In the forge of Didier Taramarcaz
Today we will open the door to a magical place; the workshop where everything is possible, where expertise and dexterity marry to create remarkable pieces.
In the middle of the village of La Garde, near Verbier, we met a mythical character: the craftsman and mountain guide Didier Taramarcaz.
From passion to profession
Coming from a family of DIYers, Didier has been an all-rounder since childhood and naturally chose the profession of carpenter. Wood is a passion; he likes to touch, feel and work it. He loves, above all, every stage of construction and, lastly, seeing the final result. Self-employed, he manages his small business.
The man with the golden hands
Although Didier’s hands are certainly a bit rugged, they reflect his soul, life and passions. Thanks to them, he handles the tools, smooths the raw wood, works on his projects and builds, but not only that.
His hands, which are the link between his mind and matter, also allow him to rise or, more precisely, to climb vast walls of snow, ice or pebbles. Didier has a weakness for climbing through crevasses where his hands can express themselves in different ways thanks to the slots, locks, oppositions…
Then, still in the rock, on the side of vertiginous walls where even the chamois don't venture, the golden hands of the guide are also put to the test because they scratch, grab, unclog and move around to collect crystals with fascinating hues and perfect geometric shapes.
The ice axe, a new challenge
One day, Didier bought a small gas forge that a friend of his, a bellmaker, offered to sell him. As you will have understood, Didier is an active, creative man who likes to take on challenges. His prospects are limitless. After much thought, he decided to make ice axes, a useful tool for the mountaineer.
Practice makes perfect or forging makes a blacksmith
His project was ambitious and complex. He knew nothing, or almost nothing, about working with steel and could not rely on others' knowledge of the craft, as it had fallen into disuse with technical evolutions. He trained in his workshop, in a self-taught way, by watching videos, having discussions with other craftspeople and trades, being wrong many times and deploying ingenious tricks. His intentions were pure and noble. It would take almost 3 years to reach his goal.
The anvil or the philosopher's stone
After many hours of work in his workshop, giving brutal or elegant blows on the anvil to crush the red steel, Didier finally managed to create the axe he dreamed of. And this one is special. Not wanting to copy or reproduce what already exists on the market, his axe makes it possible both to cut steps and anchor when mountaineering. The handle is light. It is made with acacia wood that Didier himself goes to look for on the banks of the region's rivers. So, with strength, courage and determination, the ice axe that he would call le Taraz was born!
The Taraz: a bold creation
Each Taraz ice axe, requiring ten hours of work, is a unique piece, expressing the love of a job well done. His ice axes are aimed at guides and mountaineers in search of authenticity: customers for whom handcrafted workmanship provides material for dreams and who perceive the virtues of fine workmanship.
More information from Didier Taramarcaz 078 605 82 06
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