Santa Fe Stoneworks, which makes art knives, kitchen cutlery and pocket knives, to name a few items, will soon celebrate its 32nd anniversary.

The company recently expanded its product line to include woolly mammoth teeth inlays as well as a complete collection of dinosaur bone knives.

Santa Fe Stonework's largest customer is W.R. Case Cutlery and Sons.

"We inlay all their knives for their exotic handle collection," said Bill Wirtel, Santa Fe Stonework's founder and president.

The business is now run by Miles Wirtel, who is the production manager, and his sister Anna Wirtel, who runs sales, shipping and customer relations.

Anna Wirtel is recovering from breast cancer, having finished her treatments successfully on May 21, her brother said.

As for his place in the company, "I hang out and cover whatever I can as well as go on the road for shows," he said.

The Wirtel family now owns Santa Fe Stoneworks outright after its old partner, Camillus Cutlery Co., went
out of business several years ago.

The business is at 3790 Cerrillos Road and can be reached at 471-3953.


Jack and Debbie Funfer have put their Heart of the Lotus Interiors retail store at 322 Montezuma St. on the market.

The store specializes in sacred Asian art and exotic furniture.

That follows a decision "to make a life change," an e-mail said. "The price we are asking is a remarkable bargain and certainly gives the new owner an opportunity to step into a well-established business."

For more information, call Heart of the Lotus Interiors at 989-1779.


Greyhound bus service to Santa Fe up and left town about six months ago, and nobody seemed to notice the departure of the last bus from the station at 858 St. Michael's Drive.

The loss of service followed a routine route evaluation, a Greyhound spokesman said, adding that he didn't know why the service was discontinued.

All is not lost, however — Greyhound is looking for another agency that would serve as Santa Fe's bus station, the spokesman said.

Based in Cincinnati, Greyhound is part of FirstGroup America, Inc., which is owned by FirstGroup plc, a UK transportation corporation.

Contact Bob Quick at 986-3011 or bobquick@sfnewmexican.com.