Well, there is making knifes and knife makers and that one come certainly from the later...!
Knife handle material and shape do certainly make or brake the look of a knife, this one is very "swift" in its shape with a handle design and cactus material that really brings it all out very nicely...!:wink:
I have been making knifes since a littler chap but I haven't done one for quite awhile, I once had a very impressive knife collection but that was all lost many, many years ago...! I like to make a knife or machete every so often, about a year ago I met an old fellow from NSW that is retired and just simply loves knifes and has a considerable collection.
He loves them so much that he started making them...! He contacted me and requested some of my woods for his knifes, particularly the She/Bull-Oak that he really adores. In a long phone conversation we manage to "tickle" my interest in knife making and the first thing I done was to cut some of my woods into knife scales and list them on my eBay store.
I got so worked out about this knife making again that I order in excess of $300.00 of knife metal banks, pouches, pins, polishes, etc.,etc., to make a few out of my woods myself. This was near a year ago and I haven't had the chance to touch any of that but, in the meantime, this friendly old fellow, has made 3 knifes for us (1 for the wife...!) free of charge, which he was been properly compensated with wood...!:wink:
I learnt that he has been looking for one of those old round wood saw blades used in the old days, as they are of exceptional quality to make knifes from so, I done a little search in the area and found one, a 30" blade still attached to the shaft. I cut in in half and send it to Barry (is his name) as a surprise and it certainly hit the target has he was extremely thankful for my offer. There is a fair amount of metal in this half blade but, and according to him, he cut 16 knifes out of it, all sizes and shapes which he is now starting to finish with his very own special touch on the handles.
See, he likes to incorporate metal discs and stone, (opals, etc.,) in his own handle designs so, the result is quite "different" to say the least...!! He has no fancy machinery at all, a 4" grinder and thats pretty much it so, his finishes are not "perfect" but some how it adds to the "rustic hand made" look of his work.
One day, I will make again, a couple myself...!:wink:
Cheers
George
