The Cutting Edge – Which makers have you recently discovered that excite?

I've been impressed by tons of makers who are either new or new to me. Too many to list here. But to name a few...

Don Nguyen, I love the lines you work with. They have a "fast" feel. Huge race car vibe (which I'm assuming is exactly what you're going for). Excellent work.

@trinitybladeworks on Instagram is another guy whose knives I would buy in an instant if I didn't have new machines to buy. Useful designs, and his acid etching techniques are world class. I still haven't figured out how he does it.

@rohdeedge on IG puts out astoundingly nice performance knives. Really useful shapes, ground wicked thin, combined with fit and finish that far surpasses how long he's been making knives. Takes really great pictures too.

@guillot is another IG maker whose fit and finish I admire. Super clean work every time. He doesn't do anythiny outlandish design-wise, but still manages to pack a ton of style into every build. One of my favorite things to see in a maker.
 
Just a quick comment on function and performance considerations of hamon.

The traditional Japanese sword was designed to, like, chop a dude's leg off. And maybe block a sword-blow from said one-legged dude. Who would be hoppin' mad at that point. Literally.

The Japanese sword makers built tools specifically designed for that singular purpose: medieval armored combat. This purpose dictated all of the tool's design considerations, including edge geometry, balance and weight distribution, handle ergonomics, steel, and heat treatment.

In contrast, when I build a 6" camp knife, I will design the edge geometry, balance and weight distribution, handle ergonomics and heat treatment for a slightly different purpose. I emply a differential heat treatment, but that will be informed by the camp knife's intended use - not a katana's intended use. To wit, the guard shoulders on a hidden tang blade can form a slight stress-riser, and the spine may, on occasion, be subjected to impact stress when batoning through a piece of firewood. Therefore, I will either fully harden the blade and draw back the spine and ricasso, or I will clay the blade and leave these areas soft. I might even try to make it look cool, because ASS. :D And I'm confident that even a Samurai would I agree that I build a pretty kickass camp knife, well designed and perfectly suited for its intended purpose.

Similarly, when I build a large chopper, or a kitchen knife, or a fighter, an entirely different set of rules will apply, where once again function and performance will take precedence over some out of context, sycophantic historical deference or misappropriated cultural sensitivity, dammit.

Very well then; carry on...
 
Little story about STeven; I posted one of my son Kyle's knives here a couple years ago and STeven hammered it because the hamon
was so high. I didn't get all bunched up about it and thanked him for his comments.

A little bit later the phone rang and it was STeven, he wanted to order one of Kyle's just like I posted, but with a 'proper' hamon. Kyle
delivered it at the next Blade Show and Steven Liked it. He also gave Kyle a box full of stabilized wood. I'll never forget this.

Steven is a good dude for sure, but he says what is on his mind and it ruffles some feathers. It is all good! :)
 
STeven's a good dude. I consider him a real friend. He's also incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, and I genuinely enjoy the discussions we have, be they face to face, on the phone, or here on this forum. Indeed I feel greatly enriched by our interactions and enjoy being able to share my own opinions and perspectives with him. My post above was intended only to add to an already interesting discussion.

All of us, whether collectors, users, designers or makers, have our own preferences in aesthetic, form, and function. In our chosen field there's plenty of room for all of us.

Let me also add that I like Australians :) That Will Morrison fella is a great knifemaker and a really good guy to boot. I recently asked him a few questions about his polishing techniques and he was very generous with his time and knowledge. I'm glad to have seen his name mentioned in this thread as a maker to watch.
 
So,

I'd like to start of by pointing out the obvious.....those that accuse me of name dropping are missing the extremely humorous point that this thread was started by name dropping......me! LOL

The very core of things is that I hold the Japanese aesthetic quite dear for many reasons, and truly appreciate my great friends understanding that and sharing their own thoughts about it.

Specifically Don Hanson, who I have known well for more time than I care to think about and has often disagreed with me and never disrespected and hope that is returned, because it has always been valued. I own his knives and cherish them....and Derrick Wulf, who started off as the same as many, not liking me too much, and became one of my dearest friends...can only hope to own one of his knives at some point.

Change for the sake of change is anathema to me. That said, can see the writing on the wall, and will fade back and let it all be, as Springsteen sang about in JungleLand.

Shine on you Crazy Diamonds!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
^^^ This lemonade is delicious! :thumbup:

STeven, those of us who know you well are chuckling and rolling our eyes. I know where you are coming from, and your style of communication has (always) been brusque and incredibly insightful at best :eek:, and callous and single-minded at worst. :grumpy:

I extract the informative pieces and stand clear of the keyboard for anything else.

Behind every keyboard, including yours, is a real human being.

Steven is as generous and caring a person as can be. I am a fanboi. But, it depends upon who you ask. :p LOL!

Excuse me I have to shoot some ASSkicking knives soon....

Coop
 
STeven helped me a lot when I was getting started with hamons...STeven, could you explain why the Spencer Clark bowie is historically incorrect? It seems to be below the halfway mark and carries out to the tip with a hardened clip so where do you take issue with it? I think I may know but would like to hear your thoughts.
A note from experience with hamons on western style knives...Japanese blades are ground differently. As a rule western blades, especially those with hamon, are ground higher up the blade than their eastern counterparts. This results in a thinner cross-section. If the hamon were carried as low as is acceptable on a Japanese blade it would result in a knife that could easily take a set during hard use. Personally I like the hamon a bit lower than halfway with the ashi lines trailing down from there. A hardened clip also adds some spring to the blade as well as allowing the clip to be sharpened.
My 2 cents:)

Here's a photo to demonstrate what I'm talking about ;)
16599500089_7bddabe880_c.jpg
[/url]150310_Ben_Seward_012 by Caleb Royer Photography, on Flickr[/IMG]
 
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I believe Kohai999 had a Friday evening "burp". I learned at the mental hospital to avert my eyes and ignore behavior from people who are having a bad hour, day, week, month...

I do agree that a hamon on a folder serves no purpose other than ornamentation and often even that is done poorly and quikly becomes hackneyed.

Plus, I don't know squat about Japanese traditions, but I have eyes, and a lot of the makers doing westernized Japanese "styles" are sadly creating crap with their talent.

But hey you got to put food on the table and shoes on the kid, so why care about tradition or asthetic? Remember our discussion on the Golden Mean :)

I don't have much money for custom knives, but when I do loosen the purse strings, I recently discovered most of my money has been going to new work from makers who are listed in Levine's guide from the 1990s. The makers are old, but the designs are new or not in their main stream.

I like Kyle Hansons work too :)
 
brownshoe said:
I believe Kohai999 had a Friday evening "burp". I learned at the mental hospital to avert my eyes and ignore behavior from people who are having a bad hour, day, week, month...

I do agree that a hamon on a folder serves no purpose other than ornamentation and often even that is done poorly and quikly becomes hackneyed.

Plus, I don't know squat about Japanese traditions, but I have eyes, and a lot of the makers doing westernized Japanese "styles" are sadly creating crap with their talent.

But hey you got to put food on the table and shoes on the kid, so why care about tradition or asthetic? Remember our discussion on the Golden Mean :)

I don't have much money for custom knives, but when I do loosen the purse strings, I recently discovered most of my money has been going to new work from makers who are listed in Levine's guide from the 1990s. The makers are old, but the designs are new or not in their main stream.

I like Kyle Hansons work too :)
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You probably are right brownshoe, I helped stir the pot on this one and I probably shouldn't have. That much being said this did however turn out to be a pretty cool ASS thread.:D
 
S.Alexander said:
I haven't noticed, but has anyone mentioned Marc Aldrich? I have been extremely impressed with his attention to detail and craftsmanship. However, I think he only makes 2 or 3 knives a year :p

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Thanks for the mention Shane. I think yours is the only list I'm on. :D But you HAD to call me out for being slow as molasses, right?


PS. I'm on pace to finish 4 knives this year!
 
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