As a local blacksmith took him under his wing, he built his own forge. He would spend the next ten years learning and perfecting his skills before unveiling his creations. He won the prize for best straight knife, an inspired creation, at the famed Belgian Knife Society show in Gembloux in 2018, his first outside Italy. Oliver says he gets his best ideas at night and that by the time he begins forging, he can fully visualize the finished knife; if the picture blurs, he knows he can count on the anvil to bring it back into focus. Integrals – where bolster-guard and blade form one piece – are his specialty and he defines his signature style around this construction method.