About us

Established by Peter Mészáros in 1994, M-stein since then produces tools for artists. Woodcarving and lino-cut tools are the main production programme with over 500 different shapes of knives, gouges, hatchets with a range of accessories.

Carving tools are hand-forged from tooling steel and thermally processed to the hardness of 60°-61°HRC. Handels are made of hornbeam tree.

Sharp tool is a necessity for hi-quality carving. Tools we produce are already sharpened and polished, ready to use. With proper maintenance and use, our tools can serve for several generations of woodcarvers. We offer also additional accessories for carvers like wooden mallets, hatchets, packages, tools for sharpening and more useful products.

30 Years of M-Stein

The family brand M-stein was founded in the post-revolutionary times, which brought a challenging economic situation, but also a charge of change. The first forged tools were created by Peter for himself, and for his colleagues, restorers and artists. As a father, he needs to take care of his family and replace irregular income with stability.

From a young age, Peter knew he wanted to work with his hands. He excelled as a talented sculptor and skilled craftsman. In the 1970s, during his studies at schools in Spišská Nová Ves, Krupina, and finally at the School of Applied Arts for Sculpture and Stone Carving in Hořice. He learned from old masters who taught at these schools. Here, he gained experience in using and creating his own tools.

As a trained stone-carver, he initially produced forged stone tools for the needs of a restoration company in Košice. After the Velvet Revolution, he went forwork in Bern, Switzerland, as a stone and metal restorer. He adopted the principle that genuine craftsmanship is the main condition for success.

After returning from abroad, he stayed in Slovakia. At the suggestion of his friend, artist Jozef Kužidlo, he created the first carving chisels. Their character has not changed since then. He mounts them with octagonal handles that smoothly connect to the blade, realizing his sensitivity to detail and his views on aesthetics, ergonomics, and design.

Prvá dielňa, čienobiela fotografia zobrazujúca stroje a krabicu s polotovarmi v popredí — The beginnings of chisel production could not have been accomplished without the help of friends: sculptor Juraj Bartusz, who provided his own space for producing the first chisels, his colleague stonemason Juraj Parák, with whom he shared a stonemasonry workshop, and Juraj Hudák, who provided technological support for the heat treatment of steel.

The introduction of the mechanical hammer allowed for the production of larger quantities of tools. In 1994, a collection of tools was created and presented in Trenčín at the Vercajch exhibition. Schools, carvers, graphicians, sculptors, and other artists quickly became customers. The M-Stein brand was established Official name of the company is a combination of the surname and the German word for stone – “stein” The old original family name, Morgenstein, remained encoded in the brand.

Na výstave Vercajch v roku 1994, Peter a Danica Mészárosovi prezentujúci prvé rezbárske dláta — Peter and Danica Mészáros at the Vercajch Fair in 1994. The official presentation of the M-stein carving chisel brand. In the first years after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the market lacked a range of tools commonly used in artistic and restoration practices.

From the beginning, the goal of the brand has been to produce practical and durable tools of the highest quality. The production maintains traditional manual forging and processing technology. Each chisel passes through the hands of experienced masters, who have been involved with the brand for decades. In the workshop, the entire production takes place from raw material to finished chisel, knife, or small tool. Ongoing development and production of our own machines and tools are at the core of maintaining quality and precision.

Exposition of tools on woodcarvers event — For many years, you have known the brand mainly thanks to Danica Mészáros, who has taken care of you to ensure your satisfaction. With the new website and further challenges in the internet age, we now have a new power to the administration, Daniela. Nowadays Daniela mainly takes care of the customers.

Since beginning, our carving gouges, various knives, adzes, and custom-made tools have found their way around the world, mainly to customers from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. We look forward to what is to come and believe that over the past 30 years, we have convinced you that genuine craftsmanship worth.

The family business M-Stein would like to thank all its friends and clients who return to the brand and inspire us.

Podcast

Listen to an interview with Peter and Pavol Mészáros about M-stein on Rádio Košice – https://www.radiokosice.sk/tema-10-9-rozhovor-peter-meszaros

Partners

Andrej Irša – art practitioner, sculptor, carver, publicist
www.irsa.sk, www.irsa.cz – personal website
www.rezbarstvo.sk – specialized portal
www.vercajch.eu – supplies for artists
Artpraktik – YOU-TUBE – video

eshop.marosko.sk – toolshop

Chris Vesper – manufacturer and marketer of gauges and high quality tools in Australia
www.vespertools.com.au

The store with supplies for artists in Bratislava is our long-term partner in the sale of tools
www.wad.sk