, while receiving clear and personal guidance as you create your own keychain. This allows you to get acquainted with these wood carving techniques in an enjoyable way. After two hours, you will go home with a beautiful keychain made by your own hand.

The Zeeuwse Horse Knife is a special practical tool with an artistic character, deeply rooted in the farming life of Zeeland. Farmers and farmhands carried it in a deep side pocket of their traditional men’s clothing, always ready for the moment it was needed. While working with multiple horses in the fields, something could suddenly go wrong, and quick action was essential: with one movement, the reins could be cut to protect both human and animal. But the knife was more than a safety tool. It peeled apples, cut beet leaves, removed stones from hooves, and cut rope, a faithful companion in daily life, richly decorated with ornaments that each tell their own story. With its unique design and the various craft techniques needed to make a handle for a horse knife, it is a beautifully decorated practical object and part of Zeeland’s cultural heritage.

Janneke Jacobs practices the Zeeland craft of carving Horse Knives with great passion. In her studio, she works several mornings each week on this special tradition, where craftsmanship, patience, and cultural history come together. For her, making Horse Knives is more than handcraft, it is a passion she loves to keep alive and share with others.

Making a horse knife handle involves various techniques, such as relief wood carving, 3D shaping, and hollowing out the wood. This makes it a new challenge every time, and wood carving never becomes boring. Janneke teaches various courses and provides educational activities. In this way, she contributes to preserving a craft tradition that deserves to be passed on with care, enthusiasm, and a sharp eye for detail.