Looking back on those early knife purchases

HTMD

HTMD

Joined
Feb 15, 2002
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Lest people think the only time I show up over here is when there's a controversy... figured I'd share some of what's been going on lately. :D

I've been slowly re-shooting all my old knives now that I have better gear and a little more know how. It's been fun and educational to compare them.

This knife was one of the first custom fixed blades I purchased when I got into collecting knives. RD Nolen (now in his 80s and living down at Flowing Wells, TX) was the first knifemaker I ever met and his was the first shop I ever visited. I'd have to say my tastes have changed over the years, but I still enjoy getting out the old knives, cleaning them up and remembering what it was like to not know anything back then - about knives or photography. Here's the new image:
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I remember photographing this knife with a little Nikon point 'n shoot to enter in the knife photo contest on another forum some years back, and being surprised when I didn't get any votes - because naturally... I thought it was a great photo. This is the original:

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There's quite a difference. I obviously didn't understand lighting back then at all. And so... the neurotic quest for the perfect knife and the perfect photogrpah of that perfect knife... continues. :jerkit:
 
You made a better start than I did, Buddy. :)

Going back to the very early 80's, these two are among the very first knives I ever purchased:

It just doesn't get any better than "Wessonwood" and brass, does it? :o

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I still have these two somewhere or other.

My first customs were a Hajovski dagger and an Osborne fighter:

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Roger
 
Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about, Roger!

Here's another one. This Koji Hara folder is a more recent purchase and very tough to photograph because of its many curving and highly reflective surfaces. Here's the new shot:
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For my first attempt to make a picture of this knife I didn't even use a camera... just flopped it down on top of my scanner and pushed the button:
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Then I took a break from shooting knives to get some pictures of the fall colors...
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But I wrecked an ATV...
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That's my 13 year old son, Robert, with Hanford Miller ....(and now clearing his throat) ...the owner of the ATV.
 
Well, I came back home to take comfort in my dark little photo studio... and started in on the knives again.

I won't abuse your generous attention by posting the pathetic pictures I took of this knife in the past - possibly the most frustrating knife I've ever tried to photograph. Blued damascus with such a delicate and complex pattern is a true lighting challenge:
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After that I got to do a little project with Don Robinson, knifemaker and forumite over on that other knife forum. Part of what we did involved this very nice "feels good in your pocket as well as your hand" slip-joint:
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Don's a real nice guy, 70+ years old and still makin' knives, all slip-joints. (Are they hot? ...or not?) This one has just totally got 'the stuff' whatever that is, you know - the stuff that those slip-joint nuts like so much.
 
Well, I'm done. Thanks, Roger, for jumping in with those quality shots of yours. Other folks are welcome to do the same. You know what some people say... every knife has a story.
 
Buddy, This a great topic. My photos aren't too good but here is a picture of my first custom folder. "Mastadon Madness" by JD Smith MS, 5" long 5bar damascus blade, mammoth ivory slabs, mokume bolster and guard with filework.

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My first straight knife was a W.F. Moran MS 6 3/4" M-3 Limn Liln Bowie. Jim Treacy

MoranM-3Bowie.jpg
 
I alot of "first" customs are heavy on the bling. One of my first was a huge art dagger made by Gene Langley. It has a ton of filework, shiny 440-C blade and sculpted ivory micarta handle with silver wire wrap. I would just look at it and rub it with an oily rag :)
I think I traded a shotgun for it.
 
Yep Anthony, a lot of bling then and still now. ;) :D

Here's my second custom; a Herb Derr Fighter:

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RogerP said:
It just doesn't get any better than "Wessonwood" and brass, does it? :o
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I was just looking at those again. They are pretty plain alright. But remember how they looked to you when you first saw them?
 
HTMD said:
I was just looking at those again. They are pretty plain alright. But remember how they looked to you when you first saw them?
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Oh I was pretty tickled with them - no doubt about it.

Roger
 
Kevin Jones said:
I like that Nolen. Kind of has a D'Holder flare.
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They were well aquainted as I recall. A lot of R.D.'s knives found their way into the hands of big game hunters. That was the strength of his business for many years.
 
Thomason said:
Sorry to go off thread topic but your son is named Robert Thomason? What an excellent moniker.:D
Robert Thomason
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I told you we were related but you denied it - understandably, given the redneck derivative of a bad viking gene pool that I loosly refer to as 'my ancesters.' Robert was my grandfather's name and my brother's name, and now my son's name. It is a good name indeed.
 
I don't have my earliest knives as too many have been purchased and then resold but this one which will never get sold is the oldest one I have but was purchased about 3 years into my collecting if I recall correctly

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Now of course, a Fred Carter fighter had to be followed up by another superb makers fighter and this is the first knife I ever purchased from Roger and photographed some of his knives after which he got me to teach him and of course everyone sees that fine work quite frequently. Oh, this one by Warren Osborne is another I won't be selling

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and Buddy if you ever want to part with the Nolen, let me know as it would fit very nicely with a lot of other Native American artwork that has turquoise in it. that is one very fine looking knife.
 
This is pretty neat thread, thanks for starting it. The lack of posts indicates to me that we've got a lot of new collectors on BF or that people are embarressed by what they bought.;)

My first custom knife was this fighter by Sam Cox. It was 1988 and my wife and I were in Charleston for the S.E Wildlife Expo. They had a venue with crafts which included knife makers. I think George Herron was there but I knew nothing about customs and fell in love with this. Looking it over the workmanship is amazingly good, unfortunately the ironwood has darkened over the years. Except for the notches this would be an outstanding knife even today.

Win

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