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Who is your favorite lesser-known maker

Keith -- Maybe Mick did not renew membership in ABS Keith but unless re-retired, I know he is making knives and there are a few dealers as well as Ron Lockhart who are selling knives of Micks. I'll certainly check it out in the next while and maybe might even get to visit with him when I get over to the Island in August.
 
Good thread, tough to pick unknowns anymore. Here are a couple of mine:

Warren Goltz: Guild member does better fit and finish than 99% of the makers. No longer making knives. Let me know if you find any for sale.

Thad Buchanan: Very popular but still affordable with a reasonable wait list.

Bill Ankrom: Thirty years + as a custom maker, just coming into real popularity with his flat ground, 2500 grit Loveless style blades. Best in Show at Solvang!

There's a couple I didn't want ot mention but I'm amongst friends: Loveless and Bose. Watch 'em they'll be famous someday.

Win
 
Jean-Claude Laforet (France)
(I have more favorites, but until now this is the only custom knife I own)
 
Don't know about "lesser known", but my favorites are right here on the forums: Eddie White, Nick Allen, Charlie May, Gene Ingram, Al Alexander, and Whit. These guys are all class acts, and produce great knives at a fair price.
Bill
 
Hi Keith:

You wrote:

WWG, just because someone is an MS, that doesn't make them well known.
Click to expand...

You are exactly right. Makes you wonder what the maker was doing the 5 years before they became a MS.

Even worse, what have they been doing after they made MS.

WWG
 
I've handled Danny Ehrenberger's work at a couple local shows, and it was pretty nice. I think I've only seen his name here once before. (Probably mentioned by Danbo.)
 
The only makers I've bought from (no intermediary, not second hand etc) are Scott Gossman and Larry Nowicki, and neither of them are lesser known these days.
 
the possum said:
I've handled Danny Ehrenberger's work at a couple local shows, and it was pretty nice. I think I've only seen his name here once before. (Probably mentioned by Danbo.)
Click to expand...

Yeah, but he got a real job and no longer makes knives, from my last rumor mill reports. Too bad, because he was getting pretty good, IMO.
 
Tim Wright.

I admit he is both a friend and a mentor, just the same his knives, and they are HIS knives because he makes everything but the steel and the pearl, will stand up to the scrutiny of anyone.

Tim is an artiste of the scary sharp edge and would like nothing better then that every tool he makes got used for whatever it was designed for. Alas most of his folders wind up in display cases and are only sharpened once in their lives. However, I can, personally, testify that Tim's using knives, both kitchen and straight, will take whatever gets dished out to them without a whimper. If we had a fire here my wife says she'd grab the breadknife Tim made for her on the way out the door!

I asked Tim recently why he doesn't join the art knife brigade and his reply took awhile to come................... Since he is a sole author in the purest sense of the word he doesn't make his knives with engravers or jewelers in mind, he feels that there are enough of those around that if that is what someone wants they can find it everywhere but his knives are few and far between and require effort to acquire. He can only make so many the WAY HE WANTS TO MAKE THEM!

Syn
 
My first post, but I just had to jump in here. I had the pleasure of spending some time with William "Billy Bob" Sowell at this past Blade Show. Bill is a J.S. from Macon, GA and marks his knives "Iron Horse Forge". He is a real gentleman and a talented knifemaker. I purchased a beautiful sheep horn handle hunter with a great sheath that he also made. Bill won the 2006 ABS Journeyman Knife of The Year. Definitely one of the good guys, and a cigar smoker to boot!
 
ultradude,
Welcome. I am fairly new here as well, this is probably the first thread I started and I hope people enjoy it.
I saw some of Bill's stuff at Blade as well and it is very nice.

Great replies so far, I am getting to know some new names all the time.

Thanks everyone.
Nick
 
Oh, I almost completely forgot. My favorite ABS maker (and I know him, but I don't know who else does) is Larry Fuegen. I just love his stuff. His fit and finish is superb and everything he does just seems to work together.

Nick
 
Thanks for the welcome custombuff. I've been a "looker" for about 2 years. Just recently upgraded to Gold, thinking that I might have more time to read the posts and contribute. I'm also a big fan of Mike Ruth, JS. Mike has trained with Jerry Fisk, and is getting be more well-known.
 
Hey guys, I agree Billy is very talented!!!

Just as an FYI- You do not win the ABS Journeyman knife of the year. This is a knife made each year by a Js who is selected by drawing a name out of a hat. I put my name in the hat for next year... I don't know if they pulled a name out yet.

But I'm not posting to steal his thunder... I really wanted to point out that Billy won the ABS antique bowie award THREE YEARS IN A ROW. Here's a copied quote right from the ABS :)

"The 2006 ABS Journeyman Knife of the Year was made by Billy Bob Sowell of Macon, Georgia. Billy Bob won the 2003, 2004, and the 2005 Antique Bowie Awards, presented annually for the best knife made in the spirit of the 19th century. This year's JS Knife of the Year is a replica of a Bowie made by Blaise Pardel of new Orleans, cica 1840. Features include hand checkering on the handle and a metal tipped and throated sheath."

Great stuff!!!
:D
 
Hey Nick thanks for clarifying Bill's ABS Journeyman knife of the year, and for highlighting his ABS antique bowie award for 3 years in a row. Good luck getting your name pulled from the hat for next year!
 
custombuff . . . Sadly one of your favourite knifemakers is no more. George Beechey passed away after a short illness last year. He had re-located to Australia (from South Africa) to be with his kids just a few months earlier. He was a talented knifemaker, and a real gentleman, and I consider myself fortunate to have one of his folders to remember him by.
 
Hill Pearce (Retired from knifemaking)
Sal Manaro (Very low production. Ultra clean)
Louis Van der Walt (Passed away in a M/C crash. Outstanding quality and designs.)

I didn't see the criteria as being currently active.

Coop
 
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