Todd Davison Slip Joint Knives

Clem Kadiddlehopper

Clem Kadiddlehopper

knife guy
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
7,114
It was eight years ago I started helping Todd do his web site and photos. Joined up here at Bladeforums and I learned a lot from coops photos.
Jim was always saying you need good photos to sale your knives. So I kept looking at his work and from it got better..... Thanks! Jim. :thumbup:

I was there when Todd started to make slip joints and I thought to myself he should be pretty good at it in a week or so? He had made knives (fix blades) for almost twenty years before this. And he had his grinds perfected, he had his fit & finish down, he could file like no bodies business (See his custom filed guns) So I was like it will be no time and he will have these knives mastered? WRONG! He had to make over three hundred of them before he could make one after another with out running into some kind of problem making the knife.
I don't know if it's the way he started - making the knife completely from scratch or they are just a very hard knife to make? And to make perfect. But he did not give up, he stayed with it and to day I can say he can make each one perfect from scratch. Todd told me one day "If I knew what I know now, I would never had started making these knives." They are a very hard knife and to make perfect every time. As most of you know he's made over a thousand of them now from scratch. (accept two he made from a Bose pattern) I've had the pleasure of handling and doing the photos of most of them. I did not get all of them, he was to quick sometimes send it out when I wasn't around.

Over the years he's sold knives all over the world. Bladeforums has been very good to him in doing this. And he's found a lot of great collectors that have gotten his knives, a lot would get one and then they would want another one.

One of these guys is Tim from Northern PA. Tim was searching the web for who knows what and came across Todd's web site. At this time Tim was not a knife collector, but he liked the knives. And he was like I'm going buy one - Now I don't know if that was a mistake to do that? But Tim wound up like most that come here and get warned - you are about to go down a very slippery slope.
All I can say now is Tim has went down that rabbit hole and I don't think he's coming out? :)

I'm going post photos of the knives that ONE he did buy led to.......

Tim will be along shortly to feel you all in about HIS knives.......:D:thumbup: Enjoy!



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Very nice knives and pics. I have always liked custom slip joints and it looks like Todd has it figured out those are some very high quality looking knives. Ever since I started collecting 35 years ago I have liked the traditional folders made with out screws but all pinned together. Its a art making knives like these and not everyone can make them and make them function correctly.
 
Todd sure makes a solid knife. I,ve followed him for years way back when he was at around 500 folders, now he's well over number 1000.
 
First of all, I would like to thank Jim Cooper for taking GREAT PHOTOS of my T.A. Davison folders. Jim is FIRST CLASS to work with.
Of course I THANK - Todd Davison for dedicating the majority of his life to perfect the craft of making a QUALITY traditional slip joint pocket knife.
Todd is THE REAL DEAL.
Then there is Al Dodge, without him, I would not have found Todd. I have spent countless hours (days) on the website he manages for Todd.
Also, I want to thank Blade Forums for a NEAT website and keeping it REAL. I joined November 3rd last year and upgraded to a paid membership today.
I almost forgot to thank my wife, she helped me build a NEAT collection. Her personal knife is the purple box elder burl folder #960.

My first knife was my cub scout pocket knife, the second one is the pocket knife my twin brother gave me for my birthday, which I still have.
I am still looking for my cub scout knife. I bought a Queen stainless steel knife in my 20's that I carried frequently.
My uncle gave me nice Frontier lock-back that I use for a letter opener everyday for the last 20 years.
I also bought 3 Case pocket knives for myself in the last few years and gave a few to good friends and my father for gifts. If you have a chance to visit the
Case / Zippo Museum in Bradford Pa - you should see it.
I use a knife everyday at work and have gone through many over the last 39 years, they take a beating.

Anyway... I thought it would be neat to own a more serious collector grade pocket knife, so I turned on the computer and started looking for this knife.
There were plenty of knives out there, many different types and styles. I was looking for something traditional and QUALITY MADE.
It wasn't too long before I found Todd's website, but I kept looking for two or three weeks because I was just going to buy ONE pocket knife and I wanted it to
the right one for me.
If someone had told me I would be collecting knives - I wouldn't have believed them.
I e-mailed Todd and expressed interest in a custom made folder made with mammoth ivory. My first T.A. Davison was #884 on June 15, 2012.
After I had it for a week or so, I thought it would be neat to have a total of FOUR knives, all different in blade and handle material.
I mailed Todd some of my thoughts with respect to scale material, bolster style and shields for the three knives that would complete my collection of FOUR folders.

That was TWENTY NINE slipjoints, TWO fixblades, TWO kitchen knives ago. My latest one should be here shortly - #1032.
I also bought two for my buddy. ( No sense me being in this by myself ).
There are a lot of custom knife makers producing a quality knife but Todd's knives appeal to my taste.
If there is someone to blame for my out of control collection, I think it should be Al Dodge, as I said - I wouldn't have found Todd without Al.
When I get time, I might write more, I have to get up for work tomorrow to feed the fire.
Tim
 
N.E.Tim said:
If there is someone to blame for my out of control collection, I think it should be Al Dodge, as I said - I wouldn't have found Todd without Al.

Tim
Click to expand...

Ya - Ya - shoot the messenger....:D

Here is Tim's #1032 --- I liked it so much - I ordered one with black & orange.....:)


Davison folder #1032

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Those are all fantastic.

But the one in the first pic with the ironwood scales really does it for me. And the one with the mammoth ivory in the next picture is very nice as well.

Good post.
 
- stunning knives............stunning pics.

I'm a mod over on SABlade - would you mind if I showed these pics over there please........?



ps. your pm received and understood!
 
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Tim,
Can't thank you enough for all you have done with the knives, I'm really glad you are enjoying them. - :thumbup:
Jim did a great job on the photos. And I appreciate all the kind words guys - THANKS!
 
This was a fantastic opportunity and it offered me a LOT of visual license. I enjoyed this challenge.

Tim contacted me, and had a vision of showing many of his favorites, and really didn't have a strict idea of how to proceed. I said "Let me see them and I'll help make some selections and choices." And here we are.

I was duly impressed with my first opportunity to handle Todd's work. As the saying goes: They are even better than the photos!

I loved reading how Tim worked his way into this collection, or rather, how TODD worked his way into Tim's collection! LOL!

Thanks to all involved. :)

Jim
 
THANK YOU for all of the compliments on Todd's knives. I am very proud to be the caretaker of them.
I would like to comment on the first photo of the four wood handled folders. ( top to bottom )
The 1st one is the second one that I bought ( custom to my specs ) is #890, the scales are Black Ash Burl. When it arrived I thought I was going to have great collection of FOUR knives. When I look at it I think of someone working on the rigging of a sailboat 200 years ago.
The 2nd one is the eighth one I bought ( also custom ) is #927, the scales are Box Elder Burl. At that point every knife I received, I would think, "This is my
favorite knife " The collection of FOUR knives was in the rear view mirror.
The 3rd one is the 17th one that I bought that was listed for sale on Blade Forums is #952, the scales are California Buckeye Burl. This is a standout knife in
every way, FANTASTIC WOOD, coined edges, perfect shield choice, GREAT BLADE, NICE shaped handle. It is a very sofisticated pocket knife.
I gave this one to my very good friend, Rod. It is the third T.A. Davison in his collection. ( Rod is a standout guy ).
I think that this is the one that John Doyle was referring to in his post. He has a good eye for quality.
The 4th one is my wife Gwen's personal folder #960 ( CUSTOM to her specs ). The scales are Purple ( dyed ) Box Elder Burl. This knife is AMAZING, like her.
The front bolster is fluted and pinched, coined edge, and the bead blasted blade compliments the folder perfectly. The spear point blade is REALLY NICE.
I refer to the rest of the knives as mine but Gwen has helped build OUR entire collection. To Lorien, You have extremely good taste.
Thank You Again for your kind thoughts in our shared interest.
 
lotta gorgeous knives but that purple, wow, never seen anything like that on a traditional before, very cool!
 
Nice pictures of beautiful knives.

I do own a few of Todds slipjoints as well, and when it comes to slipjoints, it doesn't get much better than this!

Kind regards,

Jos
 
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