"500 Knives" Release

Kohai999 said:
1. The POI III was printed in Japan, whereas the others where printed in Ohio. Not sure why they won't re-do it in Ohio, but they won't, no re-prints..that is why it is so scarce and costly. My volumes I&II are reprints, signed, but not numbered.

2. I think for 20 bucks, the book is fine. There are many editorial errors, many knives that I hate and the fact that John Lewis Jensen is the "juror" for this is laughable to me, but it is still only 20 bucks, and can only positively increase exposure of knives and knifemaking.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Yes, so far I have noticed more than a fair number of editorial errors. But like you say, this book could have a greater mass appeal, just based on price and past history of the "500" series. Certainly no down side.
 
Marcel, did you get yours ?
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I ordered my copy via a Dutch bookstore and they informed me yesterday that their batch will be available in one or two weeks time.

Marcel
 
I received my copy today. I thumbed through it. I think it's a nice book but it surprises me that some makers, like Larry Fuegen to name one, aren't represented at all in the book.

Marcel
 
Like the Knives annual books, the relied on pictures being sent to them. If they got no Fuegen pics, or if the pics were not deemed worthy....
 
Marcel54 said:
I received my copy today. I thumbed through it. I think it's a nice book but it surprises me that some makers, like Larry Fuegen to name one, aren't represented at all in the book.

Marcel
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All makers were allowed to submit, and if you recall the original callout, the editor was ASKING makers to respond.

Not everyone did. :(

Edit: Exactly, Joss.

Coop
 
All makers were allowed to submit, and if you recall the original callout, the editor was ASKING makers to respond.

Not everyone did.

Edit: Exactly, Joss.
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Oops I for got about that, guys thanks for correcting me;):D.

Marcel
 
The book is nice. Worth the money and more mainstream I suppose. I wish there were more makers but they couldn't really choose I guess since they aren't knife guys.
 
jonathan brand said:
The book is nice. Worth the money and more mainstream I suppose. I wish there were more makers but they couldn't really choose I guess since they aren't knife guys.
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I think that being the book that it is - if that is considered mainstream - this becomes a rather important publication as far as the knife community is concerned. It's only impact should certainly be of a positive nature, whether the publishers are knife people or not.

But thank goodness Coop had a hand in it or otherwise it might have turned out to be something much less than it is. Not a bad book at all, I think.
 
It's a hell of a book for the price and may very well bring in new collectors..

Jon, I think most of the makers who sent photos in were included. And Coop had a huge hand involved. If not for Coop, Cliff Parker wouldn't have had anything in there, as he didn't send anything in (just one example). Probably the same for many other makers.
 
Don Hanson III said:
It's a hell of a book for the price and may very well bring in new collectors..

Jon, I think most of the makers who sent photos in were included. And Coop had a huge hand involved. If not for Coop, Cliff Parker wouldn't have had anything in there, as he didn't send anything in (just one example). Probably the same for many other makers.
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You're probably right Don. As that's the kind of thing that could be very easy for a maker to put off until it was too late.
 
I am going to take a little different stance than my beloved brother Steven re JLJ's participation on this. Even though he always has good reasons for the stances he takes and I find myself agreeing with him more often than not. I want to point out something that many people may not be aware of.

John L. Jenson has gone to a huge effort as well as personal expense and extensive travel in the years since I have known him to promote custom knives outside of the "usual venues". I am aware of quite a few times he has flown coast to coast to give lectures within the art community on custom knife making and collecting. He has done this with no compensation. I have attended a couple of his lectures. They are not based on self promotion, but are geared towards knife making as an art form and collecting. He has the background and ability to carry that goal off within that community.

His efforts to promote knife making in the "art community" are non selfish and consistent efforts towards that goal are something I admire. We have spent a good bit of time talking about his goals and they are not what I would consider egocentric and self serving. He has tirelessly pushed for getting knife-making and collecting into the art community mainstream.

It is good to see him getting a little recognition for his tireless efforts (as well the non-trivial expenses he has encountered.)

In my opinion, over the years he has been quietly pushing this agenda and has been doing makers and collectors a "favor" by doing so.
 
Bastid said:
I am going to take a little different stance than my beloved brother Steven re JLJ's participation on this. Even though he always has good reasons for the stances he takes and I find myself agreeing with him more often than not. I want to point out something that many people may not be aware of.

John L. Jenson has gone to a huge effort as well as personal expense and extensive travel in the years since I have known him to promote custom knives outside of the "usual venues".
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Gus,

What you write is true....JLJ does a service to the community....and he has done it without outside support, which is noble indeed.

He is however, my dear amigo, WITHOUT a doubt THE MOST pretentious knifemaker that I have ever met. That he would be a good fit to represent "us" to the art world may be very true indeed, but it still sets my teeth to cracking.

I have handled knives of his on two separate occasions now, and they are INTENTIONALLY uncomfortable to hold in traditional grips and poorly balanced...I was told by his wife Kristina at Santa Barbara that if I would only grip the knife as one would hold a soiled diaper between thumb and forefinger, that I would "get it"..what I think of as the worst of the art knife genre, and that is a very broad field.

In short, while I appreciate what he does, I really wish that someone else was doing it.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
............In short, while I appreciate what he does,
I really wish that someone else was doing it.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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I am trying :) , between me and my Mac, somehow
managing to bridge the 8,000 miles distance
between Jerusalem and where it all is happening.... :)

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
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ddd said:
I am trying :) , between me and my Mac, somehow managing to bridge the 8,000 miles distance
between Jerusalem and where it all is happening.... :)

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
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Heck, David, you do a great job, but I meant "someone" as in another knifemaker....someone like Don Fogg, or Larry Fuegen, or S.R. Johnson, who make great knives, have a down-to-earth philosophy, speak "art" language and a good "look", as spokespersons for the community to the art pholks.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
can someone please post a scan of the two Harumi Koi Folders in the book?
they are mine...
thanks
 
betzner said:
But thank goodness Coop had a hand in it or otherwise it might have turned out to be something much less than it is. Not a bad book at all, I think.
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Hi Bob, and thanks for the nod. Yes, there IS a backstory involved.

The editors and JLJ did the best they could to attract makers to submit better quality images of their work and to be included. Deadlines for the project were looming and there was still a wish for more.

John Lewis Jensen and I had a conversation at Blade in 2008 and I allowed I had all the hi-res images he may wish to allow the project to meet deadliine. They simply needed to clear it with the makers. To that end, I also provided an online gaggle of images to approve, and contacts for them to follow up with. (The images were selected by JLJ, not me.)

I am glad for the makers, viewers, publisher, and custom knives in general, but I will state that many of the images I was asked to submit were not my very best work--as they were images produced quickly for my website dealer images. I DO take more time on portfolio shots. C'est la vie.

Only the very critical or knowledgable would know. Fewer still would care. As I always state privately to my clients: It's all about the knives and the maker, not the medium.

Gus: As always, a counterpoint that is a fair balance to our friend STeven's provocative opinions.

Coop
 
SharpByCoop said:
............ the images I was asked to submit
were not my very best work--as they were images produced quickly
for my website dealer images.
I DO take more time on portfolio shots. C'est la vie.

Only the very critical or knowledgable would know. Fewer still would care.
As I always state privately to my clients: It's all about the knives and the
maker, not the medium........

Coop
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Hi Coop,

I am sorry but I can't help myself...

With all due respect, my friend, I think that you should have read the
above part again before posting...

It does not shed any good light on you (for agreeing) and on John Jensen
and the publisher for going along with second bests just because they
were in a hurry to publish and decided that very few would care about or
know the difference.....

This is a very (VERY!) sad statement.

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
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Dr. Darom,

Only I declare my work to be 'second best' to itself. No one else. Can any maker or photographer say that there is not past work they wish they could improve upon if they could?

What JLJ admired and so did the editor were fantastic knives shown marvelously. I never overstated or understated what was offered.

There are no sad statements. Just methods and opportunities to get a fantastic book out to the mainstream world to see. They succeeded.

Coop
 
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