Ten Great knives From my Collection

Kohai999

Second Degree Cutter
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
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Per a fellow Forumite's request....going to try to do this in alphabetical order. The reason for the request was my not-uncommon verbal diarrhea concerning a knife style(sharpened prybar) that I cannot seem to find personal acceptance for. The Forumite requested that I show some knives that I DO think are exceptional, and explain what elements separate them from similar knives, which I hope to do.

Kevin Cashen MS, Bowie(Forged Bowie)made February 2008
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Why is it great?
Excellent handling....it has an almost 11" blade, with an OAL of 16 1/8"...weighs 20 oz and the stock thickness is 1/4"....yet all of the attributes that my good friend Joe Paranee requires of a Fighting Bowie are included on this knife, it will back cut, it changes direction fluidly and has a sufficient guard, as well as an ovoid handle to reduce twisting in the hand.
The blade is a 3 bar composite of O1/L6 damascus...random in the center and twist on the outsides. Be honest...would you have noticed this if it hadn't been pointed out? You should, the picture is clear. The seams of the welds are almost invisible.
Notice the fit on the handle between the damascus guard and bolster and the Desert Ironwood handle....the edges of the wood are broken to allow for expansion and contraction without sharp metal edges meeting the hand. This takes thought and purpose.
Because Kevin does not have high production, and there are many collectors that desire work of this type, there is usually a premium over original price from maker.
Finally, Kevin made the sheath himself, and did a fine job.

Kevin is an ABS MS and is currently serving on the Board of Directors. This is a quote from Kevin's website to give an idea of how he approaches his craft "My obsessive/compulsive nature toward the metallurgy of my blades made the ability to look inside the steel a necessity. Martensite is hard and will skate a file, but the same is true of a poor mix of fine pearlite, and the Hardness tester can’t tell you the grain size that is just as important for performance. To meet these needs I have acquired several Olympus metallurgical microscopes over time. Each has its own capabilities that I desire. One has a wide and completely adjustable stage for laying an entire blade on for examination, while the other has a very tightly controlled stage that can handle slide mounted specimens, and trans-illumination. One is binocular for regular viewing, but has brightfield and darkfield capabilities, the other is trinocular to handle the mounting of my digital camera for easy metallographic uses. The one I use the most is the large and versatile Olympus PME metallograph designed specifically for metallograpy. Metallography, or photography of the microstructure inside steel is accomplished on my PME using adapaters to mount a Cannon T2I digital SLR to the metallograph in place of the film camera it initially used. "

Harvey Dean MS Two Blade Wharncliffe Trapper(Slipjoint)
Made March 2013
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Why is it great?
This is a BIG slipjoint, blades are in excess of 3 1/2" and OAL is 7 17/32"
One of the big buzzwords with slipjoint knives is walk(smooth opening/closing) and talk(the harmonics of the knife, especially in closing), this knife has both, masterfully rendered.
Harvey created this model for me, it was the first one he built.
The materials are top quality, hand satin sanded (not forged to shape) 154 CPM blades, 416ss bolsters and relieved liners.
Please notice the fit of the black lip escutcheon to the white mother of pearl covers, and how Coop captured the "fire" of the covers. To even attempt pinned covers in pearl of this size and thickness requires Grande Cojones, because one slip of the hammer, and you just threw about $200.00 out of the window.
Of the many types of knives available, it is commonly held opinion by just about every maker that I know that multi-blade slipjoints are by FAR the most difficult knives to render correctly.

Harvey Dean MS has been making unique knives for a very long time. He has created a true fighting Bowie in the El Diablo, but is just as at ease making slipjoint folders, or historical reproductions. He is a member maker of the prestigious Art Knife Invitational, of which there are only 25 makers who exhibit every other year. The next AKI is in San Diego, in October of 2015.

Allen Elishewitz Silver Fox Button lock(Dress Tactical), made November 2005:
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Why is it great?
Fit and finish are superb.
The knife has good blade-to-handle ratio, 3 11/16" blade, 8 5/16" OAL, 1/18" stock of Infinity pattern damasteel.
Radiused integral bolsters/liners machined of 416 ss w/inlaid desert ironwood scales
Button lock face is checkered
Butter smooth function, lock holds the knife closed with perfect tension, zero side to side or front to back wobble
Oversized plunge lock shaft to maximize lock strength
Price of the knives was, and remains reasonable and aftermarket prices show that there is little if any loss on Allen's knives and in many cases produce a profit

Allen is a true machinist. He makes watches and pens when he has the time. He introduced the art of guilloche to the knife world which is a decorative engraving technique in which a very precise intricate repetitive pattern or design is mechanically engraved into material. Specifically, it involves a technique of engine turning, using a machine of the same name, also called a rose engine lathe.

Joe Foster Utility (Petty) Knife(Kitchen Knife)
Made October 2014
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Why is it great?
Everything about this knife demonstrates thought and consideration of intended purpose.
1080 & 15N20 Damascus blade 5 5/8", 10 1/2" OAL, 3/32" at the front of the handle with distal taper down to practically nothing.
Rounded spine, rounded furniture, rounded everything, except the handle is not round, it is oval, for comfort and control.
There is a little bit if filing on the butt of the knife, like the grip on a shotgun.
Desert Ironwood and Oregon Maple burl handle with 416 stainless and black micarta, fitted without any gaps, and the use of cyanoacrylate(crazy) glue to fill any pits or burls in the handle is minimal.
The handling of the knife is superior and the edge cuts anything that I have tried like a laser. Please notice his maker's mark....subtle yet quite unique.

Joe lives out in the middle of nowhere Canada. If he perseveres he has the skill to become a great maker over time, but this knife is truly great for what it was designed to do, and it is a pleasure to use in the kitchen.
Bob Lum Field Grade Tanto(Tactical Fixed Blade)Made April, 2002(crap scan, great knife, sorry)
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Why is it great?
This knife is as simple as could be, right? Wrong!!
The hand rubbed satin finish on the 5 5/16" ATS-34 blade, 10 1/4" OAL is about as close to perfect as humanly possible. There are no fish hooks and the grind lines are crisp and clean. The 3/16" stock is perfect for this type of knife, neither too thick, nor too thin. You cannot see it, but the tang tapers to about 1/16" at the butt.
The grinding and the overall shape of the knife have inspired countless numbers of makers, look at the spine, the numerous facets and the reinforced tip.
The contouring and overall shape of the satin finished G10 handle allow it comfortable carry and it fits hands sized from "dainty and girly" to "mitts" with ease.
This knife defines "Shibumi", which is the Japanese word for effortless perfection.

This knife should be of particular interest to those who collect and make tactical knives. Phill Hartsfield and Bob Lum are both credited with the "American Tanto" that Cold Steel popularized. Lynn Thompson purchased two Tantos from Bob Lum's table at a show in '77-78 (I believe Bob was living in Santa Barbara at the time?). It is entirely possible these were the first two Tantos Bob made.

Lynn took them to a renowned maker who made a prototype for Lynn which Cold Steel was going to send to Japan to mass produce . The major differences were: the pattern was straightened out (so it could fit on the barstock that was available in Japan at the time) and the upper swedge was left out for simplicity (and increased strength -it became more of a prybar). It was handled in black canvas micarta. Lynn that came up with adding a guard -and skullcrusher

Over the years, Bob continuously improved upon his original design -and it is obvious when the newer knives are held: the balance, utility, fit and finish. If he had not passed away, I'm sure he would have had so much more to contribute to the knife world.

Bob developed this design from a yoroi toshi aikuchi that someone had brought him(that means armor piercing small knife). To my eyes he adapted the design perfectly, and THIS is the design that should have spawned 1,000 copies, not the "sharpened prybar" segment that is directly attributable to Cold Steel knives.

Bob originally sold this knife in the region of $500.00, and they were selling for more on the aftermarket almost immediately. Now, it is worth at least twice that.

Bob Lum passed away from complications of cancer on December 4, 2007, and there is not a year that goes by around this month that I don't think of him. We were not close by any stretch, but he always had time to chat on the phone and his voluminous contributions to the knife world should be apparent....if you just look with the "right" eyes.

R.J.Martin Havoc(Folding Tactical Knife, flipper), Made November 2006
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Why is it great?
This knife flips with ease and precision, created at a time when many makers were doing one or the other, but not both at the same time.
The STRIATED machined blade of 1/8" S30V, 3 1/2" long, is mated to a titanium handle that is 4 1/2" long, comprised of 1/8" slabs.
The micarta scales are contoured to provide a secure grip and hide some of the assembly screws at the same time.
The clip is shaped to securely hold the knife in place and follows with the shape of the overall knife.
This knife defines "overbuilt" without being overly heavy and I carried it hard for 6 years, and the only thing it required was an occasional edge touch up on a ceramic rod.

R.J. has been making knives since the mid 1980's. He has an engineering background and worked for many years at Sikorsky Helicopters creating parts. He is, to date, the recipient of more "Best Tactical" awards at the Blade Show than any other maker. One year, he entered into the fixed blade category, but not the Tactical category. He won that award. This year, he did NOT win the Best Tactical....he won Best Feature....for his ingenious pivot design on a Q36, if memory serves.
This knife was purchased from a Forumite here at BFC for right around what he paid for it, and after just thrashing this knife, I sold it this year for 2x that amount.

David Mirabile "Neo Tribal Asian Bowie"(Art Knife), made May 2014
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Why is it great?
Let me say this is an art knife that is brutally effective as a carry weapon, or this is a carry knife that looks like an art knife.
The 4 13/16" blade clip point is satin finished 416 ss over a core of 1080 carbon steel, OAL is 9 1/4", and the thickness is 3/16"
The handle is comprised of a native Alaskan(David lives in Juneau, Alaska) yellow cedar core, with carbon fiber overlaid and carbon fiber lacing over it, tied in a Japanese sword style.
The buttcap is fossil walrus ivory, there are artifact pieces of fossil walrus ivory acting has handle ornaments(menuki) and the "guard" is a composite of bronze and Lightning Strike carbon fiber.
The sheath is a wooden core of native Alaskan yellow cedar and carbon fiber, with a fossil walrus ivory tip.

Unlike many makers who create art knives, David Mirabile's attitude and locale dictate that tools are required to be tools first and art later. Thusly, he builds all of his knives to be used as if life depended upon them. He has been working for years to develop his signature style which takes Alaskan values towards tools and materials and infuses a very distinct Japanese aesthetic.

The knife was purchased at a very fair value and I have turned down repeated offers to purchase it for significantly more than I paid.

Mike Quesenberry MS, Damascus Fighter(Forged Fixed Blade), Made March, 2014
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Why is it great?
This fighter has a 7 15/16" blade of hand satin finished 360 layer ladder pattern damascus comprised of 1080 and 15n20, OAL is 12 1/2", stock thickness is 7/32", extreme distal taper
The handle is 5,400 year old bog oak that I purchased from Mark Farley at It's A Burl, and provided to Mike.
The handle furniture is 416 ss and bronze, with a single bronze pin holding it all tight and tidy.
This is a knife that feels like it was made for my hand only, because it is a true custom, and Mike spent a fair amount of time talking to me about my preferences.
The ladder pattern just shimmers, the way it was finished should be a textbook lesson for all makers.
It isn't just a pretty face....the primary edge is razor sharp and the back edge will easily cut paper.

As an aside, Paul Long made the sheath of full shark in front, and I truly think it compliments the knife.

Mike is a full time Engineer for a railroad company(that's right, he drives the choochoos!!!) who has found the time to become an ABS MS in a fairly short period of time. He won the B.R. Hughes award this year for best MS Candidate knife. He makes integrally constructed knives of the highest grade found anywhere out of mosaic damascus that has depth and beauty which must be seen and held to be truly appreciated.

The price of this knife was exceedingly fair, and is sure to bring a profit were I to sell it....which is highly unlikely.

J.D. Smith Yoroi Toshi(Art Knife)

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Why is it great?
6 3/4" 6 bar composite damascus blade of 15n20 and 1084, turkish ribbon in center, oal of 12 1/4"
African Blackwood handle carved in J.D.'s trademark "leather wrap" style
The guard is carved and sculpted o1, the buttcap is damascus, and the ferrule is sterling silver
The carved and stamped sheath is finished off with a handmade and fileworked Sam Browne stud.
This knife is featured on page 34 of The World of Art Knives by Dr. David Darom

John W. Smith Evolution Folder AND Fancy Liner Lock(Tactical Folder AND Art Knife)
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Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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very nice STeven. This is one of Alan's that impresses me. He has a long track record of doing very nice folders over that past 15 years.
 
That Cashen bowie is a very nice example indeed. Great lines and a lovely bit of iron wood, too. :):thumbup:
 
I've heard nothing but great things about Kevin's knowledge and refinement of steel. I did own a Nick Wheeler hunter with a blade made from Kevins famous twist damascus- o1 I think. Really bold and beautiful.

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I know you are a fan of this folder and I have to say its the only folder I ever owned that had PERFECT action and lockup which was consistent the entire time I owned it.

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This knife fit my hand better then any other fixed blade and had an amazing edge. Not sure why I sold it. The shape of this knife was just perfect in terms of utilitarian function in my opinion. The handle was light and the blade was balanced perfectly to the pointer finger.

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Awesome! I'm really excited to see some more. Like STeven stated, join in with your own unique and special knives. One thing, please say who the maker is so they can get credit and they can be contacted for future knives. I know this is no small undertaking and I really am grateful for the knowledge and time. :thumbup:
 
Steven, thanks for sharing these. I have a Cashen hunter from 2014 Blade Show. Although I knew he made great knives, I did not know the other information you shared about his metallurgy interest and skills.





This year was perhaps my year of enlightenment when it comes to knife collecting. Although I've collected for a number of years, this the first year I really had a chance to get to know several makers (and other collectors) personally. It's amazing how much information they are willing to share, all of which helps to understand what goes into a great knife versus a good knife or a good looking knife. Cook, Williams, Fisk, Hanson, Bing, Lisch and other makers have all taken time to explain in detail what they do and why they do it. Kevin Jones and others have taken time to answer more questions than I care to admit. Thanks again for posting your knives and the thoughts behind what makes them great.
 
The Lum handle is too long and a flat or convex grind would add to this knife.
Also, is there a pic of the sheath?
rolf
 
Steven, I love that Lum, did not know you owned any of his knives, would love to talk to you about them, Bob's design's to me are some of the most intrigueing out there.
 
Since others are posting Cashen blades, this Damascus Hunter is the favorite of my small knife collection. I picked it up from Kevin at Ashokan 2006.



 
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This thread should be informative. I look forward to the updates.

It goes without saying perhaps...nice knives;)
 
Thanks for sharing the knives and justifications. Two comments if I may:

1. The Joe Foster Utility is stunning. It reminds me of a sub-hilted knife but with a smooth handle. Unique and useful.

2. If the Bob Lum tanto had become the American Tanto, I might have become interested in the design instead of turned off every time I hear or see the word. However, I think Lum is one of the most underappreciated knife designers of the past 30 years.
 
+10 on Kevin's metallurgy knowledge. I met him in person last year, and he is very generous with sharing his knowledge. I learned a hell of a lot from him, and I'm just skimming the surface. My blade performance went up significantly, and I have learned the process of testing heat treat outcomes from relatively small variances in the process. :thumbup:
 
What floats your boat the most: unique new style/design, unique materials on established design, flawless F&F of of standard materials and style, embellishments on established design/style? Understand it could be combo but what causes you to buy a knife most often?
 
Thank you STeven for this post. Great collection of knives. If they were on a table I truely would not know which one to pick up first :D
Cheers Keith
 
Thank you for posting these.
My favorites are the Foster utility and of course the Q fighter.
 
What floats your boat the most: unique new style/design, unique materials on established design, flawless F&F of of standard materials and style, embellishments on established design/style? Understand it could be combo but what causes you to buy a knife most often?

A visceral pull, combined with affordability.

All of the ideas coming together in one piece.

Brian Nadeau absolutely nailed it for me this year, so did David Mirabile. The pieces couldn't be more different.

There is no one thing that makes me want to buy a knife. There are perhaps a hundred elements or attributes considered at hyperspeed that will or will not trip the trigger for me.

Understanding what can comprise greatness was the exercise of this post. Hopefully, if I can explain what I think is great, another fellow collector may develop their own set of criteria.

Doesn't matter one bit if that criteria matches mine or not. It matters that there is a criteria. Some basic set of ideas that constitutes what a great knife might be.

I guess more than anything, realizing that I have the opportunity to purchase a great knife at a great price is the most satisfying element, and I try to heed that call.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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