A Visit to Des Horn

Steven65

Steven65

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I took a drive out to visit Des and Linda Horn recently so I thought I would post a few pics of the trip.
I have known Des for over 20 years and it is always a pleasure to visit his workshop. His knives are innovative, beautifully designed and technically perfect.
He and Linda live about an hour out of Cape Town along the east Cape coast in a little village called Vermont. Their house was built with the living space upstairs and the workshop on the ground floor. It must be one of the nicest workshops I have ever seen......
Please forgive my mediocre photography.

Steven

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The Ivory and meteorite folder is mine and has a 4" blade which gives you an idea of how big the folder above is.....:eek:
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The view from their living room. This part of the Cape coast is famous for Whales and Great White's.
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That's just about my dream shop. Wood floors and everything. As an entirely tangential aside, I grow many types of plant from your area of the continent.
 
i meet Des at the nyc show this Feb, he is a gentleman and it was a great plesure to talk to him, he was kind enough to explain his ball bearing system and man does he know how to make a beatiful knife, thank you very much for the pics:)
 
wood floors!!!!!!!!!!

Does he really make knives in that shop, or does he have all his real tools out in the garage???:D
 
Agreed on all counts. :thumbup:

I think he WINS the cleanest shop award. Ever.

Coop
 
Thank you Gents for the kind words here are a few more of his shop....

How about this for a grinding room:)
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Des hugging his Bridgeport:D
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The little all Damasteel folder on the bottom is the one he makes for Purdey's in London
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Nice shots Steven. Des has a nice shop and those folders are beautiful.
 
WOW, I don't think my shop is very dirty, BUT it wasn't that clean when it was new. And the floors don't know how you would keep them that way.
And I like his knives.
Art
 
Thanks for all the great comments and yes it is a working shop it's just that I have this great wife who keeps it like new.
 
beautiful knives........but your shop is over the top!!!!!!!!


What is that huge aluminum wheel for that is next to your belt sander???
 
I think knifemakers enjoy tinkering with their workshop machinery as much as they enjoy making knives . . :)

A workshop such as Des's can be intimidating for newcomers to the craft, but what one has to remember is that what you see is the culmination of decades (no offence Doc!) of careful purchases, collection and building. So yes, Des should hug his Bridgeport (daily!), because it's probably been in his household for longer than his kids!

Great workshop Doc, and hats off to Lynda for keeping it so spic 'n span!

P.S. . . . It is worth noting that although Des makes a pretty good knife himself, he has also been responsible for bringing scores of folk into the world of custom knifemaking, me included. Extremely knowledgable, uncompromising on quality, and ever patient, he is a superb role model for all aspiring knifemakers.
 
I have been VERY impessed with Des Horn's knives since reading about him in one of DDD's books. That shop has look of an 'operating room', and I noticed that sweet looking Bridgeport too!

Thanks for posting the pictures.

Peter
 
That can't be a shop...It's too clean! :eek: I think that's just for show...must be a dirty shop out back. :D Beautiful knives also!!

Larry
 
Very cool thread, thanks for posting!
Yes, Coop is right, the cleanest shop around.
Now let me call my wife to see how to clean a shop...
 
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