I started a post last year around this time asking what everyone thought their best work of the year was. It went so well and I found it so inspiring, I figured I would do so again this year. so here it goes.. I had a great year and I made many piece that I could include but these are what I feel are important. In order of completion
a sword in the style of a 14thc type XV boarding on a xvii this sword was made in a class with peter johnson and is a benchmark piece. This sword expanding my understanding of this swords in so many ways.
this katana was a commision , it is based on my winning sword from FIF, this one again is a bit of a benchmark for me. The inlay and engraving in the tsuba is some of the best work I done, the over all form is not one I revel in but I enjoyed again mixing the my western sensibilities with the austerity and clean lines that are the hallmark of Japanese swords.
A second sword in the style of type XV. this one was also significantly done in the class with peter johnson, including finalizing the design. the blade on this one is 500 layer randon and the fittings are wrought iron, with carnelians set in silver. this sword was an attempt to internalize what i learned from peter and incorporate it into what i have been doing. It also served to demonstrate that I did not grasp much of this as deeply and I wished but it still ends up as one on the nicest handling swords and most one of the most graceful that I have ever made.
Next up is a set commissioned by a client, this was one of the nicest job I have ever taken on. They told me what the had in mind based on a earlier purchase and let me run with it. The best sort of job and the single best way to get my best work..
a sword in the style of a 15thc bastard sword, type XVIII this sword was made in a second class with Peter Johnson,this sword is representative of truly internalizing what peter has taught me. it looks and feels like a true medieval sword. It is a bench mark on many levels, and a sword I am immensely satisfied with.
these two chefs, both were made back to back for the NYCKS, both are Mosaic damascus something I am only recently working more with, these two are representative of some of the direction I want to take my work. the angle bolster is something I picked up off of Mareko Maumasi (as well as some of the mosaic tricks) Mareko joined the shop last Aug, and has brought a renewed energy and curiosity to the shop, I think he is going to be a great fit and this new dynamic is going to be incredible for all of us. so i include these tow for that reason as much as because they are two of the nicest knives I have made.
I didn't so much as have a most favorite knife, but I did have a favorite Damascus.
It was the transition Damascus.
I always gravitated to its appearance when looking at JR Cook's rendition of it. At a knife show last year he was kind enough to talk me through it and I enjoyed making some immensely.
It's as if one pattern literally grows right out of the other.
I will be making another Bowie from that style for my first knife of 2017.
Karl B. Andersen
Journeyman Smith
I had two or three that I felt were close but this one is probably my favorite:
Well gentlemen, that was nothing if not an intimidating start to a thread...
Not that I can really compete with the previous posts, but here at any rate is my favorite knife of 2017.
Evan L. Cihak
I have to agree with Evan! Very intimidating to post here, but we all have to start somewhere.
I'm posting my first knife that I made when I got back from Afghanistan last year next to the wooden model that I made along with the sketch that I drew while I was deployed.
All of my previous stuff looked like kitchen knives with broom stick handles and then I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Master Smith Scott McGhee of Guinea Hog Forge.
I spent about four hours with him in November and brought a few of my projects. He inspected them and saw that I needed help with my grinding. He taught me a great free hand technique and then I was gone to Afghanistan for four months.
I came back and this is the first knife that I made. Although it does not compare to any of the beautiful work above, this was a major leap ahead for me. It's rough and I still have a long way to go, but I'm heading in the right direction now.
It's all about progress!
Great thread Matthew and already some beautiful and inspiring pieces of work on show. Here are two Bowies that I made this year that I am really pleased about. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the other knives that are posted
1. I did this Bowie earlier this year with a David Lisch style split ring guard.
2. This D-Guard was only completed a couple of weeks back.
Some of my favorites from 2017....
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
Blade is 11.5" of W's damascus. Damascus guard and Maple burl handle.
great knives guys thanks and keep them coming!
Maybe not in the last year but overall it is a toss up between these two. One a good hunting knife and the other was a large butcher knife. Both were comission pieces.
Maybe not in the last year but overall it is a toss up between these two. One a good hunting knife and the other was a large butcher knife. Both were comission pieces.
Bristol Bay Bowie
Here's one that I made & donated to Knife Rights that I thought turned out well:
This might be the year i made most of my knives so far, but only one is the one i like to boost about.
Made a similar blade last year but i forged to narrow the blade and so some of the dimensions wheren't "right"
On this one i did my best to grind and shape all the different parts,still far from what i would like to obtain but yeah....
4 alternated bars of twisted 15n20 an O2 G10 guard and ironwood
