Utah Makers

R

rthawker

Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
52
Hello,

I'm a newbie living in Grantsville, Utah and was wondering if there are any makers in the Salt Lake area that would be willing to let me pick their brains or even look over their shoulder a bit. I have only one knife under my belt but I'm hooked and the cut is deep. I have a good idea of the process but the questions I have I think could be better answered in person rather than through a forum.

Thanks

Darren
 
Well i hait to say it but there are not many makers in utah. I live in provo and would be more than willing to have you over. I have my shop at my work so it would have to be after work or on a saterday.
 
There's actually a lot of makers in Utah. Just only a couple that I see on the forum regularly... Me and JT.

I'm just over the hill from you in American Fork. Email me and I'll help you any way I can. I've been at this as a hobby for 10 years now but I feel like a newbie compared to most of these guys on here. If you want to come over for a Sunday afternoon I'd love to have you over.

Rick
 
hu i guess i just never hear about them. we should do a get to gather some time. it would be fun to round up all the utah makers.
 
Hey JT,

The more I let people know that I make knives the more replies I get like... "Oh, you must know so and so over in wherever?". I'll bet I've had at least 5 or 6 people with comments like that in just the last 3 months. I've got 3 farriers that want me to show them how to forge a knife, one of them is a world renouned farrier and he want's to give it all up to make nothing but knives.

I think it's time Utah has a knifemakers association. Some of the best or most well known makers are or were from Utah and they are starting to die off. Buster Warenski comes to mind. He passed away not too long ago. Gil Hibben is another one from Utah, still alive. Harvey Draper was from Utah, now deceased. Still living you have the likes of Michael Rapp in SLC., S.R. Johnson in Manti, Richardo Velardi I believe lives down by Steve. These are just a few of the bigger names from Utah. There is a guy that lives out by Camp Williams that makes some beautiful damascus folders. I cqan't remember his name but about 5 years ago I remeber reading about him in Blade magazine.

The big problem is find all of us and getting us together. Most of the ones I hear about are flying under the radar.

So, I propose the 3 of us get together and start up an organization. The first order of business is naming it. Maybe something like "the Utah Knifemakers Association ( or guild)" or we could extend ourselves to surounding states and we could be the Great Basin Knifemakers Association. Then maybe we could get Bill Burke to join from Boise and Shane Justice from Sheridan. I know Bill needs something more to do. He's probably sitting on his rearend drinking a cup of coffee reading this right now when he should be out reorganizing his shop... Again! :)

Anyways, to sum it up, Utah ripe with knifemaking history and I think that there are a lot of us that are hobbyists that need to be accounted for. :)

What say you guys?
Rick
 
Thanks for the invites, that is definitely one thing that helps get somebody even more addicted to the craft is the generosity of those already involved. It would be great to have a get together with a bunch of makers with different styles and ideas.

The weekends are great for me. I am a stay at home dad and my wife loves to get her own one on one time with our son on weekends. This thursday we head to Hawaii for ten days but any weekend after is possible.

JT, I have seen a couple of your knives on different posts and they are the type that always make me pause and say wow. I love the simplicity of the classic lines of your Second Amendment knife. Beautiful clean work.

Rick, I don't know that I've seen your work, I probably have it's just that maybe it's JT's avatar that helps me remember his :D

Darren
 
Darren,
I'm jealous. First my folks head off to Kauai and now you're going. Sure sounds like a good time.

You're right, I doubt you've seen any of my knives. I'm one of the very guys I mentioned in my last post that is flying under the radar. I have only posted pictures of one of my knives on here and that was about 4 or 5 years ago. I'm woking on a Scagel styled fighter right now. I'll post some pic's when it's done.

Rick
 
you get an I, I from me. I like the Great Basin Knifemakers Association name, It includes others around us that are just a hop skip and a jump away. I'm not real fond of the word guild for some reason, i don't know why. let me read up on the word and get back to you. this is funny, I'm from Hawaii and all my family still lives there. i just got back from an 11 day trip over there.
 
I have been reading and it seams like Guild would fit better then Association but association sounds more professional. I really don't know ;)

the oxford american dictionary has this to says about a guild
A society of people with similar interests and aims, one of the associations of craftsman or merchants in the middle ages.
Click to expand...

it has this to say about association.
a groupe of people organized for some common purpose
Click to expand...

but thy both work so its realy what sounds better.

Great Basin KnifeMakers Association

Great Basin KnifeMakers Guild

I don't know maybe i just have always thought of guilds as dorks that dress up and watch lord of the rings together :D.
 
Hello Darren,

I just joined the forum recently, so let me say howdy. I have been making knives off and on for about 10 years, mostly off. I've moved to Utah a couple of years ago and just recently got my shop setup. Althought I haven't made a knife yet I should have something done in a couple of weeks. I have my shop setup in part of my garage so it's not very big, but your welcome to come see it if you'd like. I enjoy forging blades mainly, but pretty much all knife tuff interest me.

I live in the Park City area and I know there's another knife make up here I believe his name is Ricardo Velarde and Steve Johnson lives down in Southern Utah. I also found this reference to Knife maker's guild in Utah (http://www.knifemakersguild.com/bylaws.shtml).

I work at the Micron plant in Lehi, so I'm down in the SLC area most of the week.

Mark
 
Mark,

I also moved to Utah a couple of years ago, from Vermont. Where did you move from.

I had a chance to chat with Ricardo Velarde a couple weeks ago at the Utah Sky Trials (Falconry Meet). He is a very nice guy that was approachable and easy to talk to. And yes he is in Park city.

Great to hear from you. I would like to take you up on the offer to visit your shop sometime in the future. Thanks for the offer.

Darren
 
Well I don't live in Utah but it's nice to see that so many makers live where I was born (Provo) and where a lot of my family lives. Means I'll have to see if I can look 1 or 2 of you up next time I'm in the states. (Might be a while since the flight costs an arm and a leg.)

Have fun getting together a get toghether guys.
 
Hi Guys,

I suggest you just get together and make knives. Let the bureaucratic organizational stuff be for a while. If you don't, you'll be talking corporate names, bylaws, directors, officers, etc, etc...and not building knives. Just my two cents. Sadly, I've seen that kind of thing happen more than once.

Darren, where are you going in Hawaii? If you're on Oahu at all I'd be pleased to meet you. JT was here awhile back, but on the far side of the island and busy with family and floods so we never met up (the rat :p).

All the best, Phil
 
Darren,

I moved to Utah from Texas and I have really enjoyed being here. I traded emails with Ricardo when I first moved here, but work kept me busy and I'm just now finishing my shop and was thinking about contacting him again to talk knives. Maybe we can set something up so you and he can both visit.

I agree with Phil, let's just meet and talk/make knives and worry about the organization stuff later. What if we just meet once a month and rotate through everyone's shops? I'm up for whatever.

Mark
 
I moved here a couple of years ago and am in St.George ,Utah.I would be interested.I`ve been making sharp objects for about 40 years.We moved here from Georgia. Thanks Robert
 
Darren,

Let us know when you're back from Hawaii so we can plan a get together. I for one am glad you started this thread. It's nice to know that I have so much knifemaking company nearby.

Mark,

I'm just a couple miles away from Micron in American Fork. Stop by some time.

That Invite goes for all of you. My shop is humble and still in the process of being setup but you are all welcome.

Robert, Welcome to Utah! Do you have any plans for coming up this way? If so, let us know. I for one would like to get everyone together over at JT's shop.

JT, hope you don't mind if I volunteer your place... There's a couple of things I want to verify... Is your shop as nice as the photos and more importantly is the gal in your avatar just a high paid model? :eek::D BTW, are you the guy that's related to the owner of Cutlery Corner? If not there's another maker lurking out there somewhere.

LX_Emergency, You're welcome over if you're ever in the neighborhood. Where are you now?
Rick
 
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O man this is going to be fun, I'm excited. I know some one that is related to the owner of cutlery corner. he use to work there and i would stop in and talk knives. My place should be fine, it would just have to be after every one has gone home as my little shop is at my work. yes bubba-doll will be there she is always by my side :D
 
Rick,

You can count on an e-mail from me when I get back. I am psyched to meet some new folks with similar interests and check out their shops humble or not.

Mark,

I'll be in contact when I get back. We can get together if not at your place then maybe Ricks.

Phil,

I think we may be in Oahu for a couple days but not sure. I let my wife make all the plans when it comes to vacations I just tell her a few specifics that I want to make sure I do depending on location. We will have the laptop with us so I can shoot you a pm if I find I'm in your neck of the woods.

Of course there is an open invite to anyone that is out my way to stop by. I have a shop I just don't have a dedicated knife shop. It consists of a drill press a dremel a bench grinder and a hand held belt sander that is clamped to the bench. All of my other tools are for woodworking/carpentry.

Darren
 
Wow, a lot has happened since I was on early this morning. I had archery league tonight so I'm getting back home a little later than usual, but I'm excited to see everyone is interested getting together. Thanks for all the invites to visit shops, and I'll extend the invitation to my place as well.

I was looking at the map trying to see what's a central place to meet. I work close to where Rick lives, and Darren is a little west of SLC. JT, your profile says you live in Provo, is that where your work/shop is? Robert, do you every make it up to the SLC area?

How flexible is everyone around lunch time? Where location wise does everyone work? Maybe it would be easier to meet for a quick lunch somewhere and discuss shop schedules/times.

Mark
 
Mark,

Lunch sounds good. I work in Orem every week day except Thursdays when I'm in SLC. I can arrange just about anything though. I'll work around everyones elses schedules.

Rick.
 
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