Arkansas Knife Show • Middle America • TOP of the WORLD!

[kuraki]

I have to get to this show one year. I never realized there would be so much to see.

 

[SharpByCoop]

Mark Fleming is in his home state and his work shows his dominant AR skills!

Yup, that's a GREAT Sendero style. He is GOOD!

Check out his steel!

Don Hanson III, MS - The 'Pope of Ivory' astounds us again! There's a Paul Long sighting here, too!

There was only *one* 'Ulu' available at the AKS show, and it went within the first hour. Kurt Swearingen, JS added a pair of differing-radius curves to compliment this.

 

[SharpByCoop]

Complex work from Josh Fisher, JS. BOTH of these have great blade steel and nicely thin guards. One to watch.

BF favorite Allen Newberry, JS includes in his set of 'simple' utilities, complex silver inlay designs. He's always been a forerunner.

Attaining Mastersmith level comes with time, patience, skill, and VISION. Jon Christensen has all of this and a congenial, educating personality as well. A pleasure to capture!

^^ Ditto on the above to describe Mastersmith Brion Tomberlin. ALL of the knives at this show made me smile. THIS one made me grin a little more. YOU know why.

(It's the Hill Pearce styled influence.)

 

[Frozen Bear Trading]

That tooling on the sheath is one of the last pictures is amazing.

I'm a knife maker and I'll make knives my entire life and never make something as nice as that first picture best in show

WoW

 

[SharpByCoop]

More AMAZING work...

Paul Distefano is young and talented!

John Cohea with his unmistakable period work.

Look at how sweet the work is from Russell Roosevelt, JS.

And then.... Andrew Meers, MS enters the room. WOW! (Hard to figure out HOW to show this masterwork, but we got it.)

 

[SharpByCoop]

There is NO shortage of talent working with Chef's knives. Gary Ellis Jr. demonstrates.

Veteran Oklahomian Jerry McClure with some great steel on his Bowie.

Tim Robertson created this Remington 'bullet' pattern. With brass, copper, and silver inlay!

About as dangerous a piece of cutlery I have ever handled. Mastersmith Bill Burke had a collector bring this MONSTER to me.

Look CLOSELY!

 

[mknife]

Thanks for sharing.
Woow Gorgeus knives, it must have been really difficult for the jury ....

 

[Jason Fry]

That Burke piece... wow. Jerry McClure is from Oklahoma

 

[SharpByCoop]

A colorful crosscut bark mammoth utility by Dr. Terry Schreiner

And his take on a set of useful chef's knives

Who doesn't love a well-made mid-lock? Tony Baker serves your desires with aplomb.

Shawn Ellis returns to this thread with an integral blade with an integral handle.

There's no stopping him.

 

[SharpByCoop]

Mardi Meshejian, JS is noted for his out-of-the-box knives. Today he drew inside the lines.

...but don't count on him to stay there!

I've never seen a Cass Stanford knife which didn't impress me. See for yourself.

And tackling the hardest build in traditional knives is Tobin Hill's five-blade mammoth trapper.

Young, talented, polite, and energetic: Sawyer Hibbard. You saw him here first. Pay close attention!

This MONSTER is 48" long and from the uber-talented workshop of Tom Ward, JS. He's another who defies gravity. DANG! (He calls the steel in the fitments 'Zanjir damascus'. Hmmmmm.)

And in closing.....

Harvey Dean, MS takes a traditional Bowie to the TOP with exotic mammoth and a reach-extending blade.

Susan and I thank you for your projects.

ALL the makers who I displayed here are appreciative of your viewing and admirations. Even if nothing is said, something is registered. I get it. They got it.

This show was monumental for many. Certainly for me. I worked day and night to get done so I can get to the ever-present backlog awaiting me in the studio.

I will continue showing studio work in my Gallery, and I am looking forward to the ICCE Show in late March 2019. Look for another full-bore thread.

 

[kuraki]

@PaulDiStefano you've been holding out on us!

That handle

 

[Kevin Jones]

Wow, amazing knives! Especially Crazy about those Fisks. Thanks for the thread Jim!!!!!!!!

 

[Mongo]

Wow Coop! I don't know what I'm more impressed with.... the amazing knives you pictured, or the pure artistry of your pics! Absolutely freaking incredible! All of it.

 

[mitch13]

Great knives & pics!
Thanks for sharing with us Coop.


Mitch

 

[coldsteelburns]

Wow, so many incredible pieces. I'm always amazed at how multifaceted Bill Burke is, he seems to be an expert at every genre I see him make. Not to say he is the only one, but that axe of his is very impressive.

Thanks as always for sharing, Coop, it's much appreciated, not to mention much nicer (imho) viewing everything here than on IG or FB

~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (Just some older videos of some knives I've made in the past)

 

[John Blazy]

Thanks as always for sharing, Coop, it's much appreciated, not to mention much nicer (imho) viewing everything here than on IG or FB

~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (Just some older videos of some knives I've made in the past)

Definitely great viewing here as opposed to IG and FB - kind of like going to the movie theater with its big screen, no distractions, insane detail, etc.

 

[BFS]

I'm really regretting not being able to attend this year. The blades this year were even more over the top than last year's. Good job Logan and Coop.