giving thanks to other makers

J

John Frankl

Joined
Oct 16, 2001
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I would like to give thanks to Chisel and Indian George for walking me through a Kydex sheath this afternoon.

On a more general note, I think it is important that all makers give credit to those who have taught them or otherwise inspired their creations. This keeps us all honest and those kind enough to share acknowledged.

Finally, I'd like to say how lucky I feel to be in an area with a pretty good knifemaking scene. Some problems can only be worked out alone and with a lot of sweat, but others are best approached by bouncing ideas off other makers. Today, for example, I finished a knife in my own shop, went over to George's where I met him and Chisel for the sheath, then dropped by J.D. Smith's on the way home to have him critique the whole package. Not a bad day.

John
 
Amen to that! I'm not sure I could make a list of makers to whom I'm indebted to for knowledge gained on knifemaking. If I tried to make a list I would inevitably leave someone out! I only hope that I can pass along the information I've collected to others also.
 
Same here, I've gotten a lot of help and ideas from everyone also. That to me is the great thing about knifemakeing, the shareing of information, I just hope I can pass on what little I've learned.
 
CHEERS!
To the first man to discovered pointed things can make you bleed and he was probably the fore-father to todays profanity as well.:cool:


All kidding aside, my thanks to all.
 
Amen John!

The deeper I get into this craft the harder it gets to name them all. But I sure do owe a lot of people credit for helping me along.

The first custom maker I met was Tiny Spencer in Astoria, OR...he got the fire lit big time.

I let it die down until I took a folder class from J.P. Moss in Woodson, TX. Lord was that man particular...but it gave me a much greater appreciation for precision.

I let it burn down again until I went to the OKCA show a few years back and met a lot of great folks.

Then the forums got me going more. I met Roger Dole and Tom Ferry and that Bruce Bump fella ;) then I met Dave Evans and Terry McMaster, they got me started with friendship and a forge. Then Bill Cottrell...he helped me in uncountable ways. He helped drown me into forging like no one else.

Tom really helped me to see I could be serious about this stuff, I just had to DO IT. He and Bill are both good friends and teachers.

I made a dagger and used it as a wedge into conversations with an untold amount of makers...Jim Rodebaugh, Rick Dunkerly, Shane Taylor, Wade Colter, Bob Crowder... and they told me to keep going.

Ed Caffrey saw a passion in my eyes that many others did not. He let me into a hammer-in at his place and showed me a great deal of techniques, and just how friendly a Mastersmith can be.

Then I took a class with Mike Vagnino. My lord that man knows his stuff! He cleaned up my method a LOT.

Daniel O'Malley from BladeGallery.com got my knives out to a world-wide audience and in some publications.

There's all the guys in Pal-Talk...Mike Hull, Ron Claiborne, Mike Fitzgerald...

I was so fortunate to get in to some hammer-ins and friendly all night knife conversations with guys like Ed Schemp, John Davis, Gary House, (all the guys already mentioned before as well)...

Sandy Morrissey made all my sheaths, and gave me a fantastic friend at the same time. Then he gave me the help and confidence to make my own sheaths.

I've read online information from guys like Howard Clark, Don Fogg, Kevin Cashen, Randal Graham, Bruce Evans and on and on over and over again.

And that only grazes the surface.

But I sure get a smile thinking back on so many memories that were built from all these folks. Like they say, you are a cumulative of bits and pieces of all the people that you have met in your life. I've got a lot of other makers in there :)

Great thread John!
Nick
 
The first one that I'd have to thank would be Ed Caffrey. He has always had the answer for whatever question or "blow-up" I may have had. Jeez, I mean he's ALWAYS been able to answer ALL of my questions! You'd think I'd be able to stump him once in awhile! Oh, and this is a biggie...he has always taken the time to make sure that you understand his answer.
Next would have to be a big thanks to both Rick Dunkerley and Shane Taylor for sponsoring several hammer-ins up here in Montana a few years back. Those little wing-dings really accelerated my knifemaking, in general, but really opened my eyes to what can be done with steel.
Lastly, I'd thank Joe Keeslar for showing me a bunch of cool handle tricks.
(edited to add)
There are a bunch of others out there that I've plagerized and many more that have inspired me in one way or another. To them, I owe a big thanks, as well.

Merry Christmas
Bob
 
John, I know Joe (cheesel) and myself feel the same way about helping those people that are knifemakers and those who want to be. This is one of the principles that New England Custom Knife Association was founded on. I know when I start knifemaking if it wasn't for people like Bruce Evans, Bruce Bump, Don Fogg's website, Mike Draper and etc. I wouldn't be where I am today.
Since the orangization of NECKA I can say that I have met some of the most talented and helpful people, that go out of their way to assist you in not only knifemaking, but in just being a friend.
:) :)
 
Interesting that this thread should pop up. I've always been a very strong proponent of giving credit where it's due.

I just released the first issue of the Primos Knives Newsletter a couple of days ago. This one was a special one in that it was released on the day of my one year anniversary as a full-time bladesmith. I loaded it down with thank you's to folks in the industry who helped me along the way and had a real impact on this successful year.

At first I wondered if it would come off as being too "corny", but from the email I've received so far, it looks like everyone agrees -- saying thank you, and giving credit to those who have helped was a good thing to do. I know that when someone gives me credit for something, or gives me a public thank you, it sure makes me feel good.

The newsletter obviously just went out to all my customers, and to those mentioned in the newsletter, but heck, I guess I could go ahead and release it to the world. If you want to take a look at it and see who really made a difference for me this year, Here's a link:

Primos Knives Newsletter

It's darn near an online magazine rather than a simple newsletter. The main section set up for the thanks you's is an article entitled "These Guys Made A Difference", but actually little bits of credit are dispersed throughout.
 
I want to thank all here too...what a great piece of the internet!

Special thanks to Bruce Evans for sharing so many tricks and also to Terry Primos for the JB Weld solderless guard tutorial which has save me infinite grief!

Merry Xmas all!

Greg Covington
 
If it were not for this forum I'd be making much larger piles of waste steel than I am today. :) Thanks to all here who have offered advice and encouragement. And I've made some close friends here - at least one of whom I'm sure I'll never meet in person but who is as good a friend as any I've ever had. Others with surprizing other passions in common. I'm proud to be associated with a group who gives so freely of their time and knowledge. To name a few who have helped me directly: Bruce Evans, Reg Ellery, J. Neilson - Guy Thomas, you nut you.

Dave
 
Bowie (Ron Claiborne) has often said that "we stand on the shoulders of those before us", and I don't think it could be better said. In all ways we are grateful to those who developed this art and craft, and to those whose love of knives and things sharp buy our products and allow us to keep at it. We share with each other more than ever before, and the free exchange we experience on the forums and at hammer-ins and shows and Paltalk makes us all teachers, and all students.

I'm gonna show my age here by saying thank you to the three folks who helped and encouraged me so many years ago when I was working my way through books and many, many cuts and scars: my gratitude goes out to Kevin Hoffman, Tim Zowada, and Jerry Rados. And, of course, to all the makers who teach me something new each and every day, THANKS!

Happy Holidays to all and may 2003 be a great year for you!
 
The Pleasure was all ours John... you are welcome any time!
hopefully everthing was to your liking:)
And I cant thank my Bud Indian George for all the help and knowledge he shared with me...and for everyone here at the forums...the wealth of information being given to anyone just for the asking...what a place! and I cant forget the gents on Pal talk... you guys ROCK! All I can say is from Knife makers to the enthusiast,you wont find a finer bunch of people!:D
Merry Christmas to all!
 
Good thread, John - I just finished a knife this afternoon. As I was wiping it down I couldn''t help but thinking that the thoughts and direct input from many people on these forums helped me in just about every area of crafting this piece.

Thank you all for your help & Happy Holidays

Bob
 
It's great to see the response here. For the record, J.D. Smith is my first and primary teacher, and has taught me more than I can say.

From these forums and others, hammer-ins, and the like, however, I have been fortunate enough to get much guidance from so many others. Naming them would mean leaving someone important out--my crummy memory--but they know who they are.

Thanks to all,

John
 
I would like to thank the academy for....

Actually, I would like to thank everyone on this forum. This is the "Best on the 'Net". Folks here have taken years off of the learning curve, literally. I just hope that I am able to contribute in some small way.

I also need to thank Roger Massey and Mike Connor for putting up with me at the ABS Intro Course last year. Now that took years off the curve as well.

I really want to thank Bruce Fuller for putting up with me. He has dragged me along and most of all, gave me guidance and inspiration. I will never be able to repay what he has done for me. I am still learning and a royal pain in the behind. You will never know how much it is appreciated. I am living proof that if you throw enough "stuff" at something, at least some of it will stick.

I also can't say enough good things about Jerry Hossom, he has really given me a considerable amount of quidance, probably without even knowing it.

C Wilkins
 
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