What inspires you?

[tryppyr]

Each of us seems to have a special path to the end goal of making knives. We draw upon different experiences, muses, and sources of information. I'm curious about what inspires you to do what you do.

For me, it's almost entirely about the materials I use. I realize that is an ass-backward approach, but it's what I do. I might, for example, fall in love with a particular piece of wood/ivory/horn and design a knife to best take advantage of that material. Or I might see a compelling pattern in the damascus billet that yearns to be exposed in an appropriately shaped blade. Or maybe I just see something interesting in the coloration of a piece of monosteel that suggests a blade shape I want to try.

Here's an example. I found this piece of musk ox horn on Mile of Alaska's web site and just had to have it because even based on his pictures alone my mind began spinning up ways to make an interesting handle from it.

So where do you draw inspiration from? What wellspring feeds your imagination?

 

[9blades]

Music I listen to it all day. I rarely go for much longer than an hour without it. Punk,alternative,rock what ever. I listen and draw its relaxing for me.

 

[Gareth Bull]

Everything

I draw inspiration from watches, cars, high end pens, even animals sometimes - the works! On a similar note to 9blades - the music I'm listening to affects what I'm sketching and also find drawing relaxing. I always draw on a light-table in a darkened room, iPod cranked up - really zones me in.

 

[Matt Markell]

Like these guys ^^ I like to sketch out ideas on the computer while listening to music late at night. I'll usually know in advance sort of what I want to make then I just start refining my ideas, trying different things. Undo comes in really handy When it comes to whether or not I like what I've drawn, it mostly comes down to the curves and the point. Once I'm happy with the curves of the blade and handle and the point shape I'll usually print my design and profile it. The grinds I might plan out a little but it's mostly just what comes to me while in front of the grinder.

 

[james terrio]

I'm pretty task-oriented when it comes to knifemaking... it all starts with the edge. Everything - edge geometry, grind style, profile, materials, handle shape, finish etc - is an extension determined by how/what the particular knife is supposed to cut.

Now when I plop down with a guitar and a glass of bourbon, it's a different story altogether; much more visceral and emotionally-driven. Left brain/right brain kinda thing, I guess... either that or I'm just schizo

 

[tryppyr]

Nothing wrong with being schizo... at least you are never without a friend!

 

[Don Nguyen]

I've always had a very specific taste in what I like. If I see something and I decide that I like how it looks, it happens in about an instant.

I want to make something like that myself. I have some big visions I want to see come to fruition.

 

[Brian Ayres]

I find I'm still learning what inspires me. In looking for inspiration I fell in love with Japanese weapons and knives. Their culture is fascinating too. Overall the body of Japanese art is pleasing to my senses.

I am fortunate in that knifemaking for me is financially feasible with no return money so I make only what I want. The downside is the lack of incentive for completing knives. I think my biggest problem is having TOO MUCH inspiration. I honestly shouldn't look in old magazines and books. If I do I start welding, cutting and drawing knives, knife fixtures, vises, forges, burners, sword fittings etc.

Thanks Greg.... all this thinking has umpired me to start a new knife before finishing these thirty.
:thumbup: I might have to send all my blade stock to a friends for safekeeping. I only get new steel if I turn in a completed knife.

Honestly, Greg, do you mind if I split the topic, otherwise I'll start a new thread.

How do you guys STOP chasing rainbows and focus? I find the tremendous amount of info on knife making and design. From materials, to tools, build methods, forging vs stock removal to be info overload.

I'm actually trying to clear off work benches and hiding my pretty woods and steels and guard material as well as all the jigs n tools... Putting drop cloths on the shelves to cover all the stuff there until needed.

Cool topic.

 

[james terrio]

Honestly, Greg, do you mind if I split the topic, otherwise I'll start a new thread.

Sorry to butt in... but I think your question has a lot of merit, and deserves its own thread. So I started one.

How do you guys STOP chasing rainbows and focus?

Pick one simple, unique, specific cutting chore. Shaving your face, splitting logs, letting the insides out of a trout... it doesn't matter. Forget decoration, don't sweat what kind of steel to use, just use whatever you can get and heat-treat well. Ignore edge-holding and corrosion-resistance and toughness for now. Forget handle material altogether, it doesn't matter at this point. There's no need to worry about balance points, hidden vs. full tang, or any of that stuff yet.

Just focus on one task the knife should accomplish really well, and follow it through by working up the edge/blade geometry that excels at that task. Everything else will follow.

Now let's get back to inspiration...

 

[sunshadow]

for me it is an organic thing, I like flowing lines (I was inspired by Roger Dean album covers when I got into airbrushing, and the jeweler I apprenticed to in 1976 was into making critters from the movie Yellow Submarine) I don't like the hard lines that a lot of knives out there have, perfectly straight parallel lines look mechanical, and while they have their place, and I used to strive for knives that looked like that, once I got there, it was like "OK I can make something that looks like it belongs on a store shelf, now what?" then I started exploring the more organic process of forging and while the function of the cutting edge is paramount, a nice gentle continuous curve on a nice flat grind will cut with a beautiful elegantly ergonomic motion, and add in a nice piece of antler that fits the hand and build it around a nice piece of Damascus and there is something special.

-Page

 

[rasret01]

I am inspired by all of you.

Dick

 

[Patrice Lemée]

I am like Page, it's organic. Curves are where it's at. Contrary to James, blade is the last thing in the process. Don't get me wrong I want to make a knife that will cut but that's not that hard. I don't mean making it cut and perform perfectly for a specific task, that's much harder. But general cutting application is easier and that's enough for me. I want to make knives that have beauty and make people dream. To stimulate their imagination, take them somewhere beyond the actual knife itself and even generate an emotional (positive of course) response. I know that may sound a little out there and unattainable but that's the goal I set for myself. So for that I need to find inspiration in anything not knife related. Start with an architectural feature, a sculpture, an animal, etc and incorporate it in a knife pattern/style that suits it. Try to blend them together as best I can focusing on the overall feel of the piece as much as the specific features.

I am also inspired by makers but in the same way. Not wanting to specifically reproduce their work (I couldn't anyway ) but by the feeling/emotion that their knives generate in me. Of course makers like John White, Nick Wheeler, Mike Quesenberry, just to name a few, also inspire me with their level of perfection but I think I've rambled enough.

 

[Broomhead]

I am inspired by all of you.

Dick

I am also inspired by makers but in the same way. Not wanting to specifically reproduce their work (I couldn't anyway ) but by the feeling/emotion that their knives generate in me. Of course makers like John White, Nick Wheeler, Mike Quesenberry, just to name a few, also inspire me with their level of perfection but I think I've rambled enough.

I am inspired by all the makers here and their exemplary works.

 

[JMJones]

I am inspired by the process and the focus involved in knife making. It is living in the moment. When the power hammer is smashing along or the grinder is turning steel into dust, you better be present in the moment or bad things will happen. When I started making knives it was to make knives that I wanted but did not necessarily want to pay the price for. Now I find that once the knife is completed I am over it and ready to start making another one.

 

[zachtateknives]

You guys, our knives, and life.

 

[Justin King]

I am inspired more and more by historical pieces, especially 16th century European. They exhibit an organic, 3-dimensional quality that is sometimes hard to put your finger on. Their ideas and inspirations were not constrained to the world of rectangluar bar stock, and were drawn from a context when edged weapons were still immediately relevant and influential on the battlefield.
Labor was also comparatively cheap, and the time and skill that is evident in some of these pieces is just mind boggling.

 

[Charlie Mike]

I want to provide a tool that people will carry. I enjoy making gnarly vicious problem solving tools.

 

[Hengelo_77]

classic knife shapes and people.

I like clasic knife shapes and thinking why they developed the way they did.
Then think if the shape can be altered to fit my taste/skill/need.

Or people. Now I am making three knives for different people. I think of there needs, think of clsssic designs that come close and go from there.

I don't believe in reinventing the wheel, I believe in fine tuning it to your need/taste/skill/materials