- Joined
- Oct 8, 2001
- Messages
- 12,336
That's my two latest in a nutshell. Most of you guys know I did a photo shoot at the last NCCA show the week after Blade. I ran around like crazy doing photo stuff. But..... in my total of about 15 minutes inside the actual show (over the course of two days!), I managed to score a few for myself.
The first one stopped me dead in my tracks as I was handing out flyers. I have been envisioning a large see-through pivot design for a folder for a while. Along comes Dan Dugdale. Now many of you will look at this folder and say "Damn, that's a copy of Gerber's 'Chameleon'!" Well almost, but it's the other way around.
Dan patented and sold the rights to Gerber for this unique design. (I was completely unfamiliar with the Chameleon knife until he told me his story. So this REALLY piqued my interest!). But read on....
The 2 3/4" blade is D2 and the flipper action is perfectly smooth, with dead-center closing. The finger hole is smooth and FUN! It has a spring-loaded button lock, and for this model the entire knife is machined from a *single* billet of 6061 aluminum, and hard-anodized. Now, here is what really impressed me: This knife smacks of CNC programming work. Nope, nada. Dan says the entire knife was made and machined without any programming or CNC help. Just a standard milling machine, rotary table, etc. It takes him a good while to get these done.
His newer models have a two-piece frame. I didn't want them. I wanted this slick integral!
I like kooky stuff as well as the traditional, and this is sure a bit nutty!
Dan has no email or computer. Can you believe that? Another of the untold many that are NOT part of our internet world. Crazy.
*********************************
Ok, next was a thoroughly delightful fixed blade that is about as traditional as they come. Steve Skiff and his wife Kim are regulars at the small shows up in our area. Steve does folders, too. Hopefully these guys will make their way into larger venues soon.
I saw how beautiful this tapered-tang cocobola hunter was and I commented, that if it hadn't found a buyer by the end of the show, it was going home with me. Well, the next day--'come to poppa'! (The price was VERY reasonable: well less than $200) The fit and finish is flawless, and I mean FLAWLESS! Steve sends each knife home in bubble plastic wrap and inside a tidy hardboard box. These guys know quality. Again, no website that I am aware of.
(OAL 7 1/4" of 154CM) 'Skiff Made Blades ~ Handcrafted in the Adirondacks'
Both are totally Custom knives. If anyone wants more contact info give me a shout. I had a great weekend, too!
Coop
The first one stopped me dead in my tracks as I was handing out flyers. I have been envisioning a large see-through pivot design for a folder for a while. Along comes Dan Dugdale. Now many of you will look at this folder and say "Damn, that's a copy of Gerber's 'Chameleon'!" Well almost, but it's the other way around.
Dan patented and sold the rights to Gerber for this unique design. (I was completely unfamiliar with the Chameleon knife until he told me his story. So this REALLY piqued my interest!). But read on....
The 2 3/4" blade is D2 and the flipper action is perfectly smooth, with dead-center closing. The finger hole is smooth and FUN! It has a spring-loaded button lock, and for this model the entire knife is machined from a *single* billet of 6061 aluminum, and hard-anodized. Now, here is what really impressed me: This knife smacks of CNC programming work. Nope, nada. Dan says the entire knife was made and machined without any programming or CNC help. Just a standard milling machine, rotary table, etc. It takes him a good while to get these done.
His newer models have a two-piece frame. I didn't want them. I wanted this slick integral!
I like kooky stuff as well as the traditional, and this is sure a bit nutty!
Dan has no email or computer. Can you believe that? Another of the untold many that are NOT part of our internet world. Crazy.*********************************
Ok, next was a thoroughly delightful fixed blade that is about as traditional as they come. Steve Skiff and his wife Kim are regulars at the small shows up in our area. Steve does folders, too. Hopefully these guys will make their way into larger venues soon.
I saw how beautiful this tapered-tang cocobola hunter was and I commented, that if it hadn't found a buyer by the end of the show, it was going home with me. Well, the next day--'come to poppa'! (The price was VERY reasonable: well less than $200) The fit and finish is flawless, and I mean FLAWLESS! Steve sends each knife home in bubble plastic wrap and inside a tidy hardboard box. These guys know quality. Again, no website that I am aware of.
(OAL 7 1/4" of 154CM) 'Skiff Made Blades ~ Handcrafted in the Adirondacks'Both are totally Custom knives. If anyone wants more contact info give me a shout. I had a great weekend, too!
Coop
That Dugdale is awesome ! Love those scales ! ! 
:grumpy: 
