
When I first began making knives, I was impressed and inspired by the works of many of the great makers
of that time. I was especially drawn to the works of Don Fogg, Steve Schwartzer and Pierre Revardi.
The idea of using different colored steels to make "pictures" in a knife blade is what inspired me to
make my first damascus knife.
The only "pictures" I was able to make at that time were simple
"wood grain", "random" and "twist" patterns. I had lots of "ideas" of how to go about making real pictures
- I just didn't have the tools or skills, nor the time to do anything about it. I was working a full
time job and had only a couple hours on the weekends to devote to knife-making.
Well, eleven years
later, I had developed good skills in forge welding and working with different "knife steels". Contemporary
pattern welded "damascus" became "easy". I no longer had "cold shuts" or "flux inclusions" (common flaws
in pattern welding), and I could produce many differnt "patterns" in damascus knives. I had also been
making knives full time for five years.
Early summer of 2007, I decided it was time to bring my
"dream" of pictures in steel into a reality. Using hand tools (I don't own a power press or milling machine),
I started working with one of my "ideas" to make recognizable "pictures" in a knife blade.
It
is now early November, 2007. Below are some examples of what I have produced to date. These blades
were produced using only the common tools which can be found in most bladesmith/knife-making shops; forge,
anvil and hammer, drill press, hand held rotary tools, belt sander, files and sand paper. Maybe someday
I'll get a press and a real mill - I think it would make things easier.
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