B . Buxton said:
When I talk about the true craft of the knife, I mean all the aspects that are learned and incorperated into the craft. It takes years for many of us to learn (if we ever do) all that is needed. To learn to forge, grind, heat treat, fit/finish, make damascus/mosaics, wootz, engrave, inlay, carve, etc. These are all crafts of the art and should be appreciated for the years of hard work and dedication needed to accomplish them.
Further more, I have not at any time said anything about the price Butch sold his knife for, nor do I give a rats butt. Nor do I have any throughts with Butchs ability to make a knife, there again I don't care. What I do care about is sending a bunch of hipe out that can discredit and underscore all the years needed to become proficient at this profession.
I'm done, most people will only read and believe what they want to, no matter what else is said or written. I sure hope the public isn't lost in all the smoke.
Bill
Just feel compelled to write, speaking from sort of a middle ground. I have just enough knowledge to be dangerous, but can't really seem to step over that line.
Some makers ignore fit and finish to an artform, producing work that is "Evolved Folk Art". Other makers on the opposite end of the spectrum produce pieces so clean, crisp and machined, they are almost inhuman. A contrast, without being mean, but pointedly speaking in a manner as such befits, would be A Scagel/Moran/Hendrickson to a Loveless/Walker/Lake. There is a place for most, if not all, at the table.
Part of it is the art and craft, part of it is luck, part of it IS marketing. The more financially AND artistically successful of the makers will accept that some degree of smoke and mirrors is necessary to place one's work over that of others, in terms of popularity and price. Personal belief in the smoke and mirrors need not, and should not apply. It is important to take your work, and not yourself, seriously.
Some makers use commercial damascus, some make adequate damascus/knives, some make great damascus/marginal knives, and some excel at the whole enchilada, should they decide to use that material at all.
As a former tattoo artist, I learned that some people love their tattoo artist, great work or crappy work. They are not buying the art, they are buying the artist. When you try to educate them on why their tattoo is crappy, they get defensive. I have seen the same with knives and knifemaking. The idea is and should be to get to the individual, maker or collector, as early as possible, and educate them on as wide a range of ideas as possible.
Unfortunately it is almost impossible to teach aesthetic appreciation for things like design, balance, ratios and proportion. I believe that it is there or it is not. Loveless would be a prime example. He may not believe in sole authorship,
but he has simply designed some of, if not the, sexiest knives in modern history, and some emulate, but do not surpass, his designs extremely well.
What the ABS in the last 5-10 years has done has changed the way that forged blades are regarded. For the first time, metal mushers are consistently putting out work that is the equal, fit/finish and design wise of stock removal work. The impact of that is absolutely mind blowing. The range of materials right now is absolutely staggering in implication and application.
While any one school of thought/execution may "Hype" it up to the nines, and produce small bodies of accolytes and syncophants, the education of the public is occurring at a degree at this point and time, with the internet and dedicated groups of individuals, in such a way as to make the INFORMATION unavoidable. If this body of information is ignored, or passed up, that would seem to be a conscious decision on the part of the individual knifemaker or collector. I do not believe that hype or hucksterism will prevail over fact, craft or skill. I do believe that certain parties, both maker and purchaser, will steadfastly cling to their beliefs and opinions, in the same way that one man's garbage is another man's gold, for eternity.
In other words, the truth will out, it just might not happen as fast as you would like, and you might not see the particular truth that you hold dear claim victory during your lifetime.
Just my .02.
STeven Garsson
