What got you started ?

When I was 5 or 6 my uncle used to take me out for my birthday and said that I could pick anything I wanted, so I picked this swiss army style knife and was in heaven I think every year after that I got some kind of a cutting tool,I started collecting knives after see the movie Rambo, I was hooked, for 15 years I bought everything in sight....Then I found out about the Ashokan Blade Seminar in upstate NY four years ago, and knew then I wanted to make knives, So I sold off some of my collection (which was very hard to do) bought some equipment. Met Tim Zowada and Jim Siska and the rest is history, went to Tims in Michigan, took some lessons, froze my butt off!!! Jim helped me with Grinding, Oh yes I can't forget Randy Martin, he is what I call the ANSWER MAN...Everytime I ask him a question, he answers it. I think Randy has forgot more than I'll ever know about knifemaking. I want to thank you guys for your help and generosity! I know I would still be in my shop grinding on steel not knowing what to do, if it wasn't for these gentleman!

Rene E. Roy
www.geocities.com/roy_knives/blades.html

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If at first you don't succeed, buy more knifemaking equipment!




[This message has been edited by roy.knives (edited 08 November 1999).]
 
My father got me into collecting knives. He had always carried a pocket knife as far back as i can remember. When i was in my teens he gave me a Buck 110 and told me you will need a knife for almost everything you do,until the day you die. It is a important tool to have. And so there it is!

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"ALWAYS WATCH YOUR SIX"


 
Discovered custom knives in 1977 during my senior year at Clemson. Went to buy a good hunting knife and was shown a custom piece made for one of the Clemson coaches by W.C. Wilber in Spartanburg. Ordered one--$85. and a 3 months wait. Thought it was awefully expensive with a mighty long time to wait.
Go figure.

Visited him a couple times for pointers and what equipment to buy. Started making full time in May 1977 and been at it ever since.
Who knows what I'd be doing if I'd not bought that knife.

Jim Hammond
 
I first started collecting production Knives when I was 14 and had a part time job.The Boy Scouts introduced me to Knives and the proper use and sharpening of them,from there it went down hill as far as my desposable income goes.As my income progressed to the next level so did my taste in Knives.
 
well, i have to blame it on my brother. he's 8 years older than me and so i did everything he did as a kid. he gave me a POS pakistani lockback when i was 8 or 9. the lock didn't hold much, but it was a knife. he went to europe on a musical performance tour and brought back some really neat stuff. then he got a lansky kit and made them all so they could shave. well, as soon as he did that, i had patches of hair missing from my arms and have ever since. i've far surpassed him now in terms of number of knives, quality, how many i actually carry everyday and general knowledge. i am the knife guys for my whole town it seems. and it just keeps going and going. i want to start making or at least heavily modifying my own knives soon.
 
When I was attending the Navy's Heat Treat & Mettalurgy School in 1981 a Chief Petty Officer asked me to make him a dive knife. I did and found I liked making it. I've been hooked ever since. I made knives part-time (mostly for friends and family) until I went full-time about 3 years ago. I still love it.

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I Carry My Crosses for Christ to Give any Glory to God.
centercross.com
geneosborn@centercross.com
Fort Worth, TX

 
I got into knife making as a joke. I took an old chef's knife blade and made a giant jack knife with 1/2" thick aluminium bolsters and walnut handles. Needless to say it didn't walk and talk, but one gentleman that saw it got such a laugh with it, he bought it to display in his pawn shop. I couldn't believe I got $35 for it. That kinda got me interested so I made 4 fixed blades, and they sold real fast. Been hooked ever since. 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!"
 
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