That's a pretty cool video. I've done a few stock removal knives (that's the process the guy in the video uses), and doing a passable job, much less to the level this guy does, is a painstaking process. I've been what I like to call a semi-professional bladesmith for probably about 10-12 years, making knives with a forge, hammer, and anvil. I specialize in making knives and axes styled after 17th/early 18th century pieces and doing reproduction work, but step out of that motif from time to time. From the time I first took a hammer to a piece of hot steel with the intent to make a knife until I could repeatably make what I envisioned in my head from something that wasn't already a knife-shaped object was a period of several years. They guy in the film wasn't kidding around when he said it took time.
Ryan , I love watching the video ! It's incredibly interesting watch a real true Craftsman at work ! I knew a fellow that was making knifes and they were very nice . He used deer antlers and other bone material to make the handle . There is an awful lot of labor in making a good quality knife . A true art and I hope it will never die . this great country was built on making things by hand and we really need to make that turn back to when things we use were made by hand again ! Yes you will pay more but it will last you a life time and be passed along to your children . I did sign up for there videos to be sent to my email address . Thanks again for a great article ! Retro Jim
Maybe so--I used to do a lot of trekking, demonstrations and reenactments in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and a little bit in Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois. I was the "Spike" in "Spike's Knives". I also used to build flintlocks and do all the decorative woodcarving and engraving for Narragansett Armes in Indianapolis, IN, before it got sold and went downhill in flames. I did portrayals from F&I period to about 1790, mostly frontier trash in the later period, but I had a moderately well-to-do merchant setup for my F&I stuff... I got out of that for the most part when I was going through a divorce a little over 7 years ago. You ever do any trekking/reenacting down this way back then?
No but I am sure we know some of the same folk. Gerry Barker was in the club I belonged to in college. Ryan, please keep up these entries, they rock!
I have a hand made knife , made for my 21st buy a friend of the family ... 21 years later it still holds its edge and I have never sharpened it , not once .
You know, that's cool... I just was looking at this last night: <iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/32113233?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p>Handmade Portraits: The Sword Maker from Etsy on Vimeo.</p>
Really great post ,I am a machinist by trade retired now.I have made several knives over the years and never considered selling any of them.I love makeing tools and useing.It is impressive that there are still artists out there makeing hand built items.I think that is the essence of the Hamb.Joe
Thank you. I'm sending this thread to my film-maker nephew, Ben. I respect people that want to master their craft. Very well done films. Bill
Just watched the video and read these posts.... it really was inspirational. I'll be having my teenage son watch that one. Seems that creativity, passion, and craftsmanship are the common binders for lots of us that enjoy making stuff! Thanks Ryan.
Thanks for posting the film.I have made at least 50 knives but none reasently[got into hot rods] Got me thinking about it again.
Yeah, we know some of the same people, I've been at Gerry's camp plenty of times. Last I knew, he was still on that farm down around the KY/TN border, and doing a farmer interpretation at events here and there. He's a character, that's for sure. Was he running around barefoot back when you knew him? IIRC, he's got some skin condition from his time in VN that makes wearing shoes extremely uncomfortable.
Unfortunately I can't view the video but I bet I can dig where he's coming from. Nothing like feeling the heat radiating off of a glowing chunk of steel as it comes out of the forge and then pounding away with the Little Giant power hammer. Kick on the BurrKing and yes , eye protection is a must. Been doing it since 1985. Here's some of my most recent.
I learned a lot from him in a short time, hell I think he was barefoot at our winter New Years Rondy! Nice to see so many folks that do this as well on the HAMB. I must say that I am not surprised, building a car,flintlock or knife with your hands are all similar exercises in my mind.
cooking isn't my forte (hell, i once burned ramen noodles, in the microwave) but those are some fucking beautiful knives.
I also am not able to view the video due to my FlashChat crashing every time I try to view something.But no matter. I have been collecting knives of all types for about 58 years now and I still marvel at the workmanship that goes into them.One of my oldest is a Persian jambiya that dates to the early 17th century and the workmanship is fantastic. I have folding knives that range in size from 1/2" long closed to over a foot and anywhere from one to twenty blades. One of my most prized is a folder made by a knifemaker in Wyoming Rhode Island named Jason Williams.It was his 14th knife and was made when he was 19 years old.A pic is enclosed. I bought my first knife at 10 years old and still own it;along with about 2,500 more.I've had several knives custom made for me and whatever the knifemakers charged was not enough to compensate them for their work. I remember reading a story about a maker named Buster Warenski(sadly deceased now)who made a replica of the infamous King Tut dagger out of solid gold.Took him two and a half YEARS to make(!) and he nearly had a nervous breakdown doing it.He had to learn so much about how to work gold without destroying it(it works hardens worse than aluminum)and a process called "granulation" whereby you make tiny little spheres and fuse them to the surface.Drove him nuts. Sorry for the rant but I am always fascinated by stories about knifemaking.
and a helmet , rollcage,seatbelts, nomex firesuit , training wheels , a condom , vitamins , driveshaft loop , firesystem , alarm , respirator too !!!!
I haven't taken the time (yet) to read the comments on this article so I don't know if the majority appreciate this "off topic" post or not. With that said, and having been an amateur knife maker for over 40 yrs. as well as a hot rodder for that same amount of time I can tell the mindset of the two is exactly the same. Thank you for taking the step outside the hot rod box to offer this information.
He Said Fuck Cool vid. I'm a retired metal fab guy so I dig this stuff. All I kept thinking was no safety glasses.
I saw it a week or two ago and really liked it. It appeals to the same part of my head that the HAMB does -- the part that likes awesome, dedicated, focused, metal artistry. Thanks for sharing it here and reminding me one more time why I love the HAMB. .