Knifeology Custom Knives

Port Royal Cut & Shoot wins big at FEGA

2012-01-25T21:49:00.000-06:00

Brain Hochstrat entered the Port Royal in the competition at the FEGA (Firearms Engravers Guild of America) Exposition for the Best Engraved Gun and.........ta da...........it won! I haven't seen any professional pictures yet but here are some that will do in the meantime.

More progress engraving the Port Royal

2012-01-06T11:53:00.001-06:00

This is pretty cool to see the progression and watch the addition of detail and texture. Hope you enjoy.

Progress continues on the Port Royal Cut & Shoot

2011-12-20T10:03:00.002-06:00

The piece is in the hands of the engraver, Brian Hochstrat. He sent these W.I.P. (Work In Progress) pictures today.

Very anxious on this, it's going to be quite a work of art.

Bob Loveless Amber Stag Hideout

2011-12-08T13:07:00.001-06:00

I just got this beautiful piece for my collection. These are my pictures;

This picture is from Jim Cooper; Sharp by Coop

Updated Slideshow

2011-12-04T12:47:00.001-06:00

I updated the Blog slideshow adding lots of pictures. Hope you enjoy it.

A star in the making?

2011-11-25T14:55:00.001-06:00

Perhaps. Just prior to the NYCKS (New York Custom Knife Show) I found some information on the web about a new maker who was planning to attend the show, his first show. I liked the knives I saw and what he had to present on his website. I contacted him and found that he would have some knives available and they would be sold on a first come first served basis at the show. I kept my eye open watching for him to arrive, I was not the only one. His table was overwhelmed once he sat down and started to set up. He sold out immediately and I was lucky enough to obtain a knife and place an order for more. Many others also placed orders. Pretty impressive for a new maker.

So, who is the maker and why all the attention you ask. Michael Raymond is the maker, his website is http://www.michaelraymondknives.com/. Why all the attention, why Michaels knives of coarse. What about his knives.......they are full integral folders, the handles are made from a solid piece of 6AL-4V Titanium. Though integral folders have been made by others they have reached a new level of popularity in the work of Scott Cook who is Michael's friend and mentor. There is a multi-year wait to get a knife from Scott and he isn't even taking orders at this time.

Michaels knives are similar though not the same as Scott's and, at least for now, they are available though I expect Michael's order list is already quite long. Here are pictures of the knife Michael calls the Estrella.

here is the money shot.........notice the one piece handle construction

Here is the complete package; sheath, pivot tool, certificate, box

It is going to be interesting to watch Michaels progression as a knifemaker.

Port Royal Cut & Shoot

2011-11-21T09:36:00.001-06:00

Work on the Port Royal cut & shoot continues. Bruce Bump entered the Port Royal in judging competition at the the Boise knife show and, even thought the work is unfinished, it won awards for Best Folder and Best of Show! The Port Royal is now in the hands of Brian Hochstrat for engraving and here are some sketches showing the direction that the engraving will take.

Brian will be taking the Port Royal to the FEGA (Firearms Engravers Guild of America) in January to show the work. I am anxious to see this piece completed.

2011-11-09T14:15:00.002-06:00

Killer set of SubHilt Fighters from John Young. These are great, blades 6 1/2" 7 1/2" and 8 1/2", each with a uniquely beautiful set of Ivory handles.

The Port Royal Pirate 36 Caliber Cut & Shoot

2011-10-15T15:00:00.002-05:00

Check out Bruce Bump's W.I.P. (work in progress) thread on the Knifedogs forum at http://KnifeDogs.com/showthread.php?18934-The-Strauss-Pirate-36-caliber as he builds a custom Cut & Shoot for me.

2011-09-25T10:46:00.000-05:00

Ken Steigerwalt is a friend as well as being one of the best knifemakers in the business. Ken's knives show great creativity and outstanding fit and finish. This is the most recent knife I have gotten from Ken;

You can see some more of Ken's wonderful Art Deco Style knives on the Custom Knives Community Page on FaceBook.

Michael Quesenberry rising talent

2011-09-22T09:48:00.001-05:00

I was having a conversation with Tim Hancock and the name of an ABS JS with whom he was working came up; Michael Quesenberry. Tim said to watch this guy as he was a talent and would surely become a name within the knife world. I looked at some pictures of Michaels work online and liked what I saw so I contacted him and based on our conversations I decided to commission a knife. Here is the result;

I am quite pleased with the outcome. Michael maintained great communication through the process. He asked about trying some new techniques and I said go for it. Specs: 10" Damascus blade of 1084 & 15N20, three piece spacer of twist Damascus that's been grooved, a 23k gold plated nickel silver accent liners, Mammoth ivory scales with domed nickel silver pins and the frame and guard are parkerized O-1.

Master Smith Kyle Royer

2011-09-10T14:23:00.002-05:00

Kyle Royer earned his MS (Master Smith) rating at this years Blade Show. His order book extends about 5 years or so and for good reason. This is my first piece from Kyle and it's a beauty.

It has a 9 1/2 inch blade and it’s forged from 1080 and 15N20 in a Tight Mosaic, four bar Twist Damascus Pattern. The handle is premium blue/cream colored Mammoth Ivory which I supplied to Kyle. The fittings are of the same damascus pattern as the blade and they have 18 karat green gold inlays. The fittings have also been gun blued. The liners are made of German Silver and have been coined with forty lines per inch. The guard is oval with coining and round grooves around its profile. Kyle made the sheath too and it has a Diamondback Rattlesnake skin overlay.

Pirate Knife......One for my collection

2011-08-25T10:28:00.000-05:00

I like Jack Busfield's knives. Jack is basically retired now but he made a lot of knives and whenever I find a nice one at a reasonable price I pick it up. His knives make a great canvas for engraving. I acquired this little Trailing Point with Apple Green Jade Inlays a couple years ago and finally got around to having it engraved. I am quite pleased with how it came out and it will be going into my collection.

Tim Hancock the Western Bladesmith

2011-08-12T14:05:00.000-05:00

Tim Hancock is one of my favorite ABS Bladesmiths. Tim is also one of the AKI (Art Knife Invitational) makers, he has a multi-year waiting list and has a great book out about him Tim Hancock the Western Bladesmith which features his work plus he is a great guy and makes very cool knives. Here is a folder that has been in the works for close to two years. Tim is known for the Spanish Notch that he uses in many of his fixed blade knives and I asked him to incorporate one into this folder. I also had some input into the size of the gold lock. Tim and I had many conversations about this knife and it is pretty cool to see the ideas we discussed come to be in this knife. Love the way this turned out.

Larry Fuegen score from the Big Sky Show and Hammer In

2011-07-30T17:35:00.000-05:00

Josh Smith's Big Sky Knife Show and Hammer In was fun! The best part was time spent with good friends, the bowling ball cannon and mortar provided great entertainment and I got a nice knife. I was drawn to purchase a Bowie by Larry Fuegen; here are pictures of my acquisition.

Big Sky Conference

2011-07-03T10:33:00.000-05:00

Pretty jazzed about attending the upcoming Big Sky Conference, Hammer In and Knife Show taking place in Missoula, Montana July 15, 16 & 17. The way this show works is like this, it begins with a private knife show and sale on Friday evening at an art gallery in downtown Missoula. Knives are displayed and offered via a lottery format. There is a great spread of food and drink. The makers offering knives this year will be Tim Hancock, Harvey Dean, Richard Rogers, Bill Ruple, Owen Wood, Edmund Davidson, Larry Fuegen, John Young and Josh Smith the host of the show. Each year there are some different makers as well as regulars returning each year. Preceding the Friday evening show attendees are invited out to Josh's spread for some socializing, food and drink, cigars, guns and in general a great time. Oh yea, there is a fee to attend and attendance is limited, about 40 people.

On Saturday the hammer-in begins. Beside the group from Friday a large number of knifemakers show up to view demonstrations/lectures on knife making, design, Damascus, etc.. All day there is food, drink, cigars, guns. Here is a link from last years event when the bowling ball cannon was fired. Dinner is at a local country club, about 100 or so attend this. The festivities continue into the evening for all those that are interested and begin again Sunday concluding mid-day.

The show is great fun, a chance to spend time with a wonderful bunch of people. If you ever get the opportunity I would recommend attending.

There are some great Italian knifemakers.

2011-06-26T11:34:00.000-05:00

The Italians are doing some really cool work. Here are two examples, the first is Emmanuel Esposito's Pike model with mosaic inlay;

Next up is a two blade beauty from Salvatori Puddu with engraving by Valerio Peli of Creative Arts;

Cowboys & Indians

2011-06-17T20:35:00.000-05:00

Always liked Westerns and Cowboys and Indians. Here is a Warren Osborne model called the Breech with engraving by Lisa Tomlin.

I gave Lisa the basic concept of what I wanted then she came up with the images. I like the way she incorporated the concho and the feathers with the cowboy and the indian.

Knifemaker Randy Doucette

2011-06-07T08:50:00.000-05:00

I have bought/sold quite a few of knifemaker Randy Doucette's knives. Randy is a full time maker working out of Ontario Province in Canada. I have always been impressed with the fit and finish of his knives, his actions are as smooth as can be. Here are pictures of a few of his pieces;

This model is the Fuse

Loveless homage

A rare double bolstered knife; the Persian

Seeker ltd. ed.

Hard Core Adventure One-Off knife with beautiful Mother-of-Pearl overlay

Icon model

This model is the Wizard

Tony Bose Zulu

2011-06-02T20:04:00.000-05:00

Thought I would share some pictures of this beauty, the Pre-ban Elephant Ivory is luscious.

Mosaic Damascus Bolsters

2011-05-17T15:07:00.000-05:00

Received two sets of bolsters from Anthony Metsala who creates his own Mosaic Damascus making it available to others and for his own knives. I can't wait to give them over to a knifemaker for incorporation into the bolsters of a knife, here is a picture of one of the two sets, check them out.

Knife Shows

2011-05-02T07:58:00.000-05:00

As a collector and purveyor of Custom Knives I encourage anyone interested in the hobby to try to attend a knife show. Looking at knives in magazines or online is fine but the actual fit and finish of a knife cannot be seen or felt or appreciated without holding the knife. Talking with knifemakers and knowledgable purveyors is a great education and will enhance one's appreciation of the hobby. Great knife shows are held all throughout the U.S. and an internet search will turn up many opportunities. The biggest and best knife show is around the corner, the Blade Show, is June 10, 11 & 12, 2011. If your truly into knives it is worth considering planning a vacation around this show. I will be there, table 9F.

Peter Pan, one of the most spectacular knives I've ever seen.

2011-03-29T18:16:00.000-05:00

In September of 2009, while at the Chicago Custom Knife Show, I had a conversation with Ron Skaggs about engraving themes and we discussed children's tales as a source for ideas. Well this knife is something that came out of that discussion. The knife is a Joe Kious Double Pocket Locket; there are hidden pockets [panels] under the handles and the engraving is by Ron in the style for which he has gained much renown. Many questioned the wisdom of this theme feeling it would have little appeal if I wanted to try to sell the knife. Well I'm keeping it. I think it is spectacular and so has just about everyone else I have shown it too. Enjoy.

Tinker Bell on the blades

The pockets contain an engraving of the clock that resides within the Alligator which alerts Captain Hook to his presence and the other images of the Lost Boys;

Tony Bose .......a couple of Prototypes

2011-03-22T13:53:00.000-05:00

I was lucky enough to pick up a couple of very unusual Tony Bose #0 prototypes. First is a Barlow that I understand is a one-of-a-kind with this size/material.

The next piece is a Lanny's Clip with Oosik scales. This is the only Bose knife I have come across with Oosik. I am usually not a fan of Oosik but the color of this one is really nice.

Thanks for looking.

Latest Acquisition from Peter Carey

2011-02-19T05:31:00.000-06:00

I have long been a fan of Peter Carey's knives. As a matter of fact, I have a very hard time selling them [not because people don't want to buy them] because I want to keep them for myself. They usually end up in my collection. Here is a piece I just received, his Rubicon Flipper model with Damasteel blade and pocket clip, Lightning Strike Carbon Fiber scales and Titanium frame and bolsters that have been anodized a gold color to match the color within the scales.

Here is the same piece with some of it's stable mates;

Marsh Madness is approaching!

2011-01-26T20:53:00.000-06:00

Yes, you read it correctly Marsh Madness as in Jeremy Marsh one of the "hot" makers on today's handmade tactical knife scene. Jeremy is approaching a new levels of recognition and popularity in the tactical knife world. I've known Jeremy for a few years now and we have become friends over the past couple of years. Great guy and great knife maker, very creative and expressive with his knife designs. For your enjoyment here is some of his work.

Assassin

Flamed Mini Vanquish

Mini Vanquish

CPK (Columbian Pocket Knife)

Custom Knives Community Page on FaceBook

2011-01-11T22:33:00.000-06:00

I've started a Custom Knives Community Page on FaceBook, please check it out and go to the Discussions page and let everyone know Why Custom Knife Collecting.

Warren Osborne an exceptional Knife Maker

2011-01-09T11:41:00.000-06:00

Warren Osborne is one of my favorite knife makers, his level of fit and finish is second to none and his sense of design is outstanding. Warren has done several knives with inlays inside of inlays, usually pearl within pearl. This pearl within pearl is very difficult to do but the effect, alone or combined with engraving, is spectacular. Here are some examples;

Recently I approached Warren about using disparate materials do create an inlay within an inlay knife, specifically Lapis and Pearl. Warren wasn't sure how this would work out, but, after consulting with Scott Sawby who encouraged the effort as doable, he gave it a shot. I have now had a couple of knives from Warren done this way. Here is the most recent which I am looking forward to having engraved.

Warren is one of the most talented knife makers on the scene today. Check out some of his work.

KnifeologyCustomKnives website updated.

2010-12-27T09:22:00.000-06:00

My website featuring some of my Custom Knife Collection and information about custom knife collecting has been updated with pictures of more knives and I have re-shot several knives and updated their pictures. Please check it out at http://knifeologycustomknives.com/

Michael Burch and Knifeology Every Day Carry Limited Edition (BKEDC)

2010-12-15T09:41:00.001-06:00

Michael Burch (Burchtree Bladeworks) and Knifeology.com will soon be presenting a Limited Edition of 10 knives along with 2 Prototypes of the BKEDC (Burch Knifeology Every Day Carry) knife. The genesis of the BKEDC was a conversation I had with Michael about his KW13 model that I had been using as my EDC. It is a great knife but I wanted something lighter weight and I wanted Michael's signature Hamon on my EDC. Michael put this knife together for me (top one) and I have been using it for over a year. Everyone I've shown it to and let handle it has said they wanted one. Pictures of my original KW13 and the precursor to the BKEDC are below. Notice the difference in the thickness of the stock resulting in the lighter weight for the BKEDC Knife.

The 2 prototypes will be dressed up versions of the knife, the first of which is pictured below;

This knife along with the Limited Edition of 10 BKEDC's will be released and sold exclusively through the Knifeology.com website.

Some cool tacticals

2010-12-08T08:54:00.000-06:00

November was a hectic month, three shows; Spirt of Steel in Knoxville, Tulsa Arms Show the largest Gun Show in the country with 3700 tables, plenty of knives and all kinds of cool stuff and NYCKS in New Jersey. I ended up setting up/selling at all of them which is unusual since for many shows I just go to cruise the isles and buy. After these shows it was Thanksgiving and a trip to the in-laws. I have been busy and subsequently I have been remiss in posting.

Anyway, I picked up a lot of very nice knives. I did especially well acquiring knives within the Tactical genre from some great makers so I though I would share. Here are single prospective pictures of many of the new knives, for multiple pictures you'll have to go to my website Knifeology.com .

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving.

Spotlight on Jeremy Krammes

2010-11-02T08:10:00.000-05:00

For those who have followed my Blog you know that I often like to put the spotlight on certain knifemakers. Jeremy Krammes http://www.jkknives.com/index.html is a talented knifemaker that I have been following for several years. The most difficult thing for any knifemaker to develop is a unique artistic vision that is manifested in a recognizable style, Jeremy has done this. Jeremy has a great design sense, he has developed a unique style and his knives "speak to me".

Jeremy is a part time maker and only makes a small number of knives each year. I have watched his fit and finish improve markedly over the last few years and it is exciting to get ahold of new pieces. This is a maker to watch.

Here are some his knives that I have/had;

This is Jeremy's Apoc (short for Apocalypse) my favorite model to date

Here is another Apoc, this one shows off Jeremy's carving skills.

This is my most recent acquisition.

Here is a cool little knife called the Shortcut. This one again shows off Jeremy's carving ability.

Hope you enjoyed!

Boston Art Knife Classic

2010-11-01T16:53:00.001-05:00

Attended the Boston Art Knife Classic October 16th. This was the premier of this new knife show done in the fashion of the Art Knife Invitational. I was fortunate enough to pick up several nice pieces and here are some pictures of my two favorites.

First is a two blade lock back folder Prototype from Salvatore Puddu

Next up, a knife by Charlie Bennica which he calls "Scotland"

The show was a first class affair. A private party was held the night prior for makers and purveyors at a wonderful old house built in the mid 1800's on the sight of the Battle of Bunker Hill. The front of the home faced the Bunker Hill Monument. A park ranger was present to tell the story of the Battle of Bunker Hill. The show itself was at the historic Park Plaza Hotel with food and drink for all the attendees. It was a great time and hopefully I'll be in attendance when the show is next held in two years.

Korth Knives

2010-10-08T15:32:00.001-05:00

Korth is the named used by two brothers, Rick and Rudy Lala, for their knife making endeavor. The Lala brothers live in Brazil and they produce some ground breaking work. Aside from their knives, which I'll get to shortly, the Lala brothers are co-inventors of the Ikoma Korth Bearing System (IKBS) which is used by many knife makers as the opening/closing mechanism for their knives.

The knives created by Rick and Rudy are quite good but what is especially remarkable are the pieces featuring carved handles and frames. These two make a great team with Rick building the knife and Rudy doing the carving. Other makers do carve knife handles, however, the carving on the Korth knives is unique in it's style. It has been my privilege to handle many of their knives and I would like to share photos of some of those I have had. I hope you enjoy;

This particular model knife is called the Amazona.

The Korth carved skulls tend to be the most highly sought after pieces. This model is called the Coyote.

This is a more recent piece done in an Art Deco style. The model is called the Sentry.

Here is another Sentry with a Hanya (Traditional Japanese figure of a women so jealous she has become a monster and has grown horns) carving.

Another Sentry model with a skeleton carving.

Another skeleton, this one smoking a cigar.

Skull and snake design.

A Stinger model with Dragon.

Grim Reaper.

This is the most recent and I feel the most detailed and spectacular piece done to date. This is the Reptile model featuring a skeleton with legs crossed leaning on a cane smoking a cigar and wearing a top hat!

Back of the Reptile with a pocket clip carved to look like a serpent climbing a tree. Notice the Spade standing out on it's own; the skeleton has a playing card in his hat band that is a Spade.

Korth knives have become a hot collectible and are unique and extremely cool!

Engraving

2010-09-29T08:07:00.000-05:00

I was fortunate to pick up several new knives that will all eventually be engraved. It is kind of exciting deciding what engraving theme/style is appropriate to each knife, who the engraver should be and anticipating what they will look like when finally done. Here are the knives I just got (these are kind of quick & dirty pictures I did for inventory vs. display purposes);

This is a large model 15 from Tom Overeynder with Blue Biggs Jasper. This piece is a Prototype as it is the first large model 15 with the "pinched butt stock". Not yet sure were this on is going.

This piece by Warren Osborne is his Slim Pick model. This piece is very special because the inner oval is Lapis and the outer is Mother-of-Pearl; it is very difficult to properly mate these dissimilar materials. This knife is off to Brian Hochstrat.

This is a Joe Kious model 10 which is on the way to C J Cai. I had Joe center the black-lip inlay (it is usually closer to the rear bolster) to allow equal areas for engraving on both sides of the inlay.

This beautiful little knife is from Steve Hoel. Not sure yet about the engraver or theme.

Here is a small model 15 from Tom Overeynder with a Deschutes Jasper. This knife will go to Joe Mason for engraving in a scroll pattern with lots of Gold.

Last of the new knives destined to be engraved is another model 15 from Tom Overeynder. This one has the nicest Gold-lip Pearl I have seen.

I believe this is the greatest number of new knives, destined for engraving, that I have secured at one time. I expect it will be a couple of years before I see the last of these back in my hands fully engraved.

Wolfgang Loerchner is arguably one of the top 5 living knifemakers

2010-08-29T10:16:00.001-05:00

www.wolfeknives.com/ and I was fortunate enough to obtain this elegant example of his work. Wolfe informs me that this is one of the first Daggers he ever made...about 1984. This is not a large piece, the blade is 5 1/2" and the overall length is 9 1/4". The Grotesque engravings (Grotesque is a style/theme, the execution is superb) are by master engraver Rick Eaton.

In bound!

2010-08-26T08:57:00.000-05:00

Just received an e-mail this a.m. to let me know this is on the way. Very cool.

On the way

2010-08-23T11:05:00.000-05:00

This piece is in the works and should be on the way pretty soon. I presented the theme for the carving and I think Rick & Rudy Lala (Korth Cutlery) are executing it quite well. can't wait to see the finished knife.

Wrinkled Wrinkle

2010-08-09T16:01:00.000-05:00

Here is a really cool knife I picked up recently, a Ken Onion Wrinkled Wrinkle. All Onion custom knives are hard to come by, this one even more so.

The handles are textured and anodized. The texturing actually does make it feel as though the surface is wrinkled.

Work of Art

2010-07-11T20:04:00.000-05:00

I like all types of knives; folders, tactical, fixed blades, engraved knives, etc... However, I would have to say that my favorite knives are those that are engraved. I especially enjoy having a knife made and then working with the engraver, having some of my ideas incorporated into the knife and the engraving. Here is a new piece I just received, the work is from two of my favorite artists; Warren Osborne and Brian Hochstrat.

Josh Smith Private Knife Show and Hammer-In Continued.............

2010-07-04T18:27:00.000-05:00

Well, my last post about the Hammer-in was basically about how much fun it was not about the knives. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of the knives [the other pictures were all from my BlackBerry] but they were quite nice. One knife I came home with was a pre-ordered delivery and it is spectacular so I wanted to share it. This is a push dagger from Master Smith Larry Fuegen. I really enjoyed the process as Larry shared concept drawings with me and there was extensive discussion regarding the Ivory used for the handle. Here is the end result;

Larry makes his own sheaths, this one is Alligator;

I wasn't as lucky as I would have liked, however, I did order three new knives from various makers at the show (Harvey Dean, Bill Ruple & Ken Steigerwalt).

OK, one more fun shot, curtesy of Eric Eggerly (Point Seven), me shooting a Sharps 45-90 Buffalo Rifle with Shane Taylor observing. No Buffalo's were harmed during this event, paper targets.

Josh Smith Knife show & hammer In

2010-06-29T18:03:00.000-05:00

Attended the 3rd Annual Josh Smith Knife Show and Hammer In which takes place in beautiful Missoula Montana. There was a great lineup of knife makers; Harvey Dean, Larry Fuegen, Josh Smith, Tim Hancock, Larry Feugen, Juergen Steinau, Ken Steigerwalt, Matt Lerch, Owen Wood, Wade Colter, Rick Dunkerley, Bill Ruple and John Young. The event started on Friday with an open house at Josh's place in neighboring Frenchtown, MT. Fun hanging around and talking with everyone, some knife forging, cigar smoking, refreshments, fun with small arms and some heavier artillery. A highlight of the event was the firing of the homemade cannon shooting bowling balls at the nearby mountain! Here are some pictures of the cannon and "ammunition";

Looking downrange

Here, for your entertainment is a link to a video on YouTube of the actual firing of the cannon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8e1rRFgf04
If you listen carefully you can hear a whistling as the bowling ball rotates and the air plays against the finger holes in the bowling ball.

Several of the attendees either arrived early or stayed late to enjoy the fishing. Here is one of the wonderful streams I visited in the area;

Here is Ken Steigerwalt showing off his casting skills;

Besides the knife show/sale there were several demonstrations of technical skills involved in the knife making process, very interesting. Anyway, a great time was had by all. I hope to continue attending this great event.

A knife project comes together.

2010-05-27T12:54:00.001-05:00

I enjoy working with various custom knife makers and engravers on projects, it is in fact one of my greatest enjoyments within the hobby of knife collecting. The fruits of a recent labor have now all come together in a project I present for your enjoyment. But first some background.

John Young is a very talented, in demand, knifemaker. John's wait list on orders is around five years and at shows a drawing is held for the privilege of buying one of his knives. Over the years John and I have spent much time talking knives and as a result of many conversations we decided to do a project together. John and I agreed that one of his knife models, in particular, was a prime candidate for engraving, his push dagger. Together we discussed handle materials and engraving themes and engravers. The result of our first project together was this beautiful push dagger engraved by Lee Griffiths.

After completion this piece was presented by John at the 2009 Blade Show in Atlanta. John and I decided we enjoyed working together on the project and wanted to do more.

For our new project I came up with a theme; game animals with horns that are used for handle material. Use the horn for the handles and have the animals engraved on the bolsters. Next John and I came up with a knife design, a new model, a Modified Chute. Ray Cover Jr. was brought into the project before the knives were designed for his input on space requirements for engraving. I also had a custom case made by Huey Gun Cases known for their work building custom cases for high end guns. I am very excited about this project, three knives with handle materials made from the horns of animals depicted in the engraving. The set will be on display for the first time at the 2010 Blade Show.

Here is the set in the custom Huey Case;

Close ups of the engraving;

Hope you have enjoyed this blog.

J W (John) Smith

2010-05-19T10:37:00.000-05:00

The first custom knife I ever commissioned/ordered was from John Smith. I saw a picture of one of his knives on the cover of the old NKCA (National Knife Collectors Association) magazine back when it was printed in color on high quality paper. I was mesmerized. Well, John made me a knife like that one, it was wonderful, a little gentleman's pocket knife with fluted Mother-of-Pearl handles and gold pins. This was 20 or so years ago. I was living in Atlanta at the time and John was in northern Kentucky. That year, when the family went to Cincinnati for the holiday's to visit with my wife's family, John and I met at a bar across the Ohio river in Covington KY. He delivered the knife and I paid him, we then shared a few beers and thus began a long friendship. John and I have shared many beers since then. This is but one example of why I enjoy this hobby, knife people and the custom knife community have brought me many treasured friendships.

Anyway, back to knives. I believe John is one of the most skilled makers on the custom knife scene today. His fit and finish is second to none. John makes his own Damascus and does his own engraving. John produces Art Knives as well as Tactical Knives. He is a member of the prestigious AKI (Art Knife Invitational) group of makers. Here are some examples of John's work;

Near or at the top end of the models John makes, I would say his signature piece, are his Sunburst mosaic pearl daggers.

This was the first of this model that I acquired and probably still my favorite.

Check out the details.

Here is a more simple (relatively) high end piece

John's tactical pieces are made with the same fit and finish as his Art pieces. These next few are made with a 50+ year old Micarta of which there is little left. The first is his F5 Flipper.

Utility Daggers, large & small

RG1 folder

John is a top notch maker and I highly recommend you check out his work if you are not already familiar with it.

Solvang Custom Knife Show

2010-04-30T15:43:00.001-05:00

Recently returned from the Solvang Custom Knife Show which took place Saturday Apr. 24th. This was an all drawing (i.e. lottery) format show, previously it was more along the lines of a traditional show; first come first served show. I believe the consensus was that it worked out well and most buyers & sellers were pleased. I got "skunked" myself, not drawn for the right to purchase any knives, however, I still came home with knives. I had a delivery from C Gray Taylor and I purchased a Busfield from a friend. Even though the format was lottery there was plenty of buying/selling before, after and at the show. Great conversations and food at the show and the Bar-B-Que that evening, held at the Gainey Winery and Ranch was lots of fun. It is great seeing the familiar faces and meeting new people. The camaraderie is a highlight of the event [and most every knife show I attend].

Well here is another best part of the show, my acquisition;

C Gray Taylor Sleeveboard gentleman's folder with two blades, nail file and scissors. The liners, pins, screw & tension bar in the scissors and the tip bolsters are all of 14k gold. The antique Tortoise shell handles are inlaid with green and rose gold with highlights engraved by Tim George.

This is a knife that I look at and it makes me smile!

I would like to introduce you to, if you are not already familiar with, the work of Jody Muller.

2010-04-18T20:19:00.005-05:00

I've known Jody for several years now and I am continually impressed by his knives. Jody's work generally falls into the art knife category. Though he occasionally collaborates with other makers, most notably Michael Burch when they make Damascus together, Jody's knives are generally sole authorship. Aside from the basic knife construction, he makes his own Damascus and does his own engraving. Here are some examples of Jody'e work;

Here are a few with some engraving that has really impressed me;

One of my favorite themes from Jody is dragons;

Here are some close ups of the engraving;

Hope you have enjoyed seeing the work of Jody Muller.

Skulls

2010-04-15T17:34:00.000-05:00

Skulls seem a popular theme when it comes to knives; lanyard beads, engraving, carved, etc.. One of my purveyor friends always says skulls sell. Kind of like them myself. Not sure what it is about them that causes the attraction. Here are some for your viewing pleasure.

Engraving of skulls:

Skull Lanyard Beads;

Skull Thumb-stud;

Skull Menuli;

Skull Bead:

Anyway, skulls are kind a cool when associated with knives. Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Badger Knife Show

2010-04-04T13:57:00.000-05:00

Attended the Badger Knife Show in Janesville WI this past weekend. Very nice club show, probably 150 tables, mostly older production knives but also supplies, several custom knife makers, some purveyors of custom knives, nice assortment. I'm told they have about 1500 or so attendees through the doors. There was a fair size crowd on Friday but Saturday was very well attended, Sunday slow.

Met Jim Smyth for the first time, nice guy. He didn't have a table, was just there. We had communicated via e-mail several times previously. Got really lucky and got this piece from him;

First and only Necker he has ever done. The blade is that of one of his Mantis knives, didn't work out on the knife so he got creative. I think this is a stunning piece of work....It reminds me of a sculpture......ought to be in a museum! Leather lined Kydex sheath.

More acquisitions from the NY knife show

2010-03-07T17:44:00.000-06:00

Picked up some great Bose knives, 3 from Tony and 1 from Reese;

Reeses Bose Wharncliff Whittler, really sweet Ivory.......for now going into the collection;

A Tony Bose Cattle Knife. I understand that there are not many of these around, also going into the collection;

Two more Tony's both prototypes, serial #0. A Coke Bottle pattern with a beautiful amber stag bone scales;

and a Serpentine Trapper with Remington Bone;

These two are going up on Knifeology.com

Multi-Tool Comparison

2010-03-01T11:21:00.000-06:00

I have been wanting to do this for awhile now. Took an interest in some of the small custom multi-tools that have been so popular lately. Peter Atwood has the "hot hand" currently in this arena and has set the pace. The various multi-tools out there do many different things, however, the ones that appeal most to me are those that perform a function that is of the greatest use to me personally, opening things; packages and bottles.

Which multi-tool is best? I wanted to find out so I acquired a Peter Atwood MSOPT (Mini Son of Pry Thing), a JDR Knife and Tool [Joshua Rice] Mini Prymera and a JRP Custom Knives [Jared Ryan Price] Toucan. Here are pictures of these three tools;

All come with Kydex sheaths

Overview:

Atwood MSOPT - The Atwood MSOPT offers a cutting edge, bottle opener and pry tip, variations can be found with a V-notch. This piece is made of Talonite, other steels are available. Overall length is 2 7/8" and the cutting edge is 1 1/8". The width is 3/4". Peter does all his own machining and uses a professional heat treating service for that need.

The MSOPT is the lightest/easest carry of these multi tools. It is well suited for neck, key chain or pocket carry. It is comfortable in the hand due to the paracord but a little small in use, but certainly up to the tasks it was designed for. The finish on this piece is of higher quality than either of the other tools.

JDR Mini Prymera - The Mini Prymera offers a cutting edge and bottle opener and can function as a pry tip and chisel. I believe these are also available with a pry tip/screw driver function at the rear of the tool. The Mini Prymera is made from CPM-S30V (Josh does offer other options as to steel), overall tool length is 3 9/16" and the cutting edge is 1 7/16" the width at the chisel end is 1 1/16". Josh does all his own machining and heat treating. The Kydex sheath is set up for key chain or neck carry. This piece comes with a decorative pin insert.

The Mini Prymera is very comfortable in use as a bottle opener or blade, the Paracord wrap provides good purchase. The largest of the three tools, it offers the best cutting ability due to the length of the cutting edge, it is also the heaviest of the three.

JR Toucan - The Toucan provides a cutting edge and a bottle opener, additionally it can function as a pry tip, nail puller/wire stripper and can possibly serve limited use as a screwdriver. The Toucan is made from 5/32" 154CM Stainless Steel. Overall length of the tool is 3 1/16" cutting edge is 1". The pattern is waterjet cut into the material and Jared does all the grinding and finish work. The Toucan is also available with single grind in a chisel style configuration. There is a single hole in the Kydex sheath for neck or keychain carry.

The bottle opener is to be used while the tool is still sheathed; pluses and minuses to this; if you try to open a bottle or use a function on the butt end of the tool you MUST hold the sheath to use it otherwise the cutting edge will get you. If the tool is hanging from your neck you need to remove it to use the functions on the rear of the tool. Keychain carry is probably the best option providing the easiest deployment, I think the butt end a little sharp for pocket carry. The blade is double-ground as opposed to a chisel grind, with bevels on both sides, as on the other multi tools . As a cutting tool this piece is a little small for my hand but the finger grooves and textured thumb ramp help with gripping, it does the job.

Summary:

All three of these tools are up to the task at hand and each has it's pluses and minuses. The Atwood is the most expensive and hardest to find and most collectible, it sells at a hugh premium on the secondary market (thats how I got mine). The Mini Prymera is a little lower at the makers original price, if you can get one direct from the maker, secondary market cost is at a premium but still tough to find. The Toucan is the least expensive and probably easiest to find.

I would only be comfortable with the Toucan as a key chain tool as the edges would be too sharp for the pocket and as a neck carry a pain to take off to use while sheathed. The Mini Prymera would be large for the pocket or key chain, I believe best as a neck carry piece. I like the versatility of carry with the MSOPT as pocket. key chain or neck would all be comfortable. Disregarding cost as a factor, based on carry options, my pick would be the Atwood MSOPT. For primary use as a bottle opener and considering cost the Toucan would be the way to go. With cutting ability and comfort in the hand the Mini Prymera would be my first choice.

Hope you enjoyed.

Regards,

Mark

East Coast Custom Knife Show

2010-02-25T22:32:00.000-06:00

Recently returned from the ECCKS. As always some makers had knives remaining on their tables but many did very well and sold out. For the most part, both makers and purveyors alike seemed to have a good show. Had a pretty good show myself but it could always be better. Hopefully a good sign for the custom knife market.

I acquired some nice pieces, among them four Bose knives, excited about these, at least a couple will remain in my collection. Two of my favorite acquisitions were a couple of Jack Busfield knives. In the 80s and 90s Jack Busfield, along with Steve Hoel, made the quality of inter frame knife all others aspired to. Jack isn't very active in the market these days, does not attend any shows. Here are pictures of the Busfields;

This first piece is the Price Dagger model. The inlays are Sea Snail, almost impossible to find these days especially pieces of any size. Great material similar to pearl but with tremendous luster, it is almost as if you are looking into the depths of the material. My pictures do not do it justice.

This next piece is the BK model. The Green Jade in this is outstanding.

A few other really nice acquisitions but gotta get my camera cleaned, a few small specs of dust are causing some problems so probably more pictures after I get that handled.

Emerson Grail - Damascus CQC6

2010-02-09T18:17:00.000-06:00

People often refer to a "Grail" knife and I got one! Drew the right to purchase this at the Tactical Invitational Show in Las Vegas last month. The Custom Emerson CQC6 knives are very rare, variations are even rarer and this one was an amazing score.

Not sure if I'm going to keep this one or post it up on http://www.knifeology.com/ for sale. No matter, here are the pictures to enjoy.

ViVa Las Vegas

2010-01-29T10:10:00.000-06:00

Recently returned from Las Vegas attending the Antique Arms & KnifemakersInvitational Show + the SHOT Show + the Tactical Invitational. 8 days in LV is too much but had fun and scored some nice knives. General consensus at the Antique Arms show was less attendance than prior year and the knife show was a bit slow for some, I had a good show. Became aware of a new knifemaker/brand; Kazak Knives. I really like these;

I picked up 5 of the Kazak knives and will be posting them up for sale on http://www.knifeology.com/.

The SHOT (Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trades) Show was next. Always wanted to check this out. Hugh show, lots of walking, lots of cool stuff. Many knifemakers in attendance working with the big production houses. Ran into; Emerson, Strider, Onion, Mayo, McGinnis, Elishewitz, Tighe and probably others I cannot remember right now.

Next but certainly not least was the Tactical Invitational http://www.chicagocustomknifeshow.com/tactical.php. Great venue, the Moon Nightclub in the Palms Hotel. Wonderful views of Las Vegas from the outside balcony high above the city, good food and drink and some very good knifemakers. I was lucky and picked up an Emerson CQC6 with Damascus blade only the second of these made, a Michael Burch knife the one I wanted most off his table and a cool Strider.

A good time. Next trip is to NYC for the http://www.ecckshow.com/ in February.

Bob Lum was a talented knifemaker and designer.

2010-01-05T09:45:00.001-06:00

Bob passed away two years ago, Dec. 2007. Here is a link to Bob's website http://boblumknives.com/ which has been maintained as a tribute. I have long enjoyed viewing and handling his knives but had never owned one, until now. Actually I was lucky enough to acquire two. Bob made many types/styles of knives, however, these are two of what were arguably his signature pieces; the Chinese and the folding Tanto.

Pocket Tools

2009-12-26T09:12:00.001-06:00

I just acquired some more pocket tools to compare with the Atwood MSOPT. These are called Toucan's and are made by Jared Ryan. He refers to these as keychain tools. They are 154CM steel that has been bead blasted and tumble finished. The Kydex sheath allows access to the bottle opener and pry-tip without having to remove the tool from the sheath. One of these has a right hand chisel grind blade and the other is a dual ground Wharncliff blade. There is one more similar type of tool that I am attempting to acquire and once I have done that I hope to do a comparison between all of them.

Finished photographing a few knives

2009-12-12T21:41:00.000-06:00

Here is the Atwood I recently acquired. Nice handy piece to have around if you don't have the best tool for the job, kinda like a Swiss Army Knife. The job specific tool is what you want but if not at hand this will do the trick;

These other pieces are a R J Martin Overkill and a Bob Loveless Mini Wilderness. R J makes one of the best flipper mechanisms out there. Won the right [via drawing] to purchase this piece at the New York Custom Knife Show (NYCKS) last month. Regarding the Loveless, Bob is a legend in the custom knife world, his pieces are highly sought after. This Mini Wilderness with Burl Ironwood handles and the rare signature logo is a cool piece, very hard to find. I acquired it via some trades also at the NYCKS.

The R J Martin and the Loveless will go up for sale on my site in the next week or so, the Atwood i'm going to hang onto and play with awhile. Stay sharp.

Mark

MSOPT

2009-12-08T10:26:00.001-06:00

Last night I purchased an Atwood MSOPT (Mini Son of PryThing) off the USN (Usual Suspect Network) forum. Probably paid too much but I really wanted one to check out. I think it will make a good little EDC (Every Day Carry) piece with great utility; can opener, open boxes, prytool, etc.. I'll likely post some pics when it comes in but here is a picture from the Atwood website.

2009-12-07T09:53:00.000-06:00

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