Willie Paulsen traditional folders ~ RIP 2022

Chui

Chui

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Jul 10, 2012
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Willie is a lovely soul and maker from South Africa.

He does fixed as well, and also a fair few integrals and liner locks.

This is 400 year old Wild Olive, African Blackwood and warthog (makers mark on inside of backspring!)


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Elegant simplicity, I really love those knives. Thanks for sharing.
 
Congratulations!! Nice touch your sync of the pattern between blade spine and spring!!
I have a wharthog tusk i'd like to use, i tought it would be too plain and set aside (Also cause it poses a challenge to cut into scales, kudos to you!), but i see a nice texture on yours; Can you please post more of that handle to better show the wharthog cover texture?
 
stezann said:
Congratulations!! Nice touch your sync of the pattern between blade spine and spring!!
I have a wharthog tusk i'd like to use, i tought it would be too plain and set aside (Also cause it poses a challenge to cut into scales, kudos to you!), but i see a nice texture on yours; Can you please post more of that handle to better show the wharthog cover texture?
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Hi! Warthog is a lovely material.

However, it is rarely consistent in character as you can see from these others. My Joseph Rodgers is a smallish knife and the warthog used was not so big therefore Willie was able to achieve a consistently creamy part of the tusk.

These others vary and I believe they are wonderful to look at - but you need a big tusk for a good size folder, make no mistake!

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You got me hooked, thanks!!!
I have indeed a HUGE tusk, and apart the ansiety to run it on the bandsaw (risk is falling short inside the liners profile!!!), i was afraid not to find any "flavour" under the very bark.
Even the "plainer" example you showed are amazing enough for me to really focus on this incredible material.

I don't want to abuse of your thread, but do you have some warning to give me before i lean on the bandsaw? any special trick/jig to correctly cut the stuff?
 
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stezann said:
You got me hooked, thanks!!!
I have indeed a HUGE tusk, and apart the ansiety to run it on the bandsaw (risk is falling short inside the liners profile!!!), i was afraid not to find any "flavour" under the very bark.
Even the "plainer" example you showed are amazing enough for me to really focus on this incredible material.
Click to expand...


Am very familiar with a few of the SA makers - if you wish, send me a pm and I'll put you in touch with one of them who'll email you with some helpful advice as they use this material a great deal
 
Very sadly, Willie has passed.



Had met Willie and the very wonderful band of makers in South Africa a few times. A true, true gentleman.

He was seriously ill a few years ago and needed a double leg amputation. He bounced back amazingly from that and carried on making for a while.

Willie gained Guild status very many years ago and would always lend a hand to any new maker - a warm hearted and generous man to the end.

RIP, my friend
 
Very sad to hear about the passing of a very skilled cutler. RIP Mr. Paulsen.
Condolences to family, friends, and to you Paul.
 
Oh man, this is so sad to hear. RIP Willie, I’ll always have a reminder of you.
Condolences to his family, friends and close acquaintances. A truly gifted knifemaker.
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