- Joined
- Oct 8, 2001
- Messages
- 12,336
Hi folks,
The regular members know that, among all the makers I covet, my VERY fave is long-retired Hill Pearce from Alabama.
Hill made ornate black powder rifles before he engaged in knifemaking, he forged damascus under past AKI member Sid Birt, he won the Knives Annual 'Wooden Sword' award in 1984 with the late Bob Lum, he was a close friend and co-tableholder with the late Jim Schmidt. He stopped making knives around 1990-1992.
His work is not known to many, but all of the 'old-time' Mastersmiths are WELL aware of his talents. I've talked to many of them them.
I am always on the lookout for the rare piece to become available. I have just acquired this latest one, and I have Bladeforums and Google to thank. An older collector from TX Googled Hill's name and stumbled upon my threads in here. He then clicked on my site and contacted me. It took months for him to be able to show me this knife he was offering for sale. (He ended up mailing me a digital card because his camera/computer skills were so poor.
)
Anyway, I made him an offer he couldn't refuse. :thumbup: Let's look:
Details:
You can only imagine how excited I was to add this into my collection. Of particular note is how well he treats the filework, so that it's not one-dimensional. He extended the work down the side of the blade so it is visual from a side view as well.
It's an aged piece, so there is pitting and scratches, but it carries his earlier mark which means it's around 25 years old. I don't know what material the black pins are.
Hill was simply GREAT at visual flow. His fitments would be challenged nowadays, but he never let his 'look' get away from him.
This makes it knife #15 in my HP collection. I decided it was time once again to do a family shot of the knives as a group to see and compare. I have spent a better part of today doing the following shots.
Here is a group of all my current fixed blades:
Yes, I know one is pointed oddly. Believe me I tried about every combo imaginable. I finally decided this was good enough for me, so you can accept this too. That said, What a lineup!
Filework details to please and intrigue:
And Hill made plenty of folders, too. They all have a signature look as well. I have a good selection of styles and materials:
I probably have an individual post for each and every one of these knives, so if you want more info or photos do the search thing.
So I close 2009 with a series of knives that, although not qualifying for Best Bowie of the Year, they would clearly make my choices easy.
Thanks for viewing.
Coop
The regular members know that, among all the makers I covet, my VERY fave is long-retired Hill Pearce from Alabama.
Hill made ornate black powder rifles before he engaged in knifemaking, he forged damascus under past AKI member Sid Birt, he won the Knives Annual 'Wooden Sword' award in 1984 with the late Bob Lum, he was a close friend and co-tableholder with the late Jim Schmidt. He stopped making knives around 1990-1992.
His work is not known to many, but all of the 'old-time' Mastersmiths are WELL aware of his talents. I've talked to many of them them.
I am always on the lookout for the rare piece to become available. I have just acquired this latest one, and I have Bladeforums and Google to thank. An older collector from TX Googled Hill's name and stumbled upon my threads in here. He then clicked on my site and contacted me. It took months for him to be able to show me this knife he was offering for sale. (He ended up mailing me a digital card because his camera/computer skills were so poor.
)Anyway, I made him an offer he couldn't refuse. :thumbup: Let's look:
Details:
You can only imagine how excited I was to add this into my collection. Of particular note is how well he treats the filework, so that it's not one-dimensional. He extended the work down the side of the blade so it is visual from a side view as well.
It's an aged piece, so there is pitting and scratches, but it carries his earlier mark which means it's around 25 years old. I don't know what material the black pins are.
Hill was simply GREAT at visual flow. His fitments would be challenged nowadays, but he never let his 'look' get away from him.
This makes it knife #15 in my HP collection. I decided it was time once again to do a family shot of the knives as a group to see and compare. I have spent a better part of today doing the following shots.
Here is a group of all my current fixed blades:
Yes, I know one is pointed oddly. Believe me I tried about every combo imaginable. I finally decided this was good enough for me, so you can accept this too. That said, What a lineup!
Filework details to please and intrigue:
And Hill made plenty of folders, too. They all have a signature look as well. I have a good selection of styles and materials:
I probably have an individual post for each and every one of these knives, so if you want more info or photos do the search thing.
So I close 2009 with a series of knives that, although not qualifying for Best Bowie of the Year, they would clearly make my choices easy.
Thanks for viewing.
Coop
