Background and Artisitc Language

[Lorien]

Hello there. This is my first post in this forum.

It's been suggested that those who participate in the Custom and Handmade Forum would learn more, and do well by participating more in the Maker's Forums. To that end, and with some encouragement, I'd like to post a thread here, which is the same one I posted in the Customs forum, which is where I spend most of my time.

I'm not an experienced collector, and have yet to make a knife, (where's my steel, Nick?), so this thread is entirely about learning and sharing. I hope you guys enjoy yourselves with it, and are able to provide insight into the craft and why you do it.

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There are plenty knife makers who've had in-depth jobs or experiences who turned to knife making after a lifetime of mastering another art/craft/knowledge base.

I was hoping to hear from knife makers about their transition to knife making as a vocation, and how their past experiences help them find their own Artistic language in making their knives, or how making knives has influenced the former interest. Are there watershed experiences in finding that language? Did you create a knife which opened a new door to new options in expressing your imagination? Where are there parallels between the knife making and the other?

As always, pictures and feedback are mightily appreciated!

 

[Will Leavitt]

Lorien,
I'm copying my answer from the other thread. I'm too tired to type it over again.

Speaking for myself, it's not that we're ignoring Lorien's question, I'm just having to take some time to really think about this because I think it deserves a better answer than my usual stupid, flippant remarks.

My background is a combination of my time in the Army and doing handwork. I grew up working in my godfather's hobby shop cutting giant scale model airplane kits and I flew free flight airplanes. From this I learned a love of craftsmanship and some basic "art" stuff basically "form follows function" and that "weight doesn't fly." I love curves and despise a heavy knife (unless it's a chopper where weight is a design requirement.)

My Army time (and all the time I've spent hunting) taught me a lot about using knives, MY preferences in using blades. I'm not claiming to be a ninja, death dealing spider monkey guy, I've just spent a lot of time using my knives for field craft. My time in the field has taught me to despise "crew served knives" that you see advertised as "field knives".

Post Army I've worked in the cabinet and automotive industry. Mainly applying the wood finishing techniques and love of getting things right.

As far as what is a transcendent moment in my knifemaking... I've just decided to start making the knives I want instead of what will sell. I hope what I like will strike a chord with people and they'll want to buy them, if not people around me will be getting a lot of bladed gifts

Lastly, one of the main lessons I apply in life from my football coaches and Army is that if you're willing to do what others aren't you will be a success.

 

[Lorien]

Thanks Will. It was worth reading twice:thumbup:.

 

[Will Leavitt]

Oh yeah, welcome to the Makers area Lorien..... keep your hands away from Indian George or either he or his dogs will bite you or pee on you..... fair warning!

 

[Fred.Rowe]

I have met many makers over the years and most of them have interesting stories of how they ended up making knives.
I say ended up, because that is usually what has occurred.
Engineers and jewelers, woodworkers that carve ducks; metallurgist with an obsession for sharp things; and machinist who don't like making bolts, all end up being knife makers. It amazes me the people that work within, the custom knife world.

As for me; I make knives because; one day, as I walked through the kitchen of our little trailer, my son says to me; "dad what you need is a forge" I had been making knives, for him ever since he was born, wooden ones, of course. I don't think the move to steel was that big a one. I remember that's what I thought at the time, lets see; I only have to learn metallurgy and some stuff like that.
Anyway, when your kid thinks you walk on water, there's nothing to do but go and build one. That was a learning experience.

That's how I got started making "real knives" I guess you would call them.
But I must say, some of the wooden ones I made, for my boy, were as challenging as some of the knives I make today.

I am a lifelong wood worker and cabinet maker. Stairs and and finish work were my bread and butter for 30 years. I love wood and the assembly of it.

My time as a land surveyor and draftsman led to my love of math and all that goes with the enjoyment of ratios and numbers.
Making knives is similar to designing a spiral exit ramp on a freeway. They have like shapes anyway.

I spent 16 active years in the martial arts, just finishing up this last March.
The knees finally gave out.
The weapons training was very enjoyable to me. I loved the coordinated movement between weapon and student. Studying the blades and armaments has been a rewarding pastime for me for many years.
The martial experience inspired me. I loved the time spent and the people I spent the time with.

I love to work with machines and have my entire life. Taking things apart to see how they are put together has been a passion all my life.

So, as I said in the beginning, there are people that are just supposed to be knife makers. Their life's experience has driven them there.
From the things that have happened in my life, I think I am one of those; it was my destiny.

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to share, Fred:thumbup:

 

[Lorien]

Fred, thank you for taking the time to share!
I'd love to see those wooden knives you made for your son.

And thanks Will. I'll keep my eye opened for those dogs. Seems I got someone's dogs nipping at my heels no matter where I go!

 

[ddd]

Lorien,

Dellana's story fits the definitions laid out for this Thread....
Her professional artistic career began as a jeweler.

In 1979, she started her own successful goldsmithing business.
She loved the high karat golds and other precious metals and
gemstones she worked with, not knowing there was something
missing.

Then she met the late Jim Schmidt, a master at making art knives,
especially folders. Dellana was intrigued with his beautiful Damascus
steel and the mechanisms on the custom folders.
She states that "Fortunately for me, Jim Schmidt was a very generous man,
and he kindly allowed me into his shop where he taught me the secrets of
forging Damascus steel and the intricacies of creating folder mechanisms
with few power tools".

With this knowledge, Dellana incorporated the aspects of jewelry that
she loved with the physical involvement of forging.

By 1996 she became a full time knife maker, creating folders for the
next two years. During this period she became a Voting member of the
Knifemakers Guild and a member of the American Bladesmith Society.
In June of 1999 she was voted into the Art Knife Invitational (AKI).

The text is from my book "....Custom Folding Knives" (2003)

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)

Shown here is Dellana's art folder "Gold Rush" made for
the collector and a matching gold pendant made for his wife....

 

[ddd]

Tim Hancock is another example...

Tim Hancock made a a very successful career as a pipe welder
and later as a welding engineer in the nuclear power plant construction industry.
It was in that field that he learned the high value of working within measures of
extreme precision.

In 1987, Tim was admiring an ancient Sioux Indian sheath on his
father’s mantle. It was decorated with dyed quills and beads,
and it obviously needed a knife, so Tim took on the task to make one.
“Surely,” he thought, “Any farrier worth his salt can make a knife.”

A year later he finally finished that first knife, and he realized that
constructing a knife was a bit more difficult than he first anticipated.
Always enticed by new and difficult challenges, Hancock began to
make more knives.

He learned from some of the legendary masters, notably Bill Moran
and Jim Crowell, and he applied his newly acquired knowledge with
the tenacity and eye for quality and precision that had become part
of his being.

From my book "Tim Hancock The Western Bladesmith" (2009)

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)