John White Clamshell Damascus & Fossil Ivory Take-Down Dagger

HTMD

HTMD

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Feb 15, 2002
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The title of this post is a mouth-full yet totally insufficient to describe this fabulous dagger by ABS Mastersmith John White. Meticulously crafted and expertly designed it sure pegged my WOW meter! The collector to whom it now belongs wanted it photographed immediately so John sent it to me directly. Before getting it in front of my camera I was asked to give the new owner my honest opinion of it. Here is what I told him: Showed it to my wife... She and I agree it's one of the most beautiful daggers we've ever seen! Seriously. The ivory alone is to die for but as a whole it speaks volumes about design, flow, substance, depth and soul. So much so that those mature qualities cause the perfect fit and finish to almost pass un-noticed.

We wound up with two images to share here. The first one is my official 'final' version. The one below it was a first draft, so to speak. Thought I'd post both in case there's interest. Hopefully John will jump in with some pertinent details. Though not for sale at BLADE I think it may be available there for anyone who might like to see it up close and personal - something I highly recommend!

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WOW I Love it. I really Hope I get the chance to hold this knife very very Nice John
 
Hot Damn! That is one special dagger. Awesome work, John. :thumbup: Great images, Buddy. :thumbup:

Look forward to seeing it up close and personal, for sure!

- Joe
 
John, I just have to ask. Where did you buy that gorgeous Damascus??:D











But on a serious note, this is probably the best piece you've done. It oozes class and quality.

Paul
 
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O, wow! Great work Mr. White! I like it, I like it, I like it.

That's some great steel and that's some great mammoth ivory. I love the pommel clam-shell as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing you at Blade!
 
This was a commission by a friend and collector who asked for something special. The perfectly matched, absolutely symmetrical, rust and black, Mammoth scales had been waiting on my shelf for five years, looking for just the right knife. The symmetry called out for a dagger, and I'd been wanting to do a side-shell hunter.

The 10 1/4 inch blade is a 4-bar composite, Turkish Twist wrapped in Explosion. The side-shell is another 4-bar, hand welded and forged to shape. The clam-shell guard is a 2-bar,cut in the middle, flipped and scarf-welded so that the pattern runs outward from the ricasso in both directions, and hot forged over a male form. The tiny clam-shell butt-cap is also a 2-bar, hot forged into a female form with a punch shaped to the handle end.

As Buddy notes, this one is a take-down, but it's also a "convertible." The side-shell can be replaced with a carved spacer, should you need to conceal this one under your tunic for special occasions.

We'll be showing this knife off at Blade, but Buddy Thomason's incredible photographs present this piece as it should be seen, in an artist's eye.

Thank you to" El Patron," to Buddy, and to my friends here on BF.

John
 
Holy Cow!!.. Geezz John, you know how much I like your work but this one, wow!. Mr. Thomason, your image is wonderful and I really like your description. There is something different in this piece, a depth or mastery beyond. Perfectly blended elements.
 
now that's just ridiculous, I'm beginning to wonder if you're a brother from another planet.
Think I might know who 'el patron' might be- damn fortunate dude, no doubt about that- someone with outstanding taste for sharp art.
 
An inspired work, among the finest I've seen.

Is it me, or has the entire modern bladesmithing community really stepped it up a few notches over the past couple of years?
 
I have always been fond of John White knives but I think this is my new favorite.
This dagger should be in a museum.
WOW!!!!
 
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