Don Hanson III Picture Gallery

[Megalobyte]

Well, I figured I'd start this one off, since I happen to have a Hanson Gallery webpage I recently finished, rather than waste bandwidth, it's much better if you just go to the page by clicking on the link below.

http://www.thefossilgallery.com/hansongallery

I would love if others would also add pics of Don's work to this thread, as I only have pics of 8 of his knives, and I'd be very interested in seeing more. Remember, they don't have to be your knives, a few of the ones on my page are no longer mine. When I have more time, I'll search through old threads and see if I can find more pics that people have posted and we can consolidate them all into this one thread, which I think is the purpose of these maker's gallery threads.

 

[Megalobyte]

Nobody has any Hanson pics they want to post?

OK, let me get the ball rolling, again.

Here's a big bowie that won Best Fixed Blade at the most recent CHicago show.

Here's an awesome 12 1/2" bowie that I wish were mine.

Very sweet stag and damascus fighter...

Incredibly elegant black pearl folder.

Another one...

Amazing dagger folder, check out that ivory!

OMG!

OK, come on guys, I know there are Hanson fans out there, don't make me come to your house...

 

[Megalobyte]

Mo' Hansons...

If this 3.75" auto doesn;t impress you, you're probably dead.

I don't know how Don makes stuff like this, but, he does. I can barely make a sandwich...

Talk about ivory with character.

One of Don's classic Sunfish knives, with ivory that can makje you cry, unless you own it, which I don't.

Another large, 4" auto, with amazing walrus ivory.

I'll end with one of my Hansons, it's on my Hanson Gallery page, but it doesn't hurt to get it into the BF gallery. 3.75" dagger blade, forged W1 with dripping double Hamon, oriented damascus bolsters and the richest navy blue walrus ivory I have ever seen, an amazing folder.

 

[2knife]

Nice work and beautiful knives.. You did a great job. Some of those big knives are giants! Very artistic. Great style. Can you give us a little history on Don Hanson for those who aren't familiar... when he began.. and so on.
Thanks,
David

 

[Megalobyte]

Hi David, thanks, I did my best, I suppose Don deserves some credit too.

I'm not that familiar with Don's history, I do know he was born Donna Hanson, a woman, and through the miracles of modern science she... Oops, never mind. Seriously, maybe Don(na) could post a short bio, that might be a good idea for any of the maker's gallery threads.

You're right, Don has been making some very large, and stylish bowies recently, I can tell you from owning a few, the style, materials and workmanship is truly second to none, many Mastersmiths IMO aren't even close to Don, just goes to show you, you don't need special initials after your name to make some of the worlds finest forged blades.

As a fan of big bowies, I really like that Don isn't afraid to push the size envelope and make some very big knives, and big as they are, the quality never suffers, nor do they ever lack style or grace.

Here is a gigantic 13 1/4" bowie I picked up from Don recently, and big as it is, the F&F is literally flawless. This may be my all time favorite bowie from any maker. The massive handle is a fossil walrus ivory artifact that was once fashioned and used by ancient man as a cutting tool, it was altered only slightly, and retains it's basic original shape, and even the "scars" put there by the primitive man who made and used it. The massive damascus blade is razor sharp, diff. tempered, and 350 layers of a random pattern from the spine, that transitions into a tight ladder towards the edge, when the light hits the blade, the ladder pattern just shimmers. It feels more like a sword in the hand. I am very fortunate to have it.

 

[RogerP]

It seems that bowie heaven and folder heave are at the same address: Don's shop.

Roger

 

[Stephen F]

Don is an incredibly talented maker - I am a forged bowie guy through and through , but he has played a part in my all time favourite folder:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=332667&highlight=hanson+coop

The 13+ inch Blade damascus Bowie of Ari's is simply incredible. He is on my must have list. Thanks for the images Ari!


Stephen

 

[RAN]

Don makes it look easy..few(if any) can do a delicate folder and a Big bowie with that much finess and grace..Ari is curating the definitve Hanson Catalog.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Thanks for your comments guys but I'll have to say, you can't believe everything Ari has to say Thanks Ari for taking the time to post all the pics and for the great work on the gallery page. As for a bio, instead of rewriting it here, I have a fairly detailed one on my web site sunfishforge.com I hope it's not to much trouble to take a look there. Thanks for lookin and let me know if ya'll need anything.

Don Hanson lll

 

[John R. Fraps]

I know you are talking about and showing Don's incredible work, but also want you to know Don is just as nice a fellow knifemaker as he is skilled at making knives.
I met Don at the first Chicago Show. Mentioned that some of the prettiest black lip pearl I had was pretty thin but wanted to use it....but was concerned about countersinking the pearl with a normal countersink without chipping the hole. Don offered suggestions about how he did that....made real good sense. He a great example of why this craft we all practice is so nice to participate in.

 

[Megalobyte]

Well, let's revive and add to the Hanson Picture Thread I started a while back, and get Peter's new Hanson bowie in here.


10.5" forged blade with a vivid Hamon/temper line for the purists.

Heat colored steel fittings and a sculpted elephant ivory handle, this was one of the knives Don earned his JS stamp with recently.

 

[Joss]

That latest knife might be my fav' of all.

 

[Jose Reyes]

Wow, I love that first fighter but that huge Bowie is my favorite. The belly on the blade really grabs my eye but the artifact handle material just takes it over the top. Terrific artwork, congrats.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Thought I would post a couple of photos before this thread goes away.
Thanks for digging this up Ari.

Don Hanson lll

 

[Don Hanson III]

I should throw a folder in here

 

[Joss]

I love that big Med' bowie too.

 

[RAN]

Hey Don is the main blade on the doctors knife a liner or slip...cool

 

[Burchtree]

Keep 'em coming if you got them. I can never get enough of Don's work.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Hey Don is the main blade on the doctors knife a liner or slip...cool

Hi Riad, both blades on the Dr's knfe are linerlocks, I wanted to do this one in a slipjoint but the guy that ordered it wanted it this way.

Thanks, Don

 

[ptgdvc]

Here is an other one of Don's JS test knives, an intergal Bowie. My appologies for the mediocre photo.