Out there. WAY out there.

[RogerP]

You're right, but on the other hand it's like having someone force a specific subject for your thesis. You can just turn your back on that PHD but after all your efforts is that likely to happen? I don't think that style of blade fits into Ed's philosphy of knifemaking but he made it to get his stamp. It may be why he's so adamant on the type of blade he makes nowadays, so it may have served it's purpose.

Hardly Jose - it's but one knife of 5 to be submitted for the test and but one knife of an unlimited number that a maker may choose to make in his career, both before and after the test. This is more like complaining about having to submit a thesis - or about requirements for length of text and bibliography.

The knife serves multiple purposes as part of the MS test - it is a difficult piece to make and the only piece that all testers are required to produce - so it provides both a high water mark and a baseline at the same time. It is also the only piece that must be damascus. That's hardly forcing a maker to forge his own shackles, in my view.

The maker has 4 other knives to express his innermost creative uniqueness (or whatever) - he can make whatever he wants. But if a maker genuinely believes his true artisitic identity is being compromised and his principles prostitued by being asked to make one particular knife as part of a test, well, like I said - nobody has a gun to his head.

Roger

 

[Jose Reyes]

I'm not a Dr. so you may be correct. In my view it's, as you say "the only piece that all testers are required to produce" so I'll stick to the point I was trying to make. It may serve it's purpose, so Ed, as all other MS, submitted their version.

Hardly Jose - it's but one knife of 5 to be submitted for the test and but one knife of an unlimited number that a maker may choose to make in his career, both before and after the test. This is more like complaining about having to submit a thesis - or about requirements for length of text and bibliography.

The knife serves multiple purposes as part of the MS test - it is a difficult piece to make and the only piece that all testers are required to produce - so it provides both a high water mark and a baseline at the same time. It is also the only piece that must be damascus. That's hardly forcing a maker to forge his own shackles, in my view.

The maker has 4 other knives to express his innermost creative uniqueness (or whatever) - he can make whatever he wants. But if a maker genuinely believes his true artisitic identity is being compromised and his principles prostitued by being asked to make one particular knife as part of a test, well, like I said - nobody has a gun to his head.

Roger

 

[Ed Fowler]

When I joined the abs it was the best organization out there. The dynamic leadership I admired slowly was replaced for many reasons and is no more. When I criticize the abs board and their decisions and ----- I do not and never did so as an enemy but in the hope of at least encouraging some debate or original thoughts.


Dig through the written history of Art and you will find many parallels. Organizations fail to serve their members and slowly the organization dies as does the "art" it cherished. Those who served the organization or joined the organization for what it could do for them fade into obscurity and the creative individuals continue their lonely quest. True art is an individual accomplishment, not an organizational or committee decision.

Do not confuse my criticism of the abs board with my appreciation of many ABS members! There are a great many supreme individual blade smiths some in the abs, some not. Many I call friend, greatly admire their contribution to the development of the forged blade as art and tool (not exclusive terms) and their dedication to sharing knowledge and encouraging makers to make their knife.

The dagger is not a difficult tool to make, unless you hate it for what it is and is not.

I would like to see ther requriement - "Make Your versiion, the knife of your dreams and defend it as origonal art to the judges". Now you would have freedom, creativity and discussion.

 

[Lorien]

I would like to see ther requriement - "Make Your versiion, the knife of your dreams and defend it as origonal art to the judges". Now you would have freedom, creativity and discussion.

I personally think that's the way it should be as well. However, Jose's point that making a knife one would never want to make, and possibly hate making, can do much to ingrain one's artistic and pragmatic vision of what knife making is for one's self.

And, I just have to say, Rob Conally- that dagger is one of the coolest looking knives I've ever seen. I can see why you'd like it so much, I'll bet it feels great!

 

[2knife]

As one who has an interest following Ed's work, i have always considered the first greenhorn dagger to be his "true" MS test knife, regardless of the judges ruling. Even more so because what he wrote about it later.

Ed did not sign the second "passed" ivory one, which was left unsigned as a silent protest "vote".
David