Folding Knives and a Trip to Alice Springs
In a couple of weeks we're heading to Alice Springs to spend some more time with François and Anika, this time concentrating on making folding knives.
I've had a go at folding knives before.
Four of them, in fact.
Hunting for Old Knives
One of the pleasures of travelling is never quite knowing what you'll bring home.
For years now, whenever Vicki and I have been away, we've made a habit of wandering through antique shops, junk shops and little second-hand stores. Sometimes we find nothing at all. Sometimes we discover something that becomes part of our lives for years afterwards.
We all collect something.
An Iranian Kitchen Knife
One of the unexpected pleasures of making knives is that people seem to start giving you knives.
Very early in my knife-making journey I was giving away most of the knives I made. Looking back, that was probably just as well—they were far from perfect—but every one taught me something.
On one of our regular trips to Bruny Island to run our annual photography workshop with Richard and Susie Bennett, I took along one of those early knives as a gift.
Father's Day Knives
Father's Day is only a month away, and I'm currently working on a few commissions, along with a couple of extra knives for those people who, like me, occasionally leave things until the last minute.
A Knife for Strawberries
My son-in-law works as a safety officer at a berry farm and, as a consequence, occasionally gets to bring home some of the “reject” berries
Good Intent
My mate Richard Bennett, photographer, sailor, all round good bloke , turned 80 last year and I wanted to make something special for him. Richard has been a great supporter of my knife making efforts and is constantly on the lookout for bits of timber that might be suitable for knife handles.
A Little Bit of the Forge
I bought a piece of san mi steel at a sale . This is a sandwich of two different types of steel, a high carbon core with an other cladding of stainless steel that results in a knife with stainless sides but a easily sharpened carbon cutting edge.
British Cavalry sword
Growing up in London in the 1960’s, we lived in Fulham, back in the days when it was working class, and filled with immigrants and council houses.
Steak Knives for Vicki
Responding to a request from my wife Vicki, I put together this set of steak knives using AEB-L stainless steel with huon pine handles.
21st knife and left handed gift
My brother Peter gave me a beautiful French style chefs knife for my 21st birthday that I still use to this day. for over 40 years it has been the main knife in my kitchen, and a few years ago I was able to replace the handle which had seen better days. …
Broken Bowie to Sgian Dubh
When I was about 18, I had a great Bowie knife. No idea what happened to it but I have never forgotten it and when I started knife making, the design of that Bowie was never far from my thoughts.
Cooks knife
A little bit smaller than a traditional chefs knife with an all rounder style blade, this cooks knife will take most jobs in the kitchen…
Knife drawer
When we renovated our kitchen I decided that there should be a drawer dedicated just to knives.
Custom knife for Mum.
Last time she visited, my Mum was telling me that she had trouble using the kitchen knives that she had because her arthritis made the slim handles difficult to grasp, so we decided to work together to create a knife that fitted her hand and the way she liked to use a knife in the kitchen….
A Knife from Argentina — A Gift and an Appreciation
South America is still on my To Do List! but when I saw this Argentinian goucho knife in a local store…
A Knife for a Wedding — And a Lifetime After
When my youngest daughter Laura was getting married , I wanted to make a knife for them to cut their wedding cake with and which could then become a part of their lives and their shared history….
Sri Lankan Kastane
When we left Sri Lanka in 1975 my Dad bought a lot of antique furniture and cultural items to take a piece of Sri Lanka with him when we moved to Australia . I went with him on many of his foraging trips to various antique dealers around Colombo, and at one of them I saw this sword and fell in love with it….