Jim Owen, knife maker info

J

jpm2

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Nov 19, 2014
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Does anyone have information on this maker, specifically blade steel and handle materials used. History and any other tidbits appreciated.

I was given this knife set to sharpen.
IMG_3982en.jpg


Makers mark
IMG_3985en.jpg
 
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Hard to see but do the blades have an engine turned finish? What are the handles made of? Looks like some nice kitchen knives from here especially the tall profile paring knife.
 
It looks like the finish is end mill marks. I don't know what the handle material is, bone, ivory, synthetic? The blades are very thick with polished hollow grind. No idea what steel, except it's stainless. I had hoped to learn more about the knives and maker, but come up with zero.
 
jpm2 said:
It looks like the finish is end mill marks. I don't know what the handle material is, bone, ivory, synthetic? The blades are very thick with polished hollow grind. No idea what steel, except it's stainless. I had hoped to learn more about the knives and maker, but come up with zero.
Click to expand...

So Jim Owen was my uncle/godfather. I actually only came across your thread by chance. But I’ll tell you what I know how he made them. I’m not a knife pro by any means of the word though so bear with me.

Basically he’d have the blanks imported, some type of “German Steel” he was very proud of. As a matter of fact I remember him taking one of his knives he just finished, put it against an old 3/8” steel plate. He’d pound it about a 1/2” into the plate with a sledge, draw it back and it still be very sharp.

He had like 4 or 5 bench wheel grinders from what I can remember, and shaped all of his knives from them. I can ask my parents if they know more about the steel type and how they were made.

But very cool to see they are still in circulation. I have a few of his knives I inherited from him and although I don’t use them as much as I should they still look amazing.
 
Thanks for the reply Justin.
My sister-in-law no longer works for the owner of that knife set, so I'll probably never see them again.

I can tell you they are very beefy knives and should be around for a long time.
Any more info will be appreciated.

I fixed the image links.
 
Justin Powell said:
So Jim Owen was my uncle/godfather. I actually only came across your thread by chance. But I’ll tell you what I know how he made them. I’m not a knife pro by any means of the word though so bear with me.

Basically he’d have the blanks imported, some type of “German Steel” he was very proud of. As a matter of fact I remember him taking one of his knives he just finished, put it against an old 3/8” steel plate. He’d pound it about a 1/2” into the plate with a sledge, draw it back and it still be very sharp.

He had like 4 or 5 bench wheel grinders from what I can remember, and shaped all of his knives from them. I can ask my parents if they know more about the steel type and how they were made.

But very cool to see they are still in circulation. I have a few of his knives I inherited from him and although I don’t use them as much as I should they still look amazing.
Click to expand...
Jim was a personal friend of mine, I sat many hours in his shed and watched him make his knives often times in the summer it would get well over 100 degrees. His equipment was your basic shop vac and bench grinder. He used mostly horn of any animal and micarta handles. A true artist and pride of material was his specialty. Unfortunately I was not aware of the tinsel strength of his raw material.
 
I
7656jimmy said:
Jim was a personal friend of mine, I sat many hours in his shed and watched him make his knives often times in the summer it would get well over 100 degrees. His equipment was your basic shop vac and bench grinder. He used mostly horn of any animal and micarta handles. A true artist and pride of material was his specialty. Unfortunately I was not aware of the tinsel strength of his raw material.
Click to expand...
I have many of his knives if you would like to see photos, let me know.
 
Great thread here! Beautiful knives made by an great American craftsman! I am sure he would be very proud that his knives live on!
RKH
 
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