Ken Erickson Knives: A Retrospective

ken erickson said:
Thanks for the kind comment Vince, I also cant wait, this is very different for me to make knives and have them sitting here like this. Hope to see you in Atlanta and meet you in person.
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Ken,I am going to try to get there,and it certainly will be a pleasure to meet you.
-Vince :)
 
BTW Ken,The G-10 stockman is really great looking,and I can very clearly envision a Michigan pen,barehead,with your fantastic brown jigged micarta,we talked about once (had the bone grain detail in the jigging)
-Vince :)
 
ken erickson said:
Pamela,
What a pleasant surprise to see you here. I also hope you stick around, some really friendly folks here that love to share their vast knowledge when it comes to these traditional knives! PS, Dont tell your brothers but you have always been my favorite cousin.
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Hey, Kenny, you know you are one my favorite people in world! (He's always been very good to me.) I was working on your new website again so I Googled your name to see what came up. There was a reference to this thread in BladeForums.com and after reading it, my heart swelled up with pride and I had to join in. This forum has been a perfect place for you to show the world your craft. It's fantastic.

I'll admit, I don't speak the language around here, but one doesn't have to be well versed in knife making to know a piece of art when one sees it. I have often called the projects that Ken worked on as art. Whether it was a gun or a car or a knife, because there is that care that goes into what he's working on that went 20 steps further than was expected. The other thing that makes Ken so good at this is his intelligence. He is one of the smartest people I know. That shows in his work as well.
 
Ken, that is some mighty fine Stockman. If I ever get enough money, I am sure get similar for myself (though humpback variant with pen blade instea spey and main blade spear point and instead sheepshoof a real whanrcliffe and closed length around 4" long) with your name on the tang.
 
Hi Ken,

That's quite a lineup so far for Blade. I really like the stockman. I keep saying I have enough one-blade custom knives, but I also really like that JR. Michigan pen.
 
Ken, what a great group of knives! I really like the stockman.
Oh, how I would love to visit the Blade Show ;)
 
There are quite a few of us that are lookin' forward to meeting you in person at Atlanta's Blade Show, Ken. Glad to know that you will be there.
Greg
 
Mike Robuck said:
Hi Ken,

That's quite a lineup so far for Blade. I really like the stockman. I keep saying I have enough one-blade custom knives, but I also really like that JR. Michigan pen.
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I am in the same boot with Mike. Feel sorry for him. :D
 
I wanted to share a few pictures of one of my "junior Michigan pen's" that I just completed for Blade Show in June.

I scaled this one in Ebony and while I was making it kept getting visions of the Arabia sinking after hitting a river snag on the Missouri river Sept 5th 1856. I am sure many you know the story of the Arabia and its recovery of dozens of pocket knives. Here is a link for those that may not know the story of the ship and its tie to traditional slipjoints.
http://www.glswrk-auction.com/102.htm

Many of the recovered knives were scaled in wood that I assume could have been ebony and were in remarkable shape after more than a 100 years of being buried in river bottom mud/sand.

This knife is my scaled down rendition of a Holly vintage jack that was named "Michigan Pen", hence my coined term of "junior Michigan pen" This knife measures 4 1/8 closed while the Holly jack is 5 1/4. Blade steel,CPM154cm.

Thanks for looking,

Ken Erickson

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Ken, that is wonderful. I can almost hear the old steam whistle, the chugging of the paddlewheel turning, feel the river air on my face, and the heft of that Michigan pen in my front pocket while leaning against the railing. :thumbup:
 
Ebony suits that pattern well, Ken. I liked the one with stag and was there one with your jigged bone as well?
 
Ken,
What a excellent made slip joint! It's just has
that Vintage, classy, look to it!! Great looking
pocket knife! Thanks for sharing!


Jason
 
comoha said:
Ken, that is wonderful. I can almost hear the old steam whistle, the chugging of the paddlewheel turning, feel the river air on my face, and the heft of that Michigan pen in my front pocket while leaning against the railing. :thumbup:
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I know what I'll be thinking as I drift off tonight.:thumbup:

That ebony is a dream.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Mike Robuck said:
Ebony suits that pattern well, Ken. I liked the one with stag and was there one with your jigged bone as well?
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Mike,

I think Ebony works really well on this knife! I have made three total of these now, 2 in stag, and this one. (none available). I like to think of this pattern as a vintage backpocket if I may. Single blade, stout, about the same size as most backpocket's. In short , this has become one of my personal favorites.

Thanks for the kind comments on this one, I appreciate it very much,

Ken

PS, I have seen a picture of the knives from the Arabia but for some reason can not find it online, feel free to post it if you have the link?
 
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