Are there any female custom knife makers?

A

AGiordano

Joined
Nov 3, 1998
Messages
17
I would like to know if there are any female custom knife makers on the horizon?

Antonella Giordano

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My former user ID was "Antonella"--it's still me!
 
There is a Canadian (Fr-Canadian ?), very high end. Her name escapes me at the moment, I found her while surfing a few months back. I'll try to locate her
 
Judy Gottage, as far as I know, is the only female member of the knife makers guild and makes some really neat stuff including autos!

Tombstone KnifeWorks carries her stuff.
904-363-3633




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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator

 
I met a women by the name of Dellana Warren at the 98 blade show in Georgia ,

She makes the must beautiful knives i have every seen ..... High dollar art knives

some day when i'm comfy i will own some her knives.....

she makes both fixed and folders.

I would think since she is a bladesmith she could even make you a custom scorpion fillet knife for you


Dellana Warren
168 Riverbend blvd
St Albans, West Virgina 25177
Phone 304-727-5512
fax 304-727 6630

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[This message has been edited by txlazer (edited 11-03-98).]
 
Audra Draper and Carol Gurganus are two more that immediately come to mind. They generally have pictures in the "Knives 9X" annuals.



[This message has been edited by Matt Harildstad (edited 11-03-98).]
 
Dale Evans daughter, I don't know her name, is a teacher in dallas TX but when she comes to town (Abilene) she stops by her father's place and grinds a couple out.



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Spencer Stewart

 
Just got off the phone with Dellana Warren and Van Barnett. They are engaged - goona be some pretty awesome stuff comming out of that house. They will be in NY this weekend for the show. Drop by their tables and Darrel's too to see some fantastic work, if you are there and give them my best if you do not mind.


Wanted to mention that there is a write up in the current KNIVES ILLUSTRATED issue on Dellana. This entire issue is the best ever due to the variety of articles IMHO.

Gus

[This message has been edited by Gus Kalanzis (edited 05 December 1998).]
 
In addition to those mentioned:

Paula Easler makes minitures and some larger knives.

A maker from the 80's named Carolyn Tinker made some nice utility fixed blades.
AG Russell sometimes has a few in his used catalog "The Cutting Edge"

I have met Dellana, Gottage, and Draper.
There work is all completely different.

Dellana's stuff is amazingly beautiful with Damascus, stones, carving etc. Super nice. She was a goldsmith I believe.

Judy Gottage makes some nice mid-priced
liner locks and auto's-usually interframes or inlaid.

Audra Draper makes utility fixed blades and hunters that look a lot like Ed Fowlers.
(She apprenticed under him)
In my opinion her "serious" using knives are a great deal and she is a super nice lady.
You can get a REAL nice REAL sharp sheephorn
straight knife for about $250 I think.

You would like her stuff.
 
I've heard that Gudy Gottage is semi retired .The canadian knifemakers name is Chantel Glbert. Spelling?
 
From what I hear Judy gottage is semi retired. The canadians name is Chantel Gilbert- spelling?
 
Carolyn Tinker has been making knives for quite awhile; I first saw her work in the early 80's. She mostly has made working straight pieces to my recollection. I looked her up in the latest Knives annual; she's not taking orders presently. This usually means a demand that translates into years of waiting time for delivery. The pieces I've seen were always very practical, sensible using designs. At one time I had a yearning for one of her "Backpacker" models, but I waited too long to order; price and scarcity overwhelmed me.
 
Linda Chandon, (wife of Rick, who has some stuff at Arizona Custom Knives), in Mt.Shasta Calif., (P.O.Box 44, Mt.Shasta, Ca. 96067). Makes custom folders and autos in ATS-34 and stainless Damascus. Big time up and comers. Learned to make autos from the "King", Butch Vallotton.
 
Harumi Hirayama in Japan makes beautiful, mostly small, fixed blades and folders, with some amazing inlay work and creative and often funny designs.

And if more knifemakers looked like her, I wouldn't complain.

Here's a scan from her catalog.

harumi2.jpg

(No, I don't have any of her knives in my collection, or for sale.)

Her contact information, and contact information for hundreds of knifemakers, including a bunch of women, is to be found in the Knives 98 or the forthcoming Knives 99 annual.

- JKM

 
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