What's the best knife you have ever made

[Tom Lewis]

I hope everyone will post a picture of the best knife they have ever made. I know BF has a gallery, but this would be one place for everyone to show what they consider to be their best work, and it would be altogether in one place.
I really like to look at knife pictures. When I get the Yearly issue of "Knives" I spend a lot of time looking at the pictures and thinking about blade and handle shapes. That helps me when I design my own knives. Some like Nick Wheeler, and Salem Straub have posted knife pictures, and their craftsmanship is amazing.
Here is what I consider to be my best knife. After I attained JS status in the ABS I thought I would apply for the MS status and thought this would be one of my five knives. Then, I didn't finish the five knives. I got tired of the trip to Atlanta, I got tired of knife shows, (I now sell mine in a gallery), and where I live no one seemed to have ever heard or cared about the ABS. Also, the art type of knives that would be required for the MS rating aren't where my interest is.
This knife has my own Turkish Damascus, the guard is nickel silver, the handle is stag on a dovetailed tang.

 

[Bruce Culberson]

13 1/4" blade, forged from 0.280" sawblade steel, cocobolo handle:

This would be #2:



8" blade in 5160, sharpened clip, desert ironwood handle.

 

[Fred.Rowe]

If you've made a lot of knives its hard to pick one or another. If your serious about the knives you make there should be something worthwhile in each knife. This knife was a pleasure to make. Its W2 and gemsbok horn, with 416 stainless and Brunswick bowling ball; a very translucent green.

 

[tryppyr]

I'd have to say my best so far is the frame handle fighter with the musk ox horn scales.

 

[Frank Niro]

You can go to Custom Knife Gallery.com and see some of my folders which is all I make. I do make variety, that's for sure. Frank

 

[12345678910]

You can go to Custom Knife Gallery.com and see some of my folders which is all I make. I do make variety, that's for sure. Frank

We've gotta find somebody in BC that can run a camera and show Frank how to do photos.

I'm sure he has some tricks no one has ever seen.

 

[Frank Niro]

Gee Wiz, Count, I sure wish I could do that !! Many thanks for putting those up ! Frank

 

[Hengelo_77]

There's way better work being shown here but this is one I am content with:
(I love bog oak)

 

[Salem Straub]

Great work being shown in here!

I dunno what my "best" is. I'll show my recent favorite...

I just really love how it came out. I'll miss it...

 

[Tom Lewis]

Some beautiful knives shown here. How about the rest of you makers on Blade Forums?
Salem, beautiful hamon, and great craftsmanship on the whole knife. What did you etch in, and what did you polish with?
Hengelo, can you give us some background on bog oak?

 

[Salem Straub]

Thanks Tom. I etched twice in ferric chloride, then about 5 times in heated fresh lemon juice with dish soap. Polished with 1500 grit silicon carbide powder. Base finish was 1000 grit hand rub.

 

[Frank Niro]

That is some real art work Salem ! I can understand you will miss it but I know you will have more of those grand ones done in the future. Frank

 

[phorizt]

Tom,

Great thread. I love the your knife. Are you still selling your knives in Ruidoso? Quick story which I'm sure you probably don't remember... In 1997 I was 16 and we were in Ruidoso over Christmas with my mother and siblings. My father had just passed away and mom thought it would be good to get away for a little vacation. Anyway one afternoon we were in a shop which had a few of your knives in it and I fell in love with a shiny little bird and trout with a burl wood handle. My mom shocked me and bought the knife for me for my christmas present. They gave us one of your brochures with the knife and she called you up and you invited us to stop by Carlsbad on the way back home to Central Texas. I think we ended up coming by your house on a Sunday afternoon and you were very nice and welcoming and we probably spent an hour there with you. I think my mother proceeded to buy every knife you had there at your shop(I think she bought about 10 of them). I still have the little bird and trout knife and still use it all the time and also have a larger camp style knife with a black micarta handle. My 3 brothers each ended up with 1 or 2 of them and we've all been using them for 16 years now. Since that visit to your shop I've had an itch to make knives myself and I've finally gotten around to doing so. I'm up to about knife #4 now.

Here's a pic of the knife from Tom which is still my favorite knife I've ever had...

And here is the best knife I have made. Granted I've only made 3 or 4 so it doesn't compare to the work you guys are doing and I don't like how the etching turned out but I love the rest of it. Based on a knife I saw made by C Thomas Knives(his is a lot better than mine!). 1/8" 01 steel, acid etched, black micarta bolsters and spalted something(tamarind?) on the handle:

 

[tryppyr]

I love the double keyhole, Salem. What could be more secure?

 

[logem]

There's some fabulous knives shown in this thread already. The "dovetail / keyhole" handle on Salem's is impressive. I'm glad the Count posted photos of the folders for Frank Niro, too.

This small fighter / camp knife is one of my favorites. 10-7/8" overall length with CPM S30V blade and amboyna handle.

 

[Brian Avila]

For me it would be this one, so far... Aldo Bruno 1095 steel.

 

[Tom Lewis]

Phorizt, I remember your visit very well, I hope your Mom is doing well. I really felt for your family over the loss of your Father. I lost mine when I was 19 and know what that's like.
Thanks for the picture. I always like to see pictures of knives I have made in the past.
The Shop in Ruidoso closed down and I don't sell knives there anymore. It was a good place to have my knives and I sold quite a few there.
That's a nice knife you have made, the handle is especially nice. It's way,way better than my third or fourth knife.
Some more really fine knives posted here. Beautiful handles, and the sheaths are, well, I can't think of any words to describe how good they are.

 

[flatblackcapo]

I will say that my best knife will be the next one I make.... I hope anyway. Here is the knife I just finished. It is my first attempt at jigging. 1084 , RH chisel with a hollow main and a slightly convex tip.

 

[Salem Straub]

Can you post a link?

 

[Jesse Latham]

My first kitchen knife. It took me a while to figure out the circle showing on the blade is the camera lens! D2 with western big leaf red maple.
Jess