Custom Knives?

[jbird]

Hey gang. I have been messing around with custom handles on knives. I have some extremely nice pieces of wood that are too small for my Flygrain products, but perfect for knife scales. I am leaning toward adding some "fishing knives" to my product line. I would be buying fixed blade blanks and folding kits to add my personal touch of interesting wood handles. Probably some artistic engravings too. I'm working on the idea of a small knife and flybox made from the same piece of beautiful wood to offer as a set. My question for any of you knife enthusiasts is, what kind of knife blade design do you like? Do you carry a fixed blade or a folder? I would like to offer just a few knife designs that appeal to fishermen.

Heres what I've been up to.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_8628_zps4b58a480.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_8628_zps4b58a480.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_8625_zps6a772e9b.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_8625_zps6a772e9b.jpg.html)

I made a kind of presentation box. Just fart'n around with ideas. Its made from similar spec's as my fly boxes but the inserts are foam, milled ou to fit the knife and covered with a jewelers fabric. This one I routed out a border and filled it with a liquid inlay like I have in the knife handle. The box is spalted maple.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_8613_zpsbe26eaa8.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_8613_zpsbe26eaa8.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_8621_zpsa9a49f7a.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_8621_zpsa9a49f7a.jpg.html)

[DLJeff]

You don't do anything half-assed do you, Jay? Beautiful, unique, ne-of-a-kind knives. And the presentation box just makes them that much more special (specialer?). No moss if growing under your router. Oh, I like a straight, simple drop-point style blade; not more than 4 inches long. But I use my knives so anything longer isn't needed for my uses.

[Mark Kranhold]

Those are gorgeous Jay!! I love knives and carry a folding one daily. For fishing I have been looking for the right size fix blade to strap to my wader suspender strap. I have always thought in a pinch if I were to get swept down a knife would be good to have to cut open the waders and hope to resurface. While hiking and backpacking I carry a fix blade. Any idea what you are going to sell those fix blades for?

[jbird]

Thanks guys :)

I dont have a set price yet but I do have some ideas. Obviously there are some up front costs for me depending on how much I pay for the steel. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING involved with building these handles is straight, hard labor. I could just follow the shape of the tang and sand it smooth and call it good. But thats not my style :) I like to work these until they fit in your hand with a certain, "Oh Yeah!" I'm also doing my own wood stabilizing now, which will open up a whole new world of crazy woods I can use. The examples I posted are buckeye burl that just had to be stabilized to be usable. I have about 4-5 hours of labor in each one and between $15-$50 invested in each knife blank. With that said I would guess theyd be something like $80 and up??

I really have some neat ideas for engravings too that would give some of my knives a fishing theme.

Heres something I had fun with for a kind of artsy fartsy knife display.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_8537_zps882640ae.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_8537_zps882640ae.jpg.html)



I am really fond of this one! This is Olive Burl, Arican Padauk (red stripe) and Curly Maple. The possibilities of cool combos abound!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_8632_zps47df5cbf.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_8632_zps47df5cbf.jpg.html)

This is one that I'm not crazy about. the steel is pretty cheap and the combat style is kinda weird. Got this blank for $10 so it was a fun experiment. Its a large heavy knife! But what I played with here is, I have stacks of highly exotic gorgeous veneers. I laminated 6 layers of contrasting veneers between figured black walnut (outer layer) and curly maple (inner layer) The results came out pretty much as I expected and has shown me the unreal potential to do this on some really nice knives.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_8647_zps50db9e36.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_8647_zps50db9e36.jpg.html)

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

You have a gift........thanks.

[Ben J]

Sweet Jesus

[FISHEYE]

WOW! If you came to some of the big shows in Anchorage at Christmas or the Sportsmens Show in the spring you could sell a truckload of those.

[TaylerW]

jay, if the blade in the 5th picture is for sale i will take it. are you including a sheath?

[jbird]

Taylor you have a PM

[EricO]

Wow, those are sweet.

You're the same type of guy I met in wood shop in junior high that created awesome stuff and got A's,
while guys like me were creating crap and getting C's. Lol. You do have a gift Jay.

EO

[beachjumper1]

Wow! do you ever go fishing? I collect and use bird and trout style. on my vest I carry an A.G. Russell . high art presentation knifes are a whole nuther world they tend to stay locked up. check out Blade magazine for more info. knives are like flyrods and fly tying "all consuming" and very costly.

[jbird]

Wow! do you ever go fishing?

I do. When theres open water. This whole region is frozen solid :(

[danyen]

I really like what you are doing and appreciate the craftsmanship...if you ever want to talk about custom belt sanders....send me a PM...really nice work...I'd like a quote on a 4" drop point with sheath...and I believe in "chefs choice" on the look and materials...

[donkeyhunter007]

Thats serious ART. Amazing craftsmanship. Thanks for posting.

[Mark Kranhold]

Here is a piece that I got from Jay! We talked about him making a sheath for it and Jay mentioned that he can draw about anything and could burn in the leather a figure, so I went for a Blue Heron. I absolutely love these birds and had a very interesting encounter with one that I actually saved and now resides in a zoo. To see a Blue Heron is a good omen and a very lucky sign, this bird is an expert fisher/hunter. Many Native Americans believed that sighting a heron before a hunt was a sign that the hunt would be a good one! Anyhow thanks for the beautiful work Jay! 852885298530

[jbird]

Mark. That sure is a pretty knife. That wood combo really works.

danyen, I have quite a few knife blanks in my office. I am up to my eyeballs in custom fly box orders right now, but I'd love to work with you on a nice knife if you'd like to contact me. jayspencer69@gmail.com