Is age a factor in being a custom maker par excellence?

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453
It is my guess that most above par knife makers are in their 40s. Some are perhaps in their 50s and others probably beyond that.

So that brings to mind: is maturity (in terms of age) an added advantage in being a knife maker of some repute?

It is entirely possible that there may emerge among the ranks of the Bladesmiths a man in his 20s who has the skills of a knifemaker far beyond his age.

The question is: are there makers in that age category? I doubt it until I see and hear their names.
 
Age is not the key, patience and experience are. Old timers have learned a degree of patience that most younger makers have not learned yet.

The better makers don't seem to be in a hurry to complete anything, the knife will get done when it gets done.
 
Maybe because handmade knives only started to become known in Brazil in the late eighties, most of our artisans are very young, many of then close to thirty and some even younger, and quality seems to be pretty much disconnected to their age.
I think will is the main factor in this subject. If a maker is willing to learn, he will eventually learn. Of course, having someone to ask questions to and the appropriate tools and machines can make this path much shorter.
 
i agreed whole heartedly with geogre. i am 43 and have been at it about 4 1/4 years and the thing that is the hardest is to know when to stop and walk away. that there is a flow to making a knife by hand. and getting bent out of shape or yelling at it doesent make things any better. and to do some profle grinding or other task or just plain leave the shop.
 
I read this in my friends cabinet shop yesterday:"Excellence arrives thru mistake after mistake and not losing your enthusiam!"
 
Bill Herndon and I talked about this in passing a while back. Being only 29, I was worried if that would hurt my show sales. This was his take.

Older makers are the norm for one reason. Knife making is not big money for 99% of knifemakers. Most go into making knives after they retire from their normal jobs. They have their pension and knifemaking is just extra money. In my case, I have 10 years of knifemaking behind me, and am giong at it full time with enough sales to "make it". Thats more than many 60 year old knifemakers can say.

Quality speaks for itself, reguardless of age.

<A HREF="http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292475489"><IMG SRC="http://www.imagestation.com/images/album/link/my_album_button.gif" BORDER="0"></A>
 
I'm not trying to say that I'm even close to being put in a list as "one of the greats" but I am 23. Josh Smith did indeed get his MS stamp at 19. Eric Elson of Canada is 19.

Nick
 
Josh Smith accomplished what he did at an early age due to a couple of factors. One, he has had lots of instruction from many great makers that live close to him, that were willing to take him under their wings. Two, he is a very determined young man, who does not give up, and was willing to work hard and take the time to do things properly. I do not yet have one of his knives, but will soon.
 
I think George hit the nail on the head with the single word, "experience." Although they are rare, there are certainly some young makers like Josh Smith who have that experience in concentrated form despite their age. Most of us, however, accumulate experience slowly over a period of many years.

Much of knifemaking is the cultivated ability to deal with problems, challenges, and mistakes. A young maker who is in the presence of many fine tutors (as Smith is) who have that ability, is at a tremendous advantage in terms of absorbing that experience in massive doses.

I have been making knives for more than 35 years, but did not get serious about it until I was in my early 50s (I am 60 now). What I have learned as a serious maker is that, in the absence of help from others, I can draw on my experience in other areas (as a guitar maker, for example), and apply what I know from those disciplines to the knifemaking problem at hand.

The older maker has the single advantage of having a perspective that crosses decades instead of just years or months. That can be a real plus when you are standing alone in your shop, scratching your head.
 
Age allows one to learn that most personal limitations are self-inflicted. Some are gifted with a natural immunity to that affliction, and achieve much more while still young.

I might also mention Chris Bowles. Chris is 17 now, has been making knives a couple years, has some of his works selling at up to $1000 in price, and is highly regarded by such experts as Paul Basch of A.G. Russell. In fact, Chris recently had a color page to himself in the Cutting Edge catalog. Chris is also a very nice young man, who carries is age well.
 
Let's don't forget Aaron Frederick, the (I think) Son-in-Law of John W. Smith. Fantastic folders.

A.T.
 
I think experience is important, there are a number of other factors one needs to consider as well:
Learning to see your mistakes. If you do not know what to look for you will never get beyond your current level of expertise. This you learn by having other knifemakers look at your work.
I was in the position where I only met up with other knifemakers about three times a year. These days my work is improving by leaps and bounds as I get continiual feedback.

Patience, taking the time that it takes, enjoying what you do even if it is the most tedious work such as hand finishing, is very important as well.
Older knifemakers where trained under very different circumstances in their young days. These days an apprentice toolmaker, fitter, whatever, will do very little hand work as the training is focused on machinery. Back then you had to be able to do it by hand before you were even allowed to touch a machine. This taught the valuable hand skills needed in knifemaking as well as patience.

Becoming a NOTED knifemaker is a different story. The longer you have been at it, the longer your marketing efforts have been out there.
 
I think the internet is having a profound effect on artists of all types. The exposure to the work of others is amazing. The interaction with your peers, many of whom you could never have met in any other way, is of incalculable value. The internet is allowing for an accelerated type of learning for those who are willing to use it that has never been seen before. We are very lucky to be in on the beginning of it. I thank all the gracious knifemakers who have shared their experience and wisdom to help humble me become a better craftsman.
 
"I think the internet is having a profound effect on artists of all types. The exposure to the work of others is amazing. The interaction with your peers, many of whom you could never have met in any other way, is of incalculable value."

Peter -- very well said! I think that the ability to see the work of others has really accelerated the transfer of knowledge and ideas, much like the impact of transportation did at the turn of the century. One maker pushes the envelope, and others see it and say, "Wow, I ddn't know that could be done!"

John Ownby

John C. Ownby Handmade Knives
 
Age helps in several ways:
1) The older you are, the more likely it is you have disposable income to buy proper equipment, instruction, materials.

2) If you are retired or comfortable in your work, you have more time to play with techniques than if you are struggling to find a job, work your way up the corporate ladder, or start your wn business.

3) If you started making knives at the age of 25 and now you're fifty, that's an awful lot of experience!

IMHO, knifemaking is more about instinct and feel than it is about pure technique, but on the other hand, a certain level of knife, style of knife, etc needs to be done by somebody who really has the experience to do it. For example, I can certainly make a serviceable knife. Some people may even say I make good knives. But every folder I've tried to make has been a miserable, horrible experience! Some knifemaking is obviously talent, but for the most part it just takes the time to learn how to do things the right way, and use younguns can rarely afford that. That said there are an awful lot of youg guys out there making great knives, and just as many fogers who can't make anything that cuts, so there are going to be some exceptions to the rule.
 
The age of a maker doesn't come into play with me when ordering a knife (except for YOU, Tom - don't go and die on me before my TNT is done!! :D)
 
Josh Smith - about 20
Eric Elson - 19
R.W. Clark - 29
Chris Bowles - 17
Aaron Frederick


It would be interesting to keep an eye on the careers of these young bladesmiths.

However, nobody can discount age and experience. There's something about these two factors that can and will determine how good a knife can be. That's my opinion anyway. :p
 
Bill Herndon - 29

You funny man!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bills closer to 59+. I think your just trying to butter him up to get a good deal on one of his knives:D.
 
I just turned 31.I wish I had started this 10 years ago.With time and experience anyone can make knives that will be a pleasure to fondle.Oh,yah It takes a good set of eyes too.The guys who get an early start can be as big or as small as they want to be....Can choose it full or part time and have plenty of time to develop.The list you gave ,those guys will be the Lovelesses and Chaffes of tomarrow.Some already are.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top