December 8th and 9th, 2012, Jimmy Chin, Asia's first and only A.B.S. Mastersmith will host his first anual Micro Show knife event in Taipei,Taiwan. The exhibiting A.B.S. mastersmiths will be Jimmy Chin, Ron Newton, and Kyle Royer. Some of Jimmy's students will also exhibit along with Taipei's leading cutlery store and some high end Mongolian bowmakers.
It's been almost one year since myself and Kyle Royer were in Taipei at last year's public knife show with Jimmy. After much consideration and planning it is now time for Jimmy to host his own show in a more classy, comfortable and relaxed environment for collectors and knife enthusiasts of all kinds. Unlike other formal U.S. invitational shows I attend there will be free admission for the collectors with lunch and free drinks provided thoughout Jimmy's show. At the closing of the show there will be a formal dinner provided for the exhibitors and other special attendees at a superb seafood restaurant where you pick out fresh lobsters,fish,oysters and many other items from salt water tanks, then the meal of your lifetime is prepared and served to you. It was an extremely delicious meal last year and I look forward to it again in 5 weeks. Collectors throughout Taiwan and China will be welcomed as Jimmy's guests to this first class knife show. Also a very special guest from London, Arkansas (my wife) will be attending. We will be there for about 10 days and Jimmy is a terrific tour guide.
Now for the knives. We will begin posting pics of what we have finished so far and we'll continue to post pics of all the other knives as they are completed in the next 4 to 5 weeks. There hasn't been any time to go see Chuck Ward for pro shots yet so please tolerate these amateur shots.
My fist knife to post is an elephant hunter. I'll have 2 of these at the show. Jimmy named this knife pattern elephant hunter because it's really big. His elephant hunters will be done in Turkish damascus. This has a 6" long 2" wide tight precision ladder pattern damascus blade forged from 1095 and 15n20. Overall the knife is 11.5". The guard is feather damascus of same steels with a rare stabilized wood that resembles mammoth tooth. 2 elephants are engraved into the handle. Paul Long has complimented the knife with a chestnut colored lizard skin inlayed sheath. Paul had his own name for this knife...big fatty.
The second knife is an integral feathered damascus blade of 1095 and 15n20 steels with a stabilized curly koa handle. Mr. Loveless's N.Y. Special model inspired me to do this pattern in an integral fashion. Paul Long has supplied a nice ostrich leg inlayed sheath. Blade length is 3.5" with an overall of 7.5".
The third knife is a western theme piece with fox trotter horses in the mosaic damascus blade surrounded by tight twist damascus and bold u pattern that has been radial'd. My signature stainless steel western wire handle (I only build one of these handles per year) and a radial loop pattern fighter guard with vinefileworked titanium guard spacer. Blade is 7.375" with an overall of 11.625". Paul Long made a brown shark skin inlayed sheath to compliment this piece. This knife will also have a handmade custom curly maple presentation box that still needs the finishing touches and a photo to come a little later.
Fourth, is another feathered integral of 1095 and 15n20. A similar model took Best Handle Design at this year's Blade show. This has an integral hidden tang supporting the dovetail mortised India Sambar Stag scales with coin gold pins and 24 carat gold inlay work. The top side of the handle has a filed thumb rest. The blade is 8.250" with an overall of 13.125".
The fifth knife is a fossil walrus ivory handled fighter with 1095 and 15n20 tight precision ladder pattern damascus blade and guard with a vine fileworked titanium guard spacer. Blade is 7.250" with an overall of 11.375". Sheath to come later.
I have about 6 more pieces to complete. More pics to be added later. Hopefully some pics real soon will be provided from Taiwan and from Missouri.
Thanks for looking.
It's been almost one year since myself and Kyle Royer were in Taipei at last year's public knife show with Jimmy. After much consideration and planning it is now time for Jimmy to host his own show in a more classy, comfortable and relaxed environment for collectors and knife enthusiasts of all kinds. Unlike other formal U.S. invitational shows I attend there will be free admission for the collectors with lunch and free drinks provided thoughout Jimmy's show. At the closing of the show there will be a formal dinner provided for the exhibitors and other special attendees at a superb seafood restaurant where you pick out fresh lobsters,fish,oysters and many other items from salt water tanks, then the meal of your lifetime is prepared and served to you. It was an extremely delicious meal last year and I look forward to it again in 5 weeks. Collectors throughout Taiwan and China will be welcomed as Jimmy's guests to this first class knife show. Also a very special guest from London, Arkansas (my wife) will be attending. We will be there for about 10 days and Jimmy is a terrific tour guide.
Now for the knives. We will begin posting pics of what we have finished so far and we'll continue to post pics of all the other knives as they are completed in the next 4 to 5 weeks. There hasn't been any time to go see Chuck Ward for pro shots yet so please tolerate these amateur shots.
My fist knife to post is an elephant hunter. I'll have 2 of these at the show. Jimmy named this knife pattern elephant hunter because it's really big. His elephant hunters will be done in Turkish damascus. This has a 6" long 2" wide tight precision ladder pattern damascus blade forged from 1095 and 15n20. Overall the knife is 11.5". The guard is feather damascus of same steels with a rare stabilized wood that resembles mammoth tooth. 2 elephants are engraved into the handle. Paul Long has complimented the knife with a chestnut colored lizard skin inlayed sheath. Paul had his own name for this knife...big fatty.
The second knife is an integral feathered damascus blade of 1095 and 15n20 steels with a stabilized curly koa handle. Mr. Loveless's N.Y. Special model inspired me to do this pattern in an integral fashion. Paul Long has supplied a nice ostrich leg inlayed sheath. Blade length is 3.5" with an overall of 7.5".
The third knife is a western theme piece with fox trotter horses in the mosaic damascus blade surrounded by tight twist damascus and bold u pattern that has been radial'd. My signature stainless steel western wire handle (I only build one of these handles per year) and a radial loop pattern fighter guard with vinefileworked titanium guard spacer. Blade is 7.375" with an overall of 11.625". Paul Long made a brown shark skin inlayed sheath to compliment this piece. This knife will also have a handmade custom curly maple presentation box that still needs the finishing touches and a photo to come a little later.
Fourth, is another feathered integral of 1095 and 15n20. A similar model took Best Handle Design at this year's Blade show. This has an integral hidden tang supporting the dovetail mortised India Sambar Stag scales with coin gold pins and 24 carat gold inlay work. The top side of the handle has a filed thumb rest. The blade is 8.250" with an overall of 13.125".
The fifth knife is a fossil walrus ivory handled fighter with 1095 and 15n20 tight precision ladder pattern damascus blade and guard with a vine fileworked titanium guard spacer. Blade is 7.250" with an overall of 11.375". Sheath to come later.
I have about 6 more pieces to complete. More pics to be added later. Hopefully some pics real soon will be provided from Taiwan and from Missouri.
Thanks for looking.
Fantastic work across the board, Ron - I love that stout Elephant Hunter a whole bunch. That knife, and the fossil ivory fighter, show just how compelling a 'simple' ladder pattern can be. 
