A new bladesmith few know about

Keith Montgomery

Keith Montgomery

Joined
May 9, 2000
Messages
29,205
A few weeks ago I posted on this forum looking for contact info for Jimmy Fikes. Steven/Kohia999 provided me with his phone number, but I was unable to get an email address. Last week Jimmy Fikes emailed me after reading that post and let me know that it would be best to contact him by email, because as he said, "I don't play well with phones."

Within a couple of days I got back to him to tell him I was interested in having him make me a bowie knife. His response was that he didn't normally make bowies any more. He stated that all the knives he makes these days are of the cord wrapped handle variety. He did mention that he was training his wife Maggie how to make forged blades and that he would be making a couple of bowies as a way of showing her how to properly fit a guard and how to make and fit a handle and its fittings. He would let me know when he had made one that was of a type that I was looking for and would give me the chance to purchase it.

Jimmy also sent me a bunch of photos of Maggie making and polishing a blade (she has made about a dozen or so). I was wondering if you folks would be interested in seeing the photos that I was sent? Jimmy said it would be okay for me to show them to you. There are quite a few photos, so it will take me a while to get them posted.
 
Post 'em up ya big tease! :p

Roger

And be sure to show us that bowie if it pans out - sounds like a pretty unique opportunity.
 
I've seen several shots of Maggie working, and of some pics of her work. Between having a legendary bladesmith husband, and an inherit talent for this stuff... she is GOOD! :D

I am excited to see what else she comes up with!

Let's see those pics Keith! :)

-Nick-
 
I agree that from what I have seen, she is very good.

Not only does she have the help of her husband, but also of Don Fogg. How can you go wrong with that kind of a team?

I will put together the pictorial after work this evening.
 
Keith Montgomery said:
Not only does she have the help of her husband, but also of Don Fogg. How can you go wrong with that kind of a team?
Click to expand...

She could start performing their cutting tests for starters. ;)
 
You had to ask this group if they wanted to see pics of knives? LOL. That's like asking a dog if he wants more food. The answer is an automatic affirmative.
 
Okay, here are the photos. I am going to split this up into a few posts.

maggie1.jpg

Hello to all from Maggie.

maggie2.jpg

Blade under way; heating the forge.

maggie3.jpg

Beginning to rough the edge.

maggie4.jpg

More edge work on the big anvil.

maggie5.jpg

As the edge stretches, the blade curves.

maggie6.jpg

Time for reheating.

maggie7.jpg

Chalking a line on the finishing anvil.

maggie8.jpg

Ready to forge.
 
maggie9.jpg

Get it hot, hit it hard.

maggie9a.jpg

Edge on the chalk line.

maggie9b.jpg

Refine the grain at lower temps.

maggie9c.jpg

Flip and straighten, then reheat.

maggie9d.jpg

That blade had BETTER be straight!

maggie9e.jpg

Beginning a normalizing cycle.

maggie9f.jpg

Cooling.
 
This group of photos shows the blade being polished.

maggie9k.jpg

Hard at work, hand sanding.

maggie9l.jpg

Patience, a good eye and strong fingers.

maggie9m.jpg

Beginning to show a hamon.

maggie9n.jpg

Ever finer grit papers.

maggie9o.jpg

Don Fogg gives good advice.
 
maggie9p.jpg

Very nice hamon!

maggie9q.jpg

Don likes it well enough to dance a jig.

maggie9r.jpg

*LOTS* of activity in the turnback.

maggie9s.jpg

I'd smile if it were my knife :)

maggie9t.jpg

Ready for a wrapped handle.

Well, that's it. I hope eveyone enjoyed what has been posted here.

The finished knife has been sold, but Jimmy thinks he will be able to get some photos of it. I will post them when/if they are emailed to me.
 
By the way, Jimmy is also teaching another lady to forge. Her name is Dorothy Carlisle. I'm going to see I can get him to send me some photos of her work.
 
That is really cool! It shows that hard work and good teachers pay off for a diligent student.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Great documentary, Keith! I'm not into bowies but I love to see people at work - since I do so little of it myself. ;)
 
Holy smokes - what an awesome-looking blade! :eek: Jimmy has every reason to be proud of his student and Maggie haas every reason to be proud of her work. Wow!

I am generally not a fan of wrapped handles, but after seeing the Fikes / Fogg cloud cutter I am beginning to come around. Do let us see the final product here.

Roger
 
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