My Journeyman's knives for 2005 and a little about...

anvilring

anvilring

Joined
Nov 29, 2000
Messages
2,869
what went on at the Blade Show. First of all, I passed. In all I think there were maybe 10 or 12 of us who recieved our JS stamp. I believe 4 or 5 fellows failed. I felt badly for them as I'm sure they worked hard on their knives but it's good to know that the ABS is out to hold on to their reputation for quality in all respects. There was NO damascus on ANY knife in the JS room. Several men failed their MS test as well. This was, as Mr. B.R. Hughs said, the best class of JS applicants he had ever seen in all his judging. Well, no wonder: Don Hanson III (Sunfishman here on the forum) has only been making knives half his life or more and fabulous ones at that, Sean McEntyre, a recently transplanted Pennsylvanian now in Australia is one gifted maker if ever I saw one; his mosaic damascus is just plain stupid tremendous as is his execution of guards and handles. Brion Tomerlin (sp?) of Oklahoma is a great maker as well and had beautiful test knives. The winner of the damned JS of the year knife award (Gann?, Gant?) had no table,(but neither did I...) so he wondered around the show a little the next day and left!! I think he was dazed. We, nobody, got to see his winning knife! Sean saw it and said it should have won and that he was a heck of a nice fellow but Hell, I'd like to have seen it and so would everyone else. He lives up the road from me (a long way...) in Canton Tx. so I hope to run across him sometime. The Blade Show was, well, over whelming! I'm going back next year. I met Ray Richards, saw "Danbo" , Ed Fowler, J. Nelson ( a good looking guy, could have been in "The Last Mochicans", never saw Tess....) and several other of you guys here on the forum and it was a lot of fun for me. Now I've got to make some knives to pay for that little trip ;)

regards, mitch

my test knife page....
http://www.flex.net/~mitchwilkins/homepage/page2.htm
 
Mitch, Thats some beautifull work bud. I certainly see why you passed. Definatelly inspired !

Shane
 
Mitch, those are some very nice knives, but I still like MY bowie with the "damascus" guard better. ;) :)
 
I never saw you again after you showed me the knife you were working on! (finished it have you??) Anyway, I've a cousin chopper to your damascus guarded knife I'll post for you later... just a test knife as I got into the ricasso too much! Shame really as the hafting turned out really good.

m
 
first group photo , last knife on the bottom... oh baby...
I love em all but that one is my favorite :) nice work , I hope to up there one day with you folks :)
 
It was very good to meet you Mitch. They had us sweating outside that JS room didn't they :) It gets tougher every year so if any of you are going for your JS, do it as soon as posible. The Blade Show is a great show, I met quite a few guys there from the forums, it's good to put faces to the names. I appreciate you guys that stoped by my table to say hi and I appologize for not getting out to visit with more of you that had tables. If you like knives the Blade show is a must.

Don Hanson lll
 
Outstanding knives, nice selection, don't know realy which one I like the best, I love bowies, but love classic working knives too.
 
Mr. Anvilring,(Mitch) Those are beautiful blades!!Congrats on your JS stamp,that must truely be a High you don't come down from for a long,long time.All the talent and honed skills I see here is really overwhelming,this is what I call ART WORK in it's most extreme form.When I see all the "crap" that people get gov. grants for to create what "some call art" it makes me cringe.There has to be a gallery somewhere that is devoted to nothing but "fine steel" such as yours and so many others here,if there isn't already there should be--Dammit!!I really do get goosebumps over this form of expression.As a toolmaker by trade I have had the pleasure of meeting and learning from some very gifted people,this forum is bubbleing over with the same gifted tradesman (and women).That slimmer of the 2 "Bowies?" almost looks like a small sword,Yikes,it is AWESOME!! Again--CONGRATS :cool:
 
Congrats on passing your JS test Mitch - well done! I did get a peek at Tommy Gann's knives, though I don't know which one it was that won the award.

Roger
 
and kind words. You'd think a person would be relieved at having this behind'em and that's true, however going to that show and seeing what others are doing makes the bar look realllllllllllllllllllllly high!! Making these knives for judging has changed the way I view this whole thing of knife making and I'm glad for it. I've got lots of work ahead of me to keep this going in the right direction!

thanks again for the encouragement,

mitch
 
Grats! Mitch. I had no doubt you'd get it , as clean as your work is.

I've got a long road ahead. I just joined :)
 
Hey Congratulations,

I planned on testing this year but work got in the way. I live about 12 miles from canton so I'll try to look Gann up. The barber told me about him where I live but couldn't remember much about the guy except that he lived in canton. I'm moving to Las vegas so I better look him up before i leave.
 
Congratulations Mitch! Those are some very fine knives and you earned your stamp. I feel for the guys who didn't pass this year, I hope they don't lose steam and come back next year with the right stuff! Way to go man,
 
Way to go Mitch. Thats some beautiful work. I had no doubts that you would make it. Congradulations!
Ed
 
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