using other people's blades

B

beyondmyken

Joined
Dec 23, 2000
Messages
217
I am curious as to why it seems like most US makers like to make the blade and the handle whereas many Scandavians seem to be satisfied with buying the blades made by others and constructing the handle? Wasn't it common in our pioneer days for people to buy ready made blades and make their own handles ( trade knives )?

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It is better to light one candle than curse the darkness.
 
So they can say, "This is a work which I have wrought. It is mine. It is an extension of me. Worship me."

Ok, the "Worship me" part doesn't apply to ALL knifemakers.
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That would be like buying a folder kit and puttin it together and then puttin your name on it. In my opinion, all you did was assemble it, you didn't make it.

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Take care!! Michael
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Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!
http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel
Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms!!!
 
I agree,If I didn't make the whole thing I would feel that I was robbed of the experience of learning how and constucting the whole piece.It's just Funner this way
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Bruce

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Bruce Evans Handcrafted Knives
The soul of the Knife begins in the Fire!!!!!
Member of,AKTI#A000223 and The American Bladesmith Society
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because i am a artisan and this is my livelyhood.i made it from concept to completeion. trade knives in the U.S.A. are from a time when you could not pick up the phone and order some bar stock and grinding belts from tru-grit LOL

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Laurence Segal www.RHINOKNIVES.com
 
There was once a rumor that a few very well known knifemakers made their knives from the blades that were offered by the late Bob Engath, and did not make them on their own. Putting together a kit is one way to get started, but you have to move on eventually.

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A Knife is no more than an Iron Tooth
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I guess it is a cultural difference between some US and Scandavian makers. The latest Blade issue shows work of a Swede who buys other peoples blades and then does amazing handle and sheath work.
BTW, if I buy a blade from a big name maker and slap a handle on it, can I call it a "collaboration"?
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It is better to light one candle than curse the darkness.
 
No one has mentioned design yet. Most of the Scandinavian knives that I have seen have been hidden tang hunters (traditional?), the hidden tang allows the assembler to design whatever type of handle takes their fancy, and there are only so many ways to shape a drop-point / clip-point / trailing point hunting knife. I reckon that if you wanted to make a bunch of such knives it makes good sense to have the blades made by someone else, it is cheaper in that you don’t need as many tools to add handles, that is if you don’t mind doing it that way.

This doesn’t work if you want to make full/tapered tang knives, the shape of the tang limits the assembler’s freedom of design on the handle. I started filing steel because I wanted more design control. I’d still be happy to use someone else’s blade if it was in a design/steel that I liked and was beyond my ability/equipment to make. Of course doing the whole thing oneself is cool :-)

Just my thoughts

Chris
 
I've got an interesting book on the subject. It's name is "Knivsmeden" from Havard Bergland and it is about scandinavian, i.e. norvegian, knifemaking. The contents are about 85 % handlemaking and sheathmaking and only the rest is about steel and bladesmithing. The concept of the scandinavian knives is a bit different. Most artwork is not in the blade, but in fancy grips, engraved or sculpted leather, wood or silver sheaths and such. So nobody cares about buying a blade from a smith like here nobody cares about buying ivory from a dealer. I doubt that most of you kill the animalt theirselves to get the stag, leather or whatever needed to make knives.

Achim
 
Ugh, guess I better get off my butt and go dig up some iron ore.

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Take care!! Michael
jesus.jpg


Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!
http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel
Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms!!!
 
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