Ken Erickson Knives: A Retrospective

[black mamba]

Ken, thank you for the detailed explanation, it's more than I hoped for. I tend to live vicariously through Elliot's knives, and this is a great boost for me!

 

[waynorth]

A Winchester English Jack, made for Winchecter by Schrade, and reprised by Ken!!
Wonderful Knife!!!

 

[waynorth]

An early sway-back knife by Ken, in Pre-ban!!!

 

[Peregrin]

It's great to see this thread active again!
Here's my one and only Erickson. I got so excited about Ken posting again that I put it in my pocket.

 

[ken erickson]

Gary and Charlie,
Thanks for posting! Both are really early knives.

That was my first makers mark , etched, after I graduated from stamping "K E".

A few folks have wondered about my habitat interest that drew me away from the shop.
In early 2017 I purchased 57 acres of ex Christmas tree plantation close to my home in central Wisconsin and set about restoring it to a more native oak savanna.

I thought building multi blade slip joints was challenging ! Yikes, I had no idea of what I was getting myself in for, but love every hour I spend on the place.

The first few years was a flurry of activity, forestry mulching, herbiciding to kill off invasive species and planting a wide mix of native forbs and grasses. I built a small wild life pond, rifle range, tractor shed , miles of two track jeep trails, developed a picnic/camping area and a host of other chores.

The local school board has a teaching forest a 1/4 mile away that I have volunteered my time and equipment. Volunteered on other projects in the area. All very enjoyable and for me I love the learning aspect of it all!

I have held learning outreach events on my land, have had bird and pollinator surveys conducted by the University of Wisconsin Stevens point which specializes in habitat studies here in Wi.

I mention all this , not to blow my own horn, but wanted to further let folks know what led me astray from the shop! I also have developed a much better understanding of how important small land owners are and their contributions to the overall health of the world we live in. I am amazed at the diversity of critters that now call my place home or travel thru compared to when I first stepped foot on it.

 

[Blues]

The world's a better place with you in it, Ken. Of that I have no doubt.

 

[Chui]

It's great to see this thread active again!
Here's my one and only Erickson. I got so excited about Ken posting again that I put it in my pocket.

............oh, yes...!

Here's my three.........almost everyone particularly goes for the Butterscotch first.

 

[ken erickson]

Thanks for posting and I agree on the butterscotch. For some reason that micarta seems to have such a warm feeling in hand also, hard to explain.

 

[Blues]

Must be the sweet tooth.

I'll admit to a predilection for Ken's jigged bone offerings, though.

(There is no wrong answer.)

 

[lithicus]

Gary and Charlie,
Thanks for posting! Both are really early knives.

That was my first makers mark , etched, after I graduated from stamping "K E".

A few folks have wondered about my habitat interest that drew me away from the shop.
In early 2017 I purchased 57 acres of ex Christmas tree plantation close to my home in central Wisconsin and set about restoring it to a more native oak savanna.

I thought building multi blade slip joints was challenging ! Yikes, I had no idea of what I was getting myself in for, but love every hour I spend on the place.

The first few years was a flurry of activity, forestry mulching, herbiciding to kill off invasive species and planting a wide mix of native forbs and grasses. I built a small wild life pond, rifle range, tractor shed , miles of two track jeep trails, developed a picnic/camping area and a host of other chores.

The local school board has a teaching forest a 1/4 mile away that I have volunteered my time and equipment. Volunteered on other projects in the area. All very enjoyable and for me I love the learning aspect of it all!

I have held learning outreach events on my land, have had bird and pollinator surveys conducted by the University of Wisconsin Stevens point which specializes in habitat studies here in Wi.

I mention all this , not to blow my own horn, but wanted to further let folks know what led me astray from the shop! I also have developed a much better understanding of how important small land owners are and their contributions to the overall health of the world we live in. I am amazed at the diversity of critters that now call my place home or travel thru compared to when I first stepped foot on it.

Growing up in a family of outdoorsman, I not only respect all of the hard work that went into this but I also greatly appreciate you making this world a better place. It's sad to see what has happened to the wildlife in the little bit of time I've already spent on this earth. But, it is measurable. I've watched my grandfather struggle with authorities to keep fisheries in the great lakes healthy. I've seen vast amounts of land demolished and low cost apartments, super highways, strip malls put in their place. We need to do what we can to preserve mother nature. And you have no doubt left a positive impact on the ecosystem. Thank you for sharing and caring!

 

[glennbad]

If something was going to pull you away from making knives, that's a pretty darn epic reason. Thanks for what you do, both in and out of the knife shop!

 

[LastRodeo]

A couple more of Ken's masterpieces.

 

[waynorth]

And another of Ken's Knives!!
If we all had Ken's attitude and efforts toward this Planet, all our troubles would be over!!!

 

[brownshoe]

Please do not judge too harshly! LOL I had to start somewhere.

I think this knife was about number 4 or 5 for me. My journey building slip joints started when I won a Ebay auction for a really nice used 6 x 12 hand operated surface grinder for $560. Wow, I struggled thru the first dozen knives or so before things started to "click".

This knife is one of only a handful that feature German nickel liners and soldered bolsters. Crazy looking slanted plunge line, not sure what you would call the frame pattern and blade shape! The nail nick was done post heat treat using a shaped grinding wheel on the surface grinder and then plunge grinding. While functional, the nail nick is not as sharp and defined as when using a shaped fly cutter pre heat treat, which is the method I eventually went to. Nail nicks IMHO are super important that they are done correct on handmade slip joints.

This is one of those rare knives that feature a flush back spring in only one of the three positions! LOL. At least it does have half stops. Notice the back spring in the picture with the blade at half top position. Yikes!

I had thrown this knife in a box of rejects on my work bench and one day my father was visiting and noticed it setting in the box, he liked the very green jigged bone, and I gifted it to him. He was either being really kind or did think it was the bee's knees as he kept it on his desk up at his cabin till the day he passed.

I have a Don Hanson, Sunfish Forge, from the early 1990s that has some flaws due to inexpperience. But as a useful knife it’s perfect, and because of the flaws, I could afford it, but to be truthful, it was the pepper spots on the interior spring that probably convinced the dealer to discount it. Since I use all my knives, it has more “flaws” but is still 100% functional

 

[knowtracks]

This thread needs come come back to the top!
My first custom knife, I had the honor of Ken making it. You never forget your first and I can still remember the thrill of working with Ken and the excitement of waiting for this beauty to arrive....
Ken's pics







Dave

 

[JJ_Colt45]

This thread needs come come back to the top!
My first custom knife, I had the honor of Ken making it. You never forget your first and I can still remember the thrill of working with Ken and the excitement of waiting for this beauty to arrive....
Ken's pics
View attachment 2777922
View attachment 2777923View attachment 2777924
View attachment 2777925
View attachment 2777927
View attachment 2777928


Dave

That's a beauty! It has to rank right up there as one of my favorites that I've seen from Ken.

 

[Mike Robuck]

I remember that knife Dave! A stunner

 

[waynorth]

My first custom knife, I had the honor of Ken making it. You never forget your first and I can still remember the thrill of working with Ken and the excitement of waiting for this beauty to arrive....
Ken's pics

A Wharncliffe Trapper!!! A worthy first knife, Dave!!!
Or second; or third!!! Such a knife!!! A worthy maker, and a worthy recipient!!!