7/1/2007
My apologies to everyone who has been checking the web site for this newsletter. Mary and I have been out of town on a little vacation trip and I should have posted this newsletter before we left town. We spent a few days in Jamesport, Missouri, going through antique stores and Amish craft shops. We came back with Mary’s SUV loaded with “treasures”. As we live in a log house, we like to decorate with antiques and hand made items. It’s probably a good thing that we didn’t take the pick-up. There’s no telling what we might have brought back had we had more space to haul stuff.
As you may already know, the Blade show in Atlanta was GREAT for me. Not only having passed the Master Bladesmith test there, but I also sold five knives and took orders for three more knives. Since the show, I have had several more knife orders placed. At this time, my delivery timeline for custom orders is about one year. I will also make a few knives to take to knife shows that I attend and if they do not sell at the show, I will place them on the “Knives Available” page of this web site.
I currently have three knives available for immediate sale. They are shown on the “Knives Available” page. The two Bowie knives are the last knives that I have that have the Journeyman Bladesmith stamp on them. I would like to move these knives out of my inventory, so I would consider any reasonable offer to purchase them. The dagger that I submitted for the Master Bladesmith test is also for sale. I have had it listed at the price of $5,000.00, but would be willing to sell it for $4,000.00 now. I priced it high at first because I wanted to keep it in my possession for a little while. That was probably not a good idea, since reducing the price now does not give a good impression of the value of my work. Another lesson learned by me…….
At this time, I am working on a new Bowie knife to add to my knife model line. This knife is a small “fighter” type Bowie, with a 7 inch blade. This knife has 19th century styling and is designed as an “up-scale” piece. I should have the first one finished soon and I will have it pictured on the “Knife Model” page.
I completed a lock-back folder that I intend to have as one of my model knives, but it was one of the knives that sold at the Blade Show. I didn’t have time to photograph it separately, so the only picture that I have of it is the composite photo of the knives that I submitted for the Master’s test (shown in the Knife Gallery). The folder has a bit of a tactical look to it, but with flowing lines instead of hard edges like most tacticals. It is a lock-back with front release for one hand operation. The liners and bolsters are milled from solid stainless steel.
I’ve caught up on the back-log of gun work that was waiting while I worked on the knives for the Mastersmith test. At this time, I am spending about two days a week working on guns and the rest of the week working on knives.
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