- Joined
- Feb 7, 2007
- Messages
- 539
Adding some spice to the actuall Tad Lynch trend 
, I like to add my experience.
I was totally impressed from the first pictures that Tad put in the Custom Choppers thread in the late 2009. What confirmed my impressions was the so nice comments that Lorien put there and also in the Best 2009 Bowie thread. I confess that I read with great interest any Lorien's post, really appreciating his taste and his way to look at custom knifemaking world. :thumbup:
So at the end of November I began to contact him (Tad) looking for some infos and in a short I asked him to put me in his list for two big guardless blades.
On our conversations one would be a big recurve camp bowie, which Tad told that he call it Turkey Montain Chopper, and the other would be an even larger straight blade with a belly edge. I don't know if that one have a name.
Tad was thinking to add a 1/4 or a 1/2 to the original Turkey Mt. Chopper and I was glad to agreed him.
I was advised from Tad that I have to wait two months for the whole job to be completed. I was a bit surprised because I was thinking it was a so short time for two forged blades so large and thinking that a so fine knifemaker would had a pretty busy schedule. That timeline was absolutely respected and I have to add that is not a so usual experience in custom knifemaking today. Tad deserve high estimation just for this aspect alone.
On the first days of January I received a nice surprise: an email with progress pics from Tad.
I was really excited looking at the W.I.P.
But I was even more surprised when just two weeks later I receveid a mail with pictures of the kives finished and Tad ready to ship.
For the details of both I leave that space for Tad's words:
The smaller chopper (I call it my Turkey Mountain Chopper) is a 9 1/2 inch blade with a little more polished finish than the other. I finished it to about 1200 grit. The stainless collar/spacer is finished to about 800 grit, and the stab. wood is sanded smooth and buffed. The larger is more of a workhorse--it's heavier, wider and 1/2 inch longer. It is finished to 600 grit, etched, and then rubbed with polish--so the dark appearance of the acid etch remains on the blade. On that knife I used wrought iron from an old wagon tire for the collar, and cocobolo, with stainless Corby bolts for fasteners.
From Tad's shop that knives started to Kenny Rowe for some leather works.
I have yet to shot some decent pictures to show you the knives with the sheaths arrived here at my home.
I can add just few notes from handling the knives shortly in the past days. The knives are big, beefy and seems from the first look exceptional but they even growth more in my esteem during these days just handling a bit and appreciating the feeling, the balance, the handles ergo and the right whole design that mixed so well any different aspect of the knives as efficient tools and expression of beauty.
, I like to add my experience.I was totally impressed from the first pictures that Tad put in the Custom Choppers thread in the late 2009. What confirmed my impressions was the so nice comments that Lorien put there and also in the Best 2009 Bowie thread. I confess that I read with great interest any Lorien's post, really appreciating his taste and his way to look at custom knifemaking world.
:thumbup: So at the end of November I began to contact him (Tad) looking for some infos and in a short I asked him to put me in his list for two big guardless blades.
On our conversations one would be a big recurve camp bowie, which Tad told that he call it Turkey Montain Chopper, and the other would be an even larger straight blade with a belly edge. I don't know if that one have a name.
Tad was thinking to add a 1/4 or a 1/2 to the original Turkey Mt. Chopper and I was glad to agreed him.
I was advised from Tad that I have to wait two months for the whole job to be completed. I was a bit surprised because I was thinking it was a so short time for two forged blades so large and thinking that a so fine knifemaker would had a pretty busy schedule. That timeline was absolutely respected and I have to add that is not a so usual experience in custom knifemaking today. Tad deserve high estimation just for this aspect alone.
On the first days of January I received a nice surprise: an email with progress pics from Tad.
I was really excited looking at the W.I.P.
But I was even more surprised when just two weeks later I receveid a mail with pictures of the kives finished and Tad ready to ship.
For the details of both I leave that space for Tad's words:
The smaller chopper (I call it my Turkey Mountain Chopper) is a 9 1/2 inch blade with a little more polished finish than the other. I finished it to about 1200 grit. The stainless collar/spacer is finished to about 800 grit, and the stab. wood is sanded smooth and buffed. The larger is more of a workhorse--it's heavier, wider and 1/2 inch longer. It is finished to 600 grit, etched, and then rubbed with polish--so the dark appearance of the acid etch remains on the blade. On that knife I used wrought iron from an old wagon tire for the collar, and cocobolo, with stainless Corby bolts for fasteners.
From Tad's shop that knives started to Kenny Rowe for some leather works.
I have yet to shot some decent pictures to show you the knives with the sheaths arrived here at my home.
I can add just few notes from handling the knives shortly in the past days. The knives are big, beefy and seems from the first look exceptional but they even growth more in my esteem during these days just handling a bit and appreciating the feeling, the balance, the handles ergo and the right whole design that mixed so well any different aspect of the knives as efficient tools and expression of beauty.
