Special Heirloom Knife
- Thread starter JonathanD
- Start date
Just pondering how many shoes that would have bought me. It is exceptional quality craftsmanship Stu. I just cannot wear it.
I was looking for some thing to be a git with EmmaD, but found this, and actually thought it pretty cool!! maybe Stu could knock one up
I was looking for some thing to be a git with EmmaD, but found this, and actually thought it pretty cool!! maybe Stu could knock one up
that is useful. I would buy one if it was not too big.
I always loved that pocket knife that Simon Templar had in the movie The Saint. It had a blow torch on it! No idea where he kept the fuel though.
Well, I finally got it in my hands today.
This knife was a shot in the dark for me to commission as I had such a set idea of what I wanted a very clear image of the materials, and how the damasteel would look finished. I couldn't even find a pattern of dama that I really really liked for a good three years. On top of that, with the avatar on the bolsters, too many variables out of mine and Stu's control really put this knife on a back burner for about four years.
I eventually found the steel in the new Bjorkman twist a year ago, but you can still never gauge how it will work once finished. I chose that particular pattern as it looked like the contour lines of my favourite adder surveying area where I grew up, and I thought that was a nice spec to have on the knife as it was to tie in with my herpetology, which is far more important than just a living for me. The engraving was a nightmare as my old avatar made the bolsters too big with it on there, but I still went ahead ahead and asked Stu to start it from the drawing I made...
A major stroke of luck, and I really mean major, was James (Trunks) seeing this thread and working on a high def image of my avatar. In fact he did change it slightly and it became narrower. Another little (well, massive) bit of luck as this now made the bolsters narrower too and looked to me how I originally imagined it (although it caused Stu more work making extra holes in the finished blade).
James' new image was so good, I thought I'd change my avatar, as it was my avatar that was supposed to be on the knife. Anyone notice the change some weeks back?
The engraving was the last thing to be done. As this was further out of our control than anything else, Stu and I were quite scared (well, I know I was). After James tweaked it, we had no idea how it would come out. Stu texted me to tell me it was spot on, and he was right. It really finished the knife and made it just as I had originally imagined it would be. I'm sure that Stu will agree that the whole knife could have been made or ruined with that final step, there was no middle ground. So thanks James, you have no idea how important that was.
I was expecting something awesome from seeing the pictures, but amazingly, the pictures really don't capture the knife perfectly, or do it justice. The first time I picked it up, the weight and blade width really stood out as being hugely different from the regular Deval Bushcrafter. It is an awesome piece of audacious and bold knifemaking. The skill it takes to hand grind a full flat tapered blade and tang of that thickness to such a high degree of perfection is something I really can't comprehend. It is an insane skill that I really have to watch Stu perform one day. I can't even see the joins from bolster to blade and the pins are 100% invisible. You just can't see them, and there are four!!!! The fit between bolster and scales are the same, it's like the scales were dripped in as a liquid and left to set the fitting is so perfect. The dama pattern turned out even closer to the area contours of Kinver. Brilliant coincidence. Everything is 100% absolutely perfect in terms of knifemaking. I can honestly say that I have never seen a better made knife than this, and I've seen so many pieces from collectors and big name customs all over the world. Of course, all of the other knives Stu has made me are superb, but this has more parts, detailing and fittings to go together in the final piece. And I haven't even mentioned that wickedly sharp mirror polished edge.... oooooooooohhhhhh!!!!
The box just completes the package. Hand made, with hand fitted velvet lining in British Racing Green. The outer is finished in a black semi gloss and will soon have a plaque mounted on it later tonight. I'll put pics up of the whole thing tomorrow.
So all in all, I honestly couldn't be happier. The input from Stu and his usual updates and communication throughout (although the texts at 1am and 5am may have been going above and beyond the call of duty), were brilliant, as was the communication between James, Stu and myself to get the etching perfect.
So cheers Stu, it really is a very personal knife. You are right, it does look like an heirloom already, and it certainly will be a treasured one. Hell, it is already!!!!
This knife was a shot in the dark for me to commission as I had such a set idea of what I wanted a very clear image of the materials, and how the damasteel would look finished. I couldn't even find a pattern of dama that I really really liked for a good three years. On top of that, with the avatar on the bolsters, too many variables out of mine and Stu's control really put this knife on a back burner for about four years.
I eventually found the steel in the new Bjorkman twist a year ago, but you can still never gauge how it will work once finished. I chose that particular pattern as it looked like the contour lines of my favourite adder surveying area where I grew up, and I thought that was a nice spec to have on the knife as it was to tie in with my herpetology, which is far more important than just a living for me. The engraving was a nightmare as my old avatar made the bolsters too big with it on there, but I still went ahead ahead and asked Stu to start it from the drawing I made...
A major stroke of luck, and I really mean major, was James (Trunks) seeing this thread and working on a high def image of my avatar. In fact he did change it slightly and it became narrower. Another little (well, massive) bit of luck as this now made the bolsters narrower too and looked to me how I originally imagined it (although it caused Stu more work making extra holes in the finished blade).
James' new image was so good, I thought I'd change my avatar, as it was my avatar that was supposed to be on the knife. Anyone notice the change some weeks back?
The engraving was the last thing to be done. As this was further out of our control than anything else, Stu and I were quite scared (well, I know I was). After James tweaked it, we had no idea how it would come out. Stu texted me to tell me it was spot on, and he was right. It really finished the knife and made it just as I had originally imagined it would be. I'm sure that Stu will agree that the whole knife could have been made or ruined with that final step, there was no middle ground. So thanks James, you have no idea how important that was.
I was expecting something awesome from seeing the pictures, but amazingly, the pictures really don't capture the knife perfectly, or do it justice. The first time I picked it up, the weight and blade width really stood out as being hugely different from the regular Deval Bushcrafter. It is an awesome piece of audacious and bold knifemaking. The skill it takes to hand grind a full flat tapered blade and tang of that thickness to such a high degree of perfection is something I really can't comprehend. It is an insane skill that I really have to watch Stu perform one day. I can't even see the joins from bolster to blade and the pins are 100% invisible. You just can't see them, and there are four!!!! The fit between bolster and scales are the same, it's like the scales were dripped in as a liquid and left to set the fitting is so perfect. The dama pattern turned out even closer to the area contours of Kinver. Brilliant coincidence. Everything is 100% absolutely perfect in terms of knifemaking. I can honestly say that I have never seen a better made knife than this, and I've seen so many pieces from collectors and big name customs all over the world. Of course, all of the other knives Stu has made me are superb, but this has more parts, detailing and fittings to go together in the final piece. And I haven't even mentioned that wickedly sharp mirror polished edge.... oooooooooohhhhhh!!!!
The box just completes the package. Hand made, with hand fitted velvet lining in British Racing Green. The outer is finished in a black semi gloss and will soon have a plaque mounted on it later tonight. I'll put pics up of the whole thing tomorrow.
So all in all, I honestly couldn't be happier. The input from Stu and his usual updates and communication throughout (although the texts at 1am and 5am may have been going above and beyond the call of duty), were brilliant, as was the communication between James, Stu and myself to get the etching perfect.
So cheers Stu, it really is a very personal knife. You are right, it does look like an heirloom already, and it certainly will be a treasured one. Hell, it is already!!!!
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I take it back. It is not nice.
I have been admiring this blade for an hour and it is one of the most beautiful works of art that I have seen. I am going to get a glass case made for it with walnut base and green velvet base and it will displayed for every one to see. For the first time I can see why people admire knives like this.
I have been admiring this blade for an hour and it is one of the most beautiful works of art that I have seen. I am going to get a glass case made for it with walnut base and green velvet base and it will displayed for every one to see. For the first time I can see why people admire knives like this.
Is the curves of the Bolster that amaze me, it so perfectly ties the whole knife together, stunning, simply stunning work,
I'll take that as a positive then
I am delighted mate, made up in fact....
Good health to enjoy it!
I am delighted mate, made up in fact....
Good health to enjoy it!
This reminds me of the excitement I felt when I got my first proper fishing rod as a kid - I slept with it propped next to my bed for the first few nights.
Oh dear! hahaha no fear Emma I am sending Jon my chopper next week to play with, it might distract him from THE KNIFE for a minuet or two, just long enough to sneak it into the locked lexan display case
, it might distract him from THE KNIFE for a minuet or two, just long enough to sneak it into the locked lexan display case
