Ebony cattle knife, companion piece with a twist.

ken erickson

ken erickson

Joined
Aug 27, 2004
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2,701
A year ago or so I was asked by Brad ( ptradeco) to build a cattle knife based on the Queen Dan Burke collaboration knife. I built the knife, and many members here have seen it, but what Brad also asked is if I could build a companion piece. I will post pictures first of the Cattle knife, then after Brad interjects I will post pictures of the "pick, with a twist" companion piece.



 
Thank you Todd, Brad will be along to add comments on how these two came to be. Just a hint, but the companion piece is based on my opener or "pick" .
 
This project started 2 years ago. It was originally intended to be a celebration piece commemorating 150 years of my family continuously operating a patch of land from the 1863 Homestead Act. Well, through no fault of Ken's, I did not get started in time to make the deadline. There were a number of delays beyond both Ken's and my control. I am however quite happy to now have it. While it was loosely based on the Queen Dan Burke Collaboration knife there were many other knives consulted for pieces of its construction. Ranging from a Wostenholm Exhibition Cattle knife to a Reese Bose Sowbelly to another Wostenholm knife to an old DE and to many others including a multitude of different punches and so on. It was a most enjoyable project working with Ken and a St Louis, MO artist. The steer's head was made on a 5 axis CNC router. The ebony was inlet on the same machine to make for a perfect fit. There are a number of construction changes versus the Queen knife that Ken suggested and were implemented.

The knife is not traditional Cattle knife size in weight, length, width etc. It is a massive knife with quite strong pulls. The pulls led to phase 2 of the project. I did not want a 4 blade knife but I use a pen blade routinely. The other 3 blades I had to have.

What to do…..


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Lovely work Ken :) Great stuff Brad :thumbup:
 
Thanks for the added information Brad!

Brad approached me with the idea of adding a pen blade to one of my knife "picks". I said, ummmmmm,what?? LOL . Brad went ahead and sent a few small advertising dual purpose knives for me to take a gander at. After giving the matter some thought, and drawing out a few options, consulting with Brad we finalized what I hoped would be a workable design incorporating a working pick and pen blade. I made up a working prototype, then went ahead and made one up in stag, and then this one.

Here are the results.








Brad, thanks for posting the picture of the steer's head picture in the just machined state! I have not seen that before.
 
STUNNING in both design and execution!!!

Great collaboration Ken and Brad:thumbup:
 
Now if you guys don't think that is cool……

As Ken said I approached him about making a Pick Knife. And yep, he did give me that kind sideways look:eek: I will admit right here though that my very rough idea was smoothed out into something much more pleasing than what I had envisioned. This is a great example of give me a chunk of steel, a block of wood, and just tell me what you want!

This is where we started. I think the finish line is far better!

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Over the years I have collected just about everything sharp with a point. Production and custom. I will tell you that there is no better knife experience than working one on one with a talented craftsman who can, and is willing, to bring your ideas to fruition. There are very few, first with the talent to take a drawing on a napkin if you will, and secondly with the willingness to get totally out of their comfort zone. As I said above, give me a block of steel, a chunk of wood and tell me what you want!!! Over the last few years I have become a personal friend of Ken's as well as a client. I hold the first much closer but being the second is not bad either. Thank you my friend for all you do. Not just for me but for the Traditional knife world in general.


Phase 3 is in the works with another skilled artisan as we speak. I look forward to bringing that to you upon its completion. No, not another knife but another companion piece.
 
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Thanks for the kind words Brad. I have found that the knives and projects I enjoy most are those that get me out of that comfort zone a bit.
I also really enjoyed the project from start to finish, and like you , the knives are secondary.
 
That turned out super!

I love equal ended cattle knives, and the idea for a pic/pen combo was very well executed!
 
I totally missed that Steerhead Ebony Cattle Knife! Where was I???

It is beautiful, and a nice improvement on the bone one - for starters, the Steer is headed in the right direction!! Then of course there is the quality!!

Both pieces are great - worthy of the anniversary, Brad and Ken!

Thanks both of you for showing it to us!
 
waynorth said:
for starters, the Steer is headed in the right direction!!
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I agree on the orientation of the steer head Charlie, not sure why Queen/Dan Burke decided on the way they did theirs. Maybe Brad can shed some light, did the Sheffield exhibition cattle knives with steer heads have the head orientated like the Queen/Dan Burke?
 
waynorth said:
I totally missed that Steerhead Ebony Cattle Knife! Where was I???

It is beautiful, and a nice improvement on the bone one - for starters, the Steer is headed in the right direction!! Then of course there is the quality!!

Both pieces are great - worthy of the anniversary, Brad and Ken!

Thanks both of you for showing it to us!
Click to expand...

Charlie, remember a couple of years ago when I had you send me that Queen? There was a reason;)
 
ken erickson said:
I agree on the orientation of the steer head Charlie, not sure why Queen/Dan Burke decided on the way they did theirs. Maybe Brad can shed some light, did the Sheffield exhibition cattle knives with steer heads have the head orientated like the Queen/Dan Burke?
Click to expand...

Sheffield got it wrong as well. IMHO

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Holy smokes! What a project, congrats to Brad (and Ken of course). Well done :thumbup:
 
Wow. Great collaboration, and interesting knives, process and story. Well done Ken and Brad!
 
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