Kressler fighter...WOW

Yes, thanks very much for the fantastic pic's of two great knives Coop! Stephen F, You say that I'm too sensitive, but you to a lesser degree, just said the same thing. I guess were Just Sensitive guy's! Ha Not! Ha Ha!!. Dave H, that's the point, you have to hold one to feel it. Grapevine, wish we had met there. JW D entons Son, was there with a couple of tables of Lovelesses from their collection. Louis Chow was there with quite a few Loveless, Lovett-Loveless Connection, and a few Johnson's. Paul Shindler was there with Loveless, Lovett,Johnson, Young,(IThink) I may be mistaken on the Young. and Kressler. You would have been more than welcome to compare. You can see a nice assortment of Kresslers,Johnsons, Lovelesses, and Lovetts, on Paul Shindler, and John Hanlons site. http://knifelegends.com/ And GK, I think this is a very healthy thread. Mike
 
Grapevine, the vendor you referred to was probably Loveless dealer, J.W, Denton.
Coop, awesome photos! Went to the KnifeLegends website and that Kressler fighter was already sold!
Have both makers' knives and they both have their own characteristics. Loveless did make some integrals but they are seldom seen on the aftermarket, quite a few are in Japan, I believe. As far as I know, he has never done one in recent years and will never make one again.
This is also my first time seeing Kressler's new logo. Man, am really drooling over his integrals!
Thanks Coop, for the pictures!
 
I have what may be a dumb question:

I own the book by Peppini: "R.W. Loveless THE BOOK". In that book are drawings of integral knives that look similar if not exactly like the Kressler sub-hilt integrals. If I recall correctly, the drawings are on the inside of the front cover when you first open the book. I think there are also actual photos of knives like this somewhere in the second half of the book (its been a couple of months since I have looked through it so pardon the uncertainty).

So the question is: Did Loveless create that integral sub-hilt design, did Kressler, or did they do it together?


PS: Grapevine, you may want to check out the East Coast Custom Knife Show in February in NYC. Kressler will likely be there and I am fairly sure some dealer there will have a Loveless. That way you could hold both.
 
As I stated above, Talon, that was JW Dentons Son that was present. Thor this isn't a dumb question at all. There is much I wish I could tell you, but am not at liberty to do so. There are a lot of fakes in the book. Or Counterfeits if that is the preferred word. There are Damascus Fighters in there by Loveless. "NOT"!!! They are in there, but didn't come from the Loveless Shop. There are long bolster knives in there that are marked Loveless as well. Most are not. Make of this what you will. I'm too close to the situation to comment. Did Loveless Create the Integral Sub-hilt design? Loaded question my friend. Loveless extended friendship to Kressler, and taught him a great deal. BOB Loveless created the Sub-Hilt fighter period. Whether integral or not matters not even a little. Heck, Jimmy Lile made some very small ones years before any one even heard of D. Kressler, So did a few others.So has Verlarde. Who learned from Kressler, Who learned the style from Loveless. As did I. ( I've played with them myself). Loveless feels that they are a huge waste of material, and time. That is just the way Bob feels. But it is still a Loveless design. Kressler sells quite a few in Europe with Lovelesses name, and his, right on the blade. Check out Kresslers sight for yourself. There is at least one on there. Mike
 
Both Denton (John, the son, but not J.W.) and Dietmar will be exhibiting at the Chicago Knife Show early next month. I spoke with Dietmar yesterday, and he's bringing at least two sub-hilts.

Don't ever hesitate to talk to these gentlemen. They are more than willing to let you handle their knives. The Denton's have spent a lot of their time educating me on the Loveless knives, and Dietmar on his interpretation of the Loveless designs. I have several of both, and appreciate what each has contributed to the industry. Both makers are artists, and as artists offer different interpretations for us to enjoy. Both are the best at what they do.
 
I didn't know Kressler had a website. I have tried looking for it in the past, but couldn't find it.

If one of you knows it, mind posting it?

Thanks.
 
Thanks for the address Stephen :o (and the wise-crack :rolleyes: )

In the past when I looked, it was via search engines. Funny that kresslerknives.com didn't used to come up when you search for "kressler knives". It does now (I just checked). I tried this a few months ago. Oh well. (Or maybe I am just going blind).
 
This thread has been educational to me also. Mike Lovett, my statement that Kressler might "out-Loveless Loveless" really bit you hard. ;) that's OK, you clarified a lot of things.

On soft vs crisp lines: My take is that initially a many newbies will overwork a knife until it is soft all around. Blending-in incorrect matches until it is hard to see symmetry disparity. 90% of the newbies who make kits sand and round everything to blend. Feels good in the hand, as the master allows, but from an aesthetic and style standpoint I find them unappealing. (Please, please, how can I use a kit maker and Bob Loveless in the same comparison. Oh, the injustice of it all.... :jerkit: :foot: ) I see it as stage one in a makers curve....

As a maker gets more and more control over his work they start to be able to leave distinctions in sharper lines that allow comparisons. It's an advanced stage, for sure. taken to the nth degree (read: Kressler) that crispness is magnifically exaggerated (I made up that word. It means you have to look REAL close. :)) You nailed the reasons that they are appealing: VERY photogenic and obvious comparisons in symmetry are completely visible.

I daresay at his level that there is zero fudge room for a mistake. I would not think this process is any easier than another. It's time consuming to be exact.

Lastly, for the very reasons you explained, it is equally as hard for an experienced maker to get soft, yet symmetrical and clear lines on handle work. I can see how, with the material hardness changes that this would NOT be quite as simple as it 'appears'. Point very well-taken. I have added appreciation for Bob's and your work.

It is kind of like a maker who gets his very best hand-rubbed finish, only after bring the blade FIRST to a high-polish, and then sanding it. It's back-pedaling, and at a higher level.

Please keep on advising and educating us. And use sentencing breaks. Otherwise everything is rounded together. Not crisp and clearly defined.... ;) :grumpy: :D

Coop
 
SharpByCoop said:
..... Mike Lovett, my statement that Kressler might "out-Loveless Loveless" really bit you hard. ;)

Please keep on advising and educating us. And use sentencing breaks. Otherwise everything is rounded together. Not crisp and clearly defined.... ;) :grumpy: :D

Coop
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Man, you are a smart-ass, Coop!

I didn't want to comment on this much, but I got drug into it too.

The Chute, Wilderness and Dirk designs as practiced with the Loveless name on the blade are the best that these designs can be. Bar none.....with no one else really coming close, S.R. Johnson, occasionally, coming the closest, and the affomentioned Kressler next up.

Kressler's use of hollow handle pins puts me off. It just doesn't look right, sorta "tactical", and wrong, and icky.:eek:

It takes 15+ years of looking at knives, and an emotional level interest in these designs to understand this.

That's my opinion.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Thanks Coop! You all will will have to excuse my Texas English. Bit hard, well, he does gnaw on my ass a bit. From time to time. For other reasons though. Not the quality of his work. But that is for private talks. And best between others. You are so right about the newbies thing. They do indeed round every thin way too much. Usually with a lot of waves, dips, ripples, and in th worse cases gouges in evidence. We're really talking a completely different level here. Kinda like the difference in techniques used to tighten the battery in a car, and working on the heat shield of the Space Shuttle. (I'm talking strictly comparing newbie to prow here). On the opposite side of the fence, we see newbies making very square, and sharp. Why. Steel bars come in rectangular shape. (Sharp edges). As do Micarta slabs, Most horn slabs, and wood. The guard material is the same. So it takes work to get a softer profile. This isn't however what I'm talking about. On a higher level, to make the Loveless shaped , or Kressler shaped handle for instance, We do it on the belt grinder. Holding the section of guard to handle vertical against a 10" to 14",(or whatever your chosen size), Automatically cuts the radius you see on the Kressler. It is quick, and efficient. Simply rotate the knife clockwise, and counter clockwise. By adding forward pressure, you will automatically get this profile. The trick is to get it symmetrical. Now do the same for the rear. With thebutt of the knife up top, still holding the knife vertical. You can move the palm swell anywhere you want it. Go through finer, and finer grits, to a well worn 500 with a lubricant on it, and you're ready to go to the buffer. All edges will be sharp and crisp. Lightly slack belt the top and bottom( or the spine), through the same grits, and you have a precision looking finished product. You can hand finish, or lightly buff from here. For the Loveless shape, this is where the real work starts. This is when you pull out the files, and abrasive strips out, and start blending every thing. The Loveless finish takes many more hours. This isn't to say that one is better than the other. But one is definitely more labor intensive. The same can be said for Hand rubbed satin finishes, compared to full mirror finishes. Pro's and Con's to each. mike
 
While we're at it Coop, You just shot two for Knife Legends of a Lovett-Loveless Connection Wilderness, and Dixon Fighter in Green Canvas Micarta. One has a crisp guard and one has the rounded guard, that is done after the guard was brought to full crisp. if you have a chance, post it here to show the difference on two knives made at the same time. Mike
 
You got it, Mike. The devil is in the details...

orig.jpg


Coop
 
Originally posted by Kohai999:

The Chute, Wilderness and Dirk designs as practiced with the Loveless name on the blade are the best that these designs can be. Bar none
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I wouldn't dare question your experience with knives as you are years ahead of me in that department, but I am assuming your comment is strictly speaking from a usability point-of-view. Because from an aesthetic point-of-view, that is purely an opinion - matter of taste - eye of the beholder (or the wallet holder in this case ;) ) - doesn't really matter what you call it. I, for one, like Kressler's chute design shown above in Coop's post more (as stated in a previous post), even though I like both of them a lot.

And from an aesthetic point-of-view I also like the hollow pins. I think they look classy and they don't remind me of tacticals at all. In fact, I think they look more high-end than the thin pins he uses on some knives. I don't know how well they perform, but I also wouldn't actually use a Kressler for any real cutting. Too darn expensive. They are collector pieces to me.

Now when it comes to sub-hilts, Loveless and Kressler versions both appeal to me equally but for slightly different reasons.


Nice pic, Coop; and great looking knives, Mike.
 
Thor I am said:
I wouldn't dare question your experience with knives as you are years ahead of me in that department, but I am assuming your comment is strictly speaking from a usability point-of-view. Because from an aesthetic point-of-view, that is purely an opinion - matter of taste - eye of the beholder (or the wallet holder in this case ;) ) - doesn't really matter what you call it. I, for one, like Kressler's chute design shown above in Coop's post more (as stated in a previous post), even though I like both of them a lot.
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It's not as a user that I say this Thor. The Loveless's are out of my tax bracket, but maybe not the Kresslers. I have handled both, and remember the experience like 5 minutes ago.:)

It is in holding them, looking at, and feeling them. Ergonomics, weight, balance, finish......

Even though they are integrals, Dietmar's work almost feels TOO light to me, almost insubstantial. It is simply the choice of a very, sublimely talented maker taking things in a personal direction. It is neither right or wrong, but I find the Loveless knives to be without peer. And I have been trying to find a "better" one for over 20 years.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
"And I have been trying to find a "better" one for over 20 years.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson"

kbaknife said:
Siska.
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I love Jim, have known him for over 20 of those 20+ years. Great grinder, unique styling. Not remotely similar to Loveless.

This is like comparing a Cobra to a Ferrari Testarossa. They both have gobs of style and class, but one is just sexier than the other, depending upon who is driving what.:D

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Yep, and then came along the Triumph TR-7 and 8. "THE WEDGE" The shape of things to come. ( If you are old enouth to rember they'er advertizing campain). Make my looker a "RED" Head. Or Testarossa in Italian. and my user the good o'l American mucle car, The Cobra. Mike
 
STeven,

Thanks for the detailed reasons. I am definitely planning to do the side-by-side hand-held test next time I get a chance. That'll be fun and I am sure a good learning experience.

Thx,
Thor
 
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