Important - I am not a Master!!!

Oh yea, he made a black powder pistol (from scratch) to go with it.

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It is a rare man that makes an outstanding tool and is not so full of himself that he realizes there is room in himself for innovation and improvement.

I've long recognized this in you Andy and it is one of the reasons I enjoy doing business with you.

Keep up the great work and I can't wait to see comes from Fiddleback Forge.
 
Andy,

I strongly disagree, you're a master. Deal with it! :D

OK just kidding.

I am sure that there are different categories in the knifemakers hierarchy but I am the lucky owner of the "special 7" woodsman" for 6 month now and I use it as often as possible (I prepared I don't know how many "boeuf bourguignon" with it!) and it's an absolutely amazing knife that I would call a master piece.

There are probably different levels in the apprentice category and you definitely belong to the "master-apprentice" category :)
 
LOL. I've never heard of a master-apprentice before. I doubt I'm there yet either though. I'd guess a master-apprentice would be on the verge of Journeyman status, and I'm not there yet IMO.
 
Heres my opinion, which usually don't count for much, on this situation. Andy is very good at what he does, and enjoys teaching others what he has learned the hard way and what someone else has showed and taught him. To me that extends a lil past apprentice especially when u have to put dibs in on a knife that one of the guys that u let apprentice under u to get one. So u may not be a master according to the knife " world", but brother u are far from apprentice status. Again my opinion, but your humility is good. Who would want to buy from an arrogant prick that thought his shit didn't stink. Well ok there are a bunch, evident by one particularly large knife maker, but I don't and would not.
 
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I wanted to chime in here.
Keep in mind that this is just my opinion and opinions are like puckers, everyone has one and everyone thinks theirs doesn't stink.

When I look at your knives, and handle them, they scream at me that they are masterfully made.
I have seen makers make more ornate knives, and I have seen makers make more simple utility knives, and they both have their place.
The reason I say that your knives are made masterfully Andy, is that in my experience the balance of beauty and utility is rarely combined so well as what is found in your work.
Do you have room to improve? Don't we all ?
Having said that, I have a very difficult time calling you an apprentice knife maker.
Master in progress might work for me thought ;-)
Seriously though, keep that feeling that you can improve because it only means that your work will get better and better, and its pretty freakin fantastic now.
I am proud to say that I own one of your knives, and I know quite a few people that would say the same.
It was a pleasure doing business with you and I plan to do so again, and again.

Just my 2 cents
Silverthorn
 
Raymond Richard is a Master IMO. I met him at the first Bladeshow I ever attended, and showed him a dud knife from a batch of 6 Nessmuks that I had just finished. Can you imagine? He put up with me checking his table out every hour or so all weekend.

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At the same Bladeshow, I showed the same knife to Mastersmith J. Neilson. He was very gracious, just like Ray. I asked a ton of questions, and got lots of advice. One thing he told me was that my grinds (this was knife # 6 or so) were "impatient." Let me tell you that I have striven for thin grinds ever since. I also learned to put the initial edges on my knives from his videos.

Look at this knife. Whoa.

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Those are gorgeous Andy no doubt.
You have good taste.
Are those folded steel, or laminate, ground to shape ?
The hamon on those two is just beautiful.

Don't get me wrong Bruce's Knife and Pistol are stunning, but I could never bring myself to use them.
I prefer that clean simple hard use kinda beauty in my knives, but only because I cant do Safe queens ..lol.
 
Very humble of you brother.I am a journeyman union boilermaker that served an apprenticeship and am very proud of what going through an apprenticeship has donne for a goofy hillbilly boy with a high school education.I own lots of knives production and custom however i own nothing with you makers mark on it. I am a fan of your work though and have intentions of owning some when the oppurtunity arises.I am more eager to get my hands on one of your knives after reading your post than I have been.One thing I would like to add though.You may not see yourself as a master but one thing is for certain you are a very talented craftsman that alot of folks have great admiration for.just my two cents ...........MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
 
These are from ABS Journeyman Nick Wheeler.

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I feel very lucky to be using my hands and designs to make my living. And, I am not trying to dissuade y'all using my knives. But lets not debate. I am going to improve a lot before I call myself a Journeyman.
 
I think Andy has made his point and stated it well. He is a fine craftsman that has not lost focus on what a knife is really made for......use. Yeah, I've made a few that just hang around.....pretty much just real purty screwdrivers and prybars that don't do so well in that category. They were made to function as knives first before getting all dressed up and are equal to that task.
Andy and I have talked about this on occasion......it means more to me (at least) that a knife is chosen for how it performs it's given task. No harm in it looking good, but it darn well better do it's job, or we have failed as a maker.
Andy's knives have proven they are up to the task and that's always good enough for me.
Keep it up Andy.....you can back-row at Kentucky with me any time.
 
Just so y'all all know, my friend Carl Rechsteiner is a Master Artist.
 
By posting in this thread I have to admit that every once in awhile I search my name on the forum to make sure I'm not on somebody's shit list and getting blasted somewhere. :o :foot: :) That's how I stumbled across this.

Thanks for the mention Andy, I really appreciate that!!! :)

I think it's good of you to clear up the fine details on this stuff because it speaks highly of your respect for things like the the difficulty for a man to get to Mastersmith status in the ABS... But don't cut yourself short in the process. While I'm very proud to be a small part of the ABS and know the stress that testing can induce... There isn't a maker in the organization that would say only those with stamps are worthy of praise and recognition. While some of the best makers in the world are in the ABS, there are many that aren't involved in it, let alone swing a hammer in their shop.

You are working hard to create finely crafted pieces that folks can afford to enjoy using, or just looking at. The woodworking skillz you bring to your game put you a step above too.

The fact that you have built up such a strong following is testament to your dedication to this craft. :thumbup: :)

And if you're ever in southwest Washington, you're more than welcome to come to the shop for a week. We've got a big new house, and a big new shop. :)

Thanks again for the mention buddy. :)
 
Knifemaker is not always a blacksmith, blacksmith is not always a swordsmith, and craftman is not always artist.
But they are all professionals when they dedicate themselves to focus on their quality of stuffs.
Every kind of true masters don't call themselves as master, they always say they have still very much to learn.
Hope you can leave from your noise until you can relief your headache, and use your time to refill yourself.
 
Fiddleback said:
At the same Bladeshow, I showed the same knife to Mastersmith J. Neilson. He was very gracious, just like Ray. I asked a ton of questions, and got lots of advice. One thing he told me was that my grinds (this was knife # 6 or so) were "impatient." Let me tell you that I have striven for thin grinds ever since. I also learned to put the initial edges on my knives from his videos.

Look at this knife. Whoa.

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Click to expand...

J. does do excellent work. Got about 5 of his around here ... one very close to that.
 
Andy,
I've not posted on your subforum before, or in relation to your knives either. I have looked at them and even played with one before (don't remember the model). You do great work, and as a budding knifemaker myself, I can say your trail of success is impressive and inspiring. I am trying to work through the ABS, and it is a process for sure. I am only throwing this out there as a thought for now, but you may feel free to run with it if you choose. If you look at how the ABS was formed, with one who had an idea and then got others together with shared interest to form an organization, an organization for stock removal isn't that far fetched. I have met many makers who do strickly stock removal and their work is fantastic. I think such an organization has merit and would be well received. Anyway, Your attitude and humility are just a testament to your professionalism.
Dan
 
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