I picked this up at a knife show this weekend and was wondering if anyone has heard of him or knows anything about his work. According to his blade markings he's out of Londonerry Ohio. He's evidentily heavy into file work as this knife has the entire top of the blade fileworked, the entire spacer and the liners included the linerlock portion. He does a great job of anodizing and jeweling. The slabs on this are pre-ban ivory. The blade is not dark at all, just lousy lighting for the picture.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Jim Downs
- Thread starter BurkStar
- Start date
G3
Via con dios
- Joined
- May 23, 2004
- Messages
- 2,781
I just bought a tactical folder from a purveyor at a showin Stamford, CT. It has everything I wanted and it was custom. I never heard of Downs before either so I asked the dealer and he told me the following:
Used to be a F/T gunsmith but went to knives part time then full time in 1981 and has been doing so since. He does fixed blades as well as folders but most folders steer towards the upscale, gentleman's type. Tacticals are rare for him and from what little I have gathered on the web, it appears true. I will submit a picture asap. But anyway his prices range from 75-1200 dollars and a trademark of his folders is the thumb notch for the thumb stud on the bolster. They all look the same. Anyway the guy said he could give me his number and he talks to him frequently if I wanted to buy direct.
Here is a pic of mine: pic1
8 5/8" overall
3.75" blasted ATS-34 spearpoint blade
Titanium liners, spacer, anodized bolsters and clip
Basket weave carbon fiber handles
Used to be a F/T gunsmith but went to knives part time then full time in 1981 and has been doing so since. He does fixed blades as well as folders but most folders steer towards the upscale, gentleman's type. Tacticals are rare for him and from what little I have gathered on the web, it appears true. I will submit a picture asap. But anyway his prices range from 75-1200 dollars and a trademark of his folders is the thumb notch for the thumb stud on the bolster. They all look the same. Anyway the guy said he could give me his number and he talks to him frequently if I wanted to buy direct.
Here is a pic of mine: pic1
8 5/8" overall
3.75" blasted ATS-34 spearpoint blade
Titanium liners, spacer, anodized bolsters and clip
Basket weave carbon fiber handles
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2000
- Messages
- 1,146
I've known Jim Downs for a number of years. He, and his wife, Rose, are a couple of the gentlest and nicest folks you could want to meet.
Whenever possible Rose accompanies Jim to the knifeshows.
Jim's knives over the years have become some serious works of art.
He is into hot bluing damascus, ivory, pearl, damascus blades and bolsters, beautiful fileworking, anodizing liners. His knives have a fit and finish that is just beautiful in workmanship. His creativity in designing and executing patterns is excellent. When you talk about whether a knife has that "WOW Factor", Jim's do.
Of the knives he takes to shows, you ought to get to his table early in the show to see as many as possible of them.
Jim is also generous with his knowledge and advice to other knifemakers.
One of Jim's folders is the featured handmade folder in the current Koval catalog and is the featured knife on all of the fliers for the Columbus Greater Ohio Valley Knife Show.
Here is Jim's contact information as listed on the Knifemakers' Guild member list:
Downs, James
35 Sunset Rd.
Londonberry, OH 45647
740-887-2099
Whenever possible Rose accompanies Jim to the knifeshows.
Jim's knives over the years have become some serious works of art.
He is into hot bluing damascus, ivory, pearl, damascus blades and bolsters, beautiful fileworking, anodizing liners. His knives have a fit and finish that is just beautiful in workmanship. His creativity in designing and executing patterns is excellent. When you talk about whether a knife has that "WOW Factor", Jim's do.
Of the knives he takes to shows, you ought to get to his table early in the show to see as many as possible of them.
Jim is also generous with his knowledge and advice to other knifemakers.
One of Jim's folders is the featured handmade folder in the current Koval catalog and is the featured knife on all of the fliers for the Columbus Greater Ohio Valley Knife Show.
Here is Jim's contact information as listed on the Knifemakers' Guild member list:
Downs, James
35 Sunset Rd.
Londonberry, OH 45647
740-887-2099