Who do you look up to? Who inspired you most?

I have lots of inspiration! I started this journey (off an on) back in the late 1990's. I remember talking with Tim Herman, Tom Mayo, Rob Simonich, DDR, Kit Carson on MIrc chat on here, Ron Clairborne (Bowie), Ed Caffrey and several others I have forgotten about over the years from various forums. I particpated in a Knife in the Hat type of thing and got one of Ron Clairborne's knives and I still have it. One of my treasured blades! Tom Anderson used to make knives in Pennsylvania, in the town next to where I went to college and was gracious to pick me up a few times at college (before I had a car) and bring me to his shop. He made a knife from start to finish from one of my designs; all I had to do was have it heat treated, no charge! I got to see how a real knifemaker worked for the first time and it was so eye opening! I attended his weekend Folder In and ended up winning the folder that we made that weekend! I also got some of Devin's Damascus back in the early 2000's, and used some of Daryl "Grandpa" Meier's 52100/410 san mai that Ed Caffrey heat treated for me around the same time, too. Paul Bos did my heat treating back then when he was still in California, and I remember talking to him on the phone about getting 2 blades heat treated in A2 steel (first time using a non carbon steel that I wasn't half a$$ed heat treating myself with a tiny "forge", MAPP Gas torch (or oxy acetylene if I went to my buddies machine shop) and quenching in canola oil. He was awesome to talk to and I got to see how knife steels can really perform with those 2 blades!

More recently, I've had the opportunity to rub shoulders with Matt Parkinson, Jamie Lundell, Mace Vitale (he taught the first blacksmith class I went to), Brian Evelich, Matt Berry, Ed Burke and several other super high level makers. I even got to meet Mardi at Matt's shop recently!!! Even just watching them work, or seeing what they are working on, I learn stuff. Then the conversations, teaching and lessons are even more valuable! Matt likes talking about "turning the world to dust" and "standing on the shoulders of giants", but he also lives it and helps people out, shows them how to do things, or do things better, and can explain why something works or doesn't work!

I picked up a Rockwell Hardness tester this past winter, made a heat treat oven, picked up a liquid nitrogen dewar from work, as well as some thick aluminum for quench plates, so obviously Larrin inspired me to dive deeper into the heat treating process. I've been making damascus now for a little bit (using Matt's shops for the power equipment), too, so I have been working on expanding my knowledge and skills thanks to the various Giants I have talked to and learned from!
 
I have found inspiration and encouragement in several forms on BF.

The first was Coop's gallery before most of the pictures were lost and it was an active thread in the Customs sub forum. I could look through a few pages at a time for hours. I didn't know many of the makers, but Coop's presentation made an impact.

The next was WIP from people like Bump and Wheeler, Salem Straub, Royer and others which showed the unbelievably tedious lengths that can be needed to achieve the highest standards.

Then there are great pieces that have been posted here by people like Gregory. We see lots of basic 4" hunters, but even as a beginner you can tell that John Doyle has got many details just right. Many more examples.

Then there is technical support in this sub, such as Hoss pointing out "you'll need to harden those Damascus handle fittings to bring out the contrast".

Finally there is the encouragement from non-makers who enjoy and appreciate what we have worked on for many hours, when most people in our lives do not.
 
We'll, I guess I'll chip in...

I know everything, or nearly so, I know about knife making to the people on this forum. Both present and past members have helped me to understand the process and the mindset to make good quality products.

I am in no way a pro, just an novice meandering my way through making the occasional knife. But I pay for a "knifemaker" membership because I think that the information available here is worth me paying the money, so other people can get it for free.

Special thanks to Tom Lewis Tom Lewis for showing me exactly how slow I am at grinding, and letting me ruin perfectly good steel in his shop!
 
DeadboxHero said:
Devin Thomas

He's not as popular as more mainstream makers, from my observations it's because he is quiet professional and speaks through his work. Very little is put into sharing his accomplishments which seems to have been forgotten with time in the age of social media.

Often seen with his cowboy hat and piercing blue eyes, ol' "Hoss" sitting at his show table at knife shows inviting all that are interested into the deeper world of high performance knives and intricate complexities of forging what is thought to be unforgeable.

He was a pioneer of forging stainless steels and stainless pattern welded damascus steels.

One the first adopters of AEB-L stainless steel before anybody even knew what it was (before Landes, Verhoeven, Stamp) and he was also one of the few knife makers at the time that cared about the important details for heat treatment for quality cutting and sharpening performance rather than the "good enuff" culture some makers seem to cultivate even today despite the abundance of free knowledge now available.

A pioneer of high performance kitchen knives that could rival the Japanese kitchen knives in cutting and sharpening performance, back then there were very few options for hard, thin kitchen knives that worked.

Most importantly he was able to raise a large, beautiful family while still pursuing his never ending passion to share his undying obsession of knives, steel and heat treatment with the community.


As a family man myself with two very young children, I look up to his achievements and accomplishments of balancing family and work. I am inspired by his work ethic and focus.

It is a great achievement to have raised intelligent, independent and successful children and never giving up your dreams.


He is my favorite.
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This is very nicely written.

I think I have Damascus blades by every Thomas except Larrin Larrin I even have a William Henry with a Damascus blade by Rob Thomas.
 
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My response was mainly focused on the ones that are not still here

Obviously Salem is as talented as can be and I only wish that somebody installs high speed fibre up his way someday soon.
 
Nick Wheelers bowie WIP was probably what gave me the inspiration to become a knife maker.

I look up to Salem Straub and Ben Tendick. They really push the limit on their work and I love it.

Andy Roy and Nathan Carothers have had a huge influence on me as well.

Also some guys who are not as active on the forum anymore like Patrice Lemee and Aaron Gough gave some amazing advice and encouragement.
 
Horsewright for me aswell, especially the craftsmanship and elegant design

For kitchen knives (which is pretty much all I make) there are too many to list ;) Devin, Yannick, Milan, Xerxes, Marco Guldimann, Murray Carter...
 
Mr. Jones - for giving me a bucket of blacksmith tools back in 1961 and showing me how to use them.
Bill Moran
Ron Frazier
Kevin Cashen
Salem Straub
Nick Wheeler
and many others
 
So many great knife makers out there that have influenced me I'm sure I'll miss some of them but off the top of my head:
Walter Sorrells
Nick Wheeler
John Doyle
Andy Roy
Devin Thomas
Larrin Thomas
Salem Straub
Josh Gallardo
 
I have drawn inspiration from many makers and look up to damn near every maker on here, but as far as those who I received both encouragement and criticism from:

Ken Brock
Les George
Jerry Hossom
Murray Carter
Chris Williams (WILMONT)
Jamin Brackett

Edit to add one of my earliest influences, and mentors (Not sure how I could forget to add his name): Rob Simonich.
 
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Dan Keffeler was and continues to be a great help and guide in the pursuit of making high-performance sword blades from ti alloys. Every time we work on something, it results in some kind of major advancement and new knowledge gained. He's also very funny.

David Mirable's style is very inspirational to me, and his work opens the mind to new dimensions of design, combining great refinement with an organic, "raw" feel, and display simplicity, practicality, performance and complex beauty in a unique way I really love. He's also very funny.

Speaking of being very funny, Matt Gregory is not only that, but his knives have always seemed like wonderful tiny swords to me. I love his insane attention to detail and very refined knives that have so much soul. My blades want to be his blades when they grow up.

JW Bensinger's dha-style swords were inspirational in the early years, as well as the work of Nighthaxan (Charles Roddenberry), who has gone MIA of late, with his very interesting forge-welded laminations and cute little knives. And Mike Quesenberry, whose work inspires me to attempt more refinement in my own (with mixed results, haha).

Shoutout to Lorien and Mete for believing in what I was doing, and to two brilliant titanium metallurgists who supercharged my efforts and gave clues to explore new trails unknown.

There are others, too. :] ...like Stormcrow, aka James Helm!
 
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Mecha said:
Dan Keffeler was and continues to be a great help and guide in the pursuit of making high-performance sword blades from ti alloys. Every time we work on something, it results in some kind of major advancement and new knowledge gained. He's also very funny.

David Mirable's style is very inspirational to me, and his work opens the mind to new dimensions of design, combining great refinement with an organic, "raw" feel, and display simplicity, practicality, performance and complex beauty in a unique way I really love. He's also very funny.

Speaking of being very funny, Matt Gregory is not only that, but his knives have always seemed like wonderful tiny swords to me. I love his insane attention to detail and very refined knives that have so much soul. My blades want to be his blades when they grow up.

JW Bensinger's dha-style swords were inspirational in the early years, as well as the work of Nighthaxan (Charles Roddenberry), who has gone MIA of late, with his very interesting forge-welded laminations and cute little knives. And Mike Quesenberry, whose work inspires me to attempt more refinement in my own (with mixed results, haha).

Shoutout to Lorien and Mete for believing in what I was doing, and to two brilliant titanium metallurgists who supercharged my efforts and gave clues to explore new trails unknown.

There are others, too. :]
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your dedication and focus on your craft has always inspired me. I think your work is the cat's pajamas.
 
Besides the members who post here regularly, recently the knife making of Danijel Haramina (Malanika) has inspired me the most. I like the clean lines, subtle curves, understated elegance and attention to detail of his work. But...there are so many good makers out there.
 
I’ll start off with a big thank you to Stacy Apelt. My knife making journey began with me knowing little to nothing about steel or the process. I still have a lot of room for improvement, but Stacy was a big help getting me pointed in the right direction.
Phil Wilson was a big inspiration with advice and I find his designs very appealing.
I have learned a lot from David Boye’s book on knife making. Some of the info is outdated, but I still highly recommend it to new knife makers.
 
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