Horsewright Knives and Leather

[Horsewright]

Too bad you can't use that cross-cut Mammoth - dim government decision??

I've never seen spalted maple look like that !!!
The spalting is usually with the grain!! This looks crosswise??!!

Here ya go in the rough!

Interesting stuff as always. I had no idea the leather was dyed all of the way through. I've found that when you hand dye, the stitching doesn't contrast as well because of that, even when you dye after grooving and punching it somehow changes the look/contrast of the stitching.

My biggest deal was the durability. I'd get knives and sheaths from ranchers that had been using and abusing them for some years. They'd send em back for a new style of sheath. Dyed was all cracked on the leather and going bad. Just oiled, might have been drug down a gravel road for a few miles but the leather was NOT cracked. Every time. This was in some rough conditions down on the border. Literally when the kids told mom they were all done with their homework and were gonna shoot some baskets before dinner. And she at the stove, would yell after them, "Don't forget your Glocks." True story, gives a whole new meaning to shooting some baskets doesn't it? Anyhoo very rough country down there and that was the deciding factor in me deciding not to dye leather anymore. The other one was that you can get dye transfer years later. Seen it and tossed some good product away because of it. Use tannery dyed leather, often called drum dyed. Ya'll cuss me at first and then thank me later!

 

[waynorth]

Here ya go in the rough!

Beautiful wood!!

 

[Horsewright]

Beautiful wood!!

Yes it is! Really does remind of that crosscut mammoth.

 

[Horsewright]

Beautiful wood!!

Here ya go all finished:

 

[Glenn54]

I ordered/purchased a Horsewright knife yesterday. I may have got this one if it was available. Going to have to order another one soon.

 

[waynorth]

Here ya go all finished:

A class act!!! Nice knife!!

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

Here ya go in the rough!

My biggest deal was the durability. I'd get knives and sheaths from ranchers that had been using and abusing them for some years. They'd send em back for a new style of sheath. Dyed was all cracked on the leather and going bad. Just oiled, might have been drug down a gravel road for a few miles but the leather was NOT cracked. Every time. This was in some rough conditions down on the border. Literally when the kids told mom they were all done with their homework and were gonna shoot some baskets before dinner. And she at the stove, would yell after them, "Don't forget your Glocks." True story, gives a whole new meaning to shooting some baskets doesn't it? Anyhoo very rough country down there and that was the deciding factor in me deciding not to dye leather anymore. The other one was that you can get dye transfer years later. Seen it and tossed some good product away because of it. Use tannery dyed leather, often called drum dyed. Ya'll cuss me at first and then thank me later!

IMHO, nothing beats the quality of natural veg tan and nothing gets as beautiful as a natural patina from oils, sun, and use.

Take a look at those old swiss bags and pouches. All were natural veg tan and all were treated with "fixit" wax. 60+ years later the vast majority are still serviceable.

You've won me over on the drum dyed. I'm picking some up with my next order

 

[cudgee]

Here ya go all finished:

Beautiful work as per usual.

 

[SoansoMcMasters]

Love my slips! Ignore the Spyderco!

 

[Horsewright]

I ordered/purchased a Horsewright knife yesterday. I may have got this one if it was available. Going to have to order another one soon.

Thank you Glenn. That Mestano with ironwood? Lots of figure and color in that ironwood. We've got eight new ones to put on the website today, but probably this evening.

A class act!!! Nice knife!!

Thank you Charlie. Ya know we never did discuss the other handle material really. It's Amboyna Burl, here all finished up:

IMHO, nothing beats the quality of natural veg tan and nothing gets as beautiful as a natural patina from oils, sun, and use.

Take a look at those old swiss bags and pouches. All were natural veg tan and all were treated with "fixit" wax. 60+ years later the vast majority are still serviceable.

You've won me over on the drum dyed. I'm picking some up with my next order

Good deal ya'll like it. Not just me by the way Paul Long was huge on the tannery dyed too,

Beautiful work as per usual.

Thank you sir!

Love my slips! Ignore the Spyderco!

View attachment 2636516

Good deal and thanks! Spyderco suitably ignored. Not really they are great knives.

 

[waynorth]

Thank you Charlie. Ya know we never did discuss the other handle material really. It's Amboyna Burl, here all finished up:

Wonderful job, Dave!!
It appears that a lot of your knives actually go into service, vs. being safe queens!! Must be gratifying to you, as a maker!! Tony Bose (R.I.P.) used to like to see his knives getting used!!
Said it was the most satisfying aspect of making knives!!

CC

 

[Horsewright]

Wonderful job, Dave!!
It appears that a lot of your knives actually go into service, vs. being safe queens!! Must be gratifying to you, as a maker!! Tony Bose (R.I.P.) used to like to see his knives getting used!!
Said it was the most satisfying aspect of making knives!!

CC

I agree. They should be used. Those crosscut mammoth knives above went to Africa on safari. This lil Vaquero was in recently to fix a broken tip (we all know how that happens, I don't even ask anymore), but its being used and its great.

Re stitched the top interior line of the sheath too. Looked like the knife had been put in upside down a few times.

 

[JM2]

Beautiful knives and sheaths - beautiful craftsmanship!

 

[Horsewright]

Beautiful knives and sheaths - beautiful craftsmanship!

Thaonk you sir. Camper is having fun. We’ll probably get horseback tomorrow.

 

[cudgee]

It appears that a lot of your knives actually go into service, vs. being safe queens

They are tools/implements, that is their primary purpose.

Must be gratifying to you, as a maker!!

Tony Bose (R.I.P.) used to like to see his knives getting used!!

Said it was the most satisfying aspect of making knives!!

As you to must feel gratified when you see your designs being used. I have lost the blade etch completely on my Lambsfoot that you designed, it's a user.

 

[JM2]

If/when I have a Horsewright knife, I'll be carrying/using mine, that's for sure. I sure do look at them and drool.

 

[Glenn54]

Thank you Glenn. That Mestano with ironwood? Lots of figure and color in that ironwood. We've got eight new ones to put on the website today, but probably this evening.

I will stick with the Mestano but want to order one with the turquoise imbedded. We can discuss the second one later. Thanks.

 

[JM2]

The resemblance to mammoth is what got my eye originally. Reminded me of some knives I'd made way back (had to stop using mammoth ivory and mammoth tooth 7/1/2016 here in Calif.), using end cut mammoth ivory:

Ready for this Charlie? its spalted maple!

I recognized the spalted maple right off, I've worked it before many times. Some of the spalting can be spectacular.

 

[Horsewright]

They are tools/implements, that is their primary purpose.





As you to must feel gratified when you see your designs being used. I have lost the blade etch completely on my Lambsfoot that you designed, it's a user.

It's interesting in the cowboy world and particularly in the part with some buckaroo/vaquero leanings that we do use a lot of fancy gear. Silver mounted spurs and bits, tooled custom saddles, braided rawhide gear etc. My knives fit right in to this culture:

Years, decades ago I was used as a reference in a worker's comp case. A guy had gotten hurt at his regular job and he wanted to go to saddle making school for his mandated retraining. Well this kinda blew city folks workman comp adjuster's minds. I had several conversations with them, kinda as an expert witness. I remember one asking me, who are buying these custom saddles? I told him the folks that need them most are those that could least afford them, the working cowboy. They were taken aback when I told them that just here in our lil mountain cowtown that there were three saddle makers and each was over a year behind. There's an old cowboy thought that a saddle maker should always be at least a year behind, otherwise they aren't any good. Look at my pictures. Even my props are handmade:

This hair rope is spun from mane hair from horses. It's called a mecate and is used as reins in certain stages of horse training. This mecate was made by Merlin Rupp a legendary Oregon buckaroo and craftsman. First time I met Merlin he tried to trade me out of Nichole. We did do some trading but I still got Nichole.

Merlin passed away year or so ago, but he was very adept. Blows my mind that he could spin mane hair into a rope, into a specific pattern and then change colors as he goes. Look close at that mecate in the pic above and below and notice the color change. Why did he do it? Case he could and it's cool I guess. Headache? Probably big time.

If/when I have a Horsewright knife, I'll be carrying/using mine, that's for sure. I sure do look at them and drool.

Thank you sir!

I will stick with the Mestano but want to order one with the turquoise imbedded. We can discuss the second one later. Thanks.

Made two with the turquoise spacers in this batch. That Cowboy above and this Paisano:

Both are gone. The Cowboy went aptly to a cowboy in AZ and the Paisano went to a rancher in MO.

I recognized the spalted maple right off, I've worked it before many times. Some of the spalting can be spectacular.

My first time with the spalted maple. I've used box elder, a type of maple a lot. I kinda have always stayed away from maple just cause so many other folks use it a lot.

 

[ron55]

Wonderful job, Dave!!
It appears that a lot of your knives actually go into service, vs. being safe queens!! Must be gratifying to you, as a maker!! Tony Bose (R.I.P.) used to like to see his knives getting used!!
Said it was the most satisfying aspect of making knives!!

CC

My Horsewright knife has only seen light duty so far - I've only cut food with it. But it is my sharpest knife of the 50 or so knives that I have, and it sits waiting in my top desk drawer until the need arises. It's a great knife!