The Cutting Demonstration was sponsored by the American Bladesmith Society at its 4th New England Hammer-In at the New England School of Metalwork (NESM) earlier this month in Auburn, Maine.
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Before you can enter competitions like this one, you’ll need a “big kid” knife sharpening system. Check out the GATCO Natural Arkansas Sharpening Kit at ShopBlade.com. With practice, you’ll be able to hone the perfect edge for competition or other purposes.
Master Smith Daniel Warren demonstrates handle pin peening techniques on a Woodhead Bowie knife handle. For more information on bladesmithing techniques plea…
Fun Gun Gear Presents: “Treeman Knives”. Jim Behring Started out making Hand forged knives, but after a number a SEAL Team 4 members had him make their personal knives, he’s now making a complete line of High quality Combat knives for real world hostile enviorments. Interview at the 2012 Blade Show, Atlanta, GA.
The Knife Rights Awards Breakfast took place during the 2012 BLADE Show in Atlanta. Georgia State Senator William “Bill” Heath received the 2012 Freedom’s
Edge™ Award, and FOX News host SE Cupp spoke about knife rights.
Silver wire inlay is one of several forms of embellishment—along with scrimshaw, decorative filework, metal engraving and carving—used on knife handles. For me, none of these decorative enhancements should replace what the basic knife should be: a well-designed, functional, well-made tool using the best materials and workmanship possible. Take a knife with these criteria and add some form of embellishment and you have a piece that a collector, user or aficionado of fine cutlery would drool over and want to own.
Simply put, silver wire inlay serves no functional purpose, but it sure makes a knife look pretty if it is done well—with a good, artistic design and well-executed technical application.
My introduction to wire inlay was some years ago while building Golden Age flintlock rifles. Many rifles of the period were relief carved with silver wire accents. The transition from wirework on rifles to knives was a short step.
In this two-part series on wire inlay you will be introduced to the tools used in the process, pattern/design development, the procedure for inlaying silver wire and final finishing of the handle.
So often in undertaking a new aspect of knifemaking, a large financial outlay is required up front to get started. This is not so with silver wire inlay. You can make nearly all the basic tools you need on a modest budget.
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