New Knifemaker

T

TomW

Joined
Oct 7, 1998
Messages
1,128
One of the things that I enjoy the most at a knife show is to meet a new knife maker. I had that pleasure at the Waterbury Ct. show this weekend of meeting David Shoenberger from Henrietta NY. It was his first knife show and I was quite impressed. A year and a half making knives and they were beautiful.
Blades were nicely done. Fit and finish was great. What surprised a few of us the most was his folders. Liner locks and good ones.
He's self educated at knifemaking and does all work by hand. Doesn't own a grinder yet.
And other than to speed up his work he certainly doesn't need one. The blades look good. Prices were nice. The work is quality. Will he be famous?
Is he going to be one of the greats? Who knows? I've seen knifemakers come and go over the years. A lot of bad ones and a few good ones. Dave is a good one. Obviously he has a natural talent. He made quite an impression on everybody that looked at his knives.
Ok Dave, you told me you read the forums
put up some pictures and show these people what I'm talking about.



[This message has been edited by TomW (edited 06-19-2000).]
 
Wow Tom, sounds like a good maker with lots of promise.

Dave, I would like to see some pictures, Tom is kind of picky, so if your work impresses him, then it must be pretty darn good. Best of luck to you, hope you go far.

Now, lets see those pictures
smile.gif




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Richard
icq 61363141
Just some knife pictures
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=110070&a=4518795
 
Oh no,this is not good not at all.A knifemaker only 5 minutes away from me.This could cause great financial stress.
wink.gif


But please go ahead and post some pics and maybe some contact info.

Ray
 
Wow! Thank you so very much Tom! I stumbled across your post because I was looking for digital pics of a few of my tactical fixed blades taken by a fellow named Mitchell L-something at the show. Mitchell told me to look in a few days - that he was going to post them on bladeforums. I used to read the forums religiously a year or so ago before my new job. I feel so lucky to have looked for the photos and found your post. As I read it I got butterflies in my lower abdomen. I hope to live up to that entrance! It was a real pleasure to have been able to meet and speak with you so much at the show - I soaked in as much as I could! I am amazed at how friendly you, Jim Siska, Ted Moore, Lamont Coombs, Gary Levine, Paul Bausch and Ron Nott are - and those are the ones I can remember off the top of my head! I will never forget that first show mainly because of the poeple I met. You even got me off my duff to get some scanned photographs onto the web.
To see the pics go to:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=935202

I also started up an e-mail account at:

Shoenberger_knives@yahoo.com

For Ray who lives 5mins away my phone is 716 359 2002. I would love to meet another knife nut!

Thank you again Tom - I plan to do it in person at another show. Are you still think of sending the tactical to you friend in Florida?

I did sell enough at the show to get a grinder. Now to finish the grinder research and order one.... then practice... practice

You guys please let me know what you think of the pic's.

Thanks again.

David
 
WOW, very nice looking stuff. I really like those folders. Looks like you are off to a good start, keep it going!!



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Richard
icq 61363141
Just some knife pictures
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=110070&a=4518795
 
Very nice work, you need to put description
[blade length,overall,type sheath,blade thickness] and pricing if possible. Turn the window shoppers into knife buyers. I know I am interested. Good Luck
 
FOLKS,
You have got to see this guys sheaths,they blew me away!!!This guy makes one of the best leather sheaths I`ve ever seen.Maybe Dave can key up and tell ya a little bit about them.
Dave,
Im the guy that was talking to you and promised to introduce you to Tom.Sorry,But my mind was in a daze with all the awesome work laying around on the tables.Well it seems that Tom found you anyway....I knew he would.
Your work is very nice and I enjoyed chatting
with you at the show.



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Jay
Life is like a box of chocolates,never know what your gona git!
 
Hi dave, its Mitchell. i have the pictures and am sorting through them. if someone can tell me how to post the pictures i will.

i was planning on zipping the photos and sending them to a moderator to post for me.

if some one can tell me how, then that wont be necessary.

 
phil is the man for that. Phil can you help out here. The tacs were nice i'd like to see the pics up here.
 
I was at the NCCA show and saw David's knives - I still can't believe he has been making folders for just a short period of time.

David, if you make it to the NCCA show in Marlboro MA in a couple of months I will be sure to stop and chat more. Your knives were VERY nicely made and looked great.
smile.gif



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Ray 'md2020'

ATKI member #A001042

[This message has been edited by maddog2020 (edited 06-20-2000).]
 
Jay,

Glad to have had the oportunity to meet and speak with you. You surprised me with your comment bellow about my leather sheaths! I figured that they were so plain that no one gave them a second glance.

I like the wet formed pouch sheath out of 8-9oz shoulder. I used two types of belt loops on the pouch sheaths. One gets folded back over so knife handle is highest. The other type I fold the back of the sheath over to inside the pouch. This carries the knife lower on your hip. The folded flap bottom edge gets thinned down so nothing to catch the knife as it gos in and out.

For the welt I use shoe sole leather I get from old cobbler in town that is like a rock. It is much harder/stiffer than normal 8-9oz leather. The welt is shaped from a tracing of the finished knife with a little hump above the blade. The hump gives it a snap in fit. On all you could feel the click in - on most of the sheaths you could actually hear it.

The side/loop/welt are glued with barge cement. All the stitching is by hand using the $9 stitching awl thing you can find anyware. I do countersink all stitching so it can not be abraded on rock or something.

The final step is a hot bees wax/neatsfoot oil dip. Sheath is preheated before and after the dip. Mr Wayne Goddard(sp?) posted the dip thing a long time ago on knife list. The dip really sets up the sheath and make it indestructible.

What you saw were my first ever. I figured make em servicable first then work on the looks....

*********
For those who have asked for more detal about the folders and fixed I hope to have that in a day or so. I am borrowing a digital camera to get better pictures than the scanned 35mm photos I had used. When I put the better pics up I will also put detailed discription and price I had at the show.
*********

This is really a bad time for the home computer to be dead!

David

Originally posted by STIHL:
FOLKS,
You have got to see this guys sheaths,they blew me away!!!This guy makes one of the best leather sheaths I`ve ever seen.Maybe Dave can key up and tell ya a little bit about them.
Dave,
Click to expand...

 
I didn't see any sheaths.
Dave, correct me if I'm mistaken but all I saw on your table was the folders and a bunch if fixed blade tacs with kydex sheaths
which also looked very good. Get a pic of them up if you can.
 
Dave,

Very nice knives.

TomW wrote me the other evening to tell me about your work and I believe I'm the one in FL you are referring to.

I'll be greatly looking forward to checking out the "tactical" knife and providing you with my impressions. From the look of things on your picture site, it looks to have a favorable outlook already.

Best of luck with your blossoming career.

Blues

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Live Free or Die

Some Knife Pix
 
Tom,

Depending on the time you were looking at the table the number of fixed blades with leather sheaths went from 5 to 0. They were part of the first 10 knives I had ever made. The 5 best of the 10 knives I kept -one to my 10yr old son and set its match away for his little sister, one went to my father, one to my father-in-law and one for me.

Saturday I sold one that had 800grt satin finish. The other 4 that were mirror polished sold Sunday. Mirror polish sucks with out a buffer! It seemed strange to me but Saturday everyone looked at the folders and almost ignored the fixed. Sunday was the reverse - very few looked at folders...

I was really surprised Sunday with the polished blade interest and selling what I had.

The mirror finished drop point hunter in 3/16 is what got me introduced to Mr Jim Siska. The Fellow that bought it took it to him to have a look. I was VERY happy that he wanted to meet me and liked the folders and fixed. He is a very easy to talk to maker that made me feel like no question could ever be a stupid one.

Originally posted by TomW:
I didn't see any sheaths.
Dave, correct me if I'm mistaken but all I saw on your table was the folders and a bunch if fixed blade tacs with kydex sheaths
which also looked very good. Get a pic of them up if you can.
Click to expand...

 
Thanks for the compliment Blues. I have to figure out from TomW which one he thinks I should send. He also suggested that I wait until I have my home pc up so I am not so hobbled using the systems at work.

David
 
David,

Take your time. When you're ready I'll be ready.

It'll be an honor and I've already thanked Tom for thinking of me. (Check's in the mail, Tom.
wink.gif
)

Best,

Blues

------------------
Live Free or Die

Some Knife Pix
 
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