Custom Knife and Sword Makers Who Forge Their Own Damas

Joined
Jun 11, 1999
Messages
47
In his book on Bowie knives, Bill Bagwell makes the distinction that there are extremely few custom knife makers who know how to forge their own damascus steel to optimize it as a fighting knife. In other words, not very many knife makers can forge their own damascus steel into a blade with the legendary qualities of damascus steel (easy to sharpen, phenomenal edge holding, scary sharp, etc.).

What makers of knives and/or swords forge their own damascus to this quality level?

Thanks for the help.

- Anthony
 
When was Bill Bagwell's book written? This may have been the case a half dozen years ago, but now there are many bladesmiths that make very high performance damascus. Makers like Jim Crowell, Nick Wheeler, John Fitch, Jerry Fisk, Steve Filicietti, Bruce Evans, JD Smith, Daniel Winkler, Jim Walker, Jerome Anders, Josh Smith, Bill Buxton and many, many more are making damascus that can cut with the best of them.

Of course, Bill Bagwell himself fits in this category.
 
Anthony, what year was his book published? Years ago I can see how he could make a statement about there being few makers who can forge damascus; but today that is certainly not the case.

The development of the ABS and their school here in Arkansas made it possible for ANYONE (some are better than others) to learn how. There are hundreds who make there own damascus now; this # will continue to grow. Bagwell was one of the founders of the ABS.

Damascus will not perform any better than carbon steel. The edge holding capabilities and ease of sharpening is a result of the heat treating process. The scary sharp you mentioned is because of the sharpening skills of the person sharpening the knife. Anything beyond that is a fairy (tail)!:)
 
Hey Darby,

If it's the same Bagwell book I've got - "Bowies, Big Knives and the Best of Battle Blades" - then the fact that he refers to Jerry Fisk as a "relative newcomer" who will make you a hand-forged combat bowie for $295 should give you an idea of how dated some of the commentary is. (Jerry, if you're reading this I'll take a dozen at that price).

He sure does make a compelling case for the bowie as the ultimate combat blade, though.

Warning: gratuitous bowie pic coming up:

16107650-0068-025801C2-.jpg


I'm pretty confident in stating that this knife will cut and that it will cost just a bit more than $295.

Cheers,

Roger

(pic from www.fisk-knives.com
 
Roger, you might be surprised at what Fisk gets for his knives...look what he sold me this for a year or so ago.;)

You see, he sold me a hunter and I just moved it up and down in the sheath and it GREW!:confused:
 

Attachments

  • fisk camp cheap.jpg
    fisk camp cheap.jpg
    30.6 KB · Views: 93
Darby, buddy, I'd be willing to take that one of your hands and even give you a hundred bucks more than you paid for it. Can't beat that, huh? What do you say?;)
 
Keith, Keith, Keith, I couldn't do it to ya man! You see, IT'S FLAWED!:(

When the tranformation took place; the MS stamp on the hunter didn't transfer! :eek:

...it came out with NLT instead...just my luck:confused:
 
In his book on Bowie knives, Bill Bagwell makes the distinction that there are extremely few custom knife makers who know how to forge their own damascus steel to optimize it as a fighting knife. In other words, not very many knife makers can forge their own damascus steel into a blade with the legendary qualities of damascus steel (easy to sharpen, phenomenal edge holding, scary sharp, etc.).


hes right!!
and also let me sel u some beach fron property here in tennessee
harley
www.lonesomepineknives.com
 
Back
Top