This Fiddleback is special to me because.....

Here's another made exclusively by Andy for the Knifemakers Guild. I'm honored to have it in my humble collection.

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These are old pics and I'm sure you guys are tired of seeing them, but...

I have two special Fiddlebacks, both connected to the love of my life, my beautiful wife. (Oct is our 15th anniversary!)

Knife 1-

YEARS ago, I bought the last pair of pink cotton canvas micarta that Shadetree had. I was going to make a knife for her, but I thought of a better idea. After begging Andy and Ken, they graciously sent me this -



She loves this knife and uses it for every camping trip, proudly carrying it at her side. She loves pink- she has a pink fishing pole, when we camp she wears camo peppered with pink, when we go trout fishing - her fishing vest is pink! You get the idea. Ironically enough, pink is also the color for breast cancer awareness.

In 2015 she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her mid thirties. After months of chemotherapy treatments, I gladly cut off her last medical bracelet from her final treatment with my "other special Fiddleback." Another Shadetree handled O1 Fb-





I'm not afraid to put this one to work. This knife has proved to be a fantastic skinning and deboning knife, caring for these two does last season-



It worked so well, I sold off my 'other' favorite field dress/hunting knife just so I have the time to use her like she deserves. Anything else just wouldn't be fair.

I'm confident, I will never be able to part with either of these Fiddlebacks. They may not be fancy by most standards, but for me they are just too special.

My continual thanks to Andy and crew for making tools that have etched themselves into my life and memories.
 
schmittie said:
These are old pics and I'm sure you guys are tired of seeing them, but...

I have two special Fiddlebacks, both connected to the love of my life, my beautiful wife. (Oct is our 15th anniversary!)

Knife 1-

YEARS ago, I bought the last pair of pink cotton canvas micarta that Shadetree had. I was going to make a knife for her, but I thought of a better idea. After begging Andy and Ken, they graciously sent me this -



She loves this knife and uses it for every camping trip, proudly carrying it at her side. She loves pink- she has a pink fishing pole, when we camp she wears camo peppered with pink, when we go trout fishing - her fishing vest is pink! You get the idea. Ironically enough, pink is also the color for breast cancer awareness.

In 2015 she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her mid thirties. After months of chemotherapy treatments, I gladly cut off her last medical bracelet from her final treatment with my "other special Fiddleback." Another Shadetree handled O1 Fb-





I'm not afraid to put this one to work. This knife has proved to be a fantastic skinning and deboning knife, caring for these two does last season-



It worked so well, I sold off my 'other' favorite field dress/hunting knife just so I have the time to use her like she deserves. Anything else just wouldn't be fair.

I'm confident, I will never be able to part with either of these Fiddlebacks. They may not be fancy by most standards, but for me they are just too special.

My continual thanks to Andy and crew for making tools that have etched themselves into my life and memories.
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Fancy and special are not necessarily mutually inclusive terms man. Lots of my favorite things are far from fancy, they just have deep meaning for me.
 
Schmittie, we never (I'm sure i talk for everyone) get tired of seeing Fiddlebacks used for such tasks and hearing the stories. That's why this thread is here. Cheers[emoji3][emoji106]


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i must be getting soft in my old age

several of these posts have made me.......well im just glad Kylie isn't here
 
Wonderful stories and knives so far!

I've currently got 3 that are extra special. The first one was my first Fiddleback. I happened upon Fiddleback in the beginning phase of our adoption. We had 2 biological daughters and had tried for a third child for some time. We realized that we couldn't have any more. So after accepting the fact that we couldn't have anymore, we were content and happy to enjoy the 2 we had! Then we visited an orphanage and part of an outreach activity we were planning. That's when our eyes were opened to the great need! There were SO many children growing up in despairing conditions with no mom or dad, no love, no interaction, no hope. We were smitten. We realized that there was still room in our hearts and our home to take in a child that had been cast away.

Then we met Esperanza (Hope, in English). She had been abandoned on the street at 1 or 2 days old. The State gave her the name Esperanza, but though Hope was her name, she truly had no hope where she was. Statistics show that the majority of children that spend their whole lives in orphanages end up in crime, drugs, and prostitution. They don't have a home environment where they can learn life skills, so when the system forces them out, they are preyed upon and brought into lives of slavery.

Well, God had other plans for little Hope! We fell in love with her and pursued an adoption. After 7 months of every kind of background and mental test you can imagine, plus a boatload of paperwork, we were able to bring little Esperanza home! Her name truly holds meaning now!

I had been trying to shark a Runt for some time, but just wasn't able to score one. It was getting down to the wire. I wasn't sure if I'd shark a Runt first or get to bring our daughter home first. In the end, the Runt came home first, but only by a small margin! This knife now rides in some their persons pocket since I lost it or it was stolen. They have no idea as to the sentimental value of the knife, but I hope that it is being well loved and used.

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The second special one doesn't need much of an introduction. This is one of the 10 that Andy took for his acceptance into The Knife Guild. It is stunning. It has a soul of its own. It is an amazing knife from a cool friend!

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There are so many special knives in this thread!

I wasn't going to post this one, but then decided after reading through the thread that it really does deserve to be posted here whether I have the knife anymore or not. These are old pics, as I no longer have the knife. It was a casualty of the winter in Michigan, and it now resides safely in the safe of a good friend whom I know appreciates the knife almost as much as I do.

Still this knife is and always will be very special to me on a number of levels, and will most likely never be topped. First it was my introduction into what hand made knives could be when they were created by a craftsman who was driven to create the best woods wandering and bushcraft knives he could produce. Secondly it was the vehicle through which I was able to get to know someone whom I count among my dearest friends today. Third, I got the knife when my youngest daughter was 5 years old and shortly before another dear friend gave her a knife that he made. So it was the knife I had on my side for the first three years of serious knife skills training and woods wandering with my youngest daughter, and the knife that inspired her to want to learn how to use knives and help me in the kitchen and with my work. This knife will always have an incredible amount of my most fond memories attached to it, no matter where it resides.

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No, it was not present on the day she celebrated her first fire with a ferro rod all on her own, but by damn it certainly played a huge role in getting her to that point :)

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How could you not share that knife G? ^

This knife and your use of it made for an unforgettable combination. It has introduced so many people to Fiddleback Forge and what they are all about. I hope it comfortably rests semi retired in the sun. ;)
 
schmittie said:
How could you not share that knife G? ^

This knife and your use of it made for an unforgettable combination. It has introduced so many people to Fiddleback Forge and what they are all about. I hope it comfortably rests semi retired in the sun. ;)
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So very true schmittie. It was indeed that knife and Brian's incredible review of it that lured me into the Fiddleback family. Thanks for the reminder Brian!

From what I hear, the Proto still stretches it's spine every now and then to play in the dirt. :cool:
 
schmittie said:
How could you not share that knife G? ^

This knife and your use of it made for an unforgettable combination. It has introduced so many people to Fiddleback Forge and what they are all about. I hope it comfortably rests semi retired in the sun. ;)
Click to expand...

In all honesty, I try not to dwell on that winter and the things that were sold off to survive it, when my business partner who started the whole venture bailed on us. However, then I thought about it more and even how all that went down just made this knife all that much more special. It made it even more deserving of a mention in a "special knives" thread. For not only did it do what I mentioned above, and then some, on the way out the door it quite literally rescued us from a serious plight. The money it fetched was enough to put propane in the tank during -49F night time lows with the windchill when we had no other heat source, and put food in the fridge. At a time when my own flesh and blood brother, put my daughter's life in jeopardy or little green pieces of paper and a lot of expensive toys he did not wish to sell. We have not spoken in over two years.


Kal-El said:
So very true schmittie. It was indeed that knife and Brian's incredible review of it that lured me into the Fiddleback family. Thanks for the reminder Brian!

From what I hear, the Proto still stretches it's spine every now and then to play in the dirt. :cool:
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Good, I am glad to hear that. If any knife I have ever owned has earned a nice retirement, it is that one :)
 
I know how you feel Brian. Not to trust anybody with money is a lesson I have learned recently. Also harder when it is your own flesh and blood that does it.

To have a lawyer draw an airtight contract is a must for any ventures I get into now. Unfortunately a handshake or a verbal agreement is not something we can rely on anymore.
 
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