I've been searching for quite some time now via the internet for some information concerning a knifemaker of days gone by, and have been unable to find anything. Perhaps someone in this forum could aid me. Here goes:
A LONG time ago (perhaps 20 years back), I remember seeing a "Ripleys Believe It Or Not" segment in a book which featured a knifemaker who ostensibly had an amazing ability to obtain the utmost performance from the steels he employed in his knifemaking. I'm uncertain as to whether he was a stock-removal man or a hand-forger; memory seems to favour the latter. Anyhow, the photo and ensuing description showed this fellow at an anvil with one of his knives, which would best be described as being of the "butcher knife" style, if memory serves. He also had, laying on the anvil, a wagon axle, you know, the old square axles (made of mild steel, I suppose) with the wheel hubs on the ends. I'd say approximately 1" square. He would place his knife, cutting edge down, on the axle, forthwith proceeding to beat on the back of the knife with mallet or hammer, until he had cut most of the way through the axle. Then he would move the knife over , perhaps 3/4", and do it again. This was continued, until eventually there were MANY cuts in the axle, resulting in its' bowing towards the ground over the edge of the anvil. Now this doesn't seem too fantastical, but doing this with a kitchen knife, and here's the rub, a knife that seemed not to suffer injury, and would cut normally after such abuse, is something which bears further scrutiny, I feel.
Before anyone ridicules this as so much hooey, bear in mind that throughout the ages, there is a reason that things of an esoteric and mysterious nature, whether in reference to matter or life or God, were often referred to as "The Great Mystery", and for good reason. We don't know very much about anything (Anyone that has forged blades knows that every blade is as unique and unpredictable as can be imagined).
There was a fellow in Saskatchewan, Canada, who took it upon himself to build a sailing ship, and he found that certain of the large iron hardware that required forging was impossible for him to create until the "cosmos" or planets or astrological influences were "right on". May sound crazy, but hey, they said Copernicus was crazy too, and he was forced to recant his conjecture that the Sun was at the center of our solar system, a fact which we obviously know and accept today.
At any rate, I'm just curious as to whether anyone has heard anything about this mysterious, seemingly forgotten knifemaker. It seems to me that he was from Nebraska, or perhaps even Iowa. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
A LONG time ago (perhaps 20 years back), I remember seeing a "Ripleys Believe It Or Not" segment in a book which featured a knifemaker who ostensibly had an amazing ability to obtain the utmost performance from the steels he employed in his knifemaking. I'm uncertain as to whether he was a stock-removal man or a hand-forger; memory seems to favour the latter. Anyhow, the photo and ensuing description showed this fellow at an anvil with one of his knives, which would best be described as being of the "butcher knife" style, if memory serves. He also had, laying on the anvil, a wagon axle, you know, the old square axles (made of mild steel, I suppose) with the wheel hubs on the ends. I'd say approximately 1" square. He would place his knife, cutting edge down, on the axle, forthwith proceeding to beat on the back of the knife with mallet or hammer, until he had cut most of the way through the axle. Then he would move the knife over , perhaps 3/4", and do it again. This was continued, until eventually there were MANY cuts in the axle, resulting in its' bowing towards the ground over the edge of the anvil. Now this doesn't seem too fantastical, but doing this with a kitchen knife, and here's the rub, a knife that seemed not to suffer injury, and would cut normally after such abuse, is something which bears further scrutiny, I feel.
Before anyone ridicules this as so much hooey, bear in mind that throughout the ages, there is a reason that things of an esoteric and mysterious nature, whether in reference to matter or life or God, were often referred to as "The Great Mystery", and for good reason. We don't know very much about anything (Anyone that has forged blades knows that every blade is as unique and unpredictable as can be imagined).
There was a fellow in Saskatchewan, Canada, who took it upon himself to build a sailing ship, and he found that certain of the large iron hardware that required forging was impossible for him to create until the "cosmos" or planets or astrological influences were "right on". May sound crazy, but hey, they said Copernicus was crazy too, and he was forced to recant his conjecture that the Sun was at the center of our solar system, a fact which we obviously know and accept today.
At any rate, I'm just curious as to whether anyone has heard anything about this mysterious, seemingly forgotten knifemaker. It seems to me that he was from Nebraska, or perhaps even Iowa. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
