- Joined
- Mar 14, 2001
- Messages
- 20
I just returned from visiting one of the premier knife makers in this country IMO...Bob Dozier. I spent 5 days in his shop watching he and his stepson Daniel make knives. To say that I was impressed would certainly be an understatement to the exstreme.I have known Bob for sometime and have visited with him and worked with he and his wonderful wife Linda at several knife shows before. This was the first time that I was doing some hands on knife making with one of the masters. Knife making in IMO if done correctly is not easy! I have seen a knife started and followed it until it's completion and the conclusion that I arrived at is this, HE DOES NOT CHARGE ENOUGH FOR HIS WORK!!!!! If this statement is upsetting to some then so be it! I only thought i had a concept of the work involved in making a knife.....I WAS WRONG! The process involved is one of forethought and patience and if you are a knife maker you know what I mean.
I have never seen anyone "grind" a blade like Bob before.....he is a "machine" and as close to a robot as it gets. He has worked for years to get to this point. His shop has more tools and machines than I have seen in my life.....most are handmade and re-built by Bob and I think he has 16 drill presses and upright grinders and buffers everywhere you turn and that is not to mention the 3 or 4 surface grinders he has. He showed me his heat treating process and how he draws the blade back after that. His Rockwell tester was also neat to see how it worked and he explained as much to me about what he knew tha he felt I could comprehend. My head spun like a top for the entire week! I was able to completely finish two knives....when I asked Bob what he thought about them he simply replied "That's the ugliest knife I have ever seen" and we both busted out laughing. I was honored to have been invited to his shop and was even happier to spend time on a personal level with both he and Linda as they are fine people. It wasn't all work and no play....although he works you long hours and he usually stops around 8:30-9:00 PM and begins work at 7:00 AM. He made Daniel and I breakfast every morning and he cooked some pinto beans in the shop one afternoon and they were the best I ever ate...he is also a good cook as well. We even got up very early Sunday morning and went fishing! That's right,fishing! We caught about 25 bream in just a short time and had a blast to boot...Bob drove the boat and even cleaned the fish...with a Dozier filet knife nontheless! All in all it was a wonderful trip that past much to soon and I am eagerly awaiting the chance to return.
Bob will be hard at until late summer with the Blade and Guild shows quickly approaching. He is a "workaholic" as far as I can see and it shows in his knives. Bob says his knives ain't fancy but they work. I feel differently about them though now,for I have seen the process and will tell you that there are knifemakers and then ther are knifemakers. Bob Dozier is a knifemaker! End of story almost. I had the great pleasure to see and feel some of the knives he was making in the late 60's early 70's. They were breath taking and inspiring and his fixed blade hunters were every bit as good as anything Loveless ever made and yes you can quote me on that! I'm talking ivory,stag,micarta, you name it. Small hunters to large Bowies...he made them and they were awsome! Am I honored to have been a part of Dozier Knives for a week? You bet! I am even more honored to call Bob Dozier my friend!
I have never seen anyone "grind" a blade like Bob before.....he is a "machine" and as close to a robot as it gets. He has worked for years to get to this point. His shop has more tools and machines than I have seen in my life.....most are handmade and re-built by Bob and I think he has 16 drill presses and upright grinders and buffers everywhere you turn and that is not to mention the 3 or 4 surface grinders he has. He showed me his heat treating process and how he draws the blade back after that. His Rockwell tester was also neat to see how it worked and he explained as much to me about what he knew tha he felt I could comprehend. My head spun like a top for the entire week! I was able to completely finish two knives....when I asked Bob what he thought about them he simply replied "That's the ugliest knife I have ever seen" and we both busted out laughing. I was honored to have been invited to his shop and was even happier to spend time on a personal level with both he and Linda as they are fine people. It wasn't all work and no play....although he works you long hours and he usually stops around 8:30-9:00 PM and begins work at 7:00 AM. He made Daniel and I breakfast every morning and he cooked some pinto beans in the shop one afternoon and they were the best I ever ate...he is also a good cook as well. We even got up very early Sunday morning and went fishing! That's right,fishing! We caught about 25 bream in just a short time and had a blast to boot...Bob drove the boat and even cleaned the fish...with a Dozier filet knife nontheless! All in all it was a wonderful trip that past much to soon and I am eagerly awaiting the chance to return.
Bob will be hard at until late summer with the Blade and Guild shows quickly approaching. He is a "workaholic" as far as I can see and it shows in his knives. Bob says his knives ain't fancy but they work. I feel differently about them though now,for I have seen the process and will tell you that there are knifemakers and then ther are knifemakers. Bob Dozier is a knifemaker! End of story almost. I had the great pleasure to see and feel some of the knives he was making in the late 60's early 70's. They were breath taking and inspiring and his fixed blade hunters were every bit as good as anything Loveless ever made and yes you can quote me on that! I'm talking ivory,stag,micarta, you name it. Small hunters to large Bowies...he made them and they were awsome! Am I honored to have been a part of Dozier Knives for a week? You bet! I am even more honored to call Bob Dozier my friend!
