Please define Sole Authorship

O

Omega Leather Works

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Jun 13, 2007
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I get what the concept is, but to you, what does sole authorship mean?

Reason I ask is because I like the idea making this claim, but there are certain things that I don't do... Making hardware and cutting/stabilizing my own wood are two examples.

Is SA important to you?
 
To me Sole Authorship involves making everything that you can. It does not have to include harvesting the handle material, nor does it require smelting your own steel. That said I think SA is neat, but probably not worth the time involved unless everything made is unique. I won't pay a premium for hand turned screws just because the maker did them- there are better things to charge time for (file work, engine turning, fine grit finish), unless the maker is doing something special with the screws (unique heads or stopped threads or something that basically requires a make your own). But then again I'm not buying custom knives right now do it's more of a hypothetical. Although there is something neat about a knife that has one set of hands responsible the entire way.
 
Sole authorship to me means overall design and execution. Scales can come from slabs, and the steel from barstock. If it is shaped, it means you designed and shaped it.

In other words, everything but the hardware started as some basic geometric shape and you shaped it into its final product and put it all together.

Personally, I will pay more for trick fasteners or assembly techniques, but don't expect them for it to be sole authorship.

If a waterjet cut the outline, even if it's your design, that doesn't count for me...
 
True "sole authorship" is just that ... EVERYTHING. It wouldn't be a big deal to make exceptions if there weren't makers who do it all ... but there are. Because of that fact, I don't feel right using the term for what I do(everything but smelting the steel). "Custom", "handmade", "one of a kind" ... those would be more accurate. IMO, it devalues the term "sole authorship" for the ones who are truly worthy of it.
 
Sole Authorship means you design and create something with materials and there is no other author in creating the item.

You are the author of a knife means you and your hands alone created "The Knife". It has nothing to do with the creators of the materials you use.
 
I tend to go with Rick on this one. I think SA is the highest claim a maker can make, and it should be reserved for the best of the best.
 
The steel seems to be a good place for this to get sticky. I remember this conversation coming up some time ago, and there were some makers that had used another maker's damascus, yet still claimed sole authorship. They argued that you don't see people making a fuss about mono steel being made by a mill.

I disagree with this ^ because they are disregarding the work of a smith that made the damascus... or letting people think they made it themselves.

I don't really think you have to go so far as saying the maker smelted the steel, but it certainly narrows the definition WAY down to a handful of guys.
 
The question is..."Who is the author of the work?" Those who supply the materials are not considered "Authors" of the artists work.

Having made $1500 split cane bamboo fly rods and making every single component from tip top to reel seat I am very familiar with the topic.

If I made a rod and bought a nickle silver ferrule the rod was not "Sole Authorship" if I made the ferrule it was "sole authorship" and the factory that made the nickel silver does not get credit for being an "author" to my work.

Just because you know the name of the person making the steel that does not mean they get credit for the creation of the knife.
 
Ive always been told it meant from raw materials up(ncluding bar stock and handle materials)..No farmed out heat treat or sheath work..Everything yourself..Not to many can claim to roll their own steel. The late great Paul Champagne and Rick Furrer come to mind, though I know several more that do.
 
I agree that having to smelt your own steel is a bit extreme ... and wouldn't think badly of someone claiming sole authorship, using mill steel. I just can't get past the fact that there are those that do make their own and feel compelled to respect their skill by not using that term in my own work
 
There are two things in my life I want to do as a smith..One is make some bladed tools for myself from my own smelt and the other is to weld up my own muzzleloader barrel..
 
Sole Authorship is JUST that. The maker creates every part of what is being made him or herself. PERIOD.

Not the materials ( the steel, wood, or glue for example ). But they are the only person who lays hands on the creation. They design, then they profile/make/grind/finish the blade ( from stock , or forge the Damascus ). They make the screws, the rivets, the bolsters. They do any embellishment, carving, engraving, etching, scrimshaw, plating, stone setting, anodizing, etc. They make the sheath if one is included.

Jim Schmidt come to mind as someone who took this concept ALL THE WAY.

It's a simple, honest concept.

Corey "synthesist" Gimbel
 
Rick Marchand said:
True "sole authorship" is just that ... EVERYTHING. It wouldn't be a big deal to make exceptions if there weren't makers who do it all ... but there are. Because of that fact, I don't feel right using the term for what I do(everything but smelting the steel). "Custom", "handmade", "one of a kind" ... those would be more accurate. IMO, it devalues the term "sole authorship" for the ones who are truly worthy of it.
Click to expand...

Well said. That's precisely the way it was explained to me many years ago.

Some views remind me of when I started writing for pay. I asked my writer friends at what point do you become a freelance writer. They said, well, did you sell a piece? Yes... Then you're a freelance writer. Period. I can accept that. Especially after a number of sales, but I've never called myself a "wordsmith", or "compositionist". May seem silly outside of a specific circle, but some things are best reserved for the top of the class.

Anyone have any examples of SA knives?
 
People can be silly about the definition, and try and get extreme, but the definition is pretty basic and simple.

Sole authorship is when the maker does all the processes required to make the knife.

If damascus is used, the damascus must be made by the maker ( this is where sole authorship is mainly used). The HT must be by the maker. The forging, shaping, grinding, sanding and finishing, must be by the maker. The sheath must be by the maker. Assistants or apprentices doing any part of the work would not be allowed for sole authorship.

Smelting the steel and harvesting the wood are not processes in making the knife...they are processes in making the materials.
Turning your own screws, and making your own taps would not be part of it either.

In the same way, a playwright author isn't expected to make his own paper or bind his own scripts. What he can't do and claim sole authorship is have a writing team, ghost writers, make the play from a book written by someone else, or have copy-editor make changes or additions.
 
What Rick and Stacy said. It most certainly applies to damascus. How would someone feel if I bought a billet of damascus, ground and built a knife out of it and claimed sole authorship? That would be fraud in my opinion... because the making of damascus is a very unique and important skillset unto itself.

I believe this also extends to embellishments like engraving and scrimshaw... when you get into multi-thousand-dollar art knives, people want to know exactly who did what, and they're not going to be pleased if a maker passes off another artist's work as his own.
 
Interesting conversation. It surprises me there is any controversy about this...but then, why wouldn't there be?

I must say I found the Tom Wright knife to be an interesting example (even it it represents overkill). I can see that there is a line somwhere, and that the line is in a generally agreed upon place, but there are some fiddly bits that could easily move to either side of the line.

I must add that I totally respect Rick's position on this, and feel he's being wise by leaving the SA declaration to those that go farther into the extreme. Makes perfect sense.
 
I think it is when the maker actually makes his pivots, and possibly screws (but I'm not sure on that).
 
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