Trail knife...SOOO simple.... but I like it

NickWheeler

NickWheeler

Joined
Dec 3, 1999
Messages
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I'm not looking for any high fives or accolades on this... I'm just sharing it for fun. The longer I do this stuff, the more I appreciate striving for simple elegance.... in line, color, texture, and contour.

This knife isn't elegant. It's dirt simple. But to my eye it has something that just sort of makes it work. Maybe because that's what I made these for..... just down and dirty work.

It's as simple as simple could be, so don't worry, I already know there will be guys saying, "Wow, Wheeler made a dog turd and we're supposed to be impressed:rolleyes:." And that's okay!!! ;) :) :D

It's nice to make something that's so easy to actually call "done" too. :)

Pics of the new shop dogz.... just because I can. ;)

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Bentley has gotten his pretty pose figured out finally... About 5-1/2 months now, and 75 pounds. :eek:
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Eyes like these, make a busy mind slow down and remember to breath and enjoy the simple things... :)
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Nice one Nick. That blade shape would make an excellent caping knife.

I made one similar once:

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I called it the Bare Naked Necker. Just because it is a simple knife does't mean it looks like a turd.

Bruce
 
Well I think its refreshing to see a top maker do one like this. Simple Elegance and I'll bet it still has that hair popping performance you're noted for too. Turn it over, does it say Wheeler? Nice pooch.
 
Mr. Wheeler i must say that is a nice simple knife i agree with you its a no-frills design to be used down and dirty. :thumbup:
oh and one more thing the bottom picture of you lovely dog i agree with your caption, after somewhat rough day it made me feel a bit better and i thank you for that. :thumbup:
 
I love making stuff like that! It's nice sometimes to just be able to start and finish a knife in one go.


That really reminds me of the stuff you were making six or seven years ago. The lines that is, not the finish :) Not as lean and aggressive looking as you're newer knives. I like it :D
 
Some unrelated questions on the dogs since you posted pics of them, Nick.

Do you have to worry about them sniffing steel dust off of the floor at all?

Are Oliver and Bentley very different from each other physically? I mean, is it easy to tell them apart? From your vid and pics of them, they look like clones of each other.
 
You know what I liek about maing the simple knives like that? The fact that I can sell them pretty cheap so even a high school kid could afford one wether it be for himself or his dad. Nice knowing that people like that can also enjoy a fun little custom and you know they will be as proud of it as say a grown man buying a 1000$ bowie.
 
it's really hard to take away until there is nothing left but pure intent. The options are endless but eventually you have to decide and when you make the right decision you know it and it's apparent to others as well.
 
Grapevine said:
Some unrelated questions on the dogs since you posted pics of them, Nick.

Do you have to worry about them sniffing steel dust off of the floor at all?
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Dust????? In Wheeler's shop???? HA!


Cool little knife, Nick. Looks like you can hold it in your hand and cut things with it. Sometimes that's all that really matters :)
 
Nice blade Nick. Simple but functional.

Love those dogs. Nothing makes your day go better than to have a couple of good friends keeping you in check.

Robert
 
COOL Nick...sort of like a knifemakers scalpel! No doubt it cuts VERY well!

GREAT shop dogz too. Do you still have the previous shop dog?

Peter
 
Hey, thanks fellas! :) I really didn't think this would get much response, but I'm glad so many folks saw the little knife for what it is, just a simple cutting instrument. I have a friend with a Master of Arts degree, and he wanted to know how I got such wonderful texture--- "Um..... well..... uh..... I didn't grind off the mill scale." :p :D

I really appreciate how you guys can look at a knife like this. I know some guys worry/think that when makers like myself that have been striving for "clean" so long, stop and make something like this that we're "dumbing down knife making." I can see the idea behind that, but I don't look at it that way at all. Bill Bishop said it perfectly IMHO. :)

I pack one of these in the woods, always. Angi said I should think about making a bunch of them. She is smarter than I am, so I keep trying to listen to her. :D


As far as shop dogs go... :D I do worry about the things they can get into, sniff, ingest... The pics above of Bentley were on the first day they ever came out in the shop with me. We finally found Shadow a forever home with a young guy that does marathons and 200 mile bike rides, has a large fenced yard, and a room in his house just for Shadow. It was a tough, bittersweet day when he came to get Shadow. Angi and I both cried a lot...

(she actually got me to smile once that day)
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***Only an exceptional woman can love a man AND his dog this much...***
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But Shadow is now in a home where he can thrive. :thumbup: :) :thumbup: :)

Oliver and Bentley had never been in my shop because that was Shadow's ground, and he was "quite defensive" :eek: of it with anything other than humans.

So the two boys have officially taken the hand-off to be the new shop dogz now. :) There are a lot of interesting smells and neat things to try biting on... but overall they are happy just to lay down near dad.

They are easy for us to tell apart, but not for most anyone we know. We always just say Bentley has the Blue collar. :D Bentley is taller, but Oliver is thicker... last time we had them at the vet (2 weeks ago) B was 70.8 pounds and O was 70.9..... the most they've ever been off from each other was about 1.5 pounds.

They're in that sort of "awkward, gangly teenager stage" right now... they'll keep getting tall/long up to about a year and a half, and fill out by 2 to 2-1/2.
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Good to hear Shadow (I had forgotten his name) has a good home! It must have been VERY hard seeing him go.

Bentley and Oliver are WAY cool. You better keep your knife output UP, cause i'm guessing they do a LOT of eating:D

Peter
 
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