Bill Bagwell Knives

Thanks Doug I will get pics when it arrives

Pootsy that is just light playing off the blade
 
Last edited:
JParanee said:
Bill will not be mentioned there because he elected to drop out of the ABS so did Fikes. Don Fogg dropped out for a time also and then was reinstated but thats neither here nor there Bill will always be a founder and greatly contributed to the ABS and the tests the Smiths go thru today. At one time he was one of only 3 people making Damascus steel in the world.

Do not want to get into why Bill elected not to be associated with the ABS it is not my business.

On to the knives I just happened to get some pics of some knives Bill just finished. One is a stag and carbon bowie he did for himself and a piece he just finished for me.
Here's the first
IMG_0244_edited-1.jpg

IMG_0245_edited-1.jpg


Here is a sneak pic of the one he did for me. The knife is in the mail and I will take some good pics and post them when I have the time
BagwellBH_edited-2.jpg
Click to expand...
Nice!!! Back in earlier times, your JS or MS status could also somehow lapse. I'm not sure if that can happen today, but it also happened to Shawn Ellis. He had to quit knifemaking for a while and retested for JS rather recently.
 
that bird's head looks to be African blackwood if i'm not mistaken which is one of my favorites:cool: i can't wait to see it.
 
JParanee said:
Bill will not be mentioned there because he elected to drop out of the ABS so did Fikes. Don Fogg dropped out for a time also and then was reinstated but thats neither here nor there Bill will always be a founder and greatly contributed to the ABS and the tests the Smiths go thru today. At one time he was one of only 3 people making Damascus steel in the world.
Click to expand...

Don Fogg dropped out, and worked his way back up from the bottom....re-earning JS and MS stamps, even though they were offered without the testing requirements...he refused that, has what they call integrity.

As far a being "one of only 3 people making Damascus steel in the world", I want corraborating evidence of that Joe...it makes for a good story and tagline, but I'm pretty dubious of a claim like that.

Clean facts and less mythology is what is going to sustain us for the duration....save the campfire tales for the campfire.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
STeven my friend you know that I am a big Don Fogg fan and have the utmost respect for Mr. Fogg only reason I mentioned him and Jimmy Fikes is to bring attention that Bagwell is not the only maker that has left the ABS.

Let me rephrase my statement I can in no way know what was going on around the world but there really was no custom market in Europe at that time and the Americans kinda owned the market. From what I have gathered the last maker in Europe in recent years making Damascus blades was a maker named Paul Muller in germany who I believe under captivaty made blades for the Nazi's and he died in 54 . Moran and Bagwell where prouduceing damascus around 73 . Moran was in Aug and he exhibeted at the blade show in Kansas city. In Dec 73 Bagwell completed his first Damascus blade. Then Don Hastings about a year later. So if you know of anyone prior to 1973 that was selling newly forged damascus blades let me know. I am not talking about Wootz steel but pattern welded damascus. The only people that would really know are Moran ,Bagwell and Hastings and B.R. Hughes the writer . And sadly Moran and Hastings are dead. From my understanding the art was lost in this country until Moran reintroduced it here.
I would never start an argument with of all people you :Dbecause I know how you like to argue but this is my understanding
 
Last edited:
JParanee said:
The only people that would really know are Moran ,Bagwell and Hastings and B.R. Hughes the writer . And sadly Moran and Hastings are dead. From my understanding the art was lost in this country until Moran reintroduced it here.
I would never start an argument with of all people you :Dbecause I know how you like to argue but this is my understanding
Click to expand...

Daryl Meier states he has been producing Damascus since 1974, it MAY have been before that....there may not have been a blade steel market, but I am wondering about other tools in Europe.

I'm not refuting your claims, Joseph, but the burden of proof falls on those that make those claims....just sayin'.;)

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
STeven you know I am not inclined to make false statements. I am only going by the information and the statements that where made in the press back in that era and the commen knowledge that Moran than Bagwell introuduced Pattern Welded Damascus to the United States and possible the knife world in 73.
I understand your point about my general statement (THE WORLD) and who knows what was going on in the tool metallurgy in Europe but I will try and watch my generalizations in the future:)

I really do not want this thread to go in any other direction than the knives and hope we can get back to that.

Thanks Buddy


Edited to add the Birds Head
L1020708-1.jpg

L1020717-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Yea just gotta thank the people that did really bring the art back into what now is commonish knowledge. It is fantastic stuff and long may the skilled smiths continue in using in :).

When you get this next knife Joe? :D I'm so jealous of you; you always seem to have some knife on the way to you :D Great times
 
Looks like Bill copied my knife when he made his, he does have good taste in knives:D.
After a couple of months of carrying, coon fingering, practicing punta mandritta, punta reversa and polishing down close to the edge with no blood loss, I put my Bagwell to work. I should mention that a few weeks ago I did use it to lop off a 2-3 inch tree limb in two half hearted chops. The first thing that came to mind was those rope cutting and wood chopping pictures on the interweb and in the books are real. I quickly came to the conclusion that these type of knives are not the slip joints or 3 1/2" hunting knives I'm used to using.
Last night she comes home with a beef brisket and tells me do not screw it up. Well, after 12 hours over charcoal and a couple pieces of pecan wood for smoke, the results are in the picture. Tossed a couple of sweet potato's in the coals, chopped up a few veggies for the grill, stuffed and grilled some pears and served with ice cream for desert and all was well. One fat salad radish vanished when I tried a back cut on it, think it's under the icebox.
When it was all over, the blade had some pretty colors that almost matched Colts case hardening and I almost left it on there. But 5 minutes with a rag and Simichrome brought the steel back to new condition with no loss of blood.
A bowie is not a kitchen knife but it did the job well and I will use it again. Until then it's back to coon fingering and punta mandritta.



Brisket.jpg
 
http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12932112


Near the bottom of the page is a pic of two more beauties and it's great to read that this dude hasn't been afraid to use his and has lost about a 1/4 of an inch off the tip with some hard use. Good on him I say even though, to be honest, I am slightly afraid to use mine :s. And it is mostly because of the money it cost which in some way is a shame as you spend the extra money to get a damascus blade not just for the fact that it is one of the most beautiful things ever but also because it has a practical advantage.

Has anyone else any pics of their Bagwell in hand or in use (use evens counts as just tucked into your belt looking good cos I like to see how people carry their's too)???
 
Kohai999 said:
Daryl Meier states he has been producing Damascus since 1974, it MAY have been before that....there may not have been a blade steel market, but I am wondering about other tools in Europe.

I'm not refuting your claims, Joseph, but the burden of proof falls on those that make those claims....just sayin'.;)

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

My recollection from reading, etc, is that Bill Moran showed his first damascus blades at the 1973 Guild Show. But I digress. The more important dates are when these early masters like Moran, Bagwell, Meier and others started teaching other makers to forge damascus. That, in my opinion, was the true "shot heard around the world":D
 
Nice one Marsus I had near thought of snapping one of them up but decided to just wait and get another one of Bill in the style I wanted :D. Can't wait; this one is gonna be a user :D
 
The blade is about 11.25 inches and this is one of my favorite material possessions in the world. I have a damascus Hell's Belle on the way.

bagwell_1r.jpg


bagwell_2r.jpg


bagwell_3r.jpg


bagwell_4r.jpg


bagwell_5r.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top