Photos "On the Cutting Edge", Bob Loveless article from Sports Illustrated, July 14th, 1980 - FULL COLOR SCANS!

[DeadPineKnives]

I found this magazine on eBay for pretty cheap and decided to buy it just for this article, which I hadn't read before. Then I remembered I have a small document scanner, and got to work! This is too good not to share!

 

[hoyer]

Great read! Thanks for sharing

 

[thebrain]

Interesting and insightful, thank you for sharing!

 

[Win Heger]

That's great history, thanks!!

 

[Ivan Campos]

Thanks for sharing! I had the book in the 90s but gave it to a good friend who was interested in Loveless knives back then. I also had a little TV just like the one in the article!

 

[brownshoe]

Thanks so much. I’ve seen the photos used by many but never the full article. Makes one wonder why people don’t make a tapered tang, especially when copying one of his patterns.

 

[DeadPineKnives]

Thanks so much. I’ve seen the photos used by many but never the full article. Makes one wonder why people don’t make a tapered tang, especially when copying one of his patterns.

Not to sound judgmental or conceited but it could be laziness, lack of skill, lack of equipment, not thinking it's necessary or even being intimidated by it. I used to think it was silly, but once I tried it myself I thought it was pretty cool. But you can't very well do it on a 1x30, that's for sure.

 

[Win Heger]

A tapered tang is something I look for in knives, to me it's a sign a knifemaker cares. Not all knives in my collection have tapered tangs but a good many do. My first custom, 1988, from a maker in South Carolina had a tapered tang, sold me!

One of the interesting things in the article was Loveless making some knives with a hand rubbed finish. I had one at one time, a semi skinner, when I asked Bob he said "Yeah, I probably did that".

 

[brownshoe]

Not to sound judgmental or conceited but it could be laziness, lack of skill, lack of equipment, not thinking it's necessary or even being intimidated by it. I used to think it was silly, but once I tried it myself I thought it was pretty cool. But you can't very well do it on a 1x30, that's for sure.

The Gerber Loveless Hunter has a tapered tang, which is evidence of his being true to his own design even in his production version. Once at a knife show my companion and I handled several knives in his pattern including one from Bob’s shop and a Gerber.. As he says you can tell the difference as soon as you pick it up. Bob’s knife was clearly superior and the Gerber was better than many other makers knives.

 

[brownshoe]

A tapered tang is something I look for in knives, to me it's a sign a knifemaker cares. Not all knives in my collection have tapered tangs but a good many do. My first custom, 1988, from a maker in South Carolina had a tapered tang, sold me!

One of the interesting things in the article was Loveless making some knives with a hand rubbed finish. I had one at one time, a semi skinner, when I asked Bob he said "Yeah, I probably did that".

This article plus Bob’s comment could increase the value of your knife since it was made by Bob and not by others in his shop..

 

[Win Heger]

This article plus Bob’s comment could increase the value of your knife since it was made by Bob and not by others in his shop..

Gerber did a very good job with their Loveless collaborations. That had to be one of the first in the industry?

That particular Loveless is long gone. My first Loveless was an order for a boot knife in Micarta, it was amazing to me, just the feel, balance. It led me to owning quite a few over the years. I ordered that magazine today.