Brut de forge finished

Raymond Richard

Raymond Richard

Joined
Jun 17, 2001
Messages
5,705
Here's a photo of the finished knife out of the old Nash/Metro leaf spring. Wrought iron and curly maple make up the rest. Blade is 8 3/4", overall its 14". At first I wasn't going to grind the spine but since I put my mark there I went ahead and ground it. While I was in the process of doing that I noticed a little bit of a clip so I enhanced that more and ended up grinding a false edge. Not quite what I had in mind from the start but thats how I do most my knives anyway.


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Underneath that raw, earthy look is subdued excellence. And since I can read knife "body language," I'm telling you that knife yearns for a camp to manage and an elk to butcher.

I confess I avoided your past threads because I detested antler crown handles. Guess I've seen too many junk knives with such. On a slow thread day I clicked on one of your threads out of boredom and gave an honest look. What I saw turned my head and seduced me, kinda like Mary Ann did 48 years ago when I was a junior in HS, struggling with zits and elevated testosterone. Pretty soon I'm going to see you about one of those little Wagontrains . . . with a mule deer crown handle!

Ken
 
Turned out nice, Ray... But what happened? Leave it out in the rain and forget to oil it???? :confused::(


:D While not a real fan of overly rustic, I really like this one! :thumbup:
The way the grind on the top contrasts with the raw sides of the blade really sets this piece up, especially w/t iron guard/cap and maple handle!!!

Is it gonna be at Eugene with ya???? Would like to really see that one!

Happy Hammerin'!
 
joeshredd said:
Turned out nice, Ray... But what happened? Leave it out in the rain and forget to oil it???? :confused::(


:D While not a real fan of overly rustic, I really like this one! :thumbup:
The way the grind on the top contrasts with the raw sides of the blade really sets this piece up, especially w/t iron guard/cap and maple handle!!!

Is it gonna be at Eugene with ya???? Would like to really see that one!

Happy Hammerin'!
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Joe, I'm sure the old leaf springs saw their fare share of rain in there day. Actually thats was the way it was suppose to look. The rustic look appeals to very few I guess. I'm bringing a boat load to Eugene. I'm really looking forward to this show.

Ken, I've been trying to get in touch with you. Check your email, please.
 
Raymond Richard said:
The rustic look appeals to very few I guess. I'm bringing a boat load to Eugene. I'm really looking forward to this show.
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It is hard to be a working artist....you always HAVE to balance what you WANT to do with the NEED to keep food on the table. If your style, name, or technique has a healthy & vibrant following, the limits allow you much room to explore, but if you are NOT a "name", or have a devout following or demand...it makes it harder to "stretch" unless you live VERY simply.

I never found the attendance at Eugene to be overwhelming, myself....may come up this year, may not, have not decided yet.....Dennis is determined to keep it a "family-friendly, whatever goes cut" sort of affair, which I have publicly declared for over two years is as wrongheaded as it can get...

If 5,000 walk through the door in the course of the weekend, there are LESS than 250 SERIOUS buyers at that show(and am probably being generous here)....of which, perhaps 50 may be motivated to purchase a "rustic" knife, and may have the means to do it, which means you are making knives for perhaps 1% of the market provided to you, at that venue.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Ray, although the rustic look doesn't appeal to everyone, you should do what makes you happy.

I really like the shape and visual feel of the rough (top) piece.
 
I didn't mean it in a negative slant... I like the way Burt Foster can leave some rough stuff, and there are several other makers I could point out that leave a rough quality to some of the blade... I'm just kidding Ray a bit... I've got a small pack-axe from him and another great little blade I picked up in Eugene a few years ago, when I first really met Ray. And I've watched several of his one-man forging demos - He does seem to have developed a look that one could readily attribute to one maker - Him!

In this case, with the clean swedge/clip treatment, the rustic iron guard/buttcap and the rough textured sides of the blade, it actually creates something that I think really stands out. Ray accuses me of being a ABS junkie, to which I readily admit :D , but my collection goes with what I like, and some of Ray's stuff really appeals to me! :cool:

As to Kohai999's statement... well, I've been going to Eugene for better than 9 years now, and I have watched the receding numbers of custom makers that go to the show... I've heard reasons offered as to why, from both makers and customers, and read a few opinions from the staff that throw the shindig, but this show still has the potential to be big, regardless of how things are percieved... I just think it would be great if more of the fantastic makers from the Northwest region would try and come back and maybe even work together to show some influence in how the show goes. I know it probably wouldn't be easy, but the history and location seem to keep a lot of people coming back time and again to attend this show. And since there aren't any regional alternatives, at least until later in the year at Blade West, the OKCA show is about the best big show around these parts... But this might all be better in another thread rather than hijacking Ray's!!! :(

Well, I guess that's my .02 cents worth... STeven, hope you do get to make it - it'd be great to run into you again!

Ray, see ya there! :D
 
Ray, I also agree with Steven, if you're making a living at this, there has to be a balance between making what you want and making what sells.
 
Kohai999 said:
It is hard to be a working artist....you always HAVE to balance what you WANT to do with the NEED to keep food on the table. If your style, name, or technique has a healthy & vibrant following, the limits allow you much room to explore, but if you are NOT a "name", or have a devout following or demand...it makes it harder to "stretch" unless you live VERY simply.

I never found the attendance at Eugene to be overwhelming, myself....may come up this year, may not, have not decided yet.....Dennis is determined to keep it a "family-friendly, whatever goes cut" sort of affair, which I have publicly declared for over two years is as wrongheaded as it can get...

If 5,000 walk through the door in the course of the weekend, there are LESS than 250 SERIOUS buyers at that show(and am probably being generous here)....of which, perhaps 50 may be motivated to purchase a "rustic" knife, and may have the means to do it, which means you are making knives for perhaps 1% of the market provided to you, at that venue.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Steve, when I said boat load I meant knives, my style but just two with the forge finish. If your referring to all my knives as being rustic then thats what I'll be bringing. I make for the 1%, some buy and some don't. I enjoy doing the style I've been working on and I'll stay with it.

As for the Oregon Show I'm not involved with the politics of it. I find it to be a good show for me and one of the more dependable shows for my knife sales. I do hope you come. I had them do the Japanese Sword thing just for you. :D Do come by my table H08. I'm going to do another glass blowing demonstration...... :D
 
Raymond Richard said:
Steve, when I said boat load I meant knives, my style but just two with the forge finish. If your referring to all my knives as being rustic then thats what I'll be bringing. I make for the 1%, some buy and some don't. I enjoy doing the style I've been working on and I'll stay with it.

As for the Oregon Show I'm not involved with the politics of it. I find it to be a good show for me and one of the more dependable shows for my knife sales. I do hope you come. I had them do the Japanese Sword thing just for you. :D Do come by my table H08. I'm going to do another glass blowing demonstration...... :D
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Ray, I thought you meant you would be bringing a bunch of the "rustic" knives..myself, and most everyone I know, likes your "normal" stuff, but you knew that......my bad.

One of my sempai, Robin Ramirez, will be doing some very cool demo there, I think...as for attenging, it all depends upon what my business partner wants to do......:rolleyes:

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Steve, I'm down to one grinding belt. I hope to get a re supply at the show. These forge finished blades are just mainly for me to do something different. I make knives almost everyday of the week and some are for my fun. Still hope you make it and if not there at Blade West. I sure hope the new location is a good move. I've got a blade in the oven I need to take out. Another one for fun.........
 
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