- Joined
- Oct 26, 2000
- Messages
- 2,468
I had the tremendous good fortune to stop in to Halpern Titanium this morning. They are located about a half hour away and I had called last week to see if a visit was possible. Marianne told me no, they really aren't set up in a retail way. I emailed Les and he said it would be OK so off I went.
They have a very nice facility in an industrial park in the sleepy little town of Three Rivers. When I walked in the first thing I saw was someone at a CNC machine making carbon fiber handle blanks. Apparently they supply quite a few of the major manufacturers with carbon fiber and G10 in addition to their impressive stores of metal. The handles I saw were destined for Gerber.
There was titanium all over the place of course. Stacks and piles of various thicknesses were neatly palleted, waiting to be shipped out. Some chunks were 10 or 12 feet in length. I asked Les for a piece of .150 for making an integral frame Sebenza type knife and he cut of a chunk with a chop saw. I was getting a kick out of knowing that the handle to my Mad Max that is on order was probably lying somewhere at my feet!
I moved on to the parts room and selected a bunch of folder hardware. He has a very good selection of pivot pins and torx screws and the prices were excellent. I also got a piece of carbon fiber and he threw in a small chunk of carbon fiber/G10 laminate. What a nice guy!
I had a great time chatting with he and Marianne about the knife industry and all their aquaintances many of whom will probably be reading these words. Les had high praises for Darrel, Kit, Bob Terzuola and many others that I can't even remember. He whipped out a Terzuola folder that Bob had made especially for him and it was a magnificent piece of work. Fossil Ivory handle, gold thumbstud and SMOOOOOOTH as glass.
Other items lying about were a new Buck Strider, a Camillus piece and a couple of Gerbers.
I had a great time and have to say that Les and Marianne are absolutely first class folks!
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Peter Atwood
email:fountainman@hotmail.com
They have a very nice facility in an industrial park in the sleepy little town of Three Rivers. When I walked in the first thing I saw was someone at a CNC machine making carbon fiber handle blanks. Apparently they supply quite a few of the major manufacturers with carbon fiber and G10 in addition to their impressive stores of metal. The handles I saw were destined for Gerber.
There was titanium all over the place of course. Stacks and piles of various thicknesses were neatly palleted, waiting to be shipped out. Some chunks were 10 or 12 feet in length. I asked Les for a piece of .150 for making an integral frame Sebenza type knife and he cut of a chunk with a chop saw. I was getting a kick out of knowing that the handle to my Mad Max that is on order was probably lying somewhere at my feet!
I moved on to the parts room and selected a bunch of folder hardware. He has a very good selection of pivot pins and torx screws and the prices were excellent. I also got a piece of carbon fiber and he threw in a small chunk of carbon fiber/G10 laminate. What a nice guy!
I had a great time chatting with he and Marianne about the knife industry and all their aquaintances many of whom will probably be reading these words. Les had high praises for Darrel, Kit, Bob Terzuola and many others that I can't even remember. He whipped out a Terzuola folder that Bob had made especially for him and it was a magnificent piece of work. Fossil Ivory handle, gold thumbstud and SMOOOOOOTH as glass.
Other items lying about were a new Buck Strider, a Camillus piece and a couple of Gerbers.
I had a great time and have to say that Les and Marianne are absolutely first class folks!
------------------
Peter Atwood
email:fountainman@hotmail.com
