Ed's table: Blade 2009

Though I have heard Ed has a 7 year waiting to he's no longer taking orders, he always has an outstanding line-up at Blade.

Really like his little leather prices tags.
 
"THE Wyoming Bladesmith"???
Um, there are others... Jim Rodebaugh (MS) sticks out in my head. There are a few others. Then there is a nice NonSmith that hopes to make more knives.
 
That's one heck of a table/line-up.
Thanks.

WyoNonSmith said:
"THE Wyoming Bladesmith"???
Um, there are others... Jim Rodebaugh (MS) sticks out in my head. There are a few others. Then there is a nice NonSmith that hopes to make more knives.
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Why not?
Ed Caffrey, (whom I consider a friend, as well as Ed Fowler) calls himself "The Montana Bladesmith": http://www.caffreyknives.net/index.html though there are deffinitely other bladesmiths in Montana.

I think I'm gonna be "The Illinois Bladesmith".
 
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2knife said:
Kevin,
Yeah, those are neat, aren't they.. He's been doing it that way since before i ever knew him.. he uses lacing tape, (same as for the sheath stitching) to hang those little tags. - I notice the little stuff- he used squared leather tags at the Blade in 2002, but these didn't look as nice, and went back to round ones.

One thing i find interesting looking at his knives, directly off the table- sometimes knives are hand sharpened, which isn't as "perfect"/mint as what you might expect offered from a MS knifemaker, or a vast majority of others, striving for "best of show" . Ed's style is not one which depends on exact precision of form. His form is more organic/natural, guided by the horn and feel. In every way the knives are beautiful. He has a feel for it - more than for what is guided by absolute symmetry. I do not think he would ever call himself a strict perfectionist, the beauty of his art (as i see) rests in his experimentation/freedom of form, and that he studies the way a knife works, and can work in all its possibilities being held, and used. This is where he is different than most, as artist. You will, looking back over two decades find a continual process, of change, different shapes and forms, in every manner of proportion. And similarity- absolute similarity of materials is the constant thread throughout. In most every other way, guided by his own imagination.

You might have a carbon spot, or freckles here and there., on a "mint knife".. don't let it disappoint, usually it is the way you should expect things to be w/ Ed's knives.

The Camp knife i just bought was hand sharpened i believe, has some carbon spots/freckles, at ricasso area- which i think looks good on it. Blade has the most graceful (profile) shape and convex flow to the grind, Very subtle in curves. A perfect match for another Bowie i have from Ed.

..i guess i'Ve gone on enough.. :)
David
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My preference is for a knife that's near perfection from an aesthetic prospective yet still performs with the best there is. I don't feel you have to sacrifice one for the other.
 
What do you mean by "hand sharpened" David? Are you talking about sharpening a knife by hand on a stone? I would have thought this a fairly common practice and one not given to visible imperfections as a consequence. But if you're referring to something else, let me know.

Roger
 
What is this "simple one step treatment" that you are talking about now? And what is you basis for suggesting that it represents the status quo?

Roger
 
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2knife said:
Kevin,
Yes, i can respect that. However, sometimes a maker focuses on one thing and loses sight of another.. And I guess there are those that might do both, equally well. But, those who don't too.

Quality of knives fit-finish has gone way up, over the last years i'm sure. Knives judged with a "machinists eye".

By the way, tell me what you thought of that camp knife i handed you, its in the photo under the large Bowie. (Want to hear your honest first impression of it.) ..you seemed to like it, and the quality of the sheath.
David
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Actually, my comment wasn't really addressing Ed's knives but more that your comments echoed what I have been hearing lately from some collectors regarding having to sacrifice fit/finish/aesthetics in +$2,000 knives to get performance and or a certain feel or balance.

Comments like; well it's a little rough, but nothing feels in hand or handles like a xxx knife. Or, well fit/finish might not be what it use to be but it's still made by xxx and is worth $xxx.

I'm just saying a collector doesn't have to sacrifice much of anything in the
+$2,000 range of custom knives, or far less than that for that matter. There's makers out there who deliver it all.

I visit Ed's table each year at Blade and have always been impressed with his knives. I especially liked the big fighter which was stolen last year. I didn't go by his table this year as I had the pleasure of examining your piece and I did like it.
 
The one thing I wish Ed would do is to use other materials for his guards, but I guess when you have a winning formula, why change?
 
I like Ed's knives and he is definately a character. I like his convex edges but I also wish he would use different guard and handle material. I think what you mean by the scuffs from sharpening are what you get when you rock the blade on a stone to sharpen a convex edge. I used to get this then STeven turned me on to a leather wheel and compound. Then I give them a wick on a Jewel stix to get a toothy edge and I have had great results with this method. I will give it a light pass on the jewel stix and then back drag it on the oposite side to line the burr up.
 
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