A BIG mahalo to nifrand!

[Hoss]

I kinda lurk on this particular forum. Check out the nice traditional knives, etc. At one point in my knifemaking "collecting" I was only buying tactical style knives. They are still some of my favorites but "Nifrand" (Randy) is very into traditional style folders. He got me interested in slipjoints and I decided that the "gunstock" pattern is one of (if not the) favorite pattern in a traditional folder. Randy is a very good "cyber-buddy" and we have talked for hours about knives on the phone. A while back he gave me a list of what he considered "excellent" makers of traditional style folders. One of the makers he pointed me in the direction of was Bill Simons of Florida. Simons is an older maker who turns out very, very nice knives at very reasonable prices. I started with one gunstock, spearpoint main blade, D-2 blade material and classic jigged bone handles. I was so impressed with the knife he sent me that I ordered another one with a clip point as the main blade and provided him with a nice piece of desert ironwood for the handle. I got that one and then sent Mr. Simons a nice piece of koa wood for the handle and requested a wharncliff blade as the main blade. Just got that knife yesterday. Figured I would post a couple of pictures of the three blades to show Mr. Simons great work and what a little over a year wait produced. I have three boys (ages 2, 4 and 7) so I now have one Simons knife for each with different handles and main blades. Top to bottom are: the koa with wharncliff main blade, desert ironwood with a clip point blade and on the bottom is the brown jigged bone knife with a spearpoint main blade. Next on order (right now) is a pearl gunstock with the main blade being a spey. Enjoy and let me know what you guys think!

Aloha!

Thomas

and p.s. Thanks again Randy, you ALWAYS do me right!

 

[Hoss]

Another look at the same set

 

[nifrand]

Very cool Hossdude. Like the variations on the pattern.Simons is one of the makers I believe puts a little of himself into every knife.
I think I sent you on the right path.
Happy
Randy
BTW:Thanks for the pics.

 

[Hoss]

Randy, he is such a kick in the pants. I cannot thanks you enough for recommending him. Class act (like yourself) and you are right. Each one of these knives has a certain "feel" to it that you do not often find in some makers work.

Mahalo "Reigning Czar"!

 

[Gus Kalanzis]

Hoss those are beautiful, but I gotta have a long talk with you about the company you are keeping. .

Actually nifrand is one of the finest and without the fourms and TKCL we would have never met.

 

[GigOne]

WOW. . . 3 awesome knives !

Kinda hard to determine which one I like the most.

Congrats on the knives !

Not only do you have superb taste in blade-ware. . .your choice of freinds is pretty damn good too ! ! !

 

[Dr van Nostrom]

What a great set! I keep looking and looking and looking to see which is my favorite, how can you decide between those 3 beauties??