Celebrating ~ BogdanS Knives ~ Diversity, style, quality & art from Romania ~

RayseM

RayseM

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My introduction to BogdanS BogdanS the skillful knife maker/artist from Romania started over on the forum BushcraftUSA about 9 months ago. Bogdan is also a BladeForums knife maker so I thought it would be fun to get a collection of his knives in one thread that we can add to over the years.

I would see his sale thread of a Bogdan "puukko" one day and then a few days later a folder. Each of his offerings seemed to present another show stopper - unique, beautiful and compelling. His variations on a theme keeping raising the bar - material, quality, details. His diverse styles have made me wonder if I should just wait for the next one because I can't have all of them. :( AND - by the way - these are all so very affordable. Lesser knives have sold for so much more.

Nonetheless I jumped in and bought a few. I have a fixed, a folder and a blank to which I will add my own handle. Every sale is a teaser though but I leave some for others. :D

ENOUGH CHATTER - Time for some photos.

~ I WELCOME ANY BOGDAN KNIFE OWNERS TO SHARE THEIR OWN - PLEASE ~

Here is my humble TRIO of BogdanS BogdanS blades.

Did I say - his wife make very nice sheaths too!

BOGDANs-I.jpg

FIRST - MY FIRST - A Bogdan Style Puukko he called the FIREBUG

Firebug.jpg

As Bogdan described it - "It is my first engraved blade knife but i must admit that i am very happy how this turned out. The 80crv2 blade features a razor sharp scandi zero grind and was hand engraved with a fire bug. The handle is matching the theme for ash and fire using high quality stabilized wood burls and a piece of black epoxy encrusted brass for the spark View attachment 1460042

Overall the knife measures 7.9" with an app 3.55" blade."

I have been very happy to use this knife in many settings. It's not just pretty but a rugged worker too. When I should have had a hatchet but didn't, I was using Firebug to blaze trees for marking those that need to be removed for a future hiking trail. Heat treat is such that the blade performed without hesitation or the need for more than a clean and strop when I returned home.

MY 2nd Bogdan is this his tribute to the Opinel. I call it my BOGDANEL!

Bogdanel-I.jpg

As Bogdan described it - "For a long time i was thinking into making such a knife as i must confess that i do love the Opinel knives and especially their simplicity in design and function. Today with God's good will i managed to finish the first one.
• The blade is made out using an excellent looking piece of O2 core San Mai steel with a full flat grind and a micro second bevel for a little support taking into account that the core is app 62-63 HRC.
• Handle is a 3 tone micarta combo with a black liner and two brown tones on the sides. The handle is buffed to an excellent looking finish. The collars are the Opinel ones that were sanded and finished to match the custom made setup .
• Overall it is app 6.3" with a 2.35" blade."

Here with its Bogdan cousin ~

Bogdans-on-seeds-II.jpg

MY FINAL BogdanS - for now :)

This puukko blank. Oh my this will be a wicked slicer - thin and able to be sharpened to a razor edge. Scary out of the box :eek:. I will post photos of my handle project but in another thread some day.

SHEATHS in these photos by Mrs. Bogdan!

He makes other than brown knives and sheaths - just seems that my preference has been this color palette.

BOGDAN-Blank.jpg

SO - there you have it. My first 3 BOGDANs. Will look forward to seeing others from others. :)
 
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I have permission from the BCUSA owner of this lovely BOGDAN knife to show this one off.
Will help to illustrate my claim of his diversity. I hope I will be able to post others.

Meanwhile I introduce Bogdan's as he calls it - ONE OFF LUXURY GENTLEMAN'S PUUKKO
Bogdan's photo from the sale thread. This one was sooooooo tempting - I had to stop looking. :D

BOGDAN-gentleman's-puukko.jpg

And - in Bogdan's own words by his own hands ~

"It is of course not a workhorse but for sure a fully functional queen. upload_2020-11-22_11-49-13.gif

•The blade is 1095 carbon steel, 'root clay' hardened to strengthen the tang to blade area, with a scandi zero super sharp grind and a fake back edge for an aggressive look and to lighten the blade; the blade was etched to match the setup and to offer a plus in corrosion once the patina will set.

•The handle is in itself a luxurious and exclusive composition - Exhibition grade Gaboon Ebony that was inlayed with premium grade genuine Sting Ray leather, nickel silver bolter/spacer precisely fitted and nicely buffed and a gorgeous piece of 10000 years old Siberian stabilized mammoth ivory. Everything is buffed to a fine finish and it looks very sleek and attractive wile keeping a sober look overall.

• It is app 7.5" overall with and app 3.35" blade."

What is not to love here? :)
 
And another Bogdan puukko. This one here courtesy of former BFer BAX 40.

This one is known as THE QUAIL - for obvious reasons :)

The-Quail.jpg

• "The blade is 1095 carbon steel that was clay hardened and it has a nice and crisp hamon; it features a razor sharp scandi zero grind and a fake back edge."

•"The handle is made using a section of 6000 YO mammoth tooth, blue thin v fiber liner and white Corian as the main body that sustain a handmade scrimshaw with a quail. It took for sure a lot of work to do it but i liked the whole process and how it turned out."

Now I need to get a few more of his folders and little reworking projects posted. I come by my admiration for this kind, humble and artistic man and his work quite easily. :thumbsup:
 
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He sure makes some unique knives that's for sure. There is one up on the ex right now I was looking at. I'd love to snag a little edc or necker type blade one day. Thanks for sharing I do like looking at his work. Well have a great day and be safe out there.
 
Bogdan, @BogdanS, accepted a commission from me very early this year to build a knife that I won't be able to carry in public or use for bush crafting, or food prep, though maybe making a sandwich. ;) I have always admired the form and perhaps in some long past lives I carried one in my sash as an EDC. I knew that Bogdan could create a masterpiece of the form that would be splendid and charming and worthy of a place of honor.

I asked only this ~

I love the materials you have used in your newest puukko - the san mai blade and handle materials. I wonder about a 100 mm 2 sided sharp blade tapered to a ridge in the center of the blade.

... Overall the knife should have refined proportions - not a thick/rugged knife but an elegant thin blade, a capable cutter - a very heavy duty letter opener, gift unwrapping knife and fruit stabber. Worthy of a PRINCE.

...Then as a final detail a Japanese influenced Saya - sheath. Doesn't need to be made for carry but rather simply to protect blade and user when not in use.

... I don't dare to try to draw something. I love your art and don't want to overly influence your own inspiration. You could surprise me and that would make me happy.


He did not disappoint. Of course he would not.

Introducing - Praslea ( a local, Romanian, legendary hero that slayed 'Zmeul', the monster that terrified the land stealing, killing and kidnapping Praslea's fiancée) my one and only DAGGER!

~ What a Tour de Force by Bogdan ~

Bogdan-Dagger-and-sheath.jpg

We had a few discussions over the months and shared some ideas but I did pretty much stay true to my word that I would not try to influence the design. Bogdan might say otherwise. :rolleyes: It could have been different in the end but in all honesty I could not be happier.

Bogdan describes it ~

The blade is O2 core San Mai, the bolster is Damasteel Vinland, 10000k YO Siberian stab mammoth ivory, nickel silver spacer and stab 'deep sea' maple burl. Everything is buffed to a nice glossy finish under the bolster we have a carved depression to put the ivory in focus and also between the ivory and stab maple on nickel silver line one too. It is far from perfect but i think it's a nice and exclusive blade to own.

The sheath is made using thick vegetable tanned ox leather that was died in black and on the face it wears a plate of the same stab wood and mammoth ivory as the handle; we used no stitching as in tests it proved not to look enough subtle for the knife. On the back there is a silvery button stud where you can attach a strap to wear on the belt - it is of course not a power attachment but it looks discreet and nice (we will also provide the belt strap of course).

The-Dagger.jpg

Won't be in MY hand for another 3 or 4 weeks but I show off today because I couldn't wait to thank Bogdan and Mrs. Bogdan S (his illustrious and talented sheath maker) publicly for the most wonderful creation - the ROYALTY - in my humble knife collection.

I will certainly provide updates and some photos of Praslea in Maine when he lands on my shore.

Thank you Bogdan. You have made me a treasure. :thumbsup: :cool:
 
This one - another commission for the magic of BogdanS BogdanS . ~

KaBar inspired knife as requested ~

Bogdan-KBar.jpg

Bogdan-Kbar-with-sheath.jpg

Here the specs. in Bogdan's own words ~

" We needed to make a Ka Bar knife that would keep some of it's 'ancestors' proportions and lines but on whom veins blue blood to flow. upload_2021-4-17_10-28-27.gif

I did my best to fulfill this requirement so here we go my friends.

• We have a O2 core San Mai steel blade that has a deep etched forge finish for a 'shark skin' pattern with a design that follow's the original one but with a little twist to make it more aggressive. It is sleek and razor sharp.

• The guard and pommel were necessary to match blade's tones and composition so i used some extremely pure powder metallurgical technology created Swedish Damasteel in it's wild 'Vinland' pattern - it is cut lengthwise to offer a very nice looking symmetry on ends.

• The bolster/pommel metalic parts are followed by two theme matching thick vegetable tanned ox stacked leather 'packs' like a color and texture buffer between metal and the warm feel and look of the genuine over 10000 years old Siberian mammoth ivory. The piece of natural ivory was a fabulous one, preserved like i have never seen and with a superb fibers arrangement but with a price on it's measure (this price made my hands tremble with each inch i was drilling to perforate it for the pass through tang upload_2021-4-17_10-28-27.gif). One buffed it got a superb 'see through' look with a deep and warm creamy color.

• Together with it we did our best to make a nice sheath to compliment this knife and hopefully we did it justice. The sheath is made from multiple pieces that were necessary to fit knife's ergonomic - it was indeed one of the most complicated sheaths we ever made. It was dyed in two tones to math the knife and to add a little bit more to it's look upload_2021-4-17_10-28-27.gif. The snap that secures the knife was made using a superb button like piece of the same mammoth ivory, a piece that seen live is amazing even if it is small and this is due to the perfectly display of Schreger lines."

__________________________________________________________

I welcome every opportunity to show off one of Bogdan's knives. They are created with such meticulous attention to detail, the best of materials, assembled artistically and masterfully. His blades are, in my experience and by reputation, superb workers that take and hold a very keen edge and tolerate much abuse before needing attention. Why carry an ugly knife when such a beautiful knife can excel in the field?

Thanks for watching.
 
I wanted to put this here Ray if you don't mind.

Bogdan's one-off folder he named "the parrot". I'm a barlow collector and perhaps it's only my eyes that see it but this guy certainly looks like a barlow pattern to me, if somewhat "exotic" :)

I couldn't be happier with Bogdan's craftsmanship. Sleek crisp flawless fit and finish. Strong pull, snap and lock-up.

Here in his own words describing the knife -

"We have a 26c3 super clean carbon steel (spicy white :)) blade that was carefully hand sanded to 600 grit; the handle is a hybrid - 2 tone micarta for liners/bolster and a fantastic piece of stabilized 'Emerald' wood burl as the main body. The liners are relieved so no marks on the tang - for the picky user :D The screws are grade 5 Titanium and the washers are 'flame' anodized aluminium; pivot is solid brass for it's self lubricating ability.
The knife is 6.2" overall with an app 2.55" blade. The blade is 0.085" thick." - BogdanS BogdanS

15A63425-D8A9-42F5-AD7E-F74D453267A8_1_201_a.jpegDDBF5B44-CC32-4FFA-A06B-CD5E5AD641FC_1_201_a.jpegB77B075F-91CC-4C1C-BDBF-694852FDA008_1_201_a.jpegA3CE7BD8-0E13-4CA2-B03F-C8186F4BA664_1_201_a.jpegE9E37C86-50A6-4121-9EBB-0373DCCC976B_1_201_a.jpeg
 
mb> said:
So that’s where they all went! 😎.

Man, I’ve come so close to picking up some of his work…so many times. Too many knives is the only thing that held me back. I like Bogdan’s work a lot. :thumbsup:
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He has PARROT 2 up for sale in the Makers folders thread. One of his nicest IMHO. Send him a PM he'd be happy to hear from you. 😋
 
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