Guardians of The Lambsfoot!

[mitch4ging]

I will be waiting to see how your fixed blade comes out. At this point, it looks like you have the only Lambsfoot with matching scales.

Thanks, Dave!

Any new tracking info on yours yet?
If they only knew, they would arrange an airdrop ASAP for you! More important than food!

 

[dc50]

Thanks, Dave!

Any new tracking info on yours yet?
If they only knew, they would arrange an airdrop ASAP for you! More important than food!

No tracking on this one Dennis, as the last shipments with tracking only showed the tracking as far as England. After that, no more information until the pk shows up 8 or 9 weeks later. The one positive is, I will be able to identify mine real easy in the group foto, it will be the last one not marked. sure hope its pretty.

 

[Rusty1]

Good morning, Guardians.

The rain has abated for now so I rushed out to snap a few pictures. The lighting is still not ideal but I think I got a decent number of pics to showcase some of the virtues of these knives.

Like Ron, I ordered two of these knives (Beautiful duo, by the way, Ron). My experience with Ironwood is that you never know what you might end up with so I opted to double my chances of receiving one that might greatly appeal to me. Well, as I suspected might be the case, there doesn't seem to be a single bad egg in the whole lot. Every example I have seen so far has been exceptional and the two I received are no exceptions.

As I mentioned earlier, the mark and pile sides of these knives are dramatically different. Reminds me somewhat of my AC. It will be impossible to become bored with these, there is just two much to enjoy about them.

There is nothing here not to like. Very well made, the bolsters are an incredibly refined touch and despite the obvious elegance of these knives, they still sport the rugged construction and healthy action that we have all come to appreciate in Wright's knives.

I suppose that is enough of my yammering, here are some pictures.


I started off with a side-by-side mark side shot:

Side-by-side pile shot:

Mark side / Pile side:

Pile side / Mark side (I really love the "burl" effect):

Alternating mark side/pile side pics:

And finally, some coffee cup glamour shots:

And to cap it all off, I have marked my knives on the group photo:

Fantastic pair of Lambsfoots there Dylan, some really sweet photography too.

Russell

 

[Fodderwing]

Two different sides, but each mesmerizing in their own right

That is a real keeper. Beautiful!

Well I waited as long as I could!

Spectacular Ron! I know you are thrilled with those.

Man, does this ironwood glow.

Not to get too esoteric, but what I find truly amazing with all of these beautiful examples of craftsmanship - is the "zen" of these knives.
What I'm trying to say is that although each knife has characteristics that are the same as the others, each is unique in it's own right.
It has been my experience that usually, a "yearly run" consists of knives that are meant to be as close as possible to being an exact copycat of each other.
And in the sense of material selection, that is also true here.
But with our 2019 knives, material selection is where the "sameness" ends. Even the variance between the mark and pile sides gives a unique Yin and Yang to each individual stunning example. There simply are no bad apples in this barrel.
Thanks to the diligence of Jack and the remarkable skill of the craftsman, each of us has received an absolutely beautiful and stunning knife.
The bar has definitely been raised and probably will never be equaled again.
I definitely feel that I now possess a true heirloom to be passed on that will connect this "OG" with generations yet to come.

Very good OG.

It has two distinct personalities

Darren I love that one right there! Super cool scales.

Pàdruig - Dylan those two have amazingly dramatic patterns. You lucky dawg! Well done.

 

[mitch4ging]

No tracking on this one Dennis, as the last shipments with tracking only showed the tracking as far as England. After that, no more information until the pk shows up 8 or 9 weeks later. The one positive is, I will be able to identify mine real easy in the group foto, it will be the last one not marked. sure hope it pretty.

Well, it must be the ol' 'saving the best for last '!

 

[Prester John]

A day without a lambsfoot . . .

. . . is like a day without sunshine!

 

[Rusty1]

Here is the Albert Oates. Doesn’t quite look like the images, but I’m very happy with it. Not UK legal with a cutting edge of 3 3/4 inches.
View attachment 1072118

Quite the stunning Lambsfoot, very different bone, really nice!

Russell

 

[cigarrodog]

Quite the stunning Lambsfoot, very different bone, really nice!

Russell

Thank you so much

@waverave That looks so cool.

mitch4ging Hope it you get it soon. Your Lambsfoot will be as nice as the members here.

 

[Pàdruig]

Great images. Congratulations on a pair of Aces.

Dylan, those are terrific photos and the Ironwood is spectacular. Congratulations!

What they said . Amazing!

Thank you so much, fellas.

You got two good looking knives, Dylan! I love the two gnarlier pieces of ironwood you got, with the sort of splotchy swirls and the small inclusions in the wood. It’s a shame they didn’t end up on the same knife, they’re so well matched!

I took a couple pics of Eleanor admiring my new Ironwood Lambsfoot this morning.

As you can tell by the look on her face, she's clearly impressed.

As a bonus, I think her sweatshirt is somewhat fitting for page 666 of this thread.

Thanks a bunch, Barrett. Ironwood is such a varied wood but it is always so attractive in all of its forms, I am quite fortunate to be able to experience a lot of variety in the examples I received. Your daughter is just too cute, my friend, and that shirt is just excellent. Props to her parents for their good taste.

Glad you got yours Dylan, I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of great photos of them

Just a word in terms of the matching of the scales, you can see how much variation there is between each knife, and Ironwood is clearly made up of numerous layers, which vary from almost blond to jet-black. It's impossible to guess what the final layer of Ironwood will look like when it's ground to shape, and polished. You could use pre-cut scales, but that's a horrible way to make a knife in my opinion, or you could keep discarding knives, which would obviously increase costs many, many times. So I hope that folks can live with having covers that may be quite different to each other

Well done Dylan, that is gorgeous

Thank you so much, Jack, for the knives and the compliments.

I should clarify that I am in no way complaining of the dramatic differences between mark and pile sides. It is something I have come to treasure in my AC and it is something I look upon with great pleasure regarding these two in Ironwood. With the 4 different covers, I practically have 4 different knives I can enjoy.

Mighty comely pair, Dylan. Great pics.

Padruig - two outstanding looking knives! Gorgeous Colours!

Thank you, fellas. Much appreciated.

Not to get too esoteric, but what I find truly amazing with all of these beautiful examples of craftsmanship - is the "zen" of these knives.
What I'm trying to say is that although each knife has characteristics that are the same as the others, each is unique in it's own right.
It has been my experience that usually, a "yearly run" consists of knives that are meant to be as close as possible to being an exact copycat of each other.
And in the sense of material selection, that is also true here.
But with our 2019 knives, material selection is where the "sameness" ends. Even the variance between the mark and pile sides gives a unique Yin and Yang to each individual stunning example. There simply are no bad apples in this barrel.
Thanks to the diligence of Jack and the remarkable skill of the craftsman, each of us has received an absolutely beautiful and stunning knife.
The bar has definitely been raised and probably will never be equaled again.
I definitely feel that I now possess a true heirloom to be passed on that will connect this "OG" with generations yet to come.

Couldn't have said it better, OG, I agree completely.

My awful internet connection nearly made me miss your incredible pics Dylan! They took an age to load, but boy, it sure was worth the wait! You have excelled yourself my friend, those pics are amazing That is some burl too! A shame it couldn't be on the same knife! (Though see my earlier comments)

Thank you again, Jack, these are incredible knives and I suspect they will be the subject of many a photograph in the future, near and distant.

Nice post OG I do think this one is our best annual Guardians knife so far, going to be hard work next year!

You have certainly outdone yourself, Jack. These will be hard to beat, for sure. But I expect you will be up to the challenge.

That is some amazing wood. Beautiful grain. I don't feel in modern times that Sheffield has the best reputation for quality knives. However, looking at those the reputation is perhaps unfair, they look as good as anything on the market. The factory should be congratulated.

My experience with the fine SFOs that Jack has arranged to have produced from Wrights has been that they are capable of producing a very fine knife and, in my opinion, are quite comparable to a number of my GEC made knives. If they continue with these exceptional knives, it can only spell good things for their factory and English cutlery as a whole.

Those are great! It's so cool that you got a matched/mismatched set.

Thank you, r8shell, I am really quite blown away with them. So very fine.

Dylan you have drawn a pair of Aces! Two beautiful knives and your terrific photos, I am almost jealous!

Thank you, Ron! But please, don't be jealous, you have an incredible pair yourself and your pictures are spectacular. I will look forward to seeing so much more of them in the future.

@everyone I will also say that they are all really nice and not really a bad one in the lot! Thanks to Jack for getting these wonderful knives made for us!

I would very much have to agree, I haven't seen a single one I would be unhappy with. Ironwood is such a great material and it looks absolutely smashing on a Lambsfoot.

Fantastic pair of Lambsfoots there Dylan, some really sweet photography too.

Pàdruig - Dylan those two have amazingly dramatic patterns. You lucky dawg! Well done.

Thank you so much, fellas.

This was a lengthy post and if I missed anyone, please accept my apologies, the compliments are all very much appreciated. I also am enjoying everyone's pictures of their knives, I hope more folks get theirs in very soon.

 

[5K Qs]

Thanks, Jack.
Anytime I don't have to go to work is great! Rilley is bummed that it is "Yorkshire" weather outside, she wants her walk.

...

Just droppin' in to post a quick pic of the much neglected Senator Lambsfoot.

Rilley is looking a lot like me for the past month, huddling under a blanket at every opportunity.
That's an unimpeachable senator you've got there, FBC!

Thanks.
Fun book, too.

Cool photo, even though I know almost nothing about heraldry hoo ha!

Hello Guardians,
thanks to this thread (and Jack the enabler) I placed an order for my first Lambsfoot today.
An A. Wright in mystery wood.(went cheap since I'm testing the waters so to speak)
I'll be sure to post pics and thoughts when it arrives.

Congrats on your lambsfoot order, Mykel; I look forward to seeing what you get!

Thanks GT, I thought of you when I was eating it

Thanks.
Journey to Ixtlan. Don Juan was trying to teach CC-skull "the mood of a warrior", where you just do what needs to be done without a lot of analysis or complaining. I love that bit about the lion having no right to follow us.

Thanks for the info, Jer. Somehow I missed out on Carlos Castaneda in my youth (too busy trying to be pretentious with Hermann Hesse ).

Happy Sunday, Guardians! I received this beauty early Friday afternoon and we've been getting to know each other ever since. I'm very grateful to Jack and feel quite blessed to own a Guardian knife. Now, without further ado..

Congrats, @DCMcElroy!! That's a handsome ironwood "barber pole"!

My 2019 turned up yesterday afternoon. Thank you Jack for getting these knives put together for us. Love the way the wood feels so smooth in the hand and the various patterns and colours that have been produced on these handle covers, very pleased with my 2019 to say the least. Loving this one!

Russell

View attachment 1070924

View attachment 1070925

View attachment 1070926

Congrats, Russell; that one glimmers and shimmers!!

I KNOWED you was gonna wait.

I'm quite predictable.

It is the most useful knife I own. I love that it has such a strong pull and wicked snap, yet it is surprisingly easy to open. The blade shape is perfect for so many of the tasks that I do, from cutting up food to opening bags and packages. I can't wait to try out a small, it might be the perfect pocket pal. Thanks for asking, Dave.

I'm glad you "understood" a lambsfoot right away, John. I had one that I used for a brief time, and just found it awkward. Then I got another, and tried using that, and the second time I "got" it and learned what a valuable knife it was, but I had to learn how to do lambsfoot cuts.

...
A few of you may remember our discussion about the Park Cut Co Space Shuttle knife a few weeks back. JohnDF managed to pick up not just one, but another for yours truly. It arrived in the mail, together with some other gifts. Just the coolest knife, I am so pleased with it Thank you very much John, you're a pal
...

Congrats on the thoughtful gift, Jack, and accolades to John for making it so!

...
Thanks GT, I really hadn't thought of the patterns in the grain like that
Great pic of the Black Jack there
...

Thanks for the charitable characterization, David!

...
I got a great Mail Call today!!
It is AWSOME! More substantial in the hand than the horn I have.
Great color, F&F! Packed and packaged great!
Thank you, Jack! You're cooler than the other side of the pillow!

Better photos when it ain't so dismal!

And I believe this is it...
View attachment 1071359

Congrats, Dennis, and I look forward to seeing some pics in different light! Is there a "valley" running the length of the handle?

Just in case there aren't any new pics posted, - here's 2 more (in the sun) of the 1st 2019 to land in the US
I guess I should apologize for putting up more pics, but I'm still so pleased I just can't help myself
I dub thee...Fenrir
View attachment 1071501 View attachment 1071504

Wow, OG, in bright sunlight it looks like you've got a tiger (or mythical wolf) by the tail!

...
The knife itself is a beauty. Fantastic, lighter-colored wood with wonderful grain on the mark side, and a nice, dark pile side with a couple small inclusions in the wood that add even more character. (I'll have to get a photo of the pile side to add later, as the darker wood wasn't showing up very well in the lighting I have at the moment.)

...

Winner, Barrett!! Nice flows and eddies in the mark side grain!

Mark Side


Pile Side


I like it when the Mark Side is the Show Side, while the Pile Side is a little more subdued.

Thank you, and "Wolfie" might catch on

Worth the wait, John! That's a lively example, and I like the wolf!

My wait is over also!
...
Here are a couple of quick pictures. Preston

That one is superb, Preston; congrats! Lovely color and grain!!

Just arrived today. Beautiful knife, thanks Jack! A few cell phone pics, dark and drizzly here today.

...

Remarkable model, P&G!! Looking forward to some pics in better weather.

I think(?) mine is below Prester John
View attachment 1071624

View attachment 1071626

Terrific two-tone or parti-colored, cigarrodog !

Chatoyance is right! But difficult to capture. Two different sides, but each mesmerizing in their own right.
Thanks again, Jack!
View attachment 1071812 View attachment 1071813

In a little less light:
View attachment 1071811 View attachment 1071810

I had to look through the pile side photos to pick it out, but I think I found her:
View attachment 1071808
View attachment 1071809

...

Congrats on a distinguished duo, Ron; they are superb! Glad you're feeling well enough to share a couple of shots!

...
I started off with a side-by-side mark side shot:

Side-by-side pile shot:

...

What a pleasing pair, Dylan!! And what a plethora of powerful photos!
But is the knife in your first pic (copied below) the same as the knife on the left in your side-by-side mark side shot? It's almost unrecognizable, and the "folds" in the wood in the pic below are stunning! Are they really there, or is that some photographic artifact?

Well, I couldn't pull off an entire shoot due to inclement weather but I think I got a nice teaser pic. It doesn't demonstrate the spectacular grain in this one but it is a nice shot nonetheless, I think.

...
I eventually managed to upload this updated pic though (but only because it is fairly low res)

Maybe we should start some kind of pool about which of the remaining knives in Jack's photo those of us still waiting will end up getting!

- GT

 

[Half/Stop]

Spectacular Ron! I know you are thrilled with those.

Thanks Dwight! Thrilled does come to mind!

My experience with the fine SFOs that Jack has arranged to have produced from Wrights has been that they are capable of producing a very fine knife and, in my opinion, are quite comparable to a number of my GEC made knives. If they continue with these exceptional knives, it can only spell good things for their factory and English cutlery as a whole.

Well said Dylan! I’m in total agreement with everything you stated!

Thank you, Ron! But please, don't be jealous, you have an incredible pair yourself and your pictures are spectacular. I will look forward to seeing so much more of them in the future.

Thanks Dylan!

Congrats on a distinguished duo, Ron; they are superb! Glad you're feeling well enough to share a couple of shots!

Thanks for the compliment Gary! Feeling better but not 100%!

 

[mitch4ging]

mitch4ging Hope it you get it soon. Your Lambsfoot will be as nice as the members here.

I appreciate the sentiment, Harvey, but it's Dave dc50 that is still waiting, ...he's keeping the faith!

Congrats, Dennis, and I look forward to seeing some pics in different light! Is there a "valley" running the length of the handle?

Thank you very much, Gary. No "valley ", just a gentle wave.

 

[cigarrodog]

mitch4ging Sorry about that. dc50 Dave - My fingers are crossed for it to be soon. I confess that it is some what of a challenge keeping up in this thread, which so far, I have done my best.

5K Qs Thank you GT.

 

[draggat]

You got two good looking knives, Dylan! I love the two gnarlier pieces of ironwood you got, with the sort of splotchy swirls and the small inclusions in the wood. It’s a shame they didn’t end up on the same knife, they’re so well matched!

I took a couple pics of Eleanor admiring my new Ironwood Lambsfoot this morning.

As you can tell by the look on her face, she's clearly impressed.

As a bonus, I think her sweatshirt is somewhat fitting for page 666 of this thread.

Eleanor reminds me of my son who is almost 4. On the weekends I let mom sleep in and I get up with him and he always wants to hold my knife (I generally have a couple laying around that I’m checking out while sitting on the couch).

Cripes! I pressed the post button by accident...


Wanted to say that’s an amazingly good looking knife as well!!

I haven’t seen a dog in the entire bunch yet. Hopefully mine will arrive soon.

Oh, and I love her sweatshirt! I was thinking she’s on the Highway To Lambsfoot!

 

[Rusty1]

Pile side waves.

Russell

 

[dc50]

mitch4ging Sorry about that. dc50 Dave - My fingers are crossed for it to be soon. I confess that it is some what of a challenge keeping up in this thread, which so far, I have done my best.

5K Qs Thank you GT.

It's all good Harvey, your keeping up just fine. It sure would be nice if it somehow squeaked through customs and arrived early.

 

[cigarrodog]

Pile side waves.

Russell

View attachment 1072357

That’s a good looking knife, not to mention a cool image.

 

[Rusty1]

That’s a good looking knife, not to mention a cool image.

Thank you Sir, most appreciated!

Russell

 

[JohnDF]

Worth the wait, John! That's a lively example, and I like the wolf!

Wolfie thanks you, GT.

 

[mykel m]

Congrats on your lambsfoot order, Mykel; I look forward to seeing what you get!
- GT

Thanks GT, I'm really looking forward to my first Lambsfoot,(got the shipping notice today) and pics will be forthcoming.
Jack tells me the mystery wood is Rosewood, so I think I'll be pleased with it as I've seen a few examples posted that were very nice.