Szilaski Mid-Techs

mckgreg

mckgreg

Joined
Nov 18, 2001
Messages
3,765
I just got these from Joe in Atlanta last weekend. These puppies are balanced like you wouldn't believe. Blades are D-2 and the scales are textured G-10.
Greg
 
Cool looking fighters. I always liked the weehawk look on fixed blades.
 
I'm not really much of a fixed blade enthuiast but these guys are just the right size. With the Nealy kydex sheaths they make a great carry fixed blade.
Greg
 
I'm a great admirer of Joe's work, it never ceases to amaze me. His hawks, his fukkos, that mini switchblade he made and his collaborations with Ed Fowler....wow. I have to admit this is the first I've seen of these tactical style knives. I guess there's nothing this Master smith can't do.

Thanks for posting.
 
Joe Szilaski is my hero, his knowledge comes from the old school, he received his masters rating, years before the abs existed, in Hungary, making knives for fun and lots of complex mechanial stuff. He forged a tomahawk from a rail road spike, punched the hole and there was not enough scale to cover your thumb nail. He made Damascus steel in the 50's and thought nothing of it.

There is a lot of tallent there, his engraving is as good as it gets. Not only than all you have to do is ask him and he will share as much as you can understand.
I had been working on a design problem, I showed it to Joe, it took him less than two minutes using an eraser and a pencil to show me how to make my idea work.
 
Greg,
I wanted to say thanks for having the Fowler/Szilaski collaboration set available at Blade for viewing on Joe Szilaski's table. I really enjoyed seeing it and had a nice conversation with Joe, hearing about many of the details and the display case he made. You've got a real treasure. Very nice work indeed!
David
 
You're most welcome David. A lot of folks have expressed interest in wanting to see "The Set". So, I thought I would display it at the Blade Show. It really is a extraordinary, one of a kind example of craftmanship. I am glad you were able to enjoy it.
Greg
 
Joe is a special guy.

I met him over a decade ago when knifemaking caught his fancy after a bad accident at work.

He is always smiling (even when he is pissed off!) and never has a bad thing to say about anyone. His knives are special and unique in the world of forged knives. He is one of the few that succesfully forge D2. One of the few that can cold forge (he promised me one), and one of the few makers that can carve, engrave AND do the fine leatherwork required of his knives.
Anyone who has seen the "winged" folders, bear jaw autos, and the tomahawks understands what I mean as he is truly renaissance in capabilities.

In addition to being a neat guy, talented knifemaker, loving husband, father, grandfather and a shining example of the "American Way" embraced by someone who although not born here, is more "American" than most "Americans" I meet.

I have one of his little tommyhawks and it is not going anywhere!
 
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