At GiantMouse, we are always interested in the different relationships people have with their blades. For this installment of Knifestyles, we talk to intrepid outdoorsman (and our go-to photographer) Piotr Ma about his wildest adventures, tools of the trade, and lifelong connection with knives.
If you’re a fan of the brand, you’ve no doubt seen stunning shots of our knives throughout our site, socials, and emails, pictured by roaring campfire or perched on snowy mountain peak. Images that not only bring out the beauty in our blades, but tell tales of adventure and exploration, survival and real-life utility. Well, many of those masterpieces are the work of our long-running, thrill-seeking, ever-talented photographer Piotr Ma.
An avid mountaineer, skier, bushcrafter, certified open-sea sailor, and all-around passionate outdoorsman, Piotr has a deep bond with nature. He learned the way of the woods from his father at an early age, who also inspired his first forays into picture taking. Today, Piotr shares his almost 40 years of outdoor experience with others as an enthusiast of quality outdoor equipment and edged tools, an unstoppable gear seeker, and author of multiple articles on Carryology.com, ITSTactical.com, and PackConfig.com. (Follow his adventures on IG: @piotr_ma)
Not surprisingly, Piotr’s history with blades goes way back to his childhood in Poland, roughing it in the wilderness as a young Boy Scout. We managed to track down the legendary trekker to talk all things EDC and learn his secrets to scoring the perfect shot.
The Knifestyles of Piotr Ma
What originally got you into knives?
I've been into the outdoors and knives since I was 8, when I was camping with my father (also a sailor and climber) and his buddies. Then, I joined Boy Scouts when I was 10 and went for my first 3-week summer camp in the mountains. So, a belt knife has been a natural thing for me since I can remember. That was in the late 80's, so I had no choice but to use a standard Polish scout's knife, nothing fancy.
A couple of years later, Boy Scouts from Sweden visited our sailing scout camp; all of them were carrying Frost of Mora puukko knives—objects of dreams for all of us there. When leaving the camp, our Swedish friends proposed to exchange the knives as an act of scout's brotherhood. That was my first quality knife. I used it hard for a couple of years until the birchwood handle broke one day. But I rebuilt it using a decent piece of birch, and it'll stay in my knife collection till my last breath.
My first folder was a Buck Protegee, which I bought in the late 90's in London (yes, there was a time when knives were OK in the UK). But my first EDC one-hand folder was a Gerber EZ-Out, which I bought when I was a student at Technical University almost 30 years ago. As you can guess, I still own all of them.
How do knives fit into your life?
I use my EDC folders for anything from opening mail and boxes to all cutting tasks at my daily job. I also organize events in the field from time to time, so I'm cutting tape and rope, unboxing forestry machinery, etc.
But, like my dad, I’m an avid outdoorsman, and I can hardly imagine backcountry hiking, mountaineering, sailing, or mountain horseback riding without a knife in my pocket or on my belt (or pack). A knife in the wild is as essential as your boots or work gloves. Cutting, whittling, working around camp, starting fire, food prep, cleaning fish... I could go on and on.
Piotr’s go-to EDC:
Knife (usually a folder, but more and more often a small fixed blade)
Compact flashlight, providing at least 200-300 lumens (mobile phone is NOT a substitute for a good torch). My favorite is SureFire Backup with Thyrm switchback clip/ring.
Good lighter (like BIC or my favorite: Zippo in Thyrm PyroVault case)
Watch (usually mechanical, but I also use Garmin Instinct as a navigation backup in the mountains or when sailing)
IFAK (first aid kit), which is so often overlooked as EDC item
What is your favorite GiantMouse knife and why?
I've been a good friend of Jesper Voxnaes and Jens Anso for almost 30 years now, long before GM was launched. So, my connection to GiantMouse is as organic as possible.
My favorite model is undoubtedly the ACE Grand, an iteration of my precious limited GM5 folder. I now have five variants of that design, but I mostly carry and use the Green Micarta one with a stonewash blade. It's a robust knife—big, bold, very useful in the wild.
I've got quite big hands, and the ACE Grand is one of the few folders that I can efficiently operate when wearing winter work gloves in terrain. Plus, that classic Bowie shape and tear-drop opening hole remind me of the shape of my first one-hand folder, Gerber EZ-Out—on steroids and of much finer quality.
How did you first get started in photography?
Well, I must repeat the same story once again: my dad has always been a passionate outdoor photographer. After my first mountaineering trip with him, I remember three things: my first summit, my first proper mountaineering backpack, and my dad's camera hanging on his neck.
It was a German-made Praktica LTL with 28mm and 50mm prime lenses, which was like unobtanium at that time, when I was 10. I have no idea how he managed to buy it, but naturally, he let me use it during that trip and on the next ones. After returning, he developed his films in an improvised darkroom (with my assistance), and I got hooked! To this day, I prefer prime lenses and my fixed lens Fuji X100 camera, which looks exactly like my first camera—a range-finder style Vilia, with a 40mm fixed lens.
When digital photography took off, I was ready with my Nikon lenses, which worked perfectly on Nikon D70, my first digital DSLR. Some of these photos hang framed on my wall to this day, and they still look great. Then, in a natural way, I combined my outdoor passion, photography background, outdoor gear, and knives. Since then, I've worked with companies I previously didn't even dream about working with. To name a few: Hill People Gear, Eberlestock, Arcteryx, Lundhags, Chris Reeve Knives, Spartan Blades, and, of course, GiantMouse Knives.
Pictured: Young Piotr and the crew. His dad is the one in the middle in checkered flannel shirt.
How would you describe your approach to getting the perfect shot?
As you know, I'm mostly an outdoor photographer. So, I really take my gear to the field, regardless of season and weather conditions. I just need to find that perfect spot of the day. That often requires mountaineering, so I keep my photography gear to a minimum and try to carry as light as possible. Still, that means at least one camera, one or two lenses, a spare battery and cards, and an ultralight tripod.
I prefer a tripod for knife photography, as this allows me to dial the scene perfectly without changing the camera position. Also, I can use a longer shutter time, so the lowest possible ISO for the conditions—that is often the key when shooting in a thick forest on a dark cloudy day. The most interesting shots usually happen in extreme conditions—with snow, frost, wind, etc. So I often go out when most people prefer to stay home.
What are some favorite adventures you've been on?
Oh, I could tell you some stories, especially about sea sailing and winter mountaineering, when things don’t always go as planned. Recently, my favorite adventure has been horseback riding in the backcountry. Oh man, what a fantastic experience! Beautiful mountains, crossing streams and rivers, galloping through endless grassy hills, and all that wildlife!
We're a horse-riding family, so it's also an excellent opportunity to explore the great outdoors together. Our guide (whom we have known for more than a decade) is a true badass mountain man. He spent most of his life riding there, so he knows the terrain like his own house. Plus, all the stories that he tells by the campfire.
And sometimes you get a true adrenaline rush, like last year when we found a huge blood-covered elk's carcass in the shallow mountain river, killed by a bear just before we started crossing the water. Or when caught in a sudden evening storm, I had to start a campfire quickly so that everyone could dry off and warm up. And yeah, a good knife like GMF4 comes in handy in such a moment. This is the adventure that I enjoy the most. In the wild, with family and friends.
Pictured: Piotr and his father (78 and still mountaineering!)
What’s your life motto?
It's never too late to start adventuring! Go outside, even for a weekend micro-adventure. Put your stuff into a backpack (don't forget your knife) and explore the outdoors. Your local forest is a good starting point. Ditch your smartphone, even for half a day, and connect to nature instead. It's never too late to start.
Discover Piotr Ma's Favorites
The GiantMouse Team would like to thank Piotr Ma for taking a break from his adventures to talk shop with us. Keep an eye out for more Knifestyle profiles coming soon!