character and integrity of a maker

NickWheeler

NickWheeler

Joined
Dec 3, 1999
Messages
9,437
I just wanted to take a moment to thank all the accomplished makers on this site for all of their help and encouragement.

Everyone that I have queried by email has always been fast to respond and very open and willing to help (let alone the onslought of help here in the forum).

One man in particular that I would like to bring attention to is Jerry Hossom. I was fortunate enough to speak to Jerry on the phone yesterday and you couldn't ask for a nicer maker to get in touch with. I fired off 10 times the amount of questions I had planned, yet Jerry cordially answered them all. He is truly a stand-up guy.

So may it be a point of the argument for the custom made knife that the character and integrity of the man or woman that made such a knife is delivered in each one, something that a production knife simply cannot offer.

Just my 2 cents.
Nick

ps- As a side note, I should mention that one should always respect the time and attention of a knifemaker if seeking help...mind your please and thank you's, their time is precious.

[This message has been edited by NickWheeler (edited 06-08-2000).]
 
I can second your sentiment about Jerry Hossom.
I have enjoyed working with him in getting the kinks out of my design and the endresult as it came from his shop to my hands is worth every penny and then some!
A very patient gentleman, but I fear I may have used up his patience with my design
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Never again, huh Jerry?
But what if I want another one???
Bwwwwaaaaahhaaaaha!!!

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Regards
Joshua "Kage" Calvert

"Move like Water, strike like Thunder..."
 
I have never met Jerry but after visiting his web site and his replys to all the post I feel like I kinda know him. He would be the kind of guy you wish you lived next door to.
How about it Jerry, Any realestate for sale next door
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Jonesy
 
Thanks Guys, glad to help. I think you'll find that most makers are happy to help. It's a whole lot more fun telling you what we know than toiling away in the shop on the things we're still learning.

Don't encourage him C.L....
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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
 
I know that I set up an open ended one here for Tom, but it's all good, I could use a good laugh. But Tom's definitely one of those that's helped me out, and as synical as he may get about "the swamp" I'm sure he would agree on Jerry being a great guy.

But, I didn't say any of that to kiss up or cause an uproar of oncoming jokes, I said it because I meant it and I wanted it to be read.

Like Jerry and I spoke about, knifemaking is one of the few occupations/hobbies/interests that the people behind it will actually help the guy next to them. That's a great thing.

Again, my hat is off to all of you for your help and time.

Nick
 
wow..this would be the perfect opportunity for me to say.....Jerry is a great guy. you guys better bookmark this post cause im not saying it again......
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http://www.mayoknives.com




[This message has been edited by tom mayo (edited 06-08-2000).]
 
I have to stick this in here....when i first started making knives I heard that Glenn Hornby had great prices on belts and a few other things so I started ordering from him, with the side benefit of getting to ask him 3 million questions every time I called him up...I was the only knifemaker in Hawaii at that time.....one thing led to another, and he invited me to come stay at his house for 2 weeks while HE WAS ON VACATION to make knives for the Anaheim show (Glenn was on the LAPD)...He showed me more in two weeks than I could have figured out in two years.. and we became best of friends for many years, until at the age of 48 his heart stopped in the middle of the afternoon while he was taking a nap...a few months before he was going to retire and move up to volcano with sorenburger and a host of other knife makers who live in that area.....Today I went to a good friends moms funeral....she passed out after a walk (fainted really) and hit her head so hard she died...Lets learn to be kind and be thankful....we only have today..theres no promise of tommorrow...and Jerry really is a great guy, no matter what i say about him.....aloha.

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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
Let me jump on the bandwagon & say that Jerry Hossom is a gracious & honorable gentleman. He's great to talk to & to be honest, I've dealt with very few people like him in my life. His knives are great too
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.

Doug

[This message has been edited by Hart (edited 06-09-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Hart (edited 06-09-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Hart (edited 06-09-2000).]
 
Tom's right. While I have to confess that all these good words are pretty special, and I am grateful for the compliments, there is a broader issue that is what Nick was alluding to in this thread. This community, that of custom knifemakers, is pretty special, maybe totally unique. We have all learned from others and those who helped us forever mark our blades. There is a little of D'Holder in most of mine, some Glen Hornby in Tom's, and so it goes.

When I was asked for some help on how to mount bolsters, what I shared was not my knowledge, but a legacy. It was passed on to me by D', and by me to others, to in turn be shared with makers still unknown. We are a brotherhood, and each generation in it is responsible for the next. Tom just yesterday shared some Talonite tidbits with me. Next year, I'll probably pass that on and get credit for Tom's hard work. Tom probably got some of it from Rob Simonich, and so it goes.

What I have really learned is this. Those who are the very finest of our kind, are those who share their wisdom with others. Bob Engnath was such a person, as was Glen. Visit Don Fogg's site, and you'll wonder how he has time to make knives with all the work he does to share what he knows. How many have learned everything they know from Kit and Darrel? On and on... What we share is an obligation, the price of what you learn is a commitment to maintain the legacy. Please do.



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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
 
AMEN-Jerry

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Scott Jones
Heck yea I invented it ...What is it???
I only do what the voices in my wifes head tell me to do.
It's kinda like hangin, you never get used to it.
 
This forum is the best, in my opinion, on the internet for information concerning how to do certain things, where to obtain certain materials and whatnot. Everyone is very, very helpful. One thing it can not do is to actually "show" you/me how to do cetain things. Many things are learned "hands on", by trial and error or just figuring something out. I have the luxury of being able to discuss firsthand different problems I have with a mastersmith in the area. I have been challenged to improve my work and it has been a good thing.
I have put my "nose to the grindstone" and I am more focused.
A mirror finish no longer impresses me, but a nice grind with even uniform lines, now that impresses me. I have a totally different outlook.
In everything we do, we go through different phases. I use to think I knew something about making knives......still learning and got a long way to go.

C Wilkins
 
Knifemakers are indeed a special and unique group of people. I cannot imagine I would have made as much progress in my knifemaking as I have without the help of everyone in this forum. THANKS TO ALL.

Marcel
 
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