Old Time maker Clyde Fischer dies

F

fisk

National Living Treasure & Subject Matter Expert
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Mar 31, 1999
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Clyde passed away yesterday at noon time. He was a wonderful old Bastid with a wealth of stories. I have several of his pieces that I have collected over the years. Clyde started making knives in the 50's and was still at it despite a stroke 15 years ago that paralized one side of his body. Since he had the stroke he could no longer hunt with a rifle so he took up hunting with a hand gun. Last year he took the record whitetail in this country with one of his pistols. He was one of my heros.
jf
 
Clyde was a man. Fun-loving and brimming with life, even though life dealt him some very tough cards. He was a man's man, and I had occasion to notice that the ladies seemed to like him more than a little, as well. Clyde was one of those people you could listen to for hours on a variety of topics--knife making, custom gun making and pistol ballistics, big game hunting in North America and Africa, and of course he loved ranching and the rodeo business. He'll be missed.
 
I know how hard it can be to loose a friend and or someone who you looked up to.:(

After a while those great stories and memories take over.

His family and friends will be in my thoughts and prayers.
 
I was just playing with one of his early Hunter's day before yesterday. I just found out he was the maker. The only mark on it was the fish symbol. Jim Behring told me about it. It's a big, heavy hunting/camp style knife with a brass spine inlay, brass guard and pommel with a brass spacer about a half inch behind the guard. I don't know what the wood is, but it's pretty stuff. Real heavy, deep finger grooves. He must have used his hand for the finger grooves because it's a knife made for a big hand.

I met him at the Moran School of Bladesmithing. Sat by him at the banquet for Bill and Margaret. He was quite a cut up. Him and the ABS secretary carried on so that I thought they'd get the bums rush if they didn't quiet down. It was pretty comical. He definately was a man's man. I didn't know him well, but his loss puts an empty feeling in my heart just the same. Another fine maker and fellow human being gone. I know he'll be missed.
 
Those of you who did not ever get to meet Clyde missed something. As the old saying goes" He would do to ride with." That simple statement covers a lot of territory, even today. In my first dreams of knifemaking his work was what I aspired to emmulate. Clyde was a one of a kind. He will be missed. mike
 
I, like Max, met Mr. Fischer for the first and only time this past May at the hammer in. As Mr. Williams stated, "he would do to ride with". I went to his break out session on "One Handed Knives" both days. I was intrigued to say the least. He imparted his "secret" for dying bone. On the second day, we discussed more than knifemaking, it was one of those life lessons. I am not stating that as part of a tribute to someone that has passed away, you may ask anyone in my circle of friends how much of an impact he had. Now THAT is a tribute on the sort of a man Mr. Fischer radiated. Not just the impression he left on me, but on everyone that was able to meet him that day under the canopy.

Awstruck is the only word that comes to mind. I suppose that accounts for the lump in my throat...

C Wilkins
 
Clyde was a man I called friend and one of my heroes. He was the first custom maker I remember reading about in a magazine. He was real and so were his knives, he will be missed, but his knives will continue his legacy.

Ed Fowler
 
May he rest in peace and my condolences to the Fischer family.

Sam
 
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