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Hi Coop, Thanks for posting my knife, I am going to have to really step it up if I don't want to look bad amongst these guys, they are all amazing. Thanks again for the work and the post. Mark
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Photos SharpByCoop's Gallery of Handmade Knives
- Thread starter SharpByCoop
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2001
- Messages
- 12,336
Three from fellow collector Bob Betzner:
Rodrigo Sfreddo
Curt Erickson, Julie Warenski (from the 2009 AKI)
Dietmar Kressler/Lori Ristinen
The Sfreddo needs very little explanation. It's simply stunning.
The AKI dagger was a request, by Bob, to show this knife yet again (Eric had taken a great shot), and he stressed how impressive it looked in the sheath, and how he would like to stress the 'Western or crystal cut' engraving on the sides.
My normal process would have been to show it out of the sheath and include the sheath along side somehow.
After studying this, I also realized that the most substantial subject was the knife in the sheath, and not extracted. So I used that as a core image instead. This covered all bases once I added the two insets. I'll be keeping this layout in my box of tools.
Lastly the scrim on the genuine tortoise shell scales is worthy of showing off. Lori made it tantalizing and you have to study it to see the depth and detail. Remarkable.
Thanks for looking.
Coop
Rodrigo Sfreddo
Curt Erickson, Julie Warenski (from the 2009 AKI)
Dietmar Kressler/Lori Ristinen
The Sfreddo needs very little explanation. It's simply stunning.
The AKI dagger was a request, by Bob, to show this knife yet again (Eric had taken a great shot), and he stressed how impressive it looked in the sheath, and how he would like to stress the 'Western or crystal cut' engraving on the sides.
My normal process would have been to show it out of the sheath and include the sheath along side somehow.
After studying this, I also realized that the most substantial subject was the knife in the sheath, and not extracted. So I used that as a core image instead. This covered all bases once I added the two insets. I'll be keeping this layout in my box of tools.
Lastly the scrim on the genuine tortoise shell scales is worthy of showing off. Lori made it tantalizing and you have to study it to see the depth and detail. Remarkable.
Thanks for looking.
Coop
Coop, I have been admiring your pictures for years in Knives and Blade magazine!
Your pictures really pop and; As a newly starting out maker... I really appreciate the time and effort you must spend really trying to capture the artwork another artist has poured themselves into. It must be incredibly rewarding to be able to work with so many talented people!
So you have spent years capturing the perfect picture, and probably countless hours handling millions of dollars worth of sharp objects. What kind of advice would you give to a newbie in the knifemaking arena?
Any advice would be most humbly appreciated! thanks and keep the cameras clickin'
Gabriel
Your pictures really pop and; As a newly starting out maker... I really appreciate the time and effort you must spend really trying to capture the artwork another artist has poured themselves into. It must be incredibly rewarding to be able to work with so many talented people!
So you have spent years capturing the perfect picture, and probably countless hours handling millions of dollars worth of sharp objects. What kind of advice would you give to a newbie in the knifemaking arena?
Any advice would be most humbly appreciated! thanks and keep the cameras clickin'
Gabriel
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- Oct 8, 2001
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- 12,336
Hi Gabriel! Much appreciation for your thoughts.
My wife, who is probably the most liberal person on the planet, can't say enough good about knifemakers and their artistry. It transcends boundaries. Yes.
You have a good accounting. I have estimated that my dealer shots alone have been partially responsible for over 5 million dollars in sales from my start. How about that!
I'm going to say that again so it sinks in: In your excitement to show off your latest work, DO NOT take and show hastily prepared photos.
Because..... you have ONE chance to make a first impression, and it really impacts the desireability of your work. Dilute that impact and you've lost something that can't be recovered.
Photography in this field is really about marketing and advertising. It's not journalism. You ARE in business and you have 5,0000 competitors. Make sure your work stands up every time.
Thanks, Gabe. I'm glad you asked.
Coop
My wife, who is probably the most liberal person on the planet, can't say enough good about knifemakers and their artistry. It transcends boundaries. Yes.
You have a good accounting. I have estimated that my dealer shots alone have been partially responsible for over 5 million dollars in sales from my start. How about that!
For the newbie and the veteran knifemaker I have one VERY prominent sageworthy advice to offer: In your excitement to show off your latest work, DO NOT take and show hastily prepared photos.
I'm going to say that again so it sinks in: In your excitement to show off your latest work, DO NOT take and show hastily prepared photos.
Because..... you have ONE chance to make a first impression, and it really impacts the desireability of your work. Dilute that impact and you've lost something that can't be recovered.
Photography in this field is really about marketing and advertising. It's not journalism. You ARE in business and you have 5,0000 competitors. Make sure your work stands up every time.
Thanks, Gabe. I'm glad you asked.
Coop
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2002
- Messages
- 180
In response to Gabriel's question posed to Coop I would like to add my experience and insight into the discussion FWIW.
I have been a full time maker for a few years and have learned a very important lesson about selling knives- a great picture is worth every dollar you spend on it for a number of reasons.
You can make the best and greatest knives in the world but a lousy picture or even a "decent picture" will not help sell it and in fact devalues it. A great picture will sell a great knife. I have seen time and time again makers buy expensive materials, equipment, spend hours making a great blade and then when it's done run out and put it on a stump in the back yard and snap a photo of it and post it and it looks like crap. And the excuse is it's to expensive to get it done by a pro. Well I have found it's too expensive not to. A great photo adds value to the knife and the value is a lot more than the photography cost. And I'm talking about real dollars here not abstract value.
Want to get a knife in a magazine? Don't bother to send in photos yourself- they wont even look at them. All magazines want a professional picture.
A lousy picture detracts from a great knife. A decent picture adds nothing. A great picture enhances value and presents to the world what you have made with your blood, sweat and tears. Anything less and you're cheating yourself. :thumbup::thumbup:
I have been a full time maker for a few years and have learned a very important lesson about selling knives- a great picture is worth every dollar you spend on it for a number of reasons.
You can make the best and greatest knives in the world but a lousy picture or even a "decent picture" will not help sell it and in fact devalues it. A great picture will sell a great knife. I have seen time and time again makers buy expensive materials, equipment, spend hours making a great blade and then when it's done run out and put it on a stump in the back yard and snap a photo of it and post it and it looks like crap. And the excuse is it's to expensive to get it done by a pro. Well I have found it's too expensive not to. A great photo adds value to the knife and the value is a lot more than the photography cost. And I'm talking about real dollars here not abstract value.
Want to get a knife in a magazine? Don't bother to send in photos yourself- they wont even look at them. All magazines want a professional picture.
A lousy picture detracts from a great knife. A decent picture adds nothing. A great picture enhances value and presents to the world what you have made with your blood, sweat and tears. Anything less and you're cheating yourself. :thumbup::thumbup:
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2001
- Messages
- 12,336
Wow. As I got a response to this thread, I was right in the middle of this following post. Do you think Kevin feels the karma from 1000 miles away? 
Kevin Casey just completed (8) folders for me to archive. He is going to be at the ECCKS in NYC in a couple of weeks. Here is what he'll be bringing:
Someone has been working VERY hard at their skills. :thumbup:
Coop
Kevin Casey just completed (8) folders for me to archive. He is going to be at the ECCKS in NYC in a couple of weeks. Here is what he'll be bringing:
Someone has been working VERY hard at their skills. :thumbup:
Coop
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- Dec 2, 1999
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- 9,910
Wow the Kevin and Ken team have been hard at it. Gorgeous work.
Kevin sure has that feather pattern down.
Kevin sure has that feather pattern down.
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- Jan 23, 2007
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- 8,216
Those feather patterns, and so many different ones, WOW! Gotta agree, a big ditto.
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Tickled to death and blown away by them
As a side note. I used to work with Mark and he's one of those that you can qualify as a true Alaskan. He traps, hunts, can build anything out of aluminum or steel that you need, and as you have seen makes some extremely beautiful and creative knives. He's also a very good painter too.
Charlie
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OH shucks Charles
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No ballads. We start out allegro!
Say WHAT??!!
We were messing around with digital backgrounds. Owen Wood's classic folder. Here's my version:
This is NOT a digital background:
Check out the reflection(s) in the blade and well.
Next are the fixed blades....
Coop
Say WHAT??!!
We were messing around with digital backgrounds. Owen Wood's classic folder. Here's my version:
This is NOT a digital background:
Check out the reflection(s) in the blade and well.
Next are the fixed blades....
Coop
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2001
- Messages
- 12,336
Pianissimo...
Presto.
Appassionato!
Crescendo..!!!
Closing the show to a standing ovation and encore!
The conductor salutes his orchestra and takes a deep bow to the audience.
Coop
Presto.
Appassionato!
Crescendo..!!!
Closing the show to a standing ovation and encore!
The conductor salutes his orchestra and takes a deep bow to the audience.
Coop
Last edited:
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- Oct 3, 2002
- Messages
- 12,297
Great stuff, Coop! I like the digital background...
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Joss, I'm not sure about this engraving, but he works a lot with V. Peli as engraver.
Marcel
