Michal Melichercik, traditional shepherd knives

These are so cool! Intricate construction with designs that look like they would be excellent in use. Please keep them coming.
 
Today I’d like to introduce a piece of work that was created earlier this year. These knives carry a bit of history as well as coincidence. They are made from several-thousand-year-old bog oak and mammoth tusk. And the way I came across these materials is a bit of an adventure in itself.

It was 2021 when a quiet notification popped up on my smartphone. Someone in a handmade Facebook group had shared a photo of a hand-carved angel. Normally I scroll past such posts without much interest, but this time one detail made me stop — the angel was carved from dark, almost coal-black wood. I immediately suspected it wasn’t just any piece of wood. I didn’t hesitate and wrote to the author. I wanted to know where such a large piece of material could be found.

I expected secrecy, but the answer was surprising: apparently it had been dug up during gravel extraction, and if I was interested, I should come and take the rest while it was still there. The man sent me instructions that sounded almost like they were cut straight from a treasure map — “five minutes’ walk upstream, behind the tall thistles…” Since the place was about 120 kilometers away from me, I didn’t think twice. I threw the chainsaw into the car and set off.

And indeed — right where it was supposed to be, I found a massive piece of ancient oak, dark and heavy like a chunk of forgotten history. They were huge pieces, and without the help of some fishermen nearby, I wouldn’t have been able to load them into the car. The oak is certainly a few thousand years old; dendrochronology showed only a weak sample match, so we can’t determine the exact age. The wood also contained a sort of time capsule — a mummified longhorn beetle. The beetle’s remains were sent to an entomology lab.

The mammoth tusk has its own story. A customer brought it to me, claiming a friend had brought it from Siberia. After a short conversation, we agreed on a trade — the tusk in exchange for a knife that would later be made from it. And so, two ancient materials that survived for millennia came together in these tools.



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SharpBits said:
I'm really glad you chose to post here. Fascinating knives and stories to go along with them.
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I concur 100%. I wonder if OP should post a few pictures in the traditional forum: these knives certainly qualify as faithful recreations of traditional patterns and I think the good folks on the Porch would enjoy seeing them.

On another note, I think I know what I'll do the next time I stumble across some mammoth tusks (trade them for a knife or two from OP).
 
oldmanwilly said:
I concur 100%. I wonder if OP should post a few pictures in the traditional forum: these knives certainly qualify as faithful recreations of traditional patterns and I think the good folks on the Porch would enjoy seeing them.

On another note, I think I know what I'll do the next time I stumble across some mammoth tusks (trade them for a knife or two from OP).
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Can you recommend a thread that focuses on this topic? For now, I’ll keep posting here so everything stays under one roof.
 
I think your knives could fit appropriately into any of these threads:

Django606

Thread 'Custom Traditional Photos'

Did some searching and was not able to find a general photo thread dedicated to custom traditional knives (please correct if I am wrong). Figured I would start by posting photos of some of the knives in my collection.

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pistonsandgears

Thread 'Wooden Wednesday - Traditionals only please'

Anyone else up for a wood handle Wednesday? I just received this curly zebra wood Queen gunstock from tonystl and figured it would make a nice start for wood handle Wednesday.
Hope you don't mind if I borrow your pick Tony as I haven't had a chance to take any myself.

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J

Thread 'What "Traditional Knife" are ya totin' today?'

Having ended the experiment and going back to my sinfull ways as an incurable knife knut, I have my daily rotation with me. In addition to my ever present Wenger SI in its belt pouch with the LED light, I have my old yellow peanut back in my right pocket. My classic is back on my keyring, and I feel like all is back as it should be. And in memory of my dear old Uncle Paul, I even tucked a very old Christy knife in my tobacco pouch, just in case.

What are you guys carrying today?
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If you post in those or other threads, you could also provide a link to this thread for people who want to learn more about the designs, history, and construction of your knives.
 
A few more classic shepherd’s knives with pewter inlay. The ones made from lilac wood (syringa vulgaris) are worth noting. I’ve grown fond of lilac wood lately — it resembles olive, is quite hard, and has a very dense structure. It’s really difficult to find a piece large enough that’s suitable for a handle. Most pieces are cracked. It also has to come from an old tree because the trunk doesn’t reach a large diameter.


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walnut wood, bohler N690

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apple wood,
walnut,
lilac wood,
Bohler N690

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lilac wood,
combination of walnut and bogoak,
walnut wood,
Bohler N690

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lilac wood
 
Hello everyone

This project was special to me because of the unusual handle material.
It is a free-form creation that respects the original traditional design.

For the handle, I used horn from horse hooves. Please dont ask wheere i got it from :D. Long story. This horn is somewhat tougher than the usual horn taken from cattle horns. It has a more pronounced fibrous structure, which is difficult to capture in a photograph. It is truly an excellent material.

Blade material: stainless Damascus steel Balbachdamast
Handle: horse-hoof horn and brass
Overall length: 26 cm

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a small piece of horse hoof with an M3 threaded cut
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jfk1110 said:
EXQUISITE...... And that feels like I'm short changing you.....A lot......

One way or another I'm gonna need something made by those hands of yours...😉......
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“Thank you, I appreciate it. :)
As soon as I finish the orders and the pre-Christmas rush in the workshop, my hands will be available. We can arrange an order then.”
 
The customer’s request was that the knife should have the vibe of a chopper motorcycle. The knife will be a gift for a biker and a lover of choppers. I based the design on my previous concepts, and this piece is the result. Let me know if I managed to achieve it.

Blade material: stainless Damascus steel Balbachdamast
Handle: nickel silver, black eben
Overall length: 27 cm

The glass breaking tip is made of hardened stainless steel.

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