I just found your e mail, a decade after you posted it.
My wife's father, Giovanni Battista Bet was born in Barcis circa 1890's. His family moved to Orcinico Superiore,near Udine when he was a young child.
We have not heard of a knifemaker in the family. they were always in dry goods sales, traveling frequently by horse drawn carriage to customers in 7 different villages in the foothills of the Alps.

As a well educated lawyer,interested in genealogy, what can you tell me about the origin of the name Bet?