Some pics from the 2007 Chicago Custom Knife Show

[RogerP]

Well, a bit more than a few. Dial-up users will want to flee immediately to the link below. Captions aren't done yet, but you should still be able to follow along.

http://www.fototime.com/inv/0721912FBB3D9F8

My apologies for the picture quality - glare, shadow and blur will be ever-present in the knife pics that follow. Rest assured that you will have Coop's excellent photos to look forward to.

Now on to the makers and their knives:

I'll start off with one of my first stops at the show - the table of Don Hanson III. Don is shown holding a fighter that would haunt me throughout the show:

There isn't a single knife among this group that isn't absolutely gorgeous, but that fighter really captured my heart. Beautiful lines, wicked hamon and a stunning blue mammoth handle were all trumped by the well-balanced and lightning-quick feel in the hand:

You know how Don always seems to have the most stunning ivory on his knives? Well, it's no accident - he quickly identifies and buys the choice pieces when and where he can find them. Pricey stuff, but beautiful:

Daniel Winkler and Karen Shook were also present, with an impressive array of knives and hawks:

Their work is so rich in colour, texture and character - it's no surprise at all that they have such a loyal following.

Have you ever seen a group-drool? Just look at the faces of the scrum surrounding John Young at the draw for the privilege of purchasing one of his excellent knives. Pick me, pick me!

Here is John holding what is something or a rarity for him - a damascus piece:

And a closer look at that sweet knife:

End of Part 1

 

[RogerP]

Part 2

You realize, don't you, that I have delayed posting photos of a certain maker and a certain knife, just to torture Keith right?

Stop scrolling my friend, here is Russ Andrews holding one of the finest bowies I have ever personally laid eyes upon:

Here we see Don Hanson looking it over - I can assure you he was duly impressed - as was everyone that I saw handle the piece. It's a pity that Russ was late arriving at the show and unable to submit his knives for judging. This knife would have had an excellent chance at best of show.

Here is a group shot of Russ' knives. The large blackwood hunter on top is Russ' first damascus piece. The bottom knife is Russ' Hawthorne Bowie, rendered here in ironwood and W2. This was an ordered knife, delivered at the show to Les. Since my wristwatch only recrds time to the nearest second, I am unable to report as to how long it took to find it a new home. And of course, that knife is in the middle:

I don't even know where to begin with Keith's bowie. The looooooong, imacculately finished blade, the superb damascus fittings, or the does-this-stuff-even-exist hunk of mammoth ivory? More impressive than the components is the way they all come together. Given the size of the piece I was pretty amazed at how light and well balanced it felt in the hand (balancing somewhere around the plunge cuts). Russ was extremely pleased with how it turned out. And if you know Russ, that is about all you need to know about this knife.

As a personal treat, I got to see the knife that Russ is making for me as it gets closer to completion. It's a sweet little damascus fighter. I even got to select the stag for the handle from Russ' stash:

And a blast from the past - a stock-removal Henry-style bowie that Russ made back in the days when disco wasn't yet dead (circa 1979):

It's the only knife on which Russ ever used the block capital A N D R E W S stamp (an hommage to the way Henry marked his) and is owned by Danbo.

It was a pleasure meeting and speaking with Billy Mace Imel:

My photos come up WAY short of capturing the elegance of these daggers:

Don Cowles was also in attendance with an impressive assembly of small gems, of which the knife below was my clear favorite:

End of Part 2

 

[RogerP]

Part 3

The Chicago Show is not one with a dominant presence of bladesmiths, so fans fo the forged blade like myself were glad of the presence of Bob Neal

The likes of Fisk, Dean, Hancock and Walker weren't at the show, but their knives were:

T.R. Overeynder was in da house, with some gorgeous folders:

Bill Buxton is shown below holding a truly impressive damascus D-guard bowie:

The box elder burl bowie below is one of the wish-I-coulda-bought knives from the show:

I didn't get to chat with Allen Elishewitz, but I did get to see some of his cool knives:

End of Part 3

 

[popedandy]

Wow. Those are some incredible knives. Good photos, too. Thanks!

 

[RogerP]

Part 4 of 4

I really like these knives from Johhny Walker Nilsson

And some goodness from Jody Muller:

A beautiful Joe Kious bowie:

A terrific pair of damascus bowies by Tim Tabor:

And some familiar forum faces:

Our own Coop, forced to hold still for a nanosecond for this picture:

Danbo wins a door prize:

Meeting up with some of my fellow forumites and getting to see portions of their collections was a real treat - my thanks to you all. I picked up this little Kevin Cashen fighter at one such gathering:

And a final fairwell from your faithful reporter with a reminder that if you haven't yet bought tickets for the AWESOME bladeforums bowie that I am holding in the pic below, DON'T DELAY! The drawing is about a month away:

Roger

P.S. - Mongo, Danbo, Ren - had a blast at dinner, guys - thanks.

 

[PhilL]

Excellent job Roger.
That's the way a show should be covered, knives, the faces behind the knives and the faces behind the faces that make the knives.

 

[Patrick M.]

Thank you for allowing us european people to "attend" this show ! Is John Young's damascus fighter an integral knife ?

Patrick

 

[Paul Savage]

Wow ! Great overview Roger. Love dan winklers pieces and they would'nt be what they are without karen's fine sheath's. And that bowie of Russ Andrews, what a piece of mammoth. Thanks for the look see. Paul

 

[ckerwin]

Roger it was a pleasure meeting you at the show and the knives in the Coop shot are mine from Daniel Winkler and Karen Shook. Great shots of the show!:thumbup::thumbup:

 

[KamSingh]

Great pics Roger!

 

[Peregrin]

Thanks for taking the time to post these. Great job! :thumbup::thumbup:

Gary

 

[Trisak]

Great pics.! Thanks Roger.

 

[Michael Starr]

Thanks for the commentary and photos, felt like I was there...almost.
No new steel proves otherwise but I will be in Ashokan this weekend.

Might get lucky - maybe just maybe

So besides the Cashen, what did you bring home?

 

[cockroachfarm]

OUTSTANDING report, Roger! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Great to see you at the show, too. I'm just leaving Chicago now; we'll get together for that "automotive hammer-in" soon.

 

[Ebbtide]

Felt like I was there!
Thank you for all effort you put into your fine report

 

[T.K.C.]

Roger:
THANK YOU so very much for the great pix & report!! I felt like I was there.

 

[Bladeandbarrel]

Thanks Roger. That picture of Danbo still has me reeling though...

 

[ptgdvc]

Roger,

Absolutely super report (as usual). :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I hope you were able to keep Danbo and his crew under control.

Michael Starr and I are headed to Ashokan next weekend. I will bring my camera and post a report.

Thanks again!

Peter

PS Keith that Andrews is out of this world. I hope Coop did it justice.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

No torture at all. Even if you had posted the images of my knife last I would have thoroughly enjoyed all the others first. You got some excellent photos of great knives. Of course I am a little predjudice, but besides my knife, I find all the Hanson III knives (especially the fighter), the John Young pattern welded piece, the small Andrews bowie under mine in the photo with three knives, and the Kashen fighter to be my favorites.

Roger, I want to thank you very much for this wonderful show report.

 

[Stephen F]

Great report Roger.

Whats your impression of the BFBowie? It is a great disappointment for me that I will not get to see this knife in the flesh.

Stephen