A hand made blade with a history
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2024 10:15 am
A bout 5 years ago, I met a felly at Lowes who was struggling to load lumber in his 1965 International PU. He was a very old and frail, so I jumped in to give him a hand to load things in the bed. While he was resting a bit we were chatting, and he told me he was in his early 90s. I asked if someone was at his house to help him unload, he said no his son lived out west. I did not ask where he lived and said I could follow him home to help him unload. I could see he was very skeptical, and I said I was retired USCG. I showed him my driver's license and ID and said did he have a smart phone and he said no. I asked if his son had a smart phone one and he said yes. I took a selfie of us with my driver's license and forwarded it to his son with an explanation. His son called me back and I handed the phone to his dad. So long story short I helped him out at his house for several years and made a great friend. He always offered to pay me, and I said no thanks that the payment was a good cup of coffee and conversation.
I asked him one day who made his knives as he has several all around the house. He said he did and had been doing on the farm since he was in his 20s. We went into a small shed where he had all his tools and a coal forge. He told me he started by shoeing horses and progressed to utility tools and knives and said his work was beautiful. I received a call from asking if I could come over and of course I said yes. After our chat and coffee, he gave me something wrapped up in the cloth. I opened it up and it was a 7" clip point bowie knife polished without a guard, pommel and handle. He said he could not finish it and it would be his last knife he could make.
Two weeks later I tried calling him and a strange voice answered the phone. I asked for Joe and the guy said he was his son. I provided my name and he said he was sorry to inform me his dad passed a day ago. I asked him if I could be informed of his arrangements and if I could come. His son asked if I could come by so we could meet, I said of course. When I got to his dad's house, he just gave me a big hug and thanked me for my help. I brought the knife with me and presented it to his son as it was the last one his dad made. He told me to keep it as his dad made it for me and was so happy his day had someone to help him out.
So, the knife sat around for a couple years, and I decided to finish it. I made the guard and pommel out of solid brass stock. I made the handle from solid walnut. The handle has a relief cut to fit inside the pommel and guard. I made a so, so black leather sheath for it and just finished up a new sheath worthy of the knife.
I asked him one day who made his knives as he has several all around the house. He said he did and had been doing on the farm since he was in his 20s. We went into a small shed where he had all his tools and a coal forge. He told me he started by shoeing horses and progressed to utility tools and knives and said his work was beautiful. I received a call from asking if I could come over and of course I said yes. After our chat and coffee, he gave me something wrapped up in the cloth. I opened it up and it was a 7" clip point bowie knife polished without a guard, pommel and handle. He said he could not finish it and it would be his last knife he could make.
Two weeks later I tried calling him and a strange voice answered the phone. I asked for Joe and the guy said he was his son. I provided my name and he said he was sorry to inform me his dad passed a day ago. I asked him if I could be informed of his arrangements and if I could come. His son asked if I could come by so we could meet, I said of course. When I got to his dad's house, he just gave me a big hug and thanked me for my help. I brought the knife with me and presented it to his son as it was the last one his dad made. He told me to keep it as his dad made it for me and was so happy his day had someone to help him out.
So, the knife sat around for a couple years, and I decided to finish it. I made the guard and pommel out of solid brass stock. I made the handle from solid walnut. The handle has a relief cut to fit inside the pommel and guard. I made a so, so black leather sheath for it and just finished up a new sheath worthy of the knife.