Who Was The First Knifemaker You Ever Met?
The first maker I ever met was Larry Harley. (No wonder I'm so warped, right?) :) It was at the 1985 Peach State Cutlery Club Show in Atlanta. (It was also my first knife show.) The show was held in a school gym and here I was, a cub reporter for BLADE, walking around looking at all these knives and talking to knifemakers. Behind the first table I stopped at was this huge, Haystack Calhoun of a man who greeted me like it was old home week. He had arms the size of railroad ties and facial hair that was a cross between an old Charlie Chan movie and Gen. Longstreet, but his friendly manner put me immediately to ease.
He hasn't changed a bit since then.
How about you? Who was the first knifemaker you met, where and what were the circumstances?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ralph Turnbull on -
The first knifemaker I ever met was Gil Hibben. He was the resident knifemaker at Silver Dollar city just outside of Branson Missouri. This was sometime in the late '70's. I had been hearing of and reading about Gil for a long time and I was expecting a much older person than he was, in fact he is a year younger than me. He gave me a copy of a new knife magazine (Blade) and I was off and running. Joined the Knifemakers Guild shortly thereafter.
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Permalink Reply by Bruce Wolberg on
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Mine was Jim Sasser, took a knife making class from him in the early 80's at Trinidad State Jr. College in Colorado while I was attending the Gunsmith 3 year school. Unfortunately I only made the one knife, drop point hunter with matching English Walnut from my first 98 Mauser I built. I went into Gunsmithing full time and never made another knife. Heard that Jim had passed away but if anyone knew him let me know.
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Permalink Reply by Kelly hope on
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I believe Russel was in my sport shop in Abbotsford in the 1980 's ,possibly up to Canada for a knife /gun show don't recall which.He had a few knives with him but alas I could'nt afford one.
At that time, I was making knives out of planer blade and had a few books on the subject ,so I recognised the name...kelly
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Permalink Reply by Keith Johnson on
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The first knife maker I ever met is Wayne Goddard. We were at a garage sale in Eugene and I was looking for books about tools and metal working and had found one about blacksmithing. I had put it aside while continuing to look. I saw this guy pick the book up. I attempted to establish ownership by telling him "that book is mine". He placed the book down and said "Iam not going to buy it I have plenty of books in fact I have two on the best seller lists". I replied," really". I had always been taught to respect your elders and he did look older than me so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I went home and researched him. He was real! He was real enough that I didn't ask my standard question to authors, "should I buy your book or a roast beef". That was about three years ago and since then I have gotten to know him better and have tried my hand at knife making too. I have also been a member of our local knife making club The 5160 Club started by Wayne and some of our local stars including Jeff Crowner, Lyn Moore and Dave Reider and Larry Criteser. The only rules our club has is we have no rules and we like it that way
Keith Johnson
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Permalink Reply by Murray White on
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Every year my wife and I used to attend the CNE in Toronto. The CNE is the longest running Exhibition in North America and our first stop was always the Arts and Crafts Building. We just would chose an entrance of several and begin wandering around. Well, in August of 1980 we entered and there in front of us was the Canadian Knife Collectors Club featuring Canadian Custom Knives. At the time in the booth was the founder and President of CKCC, Bruce Edwards, Engraver Roland Robidoux and at the time Canada's premiere knifemaker, Harald Moeller. Three months later I was on the board of directors of CKCC and 6 months after that I was President. Unfortunately, Bruce died of cancer in 1985 (as I recall) so he really missed that major changes in knifemaking including Blade and the major advent of the forged blade including pattern welded blades. Harald has remained a friend for those 30 years since and we visit anytime we are on Vancouver Island.
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Permalink Reply by James R Paul Jr on
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I had the pleasure of attending the East Coast Custom Knife Show in NY City last Feb. (Fantastic Show !!)
I first met R J Martin, whom I had been conversing with over a few emails prior to the show. I had read about him in Blade and was surprised his shop was the next town over from me.I've since aquired a few of his designs.Great work !
I then met Josh Smith and was blown away by his skill. I've been following his work ever since and one of these days I'll get to his Big Sky Hammer-in .
But the biggest surprise was meeting Steve Hill from Goshen N H. He had some real nice Bowies and other various styles. Awsome work. We got talkin and discovered we both graduated from the same high school, same year ,1970. He's been making knives since 1978, and he's been a " knifemaker to the stars" for awhile.
Check him out at stevehillknives.com
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Permalink Reply by Steve Shackleford on -
Cool stuff, James. Josh's hammer-in is a blast. i went to the one in 2009 and had a very large time. Plus, Montana in the summertime is must-see scenery.
James R Paul Jr said:
I had the pleasure of attending the East Coast Custom Knife Show in NY City last Feb. (Fantastic Show !!)
I first met R J Martin, whom I had been conversing with over a few emails prior to the show. I had read about him in Blade and was surprised his shop was the next town over from me.I've since aquired a few of his designs.Great work !
I then met Josh Smith and was blown away by his skill. I've been following his work ever since and one of these days I'll get to his Big Sky Hammer-in .
But the biggest surprise was meeting Steve Hill from Goshen N H. He had some real nice Bowies and other various styles. Awsome work. We got talkin and discovered we both graduated from the same high school, same year ,1970. He's been making knives since 1978, and he's been a " knifemaker to the stars" for awhile.
Check him out at stevehillknives.com
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Permalink Reply by Bear Goode on
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The first knifemaker I ever met was Glen A. Homer. Glen had a display at a local gun & knife show,we got to talking & we still visit by e-mail. Glen showed me the basic's of forging & grinding & heat treating. That was about 15 yrs ago. I thank Glen for getting me straightend out & showing me the quicker way to grind & forge. I would still be on a much longer learning curve if he had not shown me the basic's as pertaining to knife making. Thanks Glen
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Permalink Reply by David F Pitt on
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The first knifemaker I ever met was Ed (don't call me D E) Henry back in 1968. I had a table at a gun show in San Jose ,California and sold new and old knives and he use to come by looking for Collins Machettes.
The first knifemaker that I ever saw make a knife was Les Berryman in 1972. Les was a Great help to me and others in SF bay area.
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Permalink Reply by John Dennehy on
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My husband John D. Dennehy (formerly The Wild Irish Rose logo) and then my father-in-law, Dan Dennehy!! Not a bad start I would say...
Sherilyn
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Permalink Reply by David Boone on -
The first knife maker I met was Master Smith Jim Crowell, it was 1980 and I was driving through the hills of North central Arkansas out side of Mt. View and I saw this sign Knives for sale. I had to drive a couple of miles before I could trun around. I could tell you that I remembered him, but I don't, at that time Jim was just starting to make knives and he only had one for sale, it was a stock removal drop point with a mirrow finish and black buffalo scales handle, price $75. It was almost it was almost 25 years later that I moved to Batesville,Ar. about 45 miles from Mt. View. Jim and I became friends and I still talk to him and visit his shop,
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Permalink Reply by J.T. Hill on -
Before I attended my first real Knife Show (Spirit of Steel, Grapevine TX where I met everybody) I used to go to gun shows, and they don't get any bigger than the Dallas Int'l. Trade Center Gun Show. It was there that I met my first knifemaker Mickey Kaehr. I don't know what impressed me most - his beautiful hand made knives, his unique Cholla cactus wood stands, his personality, or his lovely wife Gail who was always on her feet by his side, and knew as much as the knives as Mickey did.
I learned a valuable lesson about buying what you like immediately, or risk losing it, and let one of his big auto's get away from me. However, Mickey informed me that he "...had this big slab of ivory that he was thinking about using on something" and that's how I met my first maker, and commissioned my first custom knife. - a pre-ban ivory handled, Damasteel Mikov auto with Texas Star concho that I call my "Lone Star Ranger".
I bought other knives from Mickey because I thought his knives were beautifully made, and I thought that they, like he & Gail, represented Texas. I still do, and will never forget the lessons learned and friendship earned from my first knifemaker.
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