Keeper

I guess I have become somewhat jaded when it comes to spectacular knives.  I guess when you are fortunate enough to handle as many knives as I do it comes with the territory.  It is great finding nice knives at a knife show or receiving one previously ordered or getting one back from an engraver and looking at it from a new perspective.  However, what is really exciting is when I find a new knife that I actually want to keep for my collection, this makes me smile.  Here is my latest keeper, from Antonio Fogarizzu, the Cube.  It has Carbon Fiber inlays with Rose Gold accents.

Art Dagger

These piece was in the works for quite some time.  The knife is by Ron Newton, the scrimshaw is by Gary "Garbo" Williams and the engraving by Julie Ericksen-Warenski.

Scott Sawby Combat Utility Model Knife

Scott Sawby has been making great knives for many years and one of his classic models is the CU (Combat Utility).  Scott no longer offers this model as a regular catalog item (to bad).  Most of Scott's knives are "fancier" than the CU with most having inlays of premium materials such as pearl, jade and other exotic stones.  The CU was developed as a utility knife but it to can be dressed up.  Here are a few CU's to check out;

 CU with Damascus blade & pocket clip, Lightning Strike Carbon Fiber scales

CU with Lightning Strike Carbon Fiber scales

CU with Stag scales

 Small CU with Damascus blade & pocket clip, carbon Fiber scales

A Knife that makes me smile

After collecting knives over many years and seeing many many nice pieces it is fun to find one I really like enough to want to add it to my collection.  Found this one at the East Coast Custom Show in NJ.  Warren Osborne knife with engraving by Jon Robyn.

"The Greatest Show on Earth"

Cool Kitchen Knives

Like most people I do not pay much attention to the knives I use in the kitchen, I have had some decent ones but nothing special, until lately.  I picked up an Italian kitchen knife a couple years ago for my wife as she wanted one with scallops in the blade, saw something on television about how effective the scallops worked.  It worked ok though I was not particularly a fan.  The wood handle broke and my wife wanted it fixed as it had been a gift from me.  I told her it wasn't worth the cost/effort.  As usual, my wife prevailed.  I sent the knife, along with a beautiful piece of Ironwood, to my friend and knife maker extraordinaire Ken Steigerwalt.  Ken re-handleed the knife reshaping the handle contour in the process and sharpened the blade.  The knife now cuts like nobodies business.  It is now the best knife in the kitchen.

I was at the Knifemakers Guild Show in Louisville this past September and saw a knifemaker with some pretty cool kitchen knives on his table.  I took a friend over to his table to show him my find.  He bought the knife I liked the best!  You snooze and you lose as they say.  I went back on the hunt.  Wesley Hibben, one of Gil Hibben's sons was displaying at the show.  Along with the many other types of knives on his table was a kitchen knife which is now mine.

It is a very good knife and we use it in the kitchen on a regular basis.  Considering my love of knives I don't know why I haven't focused more on the ones I use on a regular basis in the kitchen.  The next knife show I went to was the Plaza Show in California.  Guess what, I found some more cool kitchen knives.

Don Andrade was a knife maker with whom I was not familiar.  Don makes some really cool knives.  Tai Goo is a mentor and it shows in his style.  I purchased an Integral Utility and a Camp Cleaver from Don.  The Integral Utility features exhibition grade African Ebony and a Lemon Wood inlay.  The Cleaver features African Blackwood, Lemon wood inlay and resin impregnated cotton woven wrap.  these are two beautiful and functional knives.

Definitely more fun to cook with cool knives!

Larry Fuegen Push Dagger

Larry is best known for his Push Daggers and his Goblin folders.  I am a big fan of his Push Daggers and here is a new one going into my collection.

In Bound

can't wait to receive this one!