Nick Wheeler • Integral Bowie

What a beautiful knife and great story. I've been in awe of Nick's work but much more so that he can do such work while having ADD.

I particularly like the bolster on this piece.
 
Nick, maybe hype was the wrong word to use. It was meant as a sincere compliment. I have admired your work and your finish methods ever since your impromtu demo in Spokane.
Coop thanks for the wip pictures.
Gary
 
I remember admiring this blade in Atlanta a few years ago, marveling at its weight and balance, and imagining what it might look like when completed. I'm a romantic at heart and have a pretty vivid imagination so the images I conjured up in my head were probably a little over the top.

And frankly, now that I've seen this pictures I'm rather disappointed in my imagination. And equally impressed with Nick's rendition! You absolutely killed it Nick. KILLED it!

The lines of this knife are just so ... human. I don't know any other way to describe it. Everything just seems to fit, and the proportions are correct, in much the same way that a beautiful girl is instantly recongnizable as such.

I also think STeven did a nice job capturing the connection between artist and patron when he said:

Kohai999 said:
This piece ... shows as well as any, that Nick "gets" the elements that you enjoy in a knife, and made a fine one for you....just for you.

There is something sublimely satisfying about that, a true handmade custom, something that would most likely not exist if there was no Jim Cooper.
Click to expand...

Indeed.
 
Thanks again folks :)

Not to be a party pooper or anything, but in going along with my standard procedures... I gotta point out that the blade I forged in those pics is not the final blade. I know because I wasn't happy with it and stuck it in the drawer... that particular blade is still in the drawer. The finished one you see in Coop's studio pics is blade attempt #4 ;)

I actually didn't do the bolster fluting stuff until last year, and the only reason I know for sure is because I didn't buy that jeweler's saw until then. I was really stumped on how to flute the bolster and remembered seeing a pic of Sfreddo doing something like what I ended up doing.

I KNOW I have pics of working on this knife somewhere, but right now I just can't seem to find them.


Gary- Haha! :) NO worries, I didn't mean for it to look like I took offense to your post. I genuinely am still baffled at this stuff on the forums all the time. I'll see knives posted by makers much better than I am and they don't get a whole lot of replies. It's gotta make those makers frustrated... and I just don't know how to explain any of it.

Derrick...thanks bud!!! :) I'm hoping someday your video crew will come here to shoot a video of me building a knife ;) :D
 
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This is a great piece. Congrats to Nick and Coop.

I have a utility knife by Nick, and he's such a perfectionist that he couldn't help but polish the blade to reveal the hamon, even though we had agreed this would be a working knife without a fine polish.
 
The words that formed in my head the moment I saw the pictures of your blade was "I like your work very much Nick!" and the same sentence lingers in my head till now :thumbup:

mohd
 
Hey Nick, can I get the same thing made with a tan G10 handle and a beadblasted finish, with a tritium insert instead of a pin?:D

Lovin' it, Nicky. Mr. Cooper, I'm envious, as that's exactly what I think this style should look like - spectacular!
 
Beauitful piece Coop, is doesn't get any better then this, Coops fantastic photography work, Pauls amazing leather work and Nicks beautiful knife
work. That deserves a big 3 thumbs up.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Bill
 
A worthy wait.

:thumbup:
 
Very nice knife Mr. Wheeler!

One of my favorite integrals. I like the overall flow of the blade and handle together.
 
I sent Nick a private message as well, but in public I'd just like to echo everyone else: this thing rocks!

Another thing that rocks about Nick, and the ABS in general, is the openness of both information and praise. Nick acknowledges his influences and sources of information, and they in turn acknowledge that he has taken their knowledge in his own special direction. Everyone is happy. Everyone keeps growing. Knife makers, collectors, and users all win!
 
I really feel fortunate that I was able to examine and handle this piece.
Knife enthusiasts don't get exposed to such excellence very often, if ever.
 
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