SharpByCoop • Gallery of Handmade Knives

**Lorien** · 07-28-2009, 08:36 PM

England must have been transported here from another not quite parallel dimension. His works are awe inspiringly fantastical.
Just astounding creativity and vision.
I'll bet he is a very interesting person.

**Don Hanson III** · 07-28-2009, 09:11 PM

Thanks Roger!

Man, the Virgil England stuff is super crazy good. Have admired for many years!

**SharpByCoop** · 07-28-2009, 09:37 PM

I've pared down my collecting and purchasing, but I always am on the lookout. Every once in a while an opportunity comes along. Even better, if the deal is too-good-to-be-true!

A local collector friend of mine had one of these little 'teardrops in pearl', when my wife and I enjoyed a dinner at his home years ago. It's made by an obscure retired maker from Michigan: Bob Garbe.

He then scored another from a table dealer at the ECCKS a couple of years later. I was jealous. I was determined to capture one of these myself one day.

Last week, Nordic Knives sent out their latest list of available knives. Buried in the pack was this delightful little folder. Price? $199. Dang, I'm there.

There is filework everywhere, and the ambi thumb-bar disappears into its cavity. (The pearl is so slippery you still have to open it with two hands.) There are dolphins engraved on the thumb-bar and there are flowers cut into the backbar. It's all of 4.75" OAL with a 2" blade

Centering is perfecto, and the back of the backspine has a small drilled hole in case one wanted to make a pearl pendant necklace.

Funny how things come up in groups. The same day I also scored another small folder. It's yet to arrive, but the maker is one of my VERY faves. (hint!) News as I do.

This knife needed a good home and my purple background needed some love, too.

Thanks for looking.

Coop

**HTMD** · 07-28-2009, 09:56 PM

Very cool little knife, Coop! Love the purple background.

**GTCecchini** · 07-28-2009, 10:10 PM

Very nice score and pic, Coop!

**Lorien** · 07-29-2009, 12:05 AM

200 bucks! Damn, I'll bet that wouldn't even cover the guy's time making it, much less the materials. That is a great score, (coming from a guy who loves a good deal!).

**Joss** · 07-29-2009, 02:27 AM

I do love Virgil England's work. These look like they came straight from a Jack Vance fantasy novel.

**Marcel54** · 07-29-2009, 02:31 AM

And this is a mindblowing LARGE dueling set with carved helmet case, potions, spinning snake wheel (?), and instructions.

(Virgil's knives courtesy of ArtKnifeGallery.com)[/QUOTE]

Virgil had this set with him at the Milan Knife Show last year and I had the pleasure of seeing and handling this set. Man I can tell you although the photo is beyond great, the set is even more amazing in real life.

Marcel

**Magnus Axelson** · 07-29-2009, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Lorien

England must have been transported here from another not quite parallel dimension. His works are awe inspiringly fantastical.
Just astounding creativity and vision.
I'll bet he is a very interesting person.

Well said Lorien!

I am always utterly speechless by Englands knives, that mans mind and work is out of this world!
I had the pleasure of speaking with him in New York a while back and he seams to be a very nice and somewhat humble guy to me!

Great pictures as usual Coop! Thanks for sharing them!

Regards
/Magnus

**Kevin Jones** · 07-29-2009, 10:33 PM

ALL GREAT photos Coop.

The Virgil England dueling set has to be among the most substantial contributions to modern knifemaking.

Coop or Marcel, what are the approximate dimensions of the dueling knives?

**SharpByCoop** · 07-30-2009, 07:37 AM

Those knives and case were huge. Probably about 16" in length each? It all came packed in a large metal suitcase, 2nd day air. (Talk about shipping costs!)

That background is too busy, I know. But that's a really large piece I needed for them.

Thanks. More soon.

Coop

**SharpByCoop** · 07-30-2009, 07:52 AM

I shoot exotic knives daily. It is refeshing to get a simple 'user' now and then.

Dan and Wendi Crotts are doing things on their own (Dan works (worked?) for Bob Dozier for years.) Here is his entry in ironwood:

Back to exotica....

Jack Busfield's work is elevated through the artistry of CJ Cai.

As is this Joe Kious' 'King Neptune' themed knife. I love the visuals behind the hidden panels:

And lastly, I submit a a deceptively small 'letter opener' dagger (Only 11" long) by the legend, Buster Warenski:

Coop

**Marcel54** · 07-30-2009, 07:52 AM

I don't know what happened with my earlier reply

but here is a link to a short presentation by Virgil in which this set appears:

http://www.adn.com/slideshows/v-swf/story/798809.html

Coop, I think 15 to 16 inches is correct.

I love that "little" Warenski. Very elegant.

Marcel

**Lorien** · 07-30-2009, 08:09 AM

thanks for that link, Marcel. Very neat. Makes me want to go to Alaska.

**Magnus Axelson** · 07-30-2009, 02:07 PM

Marcel, that link was extremely inspiring!!!

Thank you for posting it!

Regards
/Magnus

**peterinct** · 07-31-2009, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Magnus Axelson

Marcel, that link was extremely inspiring!!!

Thank you for posting it!

Regards
/Magnus

That was a VERY cool video. Virgil England does amazing work and it was cool to hear him talk about it.

Thanks Marcel.

Great score Coop. If I had seen that Garbe for that price I would have bought it too! Thanks for the pictures. Superbly done as always.

Peter

**SharpByCoop** · 08-04-2009, 06:53 AM

Originally Posted by SharpByCoop

Funny how things come up in groups. The same day I also scored another small folder. It's yet to arrive, but the maker is one of my VERY faves. (hint!) News as I do.

^^ I mentioned this last week.

Who figured this one out?

Hill Pearce's traditional lockback folder in walnut. Photo first and then the story:

This is my sixth folder and 14th knife made by Hill. This particular one is the least ornate of my folders, having no filework to speak of, but the copper bolster is a VERY warm and eyecatching touch. The blade is ground 'normal' (No chisel edge) and the scales are as flawless as the day he made it (Probably 20-25 yrs ago?). Some minor rub marks and a bit of rust on the pin, but overall it's in near-mint shape.

Props and kudos go out to Chuck Gedraitis for his part in acquiring this. Chuck actually bought this on ebay before it closed and then directed it right to me--at his cost! He knows of my keen interest, and we go back a number of years, as he was on an email knife list (TKCL) when I acquired my very first. It was well-worth it, and you will see a return favor in the future.

Thank you, Chuck!

Here's some more visuals:

Can you see I was having fun? Here's a shot with an appropriate, if not exactly correct, turn-of-the-century period shot:

Back at it. Keep me in mind when those HP knives come into view....

Coop

**Marcel54** · 08-04-2009, 07:02 AM

Coop, congrats on your new addition to the "Hill Pearce Museum of Knives"

If I ever come across one of his knives I for sure will let you know.

Marcel

**SharpByCoop** · 08-04-2009, 07:16 AM

Believe me, it's time for a family portrait. Soon.

Thanks, Marcel.

Coop

**SharpByCoop** · 08-20-2009, 08:40 AM

You should know by now I am in love with Kevin Casey's work. It's no wonder. His signature pieces might include colored meteorite bolsters and his precise feather pattern steel:

Another maker whose work I have long-admired, and now had the privilege of handling and shooting is Michael Burch. He has a style that is personal and well-liked.

Here's some pearl dots dressing up a modern worker:

And some warmth in the handle balancing the FIRE in the blade!

Coop