From the desk of the Chairman of the Board of the American Bladesmith Society

The 9th ABS Knife Exposition is a full fledge knife Exposition with close to 100 tables of forged blades. There will be knife making classes, venders, ABS Stamp judging, a banquet, a raffle and auction. There will be a makers choice award for the Best of Show. And above all outstanding forged blades will be available for the descriminating collector as well as using knives for the sportsman.

To make this an outstanding and memorable event, I am asking the table holders to make a special knife or knives of their choosing to be made especially for the 2012 San Antonio Exposition. The knives can be pictured and described by you in a special Album in the ABS Forum Gallery. Each maker should describe the knife and take pictures, still or moving, of the knife and how it was made. In addition, these pictures can be posted by the table holders on the forums and their YouTube Channel so that the collectors may have a sneak preview of the Expo.

To get this idea started I am in the process of recreating two knives from the past for the Expo. The first is one of the largest antique Bowies that I have had the honor of holding. It belongs to William Myers.The blade is nearly 14 inches long and belonged to Thomas Wells of Nashville, TN. Thomas was born in 1802 in Virginia but was raised near Nashville. He trained as a druggist and aphothacarist and early in his career became a respected and successful businessman who counted among his weathy clients, Andrew Jackson.

This knife was described in a Butterfield & Butterfield auction catalog as a:"Rare Silver Mounted Bowie Knife American , Circa 1835, The 13 5/8 inch clip point blade with bevelled sharpened false edge and Spanish notch. Silver mounted hilt inscribed T. Wells on pommel cap and Nashville on ferrule. Silver quillons and chain knuckle bow, incised carved ivory scales. The original silver scabbard with delicate engraved wavy lines and festoons on either side' Inscribed near the throat T. Wells and Nashville. The reverse mounted with belt loop."

Original Big Bowie Pictures

Knife & Sheath

Handle

Clip

Bottom View

The second knife is a rare American front opening lockback dirk folder made by Samuel Jackson of Baltimore, Md. This exceptional example of the early American Cutler is owned by Mark Zalesky.This 5 inch long closed ivory mounted pocket knife is like no other that I have seen. The blade and spring are 1/4 of an inch wide. It is a lift front opening lock without a lock bar. The spring is also the lockbar. The rear spring support is silver wire inlayed horn. Samuel Jackson made knives from 1833-1870.

Original Jackson Folding Dirk Pictures

Right side view

Left side view

Top view

End view

See Thomas Wells Antique Bowie - CLICK: Work in Progress

Thank You,

James Batson

ABS President