Ironwood GPC1000's

SharpByCoop

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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 8, 2001
Messages
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I got an order from a good friend to do a folder for his buddy's 40th birthday celebration. We looked over all the prospects and together we chose this combination of materials and finish.

orig.jpg


Here's the skinny:

* Ironwood scales w/thin red liners (you can't go wrong with this selection!)
* Satin finished blade and bolsters
* Fully fileworked backspine
* Interior walls done in my special sanded & swirl pattern

He was SO excited about giving this that he was having remorse about having to give it up--even before I'd started it. (He doesn't own a nice pocket knife. :() Anticipating the desire, I decided to build not one, but TWO identical knives. Doing so takes about 1 1/2 times, not twice as long.

I HAD to complete them for his buddy's birthday deadline, so I wuz under the gun. Today I did an all-day stint in the shop. I called and invited him over for pizza and display. He was bowled over with the results, and I asked him why he didn't simply order two... ;) As he shrugged off his 'shoulda-coulda's', I pulled the second one out! I made him an offer he couldn't refuse, and he wrote me a check for the pair. Smiling ear-to-ear!

This is a departure from my norm, as I went back to a more rounded scale and bolster. I gave the handles a taper outward for looks and grip, and this made it especially hard to mate the bolster and scales. My now familiar fantail filework completed it, and heat coloring the liners with a torch gave it an elegant look.

Here's a pic of the pair of them together: Knives

Now *I* wish I had one!!!! :) :( ;)

Coop
 
Coop
Fantastic file work very orignal ! the detail is very impressive
I bet you will be designing you own soon !! GREAT WORK :eek: :eek:
 
simply gorgeous. i haven't been visiting the knife parts of bf lately (more of the gadgets and gear) but this a great welcoming!! well, if i get more into knives again and spend all my money it's your fault :p

Pete
 
I love that filework. I see you mirror imaged it on the two knives. I think it is time for you to start putting your mark on these knives. I know they start as kits, but you turn them into something that is so much more. You have earned the right to put your mark on these knives.

I know you are always going to be upfront with people and tell them your knives start out as kits, so adding your mark is, in my opinion, perfectly acceptable.
 
Originally posted by Keith Montgomery
You have earned the right to put your mark on these knives.

I know you are always going to be upfront with people and tell them your knives start out as kits, so adding your mark is, in my opinion, perfectly acceptable.
Thanks Keith, and someday I will get an approprite mark for the blade. (Keith and I participated in a LONG thread on the CKDForums about this aspect). I would have some qualifier distinguishing it from a handmade knife. Inside on the backbar I used a buzz engraver and scrolled "Handfinished by Jim Cooper". For now that's enough, and I still used the proper terminology, I hoped.

Thanks guys!!! This one's a sweetheart.

Coop
 
Stunning job. I have seen full blown customs that do not match the quality of those pieces. Excellent.
 
Great job Coop!! I love the look of the swell at the end of the scales .. Total package is outstanding.
 
Just a terrific job Coop.., and the picture matches the excellent craftsmanship.., very nice!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
Great work - you should sell them, because that is simply gorgeous. KnifeKits should use that as a "see what you can do" example pic.

Kevin
 
Thanks, Kevin--and regularly I do. I'm considering a website. These are fun and still time-consuming. (Ask me why I haven't dedicated more time to a ground-up custom? Because I haven't finished the kits that I keep providing others!) I see on the top of every BF page 'Knifemaking Kits' along with tutorials, etc. This area is growing and you undertand this.

My work is *well-covered* on the KK site. Look in their gallery! :) Thanks for the kudos.

Coop
 
Jim,

How much equipment do those require? How hard are they to put together? I'mn thinking of buying one before putting together my first folder, but I don't know anything about the high tech stuff, and I don't even have a grinder - I do everything with files., typically. Is a grinder necessary?

Thanks,

JD
 
Joss, you can do all you need with hand files. But.....

I find I spend lots of time on a 1" belt sander. My first few were done with a 6" sander. Then you'll want more stuff. For a look at what it took me to do one of my first, I wrote a tutorial: Coop's tutorial Let me know what you think.

Coop
 
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