Bob Loveless - 41 Individual Knives + Collage

Cory Martin Imaging

Cory Martin Imaging

Joined
Jun 24, 2012
Messages
82
Just finished up this extensive project for knife maker Dr. David Taber (www.drtknives.com) and his collection of Bob Loveless knives. Here's the knife photos:

Knife #1
Model: Battle Knife
Blade Length: 7[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)
[/SUP]
Knife #2
Model: Sub-Hilt Fighter
Blade Length: 8"[SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]

Knife #3
Model: Utility
Blade Length: 5"[SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #4
Model: Sub-Hilt Fighter
Blade Length: 7[SUP]1/4"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #5
Model: Boot Knife
Blade Length: 4[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #6
Model: Gut-Hook Skinner
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #7
Model: Straight Hunter
Blade Length: 3[SUP]7/8"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #8
Model: Delaware Hunter
Blade Length: 4"[SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #9
Model: Drop Point Hunter
Blade Length: 3[SUP]3/4"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #10
Model: Fighter
Blade Length: 5[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #11
Model: Chute
Blade Length: 4[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)
[/SUP]
Knife #12
Model: Drop Point Hunter
Blade Length: 3[SUP]3/4"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #13
Model (Top): Straight Hunter
Model (Bottom): Semi-Skinner
Blade Length: 3[SUP]7/8"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #14
Model: Straight Hunter
Blade Length: 3[SUP]7/8"[/SUP][SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #15
Model: Bowie
Blade Length: 6[SUP]1/2"[/SUP][SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #16
Model: Semi-Skinner
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/4"[/SUP][SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)
[/SUP]

Knife #17
Model: Nessmuk
Blade Length: 4"[SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #18
Model: Chute
Blade Length: 4[SUP]1/2"[/SUP][SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #19
Model: Fighter
Blade Length: 5[SUP]1/2"[/SUP][SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #20
Model: Fighter
Blade Length: 7"[SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #21
Model: Semi-Skinner
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #22
Model: Semi-Skinner
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #23
Model: Fighter
Blade Length: 6"[SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #24
Model: Wood / Loveless Folder
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/4"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #25
Model: Drop Point Hunter
Blade Length: 3[SUP]3/4"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #26
Model: Stretched Hunter
Blade Length: 6"[SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #27
Model: Drop Point Hunter
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #28
Model: Nessmuk
Blade Length: 4"[SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #29
Model: Semi-Skinner
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #30
Model: Stiffhorn
Blade Length: 3"[SUP]

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #31
Model: Drop Point Hunter
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #32
Model: Utility
Blade Length: 3[SUP]3/4"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #33
Model: Drop Point Hunter
Blade Length: 3[SUP]3/4"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #34
Model: Hunter
Blade Length: 4[SUP]1/4"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #35
Model: Drop Point Hunter
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #36
Model: Utility
Blade Length: 4[SUP]1/4"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #37
Model: Utility
Blade Length: 3[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #38
Model: Skinner
Blade Length: 4[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #39
Model: Dagger
Blade Length: 5[SUP]1/2"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]


Knife #40
Model: Boot Knife with Sheep Horn. SUPER RARE with skull cracker.
Blade Length: 3[SUP]7/8"

(click on the image for hi-res version)[/SUP]



And here's the collage...

(click on the image for the hi-res version...IT'S HUGE SO IT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO DOWNLOAD)



 
Last edited:
Oh . My . Goodness .
Now THOSE are grails. I know on a lot of threads the term "Grail" gets thrown around a lot (and for some puzzling reason usually pertaining to a common production knife).
These truly are GRAILS, in every sense of the word. Every single one is a beautifully made custom knife created by a master craftsman who is no longer with us. Ohhhh man, I haven't smoked in over half a year, but I think I need a cigarette. Sincerely, Thank you so much for posting these excellent photos of these beautiful works of art. :thumbup:
 
AntDog said:
Oh . My . Goodness .
Now THOSE are grails. I know on a lot of threads the term "Grail" gets thrown around a lot (and for some puzzling reason usually pertaining to a common production knife).
These truly are GRAILS, in every sense of the word. Every single one is a beautifully made custom knife created by a master craftsman who is no longer with us. Ohhhh man, I haven't smoked in over half a year, but I think I need a cigarette. Sincerely, Thank you so much for posting these excellent photos of these beautiful works of art. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Geez AntDog, I never thought posting these pics would make somebody restart an old habit they're still trying to kick :eek:, but thank you for the kind words. I purposely didn't ask the value of any of them during photography because I would have probably been a nervous wreck if I had known.
 
What well done documentation of a jaw dropping collection. Dr Taber has some real gems, I wish him luck with his sales/trades.
 
Another doctor with a ridiculous single maker collection from one of the true pioneers of the art form coming up for auction!!!! What are the odds? WOW!!!!!
 
Hi Cory,

IMO....be way better if you put the actual names of all the Loveless knives that you have shown, rather than....say....Knife 15.

I had a heck of a time pulling up a photo example of a Loveless "Battle Knife" from the web that was an accurate image recently, if more photographers do this, we will have a greater base of images to draw from and communicate accurately.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Last edited:
Great documentation, Cory, of and amazing collection!

I agree with Steven, so if you have the time to spare, adding the names
to each knife will certainly make this a valuable reference document!

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
Amazing pics of an amazing collection. They are all very desirable but those old ones are truly something special. Thanks for posting these.
 
The number 5 "Double Nude" chute knife is my definite favorite!....but any one of them would be a masterpiece to own.
 
Thanks Cory, just letting us see them is a supreme treat! Excellent clean work, artistic, but also supremely functional shots. The combo picture would make a great poster. Can you give some details on how you did it?
 
Cory, thanks for making the effort to share the knives and your work with us.
Quite an array of Loveless knives there, including some unique and limited production pieces.
Any one else they to name the models?
 
That's a great line-up of Loveless knives.

My favorite is #15 the old Bowie Fighting Knife.

Thanks for posting them all.
 
Grazie!
A really beautiful collection, I see here some of rarest knives in Loveless story.
 
brownshoe said:
Thanks Cory, just letting us see them is a supreme treat! Excellent clean work, artistic, but also supremely functional shots. The combo picture would make a great poster. Can you give some details on how you did it?
Click to expand...

To start with I had to cut out each knife from it's image and bring it over to my collage as an individual layer. I scaled everything off of the "Big Bear" so the knives look pretty close to realistic-size in comparison to each other. I went through a few different layouts but the early ones were all rows of 10 arranged in a sort of box or diamond shape. I knew I wanted to tie in his name and signature and I needed more room than my original layouts were giving me.

I created an oval shaped layer in Photoshop and added the "Stroke" (found in layer blending properties) which is basically a colored border around the layer. This red colored border gives me a hard line to go off of and a good contrast against the blade tips so I can see if I'm over the line or not. I moved that oval into the center of my image and began the tedious process of arranging the knives one at a time to various points along the top and bottom arcs. I then added drop shadows to each knife and if you look closely, all the shadows don't angle exactly the same way...as the knives fan out, the shadow moves accordingly to give the appearance that they are either closer or farther from the "source" light. That oval is then deleted because it's served it's purpose...

Next I went to the Bob Loveless website, did a screen shot of his signature at the top and blew it up to the size I needed. When you enlarge something from a few hundred pixels to over 8,000, things tend to be not how you want them (fuzzy edges, gaps in the signature, etc.). I then had to literally go over his entire signature by hand using my pen/stylus tool to make all the edges sharp and crisp.

Once the signature and lettering was done, there were tons of minor tweaks and adjustments I made to make sure everything was how I wanted it.

All added up, for all the individual images, plus the collage, I have probably 150-200 hours invested, I think...maybe more...probably more...DEFINITELY more. The Photoshop file is over 600MB...it's by far the largest file I've ever worked with.

I'm working on getting all the names figured out, just waiting for some experts to get back to me.
 
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