- Joined
- Feb 8, 2013
- Messages
- 138
Hello Folks,
My name is Andy Ozuna and as the title implies, Im kinda new to the art and the site. Ive been browsing and picking up bits of info from you guys for the last year, but have pretty much stayed to myself. I was invited into the shop of a local maker about two years ago to make a knife of my own and I've been hooked ever since. It's funny, but hunting has taken a backseat to learning more about the art of knife making.
This new found infatuation came about simply because of where my son goes to school. While watching one of my sons football games, I got into conversation with another parent that was watching his son play football. We soon got onto the subject of hunting and soon to follow was our appreciation of a well made sharp knife. We discussed our favorites and why and after the game we went our seperate ways. Week after week this fella and me would reconvine at the football games and talk more about similar intrest, which revolved around the outdoors and of course knifes. I cant remeber when it was that he told me that he handmade knifes and he brought some to show me. I've always liked a true handmade knife and held anyone that could make something like that from a flat bar of dull steel in the highest respect. A few weeks later this man, now known as Eliot, said these words "come on over to the house and we'll make a knife". Who me?, I cant make something like that. Heck, I'm doing good to hang a ceiling fan, im certainly not that crafty, artsy, greasy handed guy that looks at a screw and says "hand me a 3/16 wrench". Im the kinda guy that takes muliple wrenches with me and tries them out till I find the one that fits. But, Im also the kinda guy that will take on a challenge, especially if no laws are being broken. So I took Eliot up on his offer and we made a knife. Well actually he made a knife. I would grind some then he would take it and fix my "boo-boo's". The best thing that happened that day was I learned the process of making a knife and that there my friends is half the battle. The rest of it was just gonna take time practice and patience. I would find myself at Eliots weekend after weekend, each time taking on a bigger portion of the grinding. I didnt know it then buti sure know now how much money in supplies it cost everytime i showedup to practice. Not onetime did Eliot mention cost, another one of the many reasons im thankful to him. A little over a year passes and Ive saved up enough to start purchasing my own equipment. Its then that I realize how much this stuff that i had been using really cost. Im all in at this point and begin grinding and drilling and sanding..over and over and over. Finally Ive come to a point where Im comfortable showing what Ive created. This past December I sold six knives and gave several more as gifts. Im truly amazed that I created a knife that someone else might like. I truly am blessed to have been at the right place and right time to meet the man that showed me that I could make a functional piece of art. The maker that invited me into his shop is no other than Eliot Maldonado from Bulverde Texas. He's posted and sold many knifes on BF, so look him up and take a look at his work. Heck some of you reading this may actually be a proud owner one of his knives. In addition to knowing and learning from Eliot, he introduced me to Alan Davis from Boerne Texas, look him up aswell. Ive been lucky enough to pick Alans brain a time or two...Did i tell you how blessed was??
Anyway, thats probably more than any of you ever cared to read. I just wanted to introduce myself to the group and tell everyone how excited and proud i am to be here and to publicly thank Eliot Maldonado and Alan Davis. Both of these guys put out amazing pieces. Be sure and check them out.
My name is Andy Ozuna and as the title implies, Im kinda new to the art and the site. Ive been browsing and picking up bits of info from you guys for the last year, but have pretty much stayed to myself. I was invited into the shop of a local maker about two years ago to make a knife of my own and I've been hooked ever since. It's funny, but hunting has taken a backseat to learning more about the art of knife making.
This new found infatuation came about simply because of where my son goes to school. While watching one of my sons football games, I got into conversation with another parent that was watching his son play football. We soon got onto the subject of hunting and soon to follow was our appreciation of a well made sharp knife. We discussed our favorites and why and after the game we went our seperate ways. Week after week this fella and me would reconvine at the football games and talk more about similar intrest, which revolved around the outdoors and of course knifes. I cant remeber when it was that he told me that he handmade knifes and he brought some to show me. I've always liked a true handmade knife and held anyone that could make something like that from a flat bar of dull steel in the highest respect. A few weeks later this man, now known as Eliot, said these words "come on over to the house and we'll make a knife". Who me?, I cant make something like that. Heck, I'm doing good to hang a ceiling fan, im certainly not that crafty, artsy, greasy handed guy that looks at a screw and says "hand me a 3/16 wrench". Im the kinda guy that takes muliple wrenches with me and tries them out till I find the one that fits. But, Im also the kinda guy that will take on a challenge, especially if no laws are being broken. So I took Eliot up on his offer and we made a knife. Well actually he made a knife. I would grind some then he would take it and fix my "boo-boo's". The best thing that happened that day was I learned the process of making a knife and that there my friends is half the battle. The rest of it was just gonna take time practice and patience. I would find myself at Eliots weekend after weekend, each time taking on a bigger portion of the grinding. I didnt know it then buti sure know now how much money in supplies it cost everytime i showedup to practice. Not onetime did Eliot mention cost, another one of the many reasons im thankful to him. A little over a year passes and Ive saved up enough to start purchasing my own equipment. Its then that I realize how much this stuff that i had been using really cost. Im all in at this point and begin grinding and drilling and sanding..over and over and over. Finally Ive come to a point where Im comfortable showing what Ive created. This past December I sold six knives and gave several more as gifts. Im truly amazed that I created a knife that someone else might like. I truly am blessed to have been at the right place and right time to meet the man that showed me that I could make a functional piece of art. The maker that invited me into his shop is no other than Eliot Maldonado from Bulverde Texas. He's posted and sold many knifes on BF, so look him up and take a look at his work. Heck some of you reading this may actually be a proud owner one of his knives. In addition to knowing and learning from Eliot, he introduced me to Alan Davis from Boerne Texas, look him up aswell. Ive been lucky enough to pick Alans brain a time or two...Did i tell you how blessed was??
Anyway, thats probably more than any of you ever cared to read. I just wanted to introduce myself to the group and tell everyone how excited and proud i am to be here and to publicly thank Eliot Maldonado and Alan Davis. Both of these guys put out amazing pieces. Be sure and check them out.
