Who are the Benchmark Makers?

WyoNonSmith

WyoNonSmith

Joined
Jul 3, 2007
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392
Whose work, or what maker, do you think other makers should be judged by? Who is setting the standard now? Who is setting the trend, or who is breaking new ground? Whose work should we aspire to?

I hear people talk about Tim Hancock, MS with reverence-- is he one of the benchmarks that makers compare themselves to?

Is Jerry Fisk the damascus benchmark?
 
Fogg,Hancock,Fisk,Bradshaw,Andrews,Sfreddo,Knight,
Fuegen,Wheeler,DH3,Roberts,Foster,Farr,Newton
and my favorite,
Harvey Dean.
In my short,couple of years here I think I've been so duly impressed by the knifemakers I listed above I wouldn't hesitate to plunk down the "freight",(Thanks,STeven),
if anything that appealed to me became available on the secondary market or better yet,actually getting a "slot" with one of the above mentioned makers for something I wanted.

Good thread Josh! :thumbup:


Doug
 
Doug C said:
Jesus Christmas,I forgot Lin!! :foot:

Doug
Click to expand...

Doug...as you are sort of a newb, I'll let that slide....but, imho, you are incorrect.

Benchmark makers are the creme de la creme, and influence other makers to emulate them...it is not a popularity contest.

Makers would include:

Van Barnett, Kit Carson, Fred Carter, Rick Eaton, Ernest Emerson, Jimmy Fikes, Jerry Fisk, Don Fogg, Larry Fuegen, Ron Gaston, Tim Hancock, D.E. Henry, Robbin Hudson, Phill Hartsfield,(hate to admit it:D) Ron Lake, Bob Loveless, Bob Lum, Tom Maringer, Bill Moran, William McHenry, Ken Onion, Jim Schmidt, J.D. Smith, Jurgen Steinau, Michael Walker, Daniel Winkler, Butch Vallotton...just to name a few. These are makers who OTHER makers refer/referred to for guidance and problem solving.

As well as making kick butt knives within their field.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
STeven, does it so damn well! But you did leave out one of the most important: Buster Warenski. You're forgiven.;)

Win
 
I feel morally obligated to add Jay Hendrickson and Joe Keeslar to the ever expanding list:D Good call on Ron Gaston, sir. He is probably my all time favorite stock removal maker.
 
Win Heger said:
.....But you did leave out one of the most important: Buster Warenski. You're forgiven.;)

Win
Click to expand...

Absolutely, my bad....in my defense, it wasn't until Phil Lobred and I became friends that I ever had an opportunity to look at Buster's work in person.;)

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
jdm61 said:
I feel morally obligated to add Jay Hendrickson and Joe Keeslar to the ever expanding list:D Good call on Ron Gaston, sir. He is probably my all time favorite stock removal maker.
Click to expand...

Morally obligated or not, and with all due respect, what hallmarks of style or accomplishment separates Keesler from say, Crowell, Dean, or Newton?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
Doug...as you are sort of a newb, I'll let that slide....but, imho, you are incorrect.

Benchmark makers are the creme de la creme, and influence other makers to emulate them...it is not a popularity contest.


Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...
Of course you're right STeven.
Love the education and thanks. :)

Doug
 
Kohai999 said:
Morally obligated or not, and with all due respect, what hallmarks of style or accomplishment separates Keesler from say, Crowell, Dean, or Newton?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Hey Steven.......do you use "best regards" in the same way that a used car saleman uses "trust me"?:D I couldn't help but notice that the two of the other three are already on the short list. I would add Jim Crowell to the list also because but for Jim, would there even be an "Arkansas School?" As for Mr. Keeslar's style, I would say wire inlay of a level that most cannot match and also, that "brute d' forge" thingie is pretty cool too.
 
WoodWorkGhost said:
Thanks STeve,

It was about to turn into another "My Favorite Maker" thread.

WWG
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Les,
I wasn't trying to turn it into a favorite maker thread,I'm just one of the buy what I like collectors and as per the threads' question,who's work should others be judged by,who is setting the trend,who is breaking new ground.
In my limited experience those guys and their work are the ones I value highly enough to want to acquire.
I don't really collect stock removal or folders but STeven is correct,
I did forget Jimmy Fikes,Ed Henry and Daniel Winkler as well as Lin.
Buster Warenski's work is amazing but not my thing.

I respect and value your expertise Les as well as STevens' and thank you both for giving so freely.

Doug
 
Hi Doug,

You go with what you know. You listed some very talented makers. Perhaps to you, they are your Benchmark makers. So fair enough.

Speaking for myself, makers such as Lin, Matt, Dan, Nick and Sfredo do not come to my mind when I hear "Benchmark" makers. I think they would agree with me.

A few others might be:

George Herron
Walter Brend
Jimmy Lile
Steven Rapp
HH Frank
W. Cronk
Hugh Bartrug
Harvey McBurnette
Gil Hibben
Steve Hoel (did someone already mention him?)
Virgil England
Tony Bose

Im sure there are others I have forgotten.

wwG
 
From the knife maker point of view I have a list that not only has to do with their work but with the respect they earned along the way, even from collectors who didn't buy their work. That's what I hope to attain.

Don Fogg Buster Warenski Harvey Dean Robbin Hudson

Jim Schmidt Tim Hancock Larry Fuegen
 
I agree with STeven and WWG in that Benchmark refers to not just the great makers, but those great makers that set the standard in excellence for design and execution for ALL makers to follow.

This is a short list IMO.
 
Kevin Jones said:
I agree with STeven and WWG in that Benchmark refers to not just the great makers, but those great makers that set the standard in excellence for design and execution for ALL makers to follow.

This is a short list IMO.
Click to expand...
Or COPY, as the case may be........I'm guilty of that:D
 
joshsmith said:
From the knife maker point of view I have a list that not only has to do with their work but with the respect they earned along the way, even from collectors who didn't buy their work. That's what I hope to attain.

Don Fogg Buster Warenski Harvey Dean Robbin Hudson

Jim Schmidt Tim Hancock Larry Fuegen
Click to expand...

In my opinion, respect they earned and the way a maker carries him/herself is as important as the knife they make, however not sure that's relevant from a Benchmark prospective. :confused:

What do the rest of you think?
 
Kevin Jones said:
In my opinion, respect they earned and the way a maker carries him/herself is as important as the knife they make, however not sure that's relevant from a Benchmark prospective. :confused:

What do the rest of you think?
Click to expand...

I don't believe that Josh is speaking about "respect" in a general term, but more along the lines of seeking council, admiring their work, and wanting to be like them, professionally, and from the names he put out there, I would agree with him(oh yeah, I mostly did that already).

Joe, the "Best Regards" is like, even if I just kicked you in the teeth(which I have done), no hard feelings, hope you have a good dentist, and have a nice life. Any questions?

Hendrickson has his own style, but it is like a reinvention of Moran, and what I have seen of Keesler's knives indicate the "Arkansas School" but that ALSO has to be attributed to Moran. Most of the names that myself and WWG indicated are unique to their own style, and that is key when we are discussing benchmarks.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kevin,

I agree with you. Im looking at it from an overall perspective.

The innovators, those who are actively teaching/training and those who consistently have their ideas and design elements copied.

WWG
 
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