Favorite knife

[Buffalo Bif]

I have answered this question before- my favorite knife is generally the one i have in my hand. This is my fav today, handle carved and painted basswood by R Cahill, blade is Harley Stubby by Pinewood Forge. I have some requirements for the size and taper for a knife handle, but I don\'t care much about the details since I only use it for steering when I whittle, power all comes from my left thumb against the back of the blade. This blade has a great polish, low angle, and a thick spine- very comfortable to use.

[Northwest29]

Re: Favorite knife

Interesting, nice design - thought you made your own blades. Did you stop doing so?

[Buffalo Bif]

Re: Favorite knife

I did not stop. Always trying to improve my blades, my research led me to believe a forged blade could have advantages over stock removal blades. I bought this blade to try a forged blade and started learning to forge. I am not done learning yet....

[Nomad]

Re: Favorite knife

I can see what that would be a favorite. Very neat handle and Pinewood Forge blades are top notch.

[Steev]

Re: Favorite knife

Well seeing as we are showing favourite knives, this is mine.
I made this detail knife with a piece of hack saw blade when I got sick of my Flexcut detail knife and the long blade cutting places I did not want. The handle is a couple of pieces of pallet wood with a slot milled in for the blade and a piece of dowel to pin the blade in. I shaped the blade by carving off anything that was not comfortable in my hand. It needed to be close to round as I tend to cut a lot of curved recesses and roll the knife as I cut to achieve it.
detail_knife.jpg

[joepaulbutler]

Re: Favorite knife

The mother of necessity. I do the same thing, when I want a knife to do a certain thing, I shape the metal put it in an handle, and use it, usually more that just once.
Good job on your knife. . . JoeB

[Paul_Guraedy]

Re: Favorite knife

Interesting thread as this was a topic of discussion at the club meeting this a.m. A variety of knives were shown as I sat, listened, and continued carving on a snowy owl.

Finally, the guy sitting next to me asked, Paul, what is your favorite knife?

I simply held up the one I was using. A bench or Murphy knife. He reached in his bag, dug around, and finally pulled out his \"Murphy\" knife. He said, I do not use it much; but this is my first knife when I started carving a few years back.

We held them together and his wife observed, Paul, your blade is not as wide as his.

I replied, It was in 1980 when I purchased it. It was shipped off to Little Shavers a couple of times to be resharpened. I have about 14 knives and the two here with me today are the ones I use most. One is a Ron Wells and the other this beginners knife. Thirty six years of use tends to wear it down a bit. If this ever gives out, I will purchase one just like it.

[Nomad]

Re: Favorite knife

It\\\'s really tough to choose a favorite knife but probably the knife I pick up most often is this one by Dave Lyons.

lyons1b.jpg

[Tom Ellis]

Re: Favorite knife

For now these are my two favorite knives. A Personna straight blade with a golf club handle, and the Buck Smidgen with an Amboyna wood handle.

The carving is Hammacks pattern from the last CCA book.

Tom

[Nomad]

Re: Favorite knife

Tom, I can\'t think of a better use for that Smidgen. Beautiful knife. Great carving too!

[Butch_Speer]

Re: Favorite knife

Unless I\\\\\\\'m using a Harley knife for flat plane, I\\\\\\\'ve been using a Don Mertz Helvie Dragon Bee II. Seems like the curved edge fits my style best.

Dragon Bee II.jpg

[bowinhand]

Re: Favorite knife

I use a Pinewood forge regular Slojd for most of carving and flexcut detail knife for the detail. I\'d like to build one out of a smidgen, but I didn\'t think it would give me enough flex for detail. I have a couple here waiting to be modified.

[Bob K.]

Re: Favorite knife

My favorite knives are knives that were custom made for me by Tom Ellis. The first knife has a coobilah wood handle, the second knife has a vera wood handle, the third knife has a bloodwood handle, the fourth knife has a laminate handle with a personna blade, and the fifth knife is a Helvie knife that was custom made for me which I have been using a lot lately.

[Nomad]

Re: Favorite knife

Is there anything Tom can\'t do?? Great looking knives!

Butch, that Helvie is pretty neat. Evidently the ones I have are \"first generation.\" I didn\'t know Don had designed a second gen line. The handles have an interesting curve to them.

[Bob K.]

Re: Favorite knife

Yes, Terry, Tom makes some beautiful knives. They cut like a knife through hot butter and the custom handles fit in my hand like a glove! Thanks, Tom!