Joe Kious dagger / Brian Hochstrat (nude) Mermaids

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Feb 15, 2002
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This is a nice folding auto dagger by Joe Kious. Brian Hochstrat's bulino mermaids and related engraving of this piece are exceedingly well done.

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Mermaid detail:
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The detail shot above is basically right out of the camera with minimal photoshop enhancements and nothing done to to alter the engraving as it actually appears - no kind of digital clean-up or pixel surgery needed when photographing Brian's engraving! :thumbup:
 
This looks awesome; do you have any detailed pics of the internal engraving?
 
Amazing artistry at its best, if one can say so in English... :)

The knives seem to be falling from heaven in the picture.
I suppose this symbolizes the fact that this is a "heavenly" engraving
or an "out-of-this-world" work of art - which it surely is!!

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
:eek:Wow!! Unbelievably incredible piece with amazing artwork!!:thumbup:

Great pics:thumbup:
 
Yikes! And if you can take your gaze off the fanciful ladies and lifelike detail, check out the incredible scrollwork. As good as it gets.

Fantastic work, Brian and Buddy!

Coop
 
Brian's creating an impressive "body of work." This joins the "Angelica" pair as real treats we've seen lately. Great photos by Buddy on all.

( Are those girls sisters? They're not sisters!)

John
 
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How does that pull out thingie work?
I had to ask Brian how to open the blade. I realize I've seen it a few times now - very smart and practical - also secure.

Here's my version of how to open this knife:

Take it in your hand. :jerkit: No, the knife.
Now squeeze the blade in slightly - until you do that she will defeat you.
After umm... squeezing, press the nipple with your thumb. The blade opens softly in your hand but becomes rigid upon locking open.
Later, you can press the nipple again to close the blade. It's a slippery operation so you need to use both hands.
 
Ooops!
The Pull Out Thingie
I thought you meant the other thingie that looks like a pull out thingie but is really the blade release thingie.

The pull out thingie(s) slide down easily under the pressure of your thumb... the same thumb that, you know, pressess the nipple. ;)
 
Thanks for posting this up Buddy. The photos are great, it is nice working with a guy who puts as much effort into the photos as I put into my work.

This was a big knife and I only accept about one of these per year. The handle portion is about 5 inches long, add in the pockets, and you end up with quite a bit of area to cover. Plus, when you are hand cutting micro dots the area seems 10 times bigger. I keep an hours log and I ended up with 325 hrs total invested. 16 hrs. to design and 309 hrs actual engraving time. There was a point I wondered if I would ever finish it. Which is another reason I only take one big knife per year. Mental stamina, looking at the same thing for a month and a half really wears on your mental ability to focus and continue working. Once I finish something big like this, I usually have to spend a few weeks doing quickie jobs that are finishable in a week or so's time to kind of refuel, before moving on to something else challenging.

Thanks all for the kind words, and thanks again Buddy for the great photos. Brian
 
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Thanks for posting this up Buddy. The photos are great, it is nice working with a guy who puts as much effort into the photos as I put into my work.

This was a big knife and I only accept about one of these per year. The handle portion is about 5 inches long, add in the pockets, and you end up with quite a bit of area to cover. Plus, when you are hand cutting micro dots the area seems 10 times bigger. I keep an hours log and I ended up with 325 hrs total invested. 16 hrs. to design and 309 hrs actual engraving time. There was a point I wondered if I would ever finish it. Which is another reason I only take one big knife per year. Mental stamina, looking at the same thing for a month and a half really wears on your mental ability to focus and continue working. Once I finish something big like this, I usually have to spend a few weeks doing quickie jobs that are finishable in a week or so's time to kind of refuel, before moving on to something else challenging.

Thanks all for the kind words, and thanks again Buddy for the great photos. Brian

Mr. Hochstrat, respect! That is some of the nicest engraving I have ever seen on a knife. 325 hours. Wow.

Kind regards,

Jos
 
Beautiful folder and Brian's engraving is absolutely incredible.

Buddy's image is equally impressive. Don't believe I've ever seen a background that suits a knife/image any better.

I started a thread here weeks ago asking the question if BF members thought we were undergoing a "Golden Age" or "Renaissance" period of for custom knives. I believe we have several knives posted on this very page that make a strong case that we are.
 
sexy- but not 'sexytimes';):thumbup:
 
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