Best of Show for Custom Kitchen Knives @ The Caliofrnia Custom knife Show 2013

This is the first time I have received an award for my knives and I felt really Blessed to have had this honor bestowed on me over this last weekend.
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It was really great to see all of you who were there & to visit more makers than I had the chance to at G5.

I invite you to take a look at this Blog post to see much better images of these knives.

I took a poor quality shot today in my shop of the knives and the award.....but just had to share with you all, and give...

>>>many thanks to The USN Crew, for all of your Love and Support,

>>and Thanks and Respect to Dan Delavan of Plaza Custom Cutlery for producing a really fun show!

>>> And Most of All I thank my Mentor Tai Goo for his continued Mentorship, Friendship and support. I would never be making knives if this level if it were not for his teaching me what he knows and being there for the technical assistance and supportive friendship that it takes to make fine knives of any kind. Thanks Tai!

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Blessings of Health and Goodness to All of You !

-DON:)

Two of the Finest Made to Date.....

...Well at least that's how I feel about these two knives.

TO ME these are the FINEST Stick-Tang Chef knives I have created to date.
Why?> Because of how they feel in the hand, the blades themselves, the handle design..... well just everything about these two just came out to be spot-on!

The W2 blades that heat treated out really wonderfully and the handles are a mortised construction of African Blackwood and Vintage Westinghouse Ivory Micarta.
>>>These two knives also represent the adaptation of the Wa-style handle that I tweaked into a new creation in terms of shape that I am very happy with and
will be applying on most of the stick tang knives I will be creating from now on.

I guess I just really like these two knives!

.....and know that they are going to be wicked performers for whoever get to own them.
They will be on my table at the Plaza Cutlery Show (California Custom Knife Show) next month.
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The blades are on the French knife 9" and on the Gyuto 9.25"
As stated the handles are African Blackwood and Westinghouse Micarta in a Mortised construction, with Matching inlay.
Etched surfaces show the differential heat treatment.
Fairly simple looking knives.......but.....

.............Simple is never simple!

Thanks for looking.

-DON:)

What's been Happening Since G5 ?

...Well I have been getting caught up on some orders, and making some more of the Tribal-Wrapped Chef Knives.

Lately I have been feeling like a vacation would be a fun thing....but only in my mind at this time I guess...

So First off I have two paring knives. one being my very first in Stainless Steel (AEBL aka > 13C26) and one in 1095.
Both of these were for customers, the one in AEBL with the desert Ironwood is going to a couple for their wedding present gifted by friends.
The One in African Blackwood is going to a local customer.

Next I have a variety of chef knives. All with etched surfaces, two with some interesting Hamon lines from clay heat treatments.
The top knives are in 52100, one with a mortised-construction composite handle of desert ironwood with matching inlay and super-kiln-baked maple burl.
Then one with African Blackwood with Honeydew G-10 inlay & rosin-impregnated tribal wrap.
....don't ask me about the "tribal" thing...it just sounds good and is sort of non-traditional for chef knives & I have been liking the look lately.

The two larger knives are both in desert ironwood with ebony inlay and rosin impregnated wrapping.
Each of these knives exhibit some interesting hamon lines.
I included a close-up of them for you to see.
Lots of alloy-banding as Tai calls it in the transition-zones.
To me it appears to, through the forging process and many many thermal cycles, to have developed a bit of a wootz-like patterning.

OK Enough Gab. Enjoy the images.

"knives take time to make">Period.

It was awesome to see who I did at The Gathering! I missed seeing lots of you because I was there solo.

>>>Note to self, do not do shows and sit your table SOLO.

Blessings of Goodness and Health to You All this Holiday Season

-DON:)

Walton Wedding Knife Set

This is a beautiful Set made for the Walton Family for their Pearl Wedding Anniversary.

The knives are forged to shape out of 1095 high carbon tool steel and exhibit walnut handles and pearl inlay. The blades took a particularly beautiful heat treatment line, and the whole package is just stunning! A BIG THANKS to Jennifer and her family:)