scrimshaw

[jdm61]

Is it my imagination or has scrimshaw pretty much fallen out of favor amongst custom knife collectors? I was never a big fan of this art form as applied to knives,(even the nekkid lady pictures....lol) but as late as the Knives 2001 issues, there was still a pretty big section of scrimmed knives. Not so much anymore.

[HiltonP]

The CITES ivory ban went a long way towards killing off ivory-based craft. It not only killed the physical buying and selling of ivory, but more importantly killed off the "feeling" about ivory amongst makers, dealers and collectors/buyers. Ivory handled knives are a liability (and sometimes a risk). They can't be freely transported across borders, some shows ban them (regardless of the status of the ivory), some dealers won't have anything to do with them, and some buyers shy away from them. For the knifemakers it therefore is just "easier" to use other handle materials.

Mammoth ivory was (is) an alternative, albeit a poor one, but often it has more character left untouched, so the incentive to scrim is further diminished.

Browsing the KNIVES annuals I also have to say that the standard of scrimshaw appears to have dropped somewhat. The real masters like Rick Fields, Bob Engnath, etc have sadly passed on to that great ivory tusk in the sky.

[ddd]

Hello Hilton, nice to hear from you from time to time...

Here is an amazing example of the work of Gary Williams, a master
scrimshander, on fossil walrus ivory.

This is the story as told in my book "Custom Fixed-Blade Knives":

A week before Rick Fields’ passing, Dr. Larry Marton visited him and
found a man, excited as ever about his life’s passions for natural
materials and scrimshaw. During their conversation, Rick identified 2
pieces of fossil walrus ivory that he was particularly anxious to have
made into knives. The knife shown here is the first product of that
interaction. Rick wanted Ron Newton to make the knife and Gary
Williams (Garbo) to scrim it. On the reverse side of the handle of this
memorial piece, Gary Williams scrimmed a small broken branch – a
farewell to Rick. The Diamond Ladder pattern Damascus blade is forged
of W2 and 15N20 steels. The guard and finial knob are nickel-silver.
Vine-fileworked, gold anodized titanium liners.
The knife is a "Gent's Bowie" and it was finished in 2002.
Overall length 12 1/4" (311 mm).

All the best
David Darom (ddd)

From the collection of Dr. Larry Marton, USA

[RogerP]

I never did take to scrimshaw on knives. On a stand-alone tooth or tusk - absolutely, but I never ever wanted it on a knife of mine.

Roger

[Kevin Jones]

I like some examples of scrimshaw such as the above and select Daniel Winkler pieces with Linda Karst Stone's art.
Have always stayed away for durability reasons.

[Joss]

I love scrimshaw, and I have 2 Rob Brown pieces with scrims. With this said, I agree that the craft has slowed down quite a bit. I suspect it's partly due to the fact that two of the best artists in the field, Rick Fields and Bob Engnath, disappeared a few years back. I wouldn't be able to say at the top of my mind who the current leading artists are in the field now.

One problem with scrim and any other embellishment technique is that the top artists are unavailable and the others can be a gamble, turning a perfectly good knife into less than what they were before. I have a particular example in my mind relating to engraving where a beautiful Tim Herman knife got a bad engraving and is now (IMHO) a piece of junk.

[john foxwell]

As far as current artists go, I think this lady is pretty high on the talent scale.

http://www.loriristinen.com/

[jdm61]

I recall that in an earlier time, scrimshanders were starting to use some of the ivory alternatives. There is still a goodly amount of "relic" pre CITES ivory left in the US and it can still be transported freely about the country if you have your paperwork in order showing that it is old stuff. (apprently unlike the EU where Geo. Trumper, a ad and honorable London barber, was fined 10,000 ounds in 2005 for selling some shaving brushes with old ivory handles) I too like scrim on whales teeth and jewlery, but I just never took to it on knives. For some reason, it always made me think of a Buck "limited edition" knife or something like that. To me, having a nekkid woman on my knife handle was kind of like having those old nude silhouette mud flaps....lol

[Jos]

Originally Posted by john foxwell

As far as current artists go, I think this lady is pretty high on the talent scale.

http://www.loriristinen.com/

Yup. Check out this knife she embellished!

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=529578

[Murray White]

Here is a piece with scrimshaw by Brian Lyttle, a talented maker of both the forged, including damascus and the stock removal blade. This scrimshaw of an Elk is done on Elk bone which is also the handle scale material.



now for one of the "dreaded" nudes -- Warren Hargraves who is no longer doing scrim was extremely talented and did this work on a Lyle Courtice knife a number of years ago



Warrens father, Charlie did a lot of his scrimshaw on knife handles with Ivory Micarta when it was the rage (partly for inexpensive material for scrimming) and he did this kitten on a small Wolfe knife that was a birthday present for my wife a long time ago.



One of the great artists of the Scrim is Linda Karst and this Elephant on ivory of a dagger by Denis Friedly shows her skills



I have had many scrimmed knives over the years and may get more. All the arts of the knife are interests to me.

[Kevin Jones]

Is this project by Daniel, Karen and Stephen Stuart outstanding or what? Notice how it depicts Geronimo in his younger and older years.

[Raymond Richard]

I was having an interest a few years back in having some scrimshaw work done. I talked to Wayne Goddard about it and he told me about one that he had done. He said he had a customer that really loved the knife but not the scrim and that the customer offered him extra to remove it which he did. Myself I have nothing against scrimshaw but think thats something the customer could have easily done themselves and order what they like.

[ddd]

A Mother-of-Pearl handle with amazing scrimshaw of a polar bear scene
by Francesco Amatori (Italy).
The knife and the Damascus were made in 2002 by Kaj Embretsen (Sweden).
Overall length 8" (203 mm).

From the collection of Ed Wormser (USA)
As seen in my book "The Great Collections"

[Joss]

Thanks David - I had never seen scrimshaw on MOP before.

[Lori Ristinen]

I think it all depends on the person. There are some knife collectors that don't want scrimshaw on their knives and that's perfectly fine. There are a lot of knives that shouldn't have anything scrimmed on them (the ivory handles have a beautiful pattern, etc.). But the ones that want scrim done are definately out there.

Although it's not on a knife, here is something you don't normally find scrimmed but it's something I have wanted to do for a long time. I met a taxidernist that wanted a grizzley bear skull scrimmed with a grizzly bear theme (he left the design up to me). It was so much fun.

Any comments are welcome!

Lori
www.LoriRistinen.com

[Kohai999]

Originally Posted by RogerP

I never did take to scrimshaw on knives. On a stand-alone tooth or tusk - absolutely, but I never ever wanted it on a knife of mine.

Roger

Ditto....at one point in his life, Phil Lobred was an ivory salesman, and has some of the nicest pieces you would ever want to see, scrimshawed by some of the best "scratchers" to walk the planet since the 1950's, and what an art form it is!....but when it comes to knives....can't stand it.

I like engraving to some extent, pretty much banknote scroll ONLY, but when it comes to bullino engraving, I feel the same about it and scrimshaw, too fragile.

Ms. Ristinen, that skull piece is quite fine....thank you for sharing it, and your website as well!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

[reholli]

Originally Posted by john foxwell

As far as current artists go, I think this lady is pretty high on the talent scale.

http://www.loriristinen.com/

I'd say so! Just fantastic!

[Lancelot de France]

I would like to show you here a fabulous scrimshaw by Francesco Amatori on anodized titanium:



TThe knive supporting this work of art was made by Riboni:

[Clydetz]

Received this hunter about a week ago with some color scrimshaw of 3 wolves on black water buffalo...

[Barndt]

I still sell scrimshawed knives and make scrimshaw for other knifemakers, but there
is a problem with white mammoth ivory as you can not with your eyes tell if it is
mammoth or elefant ivory (at least when it is in a knife).
Here is some of my work.
The white is mammoth ivory and the black is water buffalo horn and the shark is
scrimshawed on mother of pearl.








If you want to se moore of my work you can visit my site http://www.brandt.info.se
Best regards/ Ulf Brandt