Appleton/Fowler Knife (PIC)

PhilL

PhilL

Joined
Oct 1, 1999
Messages
6,490
I’ve posted before that my two favorite makers are named Fowler and Appleton. I heard before the NYCKS that Ron Appleton was going to be at the show with a knife that he and Ed collaborated on. The idea of this blew my mind because I never thought this would be possible, I mean can you get two more diverse styles? Well, of course I had to go check it out as soon as I got to the show. There sat Ron Appleton, with a table full of knives, the likes of which I had only seen in pictures. I introduced myself, Ron and I had exchanged some E-mail a while back in regards to the OE “COSMOS” and he said he remembered. I asked if I could see the collaboration knife, and he gladly let me handle it....
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...sheer joy. I have to tell you if you have never handled an Appleton knife they take some figuring out on how to operate them, and Ron does take some pleasure in watching you struggle with it, and figuring out one doesn’t mean you’ll know how to do the next one.

Let me get down to the point of this post the collaboration. Ed Fowler forged the blade, and Ron did the grinding and the handle, what a work of Art, smooth doesn’t describe the movement and it’s just fun to play with. Today I get an E-mail from Ron with a pic of the knife. I asked if he minded if I posted it here for all of you to see? He said that he didn’t and even gave me an anecdote on how this knife came to be named “Chub.”

“ Well, the story of it is, Ed was sort of a fat little kid when he used to tag after my dad when he was a young man, Ed was a few yrs. younger, and Ray used to call him "Chub". Its a kind of fond nickname, I dunno if Ed cares if everyone knows, I spose its out now, LOL! Oh, also, it was Dr. Herman L. (Bud) Fowler, Eds dad who caught me when I squirted out!”
Ron Appleton

If there are any people nicer than Knife People I sure don’t know who they are?

Thanks Ron.

View



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"Will work 4 Knives!"
My PhotoPoint Site
 
Sweet looking knife!!! Thanks for sharing the picture, and the story!!!

I have never had the opportunity to meet Ed Fowler, but I can definitely second everything you said about Ray and Ron! They are both fantastic guys!

At last years Blade Show in Atlanta I happened to stumble across their table (they didn't know me from Adam) and I'd say I spent everybit of 45 minutes talking with them and playing with their knives...

I can also confirm that wicked little grin each time they handed me a different knife and said, "Here, try to open this one!!!" They looked like a couple of kids...
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You can bet your bottom dollar that their table will be among the first ones I visit at next years show....

Awesome knife makers, and super fine guys!!!



[This message has been edited by GeneL74 (edited 11-18-2000).]
 
That is one SCHWEET looking knife, Phil. Ya bastid! What kinda handle scales?

Beautiful curves.

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iktomi
 
Very comfy looking handle, get with the specs on this knife for us...
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"The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions!"
Take the time to read your Bible Now, don't be left behind...
 
Had the same experience as Gene. I knew Ray, but only met Ron for the first time. All of their knives are beyond description (not to mention my pocket book) and they are two of the most pleasent people you would want to meet.

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" The real art of living is too keep alive the longing in human beings to become greater versions of themselves." Laurens Van der Post.
In memory of James Mattis

[This message has been edited by Gus Kalanzis (edited 11-18-2000).]
 
Wow, that's just an amazing knife. It's one of those "dream" collaborations that you never thought would happen.

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Cerulean

"We cut things to create things" - J.K.M.
 
I was half hoping that Ron would take up my offer to join us and post here with the details of this knife and some of his others.
Yesterday was a very good day for me, it started off with Ron's e-mail and this pic, and ended with an e-mail from Angie Fowler (Ed's wife) she had some corrections from Ron's comments.

What this means is that we have some VIP's as lurkers here, and I'm very impressed and a little dissapointed that they aren't posting. Well, maybe if we make them feel more welcome they will? I know they are reading this thread, why don't you folks that appreciate the talents of Ray & Ron Appleton and Ed & Angie Fowler say "Hello!"
 
Appleton and Fowler. Man, who'd have thunk it? Always been just amazed at the common yet diverse skills of these two gentlemen. Thank you for the pic. It is a beautiful knife. Wow.

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"When loss and gain are alike to one, that is real gain.."
 
Well OK, I'll fill you in on a couple things about that knife. Eds dads real name is Freeman, not Herman. Ed and I both thought it would be fun to put this project into motion first in Eugene this year, which by the way is the first time I ever met Ed, and that is another story as well. I was amazed when he first proposed it, I have admired Eds knives as working pieces for years. The blade is his forged ball bearing 52100 with the triple temper although not differentially hardened as is his trademark. The reason it is hard all the way through is that the mechanism I designed for this knife would greatly benefit in many ways from having a fully hardened steel base to work from. It also gave me some problems, but I just had to push a whole lot harder on the drill press handle
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No, I was able to work around the problems and it was actually a pleasureable and educational endeavor as well. I was very pleased with the way this particular piece of 52100 worked for me. The blade, 3-1/4" long hardness of 57RC very springy,was contoured using a surface grinder to machine shop tolerances from side to side, not that it means that much, just thought you might like to know. The handle is a one piece 6Al4V Titanium 4" long and .580 thick. and the buttons are Beryllium (%30) Copper. It is anodized green pearl and the scales(?) are sheephorn, Ed sent me these Rams horns and expected me to figger out how to deal with them, yikes! Ok, so its almost finished, still have to build the electrode for our individual makers mark and brand it. Ed has the knife now and is threatening to send it off to Blade to have it photographed for an article, so hopefully they will like it enough to put in the magazine. Thanks for the nice things you all have said, I hope to meet many more of you in the future. Thanks Phil for kicking me in the butt. Ron
 
Welcome Ron, I had a feeling I could draw you in here.
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I knew most of the specs of the knife, but it's so much more important coming from you. Thanks for jumping in here.

Not only did Angie correct me regarding Ed's fathers name, but also why the nickname of "Chub." I'm hoping to get a response from them to post Ed'ds version, or better yet have them post here.

My love affair with knives goes a lot deeper than just the specs on knives, it's getting to know the makers. Meeting you at the show was great and I met Ed and Angie at the NYCKS in '98, but having you as addition to BladeForums is just a huge plus. Insight that no magazine article would ever to be able to come close to.

I'm very happy!
 
Welcome to the forums Ron!!!

Great to have you aboard!!!

It's also great to know that we have lots of great folks lurking around our little community! Sometimes we can all act a little childish, but for the most part we get along fairly well!

Now Phil, how can we twist Ed and Angie's arm and get them to start posting?
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Again, It is great to have you as a member Ron!!!

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When I die, I wanna go in my sleep like Grandpa did.... Not horrified, and frozen with fear like his passenger!!!
 
Well Gene, I just heard back from Angie Fowler, and they don't feel like posting yet, but they do read the Forums.....so....

Hi Ed & Angie!

Now we have the Fowler version of how Ed got the nickname 'Chub'

"Ed was called CHUB because as a child he ate everything----worms, mice,
cigarette butts, grasshoppers----like a "Chub Fish"!!!! He was NOT
chubby..."

Angie Fowler
 
Still pretty much neck and neck, eh Phil?
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Welcome, Ron, nice (OK, VERY NICE!!) work. Beautiful, even.

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iktomi
 
Well, I hate to be a name-dropper but guess who I get an E-mail from today?

Who am I kidding I love to drop names, especially when it's the likes of Ray Appleton

How cool is that?

Now, I know a lot of the members here look at production knives as the be all and end all of knives, and that's fine. But, we have some people looking in here that are Legends, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

[This message has been edited by PhilL (edited 11-20-2000).]
 
Wow Phil, glad ya posted that. Its a beauty!!!




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Richard
icq 61363141
Just some knife pictures
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=110070&a=4518795
UPDATED and REVISED
 
I have met Ed Fowler twice in the last Blade Shows and have met Ray Appleton (our tables were relactivelly close) last year. Coming from two nice guys like them, nothing less than that outstanding piece could be expected.

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Ivan Campos
Full-time knifemaker...finally!
http://www.bitweb.com.br/users/campos/
 
I have owned a few of Appletons knives and we were fortunate to get picked for three of them at the last Art Knife Inv. A nice damascus blade IQ named Columbine can be seen on my new site http://www.exqusiteknives.com
Dave Ellis, ABS, M.S.

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