SharpByCoop • Gallery of Customs

Its is like one of those good books that you can't put down.

Keep it up Coop.
 
Okay, I'll admit it. I'm about to fall asleep. Note to self: No more massive amounts of turkey before reading coop's threads so I can truly appreciate his work. :D ;)


That's amazing and it's really cool to see your earlier pieces. Hopefully, in a few years, I'll come a little closer to your quality. Great thread:thumbup:
 
Great thread Coop. You have worked hard to earn the respect that is well deserved. You set the standard that the rest of us strive to achieve as photographers. Thanks for sharing all of the great photos and helpful tips.
 
I'll pause the history for some current offerings.

JD Smith from Boston had these sent to me. JD is a teacher in a college and has inspired many. JD is also one to say HE is inspired from many sources, including the late, great, Jim Schmidt, and also Hill Pearce.

We are all inspired from someone else, and in JD's case he also has a style that I can recognize from across the room.

Here's a functional utility hunter:



Here is a Persian blade that has a twist. Four bar twists, so I am told. Also, four of them in the angle of the rope filework. Included is his talented sheath work. I shot the closed sheath image from the rear just to show how detailed he did the backside!



A final offering which knocked me over was his interpretation on this ancient ivory dagger. The symmetry of his damascus and it's pattern lent itself incredibly to the shape. Really a standout. His filework is classic.


(All knives courtesy of Mastersmiths Knife shop in NYC)

Both long blades lent themselves to the portrait mode nicely, and I made use of my old reliable outline insets again.. :)

Thanks, JD!!
 
JD Smith does great work. The first time I met him, I thought he was trained with / influenced by Robb Hudson - which was a compliment on my part to his sense of design.
 
Beautiful knives. It's amazing what he can do with a file and his sheaths are up there with the best sheathmakers.
 
I had an opportunity to shoot these last week. I was blown away at the quality.

SR Johnson set, in some form of very dark horn. There are natural grains and imperfections embedded in the scales. I'd refer to it more as character.... :D

Of course having Steve Lindsay's engraving is another upper-eschelon artist with a chance to do his thang. No one does bank-note engraving quite like him. Look at his shadowing of the 'leaves'...! :eek:



We've all seen and talked about Dietmar Kressler's work on these forums. Of all the integrals I have photographed of his, this particular one stopped me dead. Just WOW! :thumbup:


(Knives courtesy of KnifeLegends.com)

I was pleasantly impressed with the displays as well. They both lent themselves to my style nicely. Just a teaser for you.

Coop
 
Coop,
It's easy to envy you, what with all those great knives you get to personally handle(make that FONDLE)These two finish knives like no one else can. The minute You say to yourself,"I want to finish knives like that" you've set your bar about as high as it can go.
 
Coop, I saw those knives this afternoon on KnifeLegends and WOW what knives, and I don't think they could have been captured any better. It's like you can reach in and grab them.

I'm a forged knife guy, however their knives are as close to flawless as humanly possible.
 
SharpByCoop said:
Another early mentor was our own PhilL....
With a career background in advertising, he knows how to capture the essence of an image with visual interest. I still consider him a mentor. This showed me the endless possibilities of working with Photoshop. I then ordered a copy.

Coop
Click to expand...

Coop, I've been really enjoying this thread and I'm happy for your success.

I entered those same photo contests and not only did I never win, I don't think I ever got a vote. Why you would consider me a mentor I'll never know. But, I didn't own a digicam and never entered a real photograph, I don't know why I was entering photo contests. :rolleyes:

What impressed me early on about Jim's work was the clarity of his images, sharp focus, good color balance. Start with a clean image and you can do anything. Next, he was never satisfied with the work, he kept learning and improving. The same could be said of his kit knives, I wonder what he would have made had he stuck with that.

Jim, much continued success and keep up the good work.

After all this time and after all the ways we've tried to help folks learn how to take better pics, I'm sorry to say there are still a lot of lousy knife pics being posted. :confused:
 
Thank you Phil. It's good to see you poking in here also. :thumbup:

In life, a good student may exceed his mentors in some areas. But, there are always remembrances and abilities that elevate them still. Thanks again!!!

(Sadly, you are right about lousy photos. As many good ones appear, a like amount of sorry ones surface:
"Sorry about the crappy pics....." Sigh.)

More coming tonight!

Coop
 
Coop-

see you in a week and 1/2 or so...bring your portfolio will ya?

good job as always!


Ron
 
Do you guys know of Stan Wilson? I hope you do. I met him for the first time a few years back at the Chesapeake show in Maryland. He'll be there this weekend (Dec 9th - 2006).

Anyway, I was floored with his knife styling, his F&F, and his own easygoing style. He has had me shoot a few of his knives over the years.

This weekend is a big Balisong hoopla included in the Chesapeake show. I believe there will be demonstrations and flipping contests and prizes and more. Cool!

Stan decided to make sure he came prepared, so he created his FIRST balisong. Check out both of these images:



Some notables: Robert Eggerling blued damascus fittings and blade. The pearl on the opened view both came from one slab. You can see the match. He really nailed matching the bolster angles. Notice no screws on the outside of the bolsters--blind threaded from the rear. One of the handles has a full backspine, the other a partial. 360° x (2) filework.

Damascus stop pins with black diamonds. 14k gold signature plate (in the well), Damascus latch with 14k gold pin.

Most impressive is his latch--it's an engineering marvel with a little cutaway window for the tip. I did not get a great shot of the latch in the open position, but it fits and matches as well as the closed view, only the button is placed differently. I can only imagine the drawings and the fitting required for this. :eek:

Anyway, it is an impressive bali by anyone's standard, and especially for a first-time effort.

Say hi to him at the show or check out his website (with one of the CLEANEST shops on the planet!): www.StanWilsonKnives.com

Coop
 
Hey Ron! Always good to see your notes. I am looking forward to a JERZEE DEVILZ gathering. Thanks!

Coop
 
Coop that pic of Stans knife is beautiful....he does great work and is a nice guy. We joined the guild together. That sucker had been makin knives for under three years by then. This guy has got it......I cant tell if it comes easy or hard to him...he just has it. Hes suppose to stop by the BIG JOHNDEROSA
after the show for a few days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top