Scarperia has always been considered a town of knives whose commerce was particularly favoured by the constant flow of people along the Apennine route between Tuscany and Romagna. At one time, there were as many as sixty workshops producing knives; today there are not nearly as many, but the tradition of the craft is still handed down with pride. The Knife Market exists specifically to call attention to the quality of workmanship of these precision blades and their resistance over time. From the history of knives to knowledge about their structure, nothing is overlooked in giving an in-depth look at the little-known art form centred in the small town in the province of Florence.
Surely one reason for the development of this art here is the strategic position of Scarperia which lies along one of the most travelled roads to Bologna.