2017 John White MS Memorial BEST BOWIE Thread - Vote for FINALISTS!!

So hard to choose. Thanks to all the participants for the wonderful nominations. I think I would have gone with Julian Antunes' piece in post 20 #1 if the maker himself didn't call it a sword. So these are my choices. Let me just say, if I didn't choose a knife it wasn't because I didn't love it. I chose pieces that, to MY EYE, had the best balance of details that spoke to ME.


Post 1 #1 CAS/Lurquin - I didn't want to like this one but I can't help it. It is audacious and sinister.

Post 1 #8 M. Quesenberry - Mike's work is always top notch and this one is so elegant.

Post 18 #1 D. Franco - So bold. So imposing. So purposeful in its execution. Extraordinary knife.

Post 25 #2 S. Nowacki - Not as extravagant as some of the other entries but great flow and details just where they are needed. Just a beautiful classic Bowie.

Post 28 #3 S. Filicietti - Killer damascus, delicate and elegant details. Very classy.

Post 57 #4 J. Knight - Great interpretation of the modern Bowie by one of the guys that ushered in the modern Bowie.

Post 68 #1 J-L Regel - Wow. Every single line on that knife has purpose. Detail where there should be, restraint where there should be.


Thanks to the folks who gave my submission a second look.
 
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Post 18, knife 1. - D. Franco Massive D Guard

Only one vote really necessary this year. Simply amazing.

Post 17, Knife 1. CAS San Mai is one heck of a Bowie KNIFE.
 
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I think about all the knives I didn't get to vote for I would have liked to vote for...

1 - 5 James Rodebaugh... It's bright and clean... nice detail

18 -1 D. Franco... Everything is perfect... the intensity is just amazing

27 - 1 Marc Aldrich... A complete grace... every line to the whole.

30 -3 John Cohea... I like woodpeckers and guard-less bowies. To me, this knife is very subtle... very easy to look and look at

50 -1 Ben Seward... I really like all of this knife... the damacus is just wonderful... it's alive

60 - 3 Tim Withers... Wonderful lines

92 - 1 Will Morrison... I'm really glad Will got this knife posted in time... complex... simple... line balance and contrast

M.Krall
 
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Complexity of design and execution are substantial considerations in my selection.
Jerry Fisk Post #1 / Knife # 2 > Outstanding in design, materials and execution!
Dionatam Franco Post #18 / Knife # 1 > The definition of 'clean construction' in a handmade Bowie!
 
Lin Rea D guard Bowie (post 82)

Mike Quesenberry Dogbone Bowie (post 1)

D. Franko D-guard Bowie (post 18).

CAS San Mai with stag (post 17).

Franco Takedown Bowie (post 23)

John Horrigan MultibarBowie (post 57)

Steve Filicietti Multibar from down under (post 28) (if this bowie does not qualify......change vote to Jacinto de Melo CheckeredBowie. Post 38).
 
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Thanks as always to both, Roger and Lorien for your help in keeping this awesome thread going each year!


I try to pick my favorite Bowie per a certain style (at least in my eyes) when voting, so these are the four Bowies that made it the easiest for me to do just that. There were many more that I absolutely loved, but once I got to the point that I just couldn't make up my mind between them all, I simply ended my vote there, otherwise I'd be at it all night! Unfortunately, Blade Forums' new format tends to make the pictures tweak out quite a bit, causing them either not to load at all or to disappear once I start scrolling, so that made it even harder to continue to go back and forth and view them all. Anyway, here are the four I'm voting for this year.



1. Post #1 - Knife #1 - Sam Lurquin / CAS, Collab Bowie -

The aggressive lines, the handle carving/sculpting, the overall profile along with the aggressiveness of the laddered W's all work so perfectly together to make this a killer Bowie. Also, Sam's guard work is just awesome and very unique to his style.


2. Post #17 - Knife #1 - CAS, San Mai + Stag Bowie -

The CAS brothers' work never ceases to amaze me. Their Stainless san mai patterning throughout the transition zones in this one is just nuts! Their richly colored and aggressively textured stag, and their hot blueing are always among the best there is as well. The forge texture also works so perfectly with the stag. The profile and proportions are spot on for a Bowie, at least for me ;) .

3. Post #18 - D. Franco, D-guard Bowie -

The first time I saw this Bowie I was just about blown away by its beauty and elegance. This is some of the nicest and neatest looking damascus I've seen. I was lucky enough to stumble across a Youtube video where he showed this during an interview and the chatoyancy was hypnotizing!


4. Post #92 - Will Morrison, Pirate Bowie -

I've been a fan of Will's "pirate Bowie" since the first time I saw it. The classic style and profile along with its guard shape really gives it that "pirate" look. Gotta love that hamon too!


Edit: Fixed wrong post number


~Paul
My YT Channel Lsubslimed
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)
 
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Post 1, #1- CAS/Lurquin

Post 1, #8- Quesenberry

Post 17, #1- CAS

Post 18, #1- Franco

Post 23, #1- Franco

Post 49, #1- Seward

Post 70, #1- Seward
 
Kevin,

Are you saying that the Filicietti piece does not qualify for this year's voting? I'll edit my picks if that is the case.
 
Post #49 - Ben Seward Talisman

I don't know how you guys who judge the big shows do it. EVERY knife submitted is FANTASTIC and each has a story or a bit of a history. To rank them, in my eye, is nigh impossible (Well Done Makers!!!:thumbsup:), so I simply selected the knife I thought would be the most comfortable in hand to use and the one I wouldn't hesitate to take afield. That said...

The Talisman calls to me as strongly in this thread as it did the first time I saw it. It'd be my first pick if I could grab only one off of the table.
 
Post # 94 Bambara Green Mammoth with Lapis and Australian Opal
Post # 68 #2 Vero Laurant
Post # 1 #1 Cas/Lurquin collaboration
Post # 1 #8 Mike Quesenbury
Post # 8 Robert Burns
Post # 18 #1 D Franco D Guard

while there are others that are attention grabbers for me, these posted made the top 7 list and while I do own one, I would love to own any or all of the others also. Simply superb craftsmanship and wonderful works of sculpture called knives.
 
Very thoughtful votes gents - the constituents of this community certainly know their knives. We will close voting when it looks like input is slowing down. Certainly it will remain open for much of today - but will close as early as this evening and no later than first thing tomorrow. So don't sit on those votes - post 'em up!

As for the Filicietti - the knife meets the letter of the law in terms of submission - made or first shown on the forums in 2017. Now, the spirit of that exception was to avoid excluding a knife that just missed the previous year's competition (completed in December, for example, but not photographed or shown until the following year). I'm not keen on changing the rules mid-competition so the Filicietti remains eligible. Going forward I'll clarify that exception to apply only to knives made the year before, but not shown until the present year.

Now back to your regularly scheduled voting. :)
 
Kevin Jones said:
Interesting the Steve Filicietti is getting a few votes, I believe he stopped making knives about 10 years ago.
Click to expand...

Steve was active on aussie blade forums and was making knives for most of this year.

My top 5 in no particular order

Post 1 #1 Sam Lurquin CAS Collaboration Bowie
Post #92 - Will Morrison, Pirate Bowie
Post 28 #3 S. Filicietti
Post 18 #1 D. Franco d handle bowie
Post 82 #1 Lin Rhea Bristol Bay Bowie
 
This thread gets better and better every year with ALL the makers stepping up their game more and more.

There are two knives here that are really standouts and it appears that both will make a strong run at the finals. Interestingly enough, my comments on why they appeal to me are nearly the same for the two of them.

Post #18, Knife #1- D. Franco D-Guard
Post #1, Knife #8- M. Quesenberry Dogbone

Both of these knives , as far as I can tell, are as near to perfection as a handmade knife can be. They are perfect in materials, lines and proportions and flawless in execution. Surgical precision and cleanliness in both. World class knives, the pair.


My 5 other picks to complete the 7 are:

Post #1, Knife #3- Wes Barnhill Great bowie with nice lines and execution. VERY clean piece.

Post #13, Knife #1- Cody Hofsommer I like knives of this size and style, what I call the 'cowboy' bowie....this one is a great example. Nice steel, nice materials and proportions.

Post #24, Knife #1- Ben Breda Of all the makers here, Ben is the one whose style I feel is closest to mine. This knife appeals to me on all levels and is SO well done.

Post #27, Knife #1- Marc Aldrich Here's proof that they don't have to be highly ornate to qualify. Marc uses 'simple' (I use the word carefully!!) construction and materials but executes flawlessly and lets the perfect lines and proportions elevate this knife.

Post #49, Knife #1- Ben Seward Ben's become quite the regular in these threads, and with good reason. Another maker who's style very much suits my own. I love Ben's creativity and material selections and adding the carving and checkering to his work takes it to another level. This one is stellar in all aspects.
 
Post #92 - Will Morrison, Pirate Bowie


Just because this one does it for me.
 
Hi Gents

There are some stunning entries here and it's really hard to make any choices, but here goes.

Post 17: #1. CAS San Mai Bowie, I just love everything they produce and this is my personal favourite.

Post 8: #1. Robert burns Voivode Bowie.

Post 1: #8. Mike Quesenberry Dog Bone Bowie.

Post 13: #2. Cody Hofsommer Ring Guard Bowie.

Post 49: #1. Ben Seward Talisman Bowie.

Post 82: #2. Jean Louis Regel Bristol Bay Bowie.

Post 74: #1 Karl B. Anderson hot blued single twist Bowie.

This has proved to be an almost impossible task, best of luck to all who have been nominated.

Steve
 
RogerP said:
Very thoughtful votes gents - the constituents of this community certainly know their knives. We will close voting when it looks like input is slowing down. Certainly it will remain open for much of today - but will close as early as this evening and no later than first thing tomorrow. So don't sit on those votes - post 'em up!

As for the Filicietti - the knife meets the letter of the law in terms of submission - made or first shown on the forums in 2017. Now, the spirit of that exception was to avoid excluding a knife that just missed the previous year's competition (completed in December, for example, but not photographed or shown until the following year). I'm not keen on changing the rules mid-competition so the Filicietti remains eligible. Going forward I'll clarify that exception to apply only to knives made the year before, but not shown until the present year.

Now back to your regularly scheduled voting. :)
Click to expand...

To all who voted for Steve Filicietti Bowie, I didn't mean to imply it shouldn't be included, only that I found it interesting to see one of his pieces here after so many years.
To those who may be newer to custom knives, Steve was an extremely talented rising STAR here in the USA 10 or so years ago, however very abruptly dropped out of the scene under less than positive circumstances.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/filicietti.816819/

Anyway Glad to see/hear he's still making knives as it would have been a shame to see all that incredible talent go to waste. Dave Ellis, hopefully the Bowie you submitted is one of the pieces he owed you from years ago.
Sorry for the diversion from the contest, just wanted to explain my previous post.
 
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