Rod Chappal - Questions and Contact

Fort Henry Custom Knives

Fort Henry Custom Knives

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Nov 17, 1999
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I was talking with someone recently that collected Vintage Ruana knives (which I am starting to appreciate more). During the conversation this person mentioned that one of the first fixed blades that he purchased back in the early 70's was made by Rod Chappel(sp?). I had heard the name before but knew nothing about the Man. This gentleman stated that he believed Rod was a Full Blood Eskimo but at the time that he purchased the knife Rod lived in Washington state.

I came home and pulled out my trusty Knives annuals but found absolutely nothing on Mr Chappel. Can anyone share some information about this Maker? ie.
- Did he Forge or do Stock removal? Was he apprenticed to any other well known Makers? Did he make mostly Fixed blades or did he also do Folders? Is he still alive and making knives, and if so, any Contact info like an Address or phone number?

Thanks for any info.
 
Hey there Hillbillenigma...

I don't know too much about Rod except that he has roots here in Utah. If memory serves me (it's fading fast) Rod worked with the late Harvey Draper. I believe he has also done some work with Buster Warenski, and I read on S.R. Johnson's website, that Rod and Steve (S.R.) have worked together. That's some mighty BIG names. Sorry, I don't know his current whereabouts. Anybody else know anything?

Rick

Almost forgot to mention, one of my all time favorite knives is a Ruana "Crockett Bowie" the my dad ownes. I'm never going to be able to pry his fingers off of it! I think I have him talked into letting me borrow it so that I can make myself a copy.
 
Rod Chappel is still alive, well and making knives. He is one of the pioneers of knifemaking and lives in the Seattle area. I spoke at length with him at the NW Knife show in Oct in Puyallup, WA. and did purchase this knife from him.

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A friend of his can get in contact with Rod for you if you want.

Phil Rodenberg ednaphil207@cs.com or 425-485-2995

HTH

this is getting frustrating. images from Yahoo are not remaining now
 
I had hoped that there would be some folks out there that knew a bit of the story on old Rod.

baumr Those old Ruanas are starting to appeal to me recently. I'm surprised that there isn't some kind of Ruana Collectors Society of some kind.

Murray Thanks for the contact info. I will try and get in touch with Rod and see if he still makes any nice plain Hunting knives.
 
Hillbillenigma,

Have you ever held a Ruana Bowie. It's incredible! The vintage Rudy Bowies are a combination of elegant and crude. Sounds like a weird combo to describe something but I can't explain it any better. I think the steel is 3/8" thick at the guard. The fit and finish are rough to say the least. Those knives are meant to be used hard. I read a story of Rudy (in an attempt to sell someone on the durability of his knives) throwing his finished knives and sticking them in the wall of his shop to make his point. If I can talk my dad out of his for a day or two, I'll take some pic's and post them.
 
I believe I still have one of Rod's catalogs somewhere. I will dig it up tonight and get back to you. If I remember correctly he was way ahead of others on his designs. Will get back to you tonight.

Marcel
 
Ron is Americn Indian and makes some far out stuff....He has had some problems thru the years and dropped out of site for a long time. He is quite a character!!!!
 
Waaaaay back when, Rod Chappal was one of the rising stars but ran into some trouble with delivery times. I saw some of his stuff in a private collection that was shown at the last Blade West show. He had and still has some of the most outstanding grinds I have ever seen. All curves and deep hollow grinds. Kind of like some of the early Jody Sampson stuff. Beautiful and sometimes radical fixed blades
 
There is a huge display/collection of Ruanas at the Eugene show each year. I don't recall the owner's name.
 
Rod makes fabulously ground 440C hunting knives, daggers and bowies. He often used rosewood grips and brass fittings. He also used quite a bit of "fresh" walrus ivory, which was the root of many cracking problems.

As mentioned on the forums a few times, Rod had what was described as "counting" problems, leading to unhappy customers, and many #1's of the same design.

That said, Rod's knives were some of my favorites when I started collecting knives back in 1976. Unfortunately, I had a moment of weakness (no money) and sold all of my knives in 1985.
 
I have always found most of Rod Chappel's designs to be too extreme for my taste, but he did and probably still does do, excellent work.

In the seventies and eighties Rod lived in Washington state. I am not sure where he lives now.
 
Rod's knives were some of the nicest and most stylish around.
I have been advised by more than one person to never pay for one in advance. Shame.
 
I have heard all your guys have heard. Saw him at a local show (where Murray picked on up). I guess the best thing to do is fly to Seattle and buy one off his table.

~Mitch
 
See Sid Latham's book, 'Knives and Knifemakers' for some great pics of Rod's knives. Don't send him money though. Use an intermediary like Russell. -Dick
 
I have a Ruana Jr. Bowie. I bought it so long ago that I've forgotten if there is a website.
 
There use to be an EZ - Board discussion group dedicated to Ruana knives, it was linked to the collectorknives site. Sadly, they've faded from the scene:(.

The only other info I've seen besides small articles is: www.ruanaknives.com , and the Hear The Hammer book.



HTH:D:).
 
is still around. Saw him at the Bladewest show in Irvine in Sept. He has a bunch of stuff at Central Gun Exchange in Seattle. He also supposedly has a new shop just north of Seattle or on the Penninsula... the story has changed over the last 2 years... But, he's also apparently back into making again... Just pay on delivery... Cash flow was probably his only downfall... But considering the style and finish on his stuff, if you've got the $ and see one you like... His is something good to add to any collection..
Speaking of collections... I believe it might have been the Joe Drouin collection referenced in an earlier note on this thread - that collection can be seen at the OKCA show in Eugene, or any of the Wash. Arms Collectors shows in Puyallup... providing Joe isn't at a big knife show somewhere else in the country at that time...
 
Ruana Knife Works hasn't faded anywhere. They're still in the same building, in the same town, being made by the same guys- my family...my father's been making knives now since 1964 (47 years...that's a year longer than Rudy made knives professionally), my older brother Mark has been grinding away since 1976 (35 years) and my younger brother Mike since 1984 (27 years). I'm Matt, and I was the FNG short-timer with only 15 years(1984 through 1998). Mark and Mike are working full-time at it, Dad is semi-retired like Rudy was...a reporter asked Rudy when he was going to retire. "what do you do when you retire?" Rudy asked. The guy shrugged his shoulders' "Anything you want. I guess..." he replied. "Well, hell mister I retired in 1952 when I quit working for someone else"...that was my grandfather in a nutshell. MH
 
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