- Joined
- Feb 28, 2002
- Messages
- 13,348
Early Friday morning I left frosty Toronto and headed out for my first US knife show. Early Friday afternoon I landed
in frosty Little Rock
practically bursting with anticipation. The winter chill was more than offset by the warmth and hospitality of the show attendees makers, organizers, collectors and enthusiasts alike. I stayed at the Double Tree hotel adjacent to the Robinson Center where the show was to be held on the following Saturday and Sunday. I had barely unpacked my bags and sauntered down to the lobby to have a look around when I found myself in the midst of a group that included the likes of Jerry Fisk, Steve Dunn, Don Hansen, Dickie Robinson, Roger Massey and our very own Danbo. I began to suspect that I had in fact arrived in forged blade heaven a suspicion that would be later confirmed.
It was great to be able to be able to meet the people behind the knives and they were all friendly and welcoming to a fault. Of course, this only served to whet my appetite for the show and I wondered how I was going to endure the wait to see some really terrific knives. I neednt have worried. Pre-show knife show #1 the Danbo collection. As many of you know, this fellow has a really wonderful collection of knives and he was good enough to bring just about all of them with him. One by one he presented some tremendous blades a large damascus scagel-style camp knife by Master Smith Kevin Cashen made my head spin and a super-clean stag fighter by Journeyman Smith Russ Andrews made my jaw drop wide open. Pre-show knife show #2 - a little later in the evening I ran into Larry Connelley of knifeart.com who graciously invited me to have a look at his tremendous stock of knives. If Larry thought my relative silence while standing in the midst of an uncountable number of first rate custom knives was a sign of being underwhelmed, he was quite wrong. Stunned silence is more like it. Heck, the knives he picked up from Reno alone would pretty much define my concept of an ideal collection. I am most thankful for that memorable opportunity.
Now on to the show.
I knew going in that Jerry Fisks table would be a highlight and I was right on the money a couple of stunning large damascus bowies immediately attracted the eye, flanked by an equally excellent carbon steel Sheffield bowie and engraved Sendero hunter.
Heres Jerry holding the Sheep-horn handled pool and eye damascus bowie:
And a close-up of the knife.
I apologize in advance for some of the knife pictures a combination of less than ideal lighting and a less than steady hand made for some blurry results.
Heres a shot of the award winners:
From left to right: Ron Newton Best Art Knife and Best Bowie; Tim Foster Best Fighter; J.W. Randall Best Damascus; Don Hanson Best Folder and Best of Show and Jerry Fisk Best Hunter.
Speaking of Ron Newton, here he is holding an exceptional little bird and trout knife with a pearl-inlayed ironwood handle.
And heres a close-up of that award-wining bowie (Newtons pic).
It was great to be able to be able to meet the people behind the knives and they were all friendly and welcoming to a fault. Of course, this only served to whet my appetite for the show and I wondered how I was going to endure the wait to see some really terrific knives. I neednt have worried. Pre-show knife show #1 the Danbo collection. As many of you know, this fellow has a really wonderful collection of knives and he was good enough to bring just about all of them with him. One by one he presented some tremendous blades a large damascus scagel-style camp knife by Master Smith Kevin Cashen made my head spin and a super-clean stag fighter by Journeyman Smith Russ Andrews made my jaw drop wide open. Pre-show knife show #2 - a little later in the evening I ran into Larry Connelley of knifeart.com who graciously invited me to have a look at his tremendous stock of knives. If Larry thought my relative silence while standing in the midst of an uncountable number of first rate custom knives was a sign of being underwhelmed, he was quite wrong. Stunned silence is more like it. Heck, the knives he picked up from Reno alone would pretty much define my concept of an ideal collection. I am most thankful for that memorable opportunity.
Now on to the show.
I knew going in that Jerry Fisks table would be a highlight and I was right on the money a couple of stunning large damascus bowies immediately attracted the eye, flanked by an equally excellent carbon steel Sheffield bowie and engraved Sendero hunter.
Heres Jerry holding the Sheep-horn handled pool and eye damascus bowie:
And a close-up of the knife.
I apologize in advance for some of the knife pictures a combination of less than ideal lighting and a less than steady hand made for some blurry results.
Heres a shot of the award winners:
From left to right: Ron Newton Best Art Knife and Best Bowie; Tim Foster Best Fighter; J.W. Randall Best Damascus; Don Hanson Best Folder and Best of Show and Jerry Fisk Best Hunter.
Speaking of Ron Newton, here he is holding an exceptional little bird and trout knife with a pearl-inlayed ironwood handle.
And heres a close-up of that award-wining bowie (Newtons pic).
