All Custom Knives Pages - iKnife Collector2024-03-28T23:06:31Zhttps://iknifecollector.com/group/knifemakersgroup/page/page/list?sort=mostRecent&feed=yes&xn_auth=noTopic: R.W. Lovelesstag:iknifecollector.com,2013-04-05:3181080:Page:8261362013-04-05T12:08:55.284ZJan Carterhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JanCarter
<p>iKnife Collector<br></br> Hosted by Gus Marsh<br></br>
Topic: R.W. Loveless<br></br>
March 6, 2013<br></br>
Robert Waldorf Loveless – The Inventor with a thousand talents<br></br>
Bob Loveless or R.W. Loveless, was an American knife maker who designed and<br></br>
popularized the hollow ground drop point blade and the use of full tapered tangs<br></br>
and screw type handle scale fasteners within the art of knifemaking.<br></br>
Before Bob Loveless, a straight knife consisted of a blade on one side, a handle<br></br>
on the other, and…</p>
<p>iKnife Collector<br>
Hosted by Gus Marsh<br>
Topic: R.W. Loveless<br>
March 6, 2013<br>
Robert Waldorf Loveless – The Inventor with a thousand talents<br>
Bob Loveless or R.W. Loveless, was an American knife maker who designed and<br>
popularized the hollow ground drop point blade and the use of full tapered tangs<br>
and screw type handle scale fasteners within the art of knifemaking.<br>
Before Bob Loveless, a straight knife consisted of a blade on one side, a handle<br>
on the other, and a guard in the middle, the whole ensemble carried in a leather<br>
sheath. However well made it was, it was just a functional object, what some<br>
would call a tool.<br>
Loveless was born on 2 January 1929 in Warren, Ohio. When he was 14, he<br>
altered his birth certificate and joined the Merchant Marine and later served as an<br>
Air Corps control tower operator on Iowa Jima. He witnessed a number of knife<br>
fights in the bars of foreign ports, which he attributed to giving him an interest in<br>
knives.<br>
In 1950 Loveless attended Chicagos Armour Institute of Technology (later<br>
renamed Illinois Institute of Technology) and took a course taught by the architect<br>
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In 1951 he returned to Ohio and studied literature<br>
and sociology at Kent State.<br>
In December 1953, Loveless returned to the Merchant Marine on a tanker based<br>
in New York. Loveless visited Abercrombie & Fitch in New York City in order to<br>
purchase a Randall Made knife. After learning there was a nine-month wait for<br>
the knife he wanted, he decided to make his own. He ground his first blade from<br>
a 1937 Packard Automobile spring found in a Newark, New Jersey junkyard and<br>
forged it on the oil-fired galley stove of the ship on which he was serving. After<br>
showing this homemade knife to the head of the Abercrombie & Fitch cutlery<br>
department he formed a relationship with the retailer to sell his knives.<br>
The materials were traditional, with the shapes varying according to the use for<br>
which it was intended, but there had been nothing new under the sun for many<br>
along decade.<br>
From 1954 to 1960 Loveless made over one thousand knives called “Delaware<br>
Maids” and they became Abercrombie & Fitchs best selling handmade items, out<br>
selling the Randall blades. Loveless admitted that these knives were copies of<br>
Randalls designs, but by 1960 he began making his own innovations, which set<br>
them apart. With Loveless, the humble knife was suddenly raised to the rank of art, and its<br>
standing soared, heralding a new era. How on earth did this man, go about<br>
revolutionizing a field that was an integral, almost institutionalize part of American<br>
culture?<br>
Loveless was a founding member of the Knifemakers Guild in 1970 and served<br>
as the clubs first Secretary. Loveless would go on to serve two terms as the<br>
Guilds president from 1973 to 1976.<br>
A very active bladesmith, Loveless cut blades according to the orders he<br>
received. His production, of the highest quality, was not really any different from<br>
what other craftsmen were offering. The first idea he had was to develop a vast<br>
catalog that would include all types of knife. His second idea consisted of<br>
proposing sheaths that were not manufactured in advance, but designed<br>
according to the morphology and habits of the user, so that the handle would be<br>
immediately within reach.<br>
A collector of pens, he had learned what made the difference between standard<br>
quality and truly beautiful manufacture. So he turned toward highly quality<br>
finishing, down to the tiniest details, setting prices that no longer bore and<br>
relation to those of his competitors. But to get himself known he also needed an<br>
individual style and unusual materials. He thus fathers new forms, including the<br>
“drop point” and the “semi-skinner” which were soon copied, as one might have<br>
expected.<br>
Loveless also introduced surgical steels for the blades, 154CM and 440C, as well<br>
a previously unknown materials for the handles, Micarta, originally intended for<br>
the aeronautical industry. These steels are very hard and particularly tricky to<br>
grind, but the cutting edge is long lasting. In addition, such hardness enables<br>
very fine grinding, as well as a mirror polish previously impossible to obtain. As<br>
for Micarta, it is robust, rot-proof, waterproof and available in different colors as<br>
well as varying fineness of grain, enabling superb shimmer effects. Loveless<br>
always considered himself a “Bench Maker” as apposed to a “Custom Maker” in<br>
that he only made knives from patterns that he designed instead of ideas that<br>
came from his customers. The only input Loveless would receive from a<br>
customer would be regarding the type of handle material used in the knifes<br>
construction.<br>
Loveless produced relatively few, proposed special numbered series and got<br>
himself known all over the world, where his creations are vigorously sought after<br>
for high prices. He even went as far as perfecting different logos to add a touch of<br>
spice and entice collectors. Loveless marked his blades by acid etching his logo<br>
on the blade as “R.W. Loveless, Maker, Riverside, California”. Some of his knives<br>
carried the image of a reclining nude woman. Most of his contemporaries<br>
stamped their logo on their knives using a power hammer or other device. Loveless believed this stamping could compromise the strength of the knife by<br>
causing stress fractures in the steel.<br>
Loveless made fighting knives and is considered to be the first maker to produce<br>
what is known as a “Tactical Knife”. However, Loveless refused to sell a<br>
customer one of his fighting knives unless the buyer could provide either police or<br>
military identification and could require a knife as a weapon. Loveless made<br>
knives for use by US Army Special Forces and the CIA. One such knife was the<br>
size and shape of a pocket comb and fit inside a passport case. When the case<br>
was thrown, the blade cut through the case and sliced into whatever it hit.<br>
Loveless designed the Gerber Guardian knife model for Gerber Knives and for a<br>
time was Gerbers lead designer. Loveless went on to design knives for other<br>
factories such as Lone Wolf, Beretta, Schrade Cutlery and others. Cold Steel<br>
makes a reproduction of his “Big Bear Classic” fighting knife. Loveless had been<br>
a participating maker from 1993 to 2006 at the Art Knife Invitational Show, which<br>
is a closed association of the 25 most collectible knifemakers.<br>
Before Loveless, the profession was in no way structured, with cutlers displaying<br>
their creations at arms shows. Loveless breathed a dynamism into the trade,<br>
resulting in the craftsmen forming their own guild, which enabled a charter to be<br>
drawn up and shows to be organized that focused exclusively on handmade<br>
knives. These shows were a godsend, not only for collectors, but also for the<br>
bladesmiths themselves who, apart from being able to get to know their clientele,<br>
were able to see what their fellows were doing, get advice and exchange ideas.<br>
Loveless authored several books on making knives such as the 1977 “How to<br>
Make Knives” with coauthor Richard Barney. For his many influences in custom<br>
knife design and promoting the art of handmade knives, Loveless was inducted<br>
into the Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame at the 1985 Blade Show in<br>
Knoxville, Tennessee.<br>
Loveless died 2 September 2010, aged 81, of lung cancer at his longtime home<br>
in Riverside, California.<br>
Yes, Bob Loveless certainly ushered in a new are for American handmade<br>
knives. That is how this man with the colorful cap was immediately copied, in<br>
both form and material, but it is he who has become a legend, and he is<br>
irreplaceable.<br>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Loveless">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Loveless</a><br>
<a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=58507055">http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=58507055</a></p> CHAT: Tony Bose, Custom Knife Makertag:iknifecollector.com,2013-04-05:3181080:Page:8261352013-04-05T11:58:25.320ZJan Carterhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JanCarter
<p>iKnife Collector<br></br> Hosted by Gus Marsh<br></br>
Topic: Tony Bose, Custom Knife Maker<br></br>
March 20, 2013<br></br>
Tony Bose comes from humble beginnings in the west-central Indiana town of<br></br>
Hymera. He suffered an injury to his right eye at the age of six and his family<br></br>
endured hard economic times throughout his childhood. When Tony became old<br></br>
enough to work, he encountered many obstacles due to his partial blindness. As<br></br>
it turned out, that childhood injury and his love of "pocket…</p>
<p>iKnife Collector<br>
Hosted by Gus Marsh<br>
Topic: Tony Bose, Custom Knife Maker<br>
March 20, 2013<br>
Tony Bose comes from humble beginnings in the west-central Indiana town of<br>
Hymera. He suffered an injury to his right eye at the age of six and his family<br>
endured hard economic times throughout his childhood. When Tony became old<br>
enough to work, he encountered many obstacles due to his partial blindness. As<br>
it turned out, that childhood injury and his love of "pocket knives" became a<br>
catalyst in making Tony who he is today and his knives some of the most coveted<br>
hand made knives today.<br>
Tony started making knives in 1972 after many years of repairing knives for extra<br>
money. He made his first folder in 1975. To date he has made over 48 different<br>
patterns based on knives from the old cutlery companies. Tony says, "I don't<br>
design knives, I bring old knives back from the grave." Tony's forte is just that;<br>
bringing old knives back to life but with all the improvements that modern<br>
materials and superior craftsmanship offer.<br>
Tony's reputation as a master cutler of traditional folding knives was recognized<br>
and rewarded in 1998 with his hiring as consultant to the W.R.Case & Sons<br>
Cutlery Co. Tony provides a level of expertise with pocketknives that could easily<br>
have been lost but he shares the information openly with anyone who wants to<br>
learn.<br>
Tony Bose, custom knifemaker, & W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery have announced<br>
the “Norfolk” as the 2009 Case/Bose Collaboration knife.<br>
The first Norfolk was created by Joseph Rogers for the Great Exhibition at the<br>
Crystal Palace in London, England in the 1850s. With 75 blades, and 2-3 in<br>
length, it made quite the impression at the Great Exhibition.<br>
Rogers knife company, Norfolk Knives, was located on Norfolk Street and that is<br>
where the name of the knife is derived from.<br>
In production as a regular pocketknife of that era, the Norfolk came in numerous<br>
blade configurations, and various sizes, but always maintained its distinctive<br>
shape.<br>
That distinctive shape, along with the Wharncliffe blade, piqued Boses interest<br>
and resulted in his recreating this pattern with Case XX. The Case/Bose Norfolk will retain the classic shape of the original Norfolk in a<br>
length of 3 ”, with “Made in America” 154-CM steel Wharncliffe and clip blades,<br>
riding on a single back spring.<br>
Bose says hes always liked the Norfolk & Wharncliffe blade combination…”Its<br>
just handy to have around…you can do just about anything with it, good solid<br>
blade to use & being on a single back spring makes it very thin, easy to carry in<br>
your pocket. And then when you need the clip blade the “ease” in the handle<br>
makes it easy to access.”<br>
In the Bose/Case Collaboration there will be “half stops” on the blades, a great<br>
safety feature but they also provide better action and thus the reason they are<br>
preferred by Bose.<br>
Bose particularly wanted to point out that the 154-CM steel used in these blades<br>
is “Made in America” with a Double Vacuum Smelting process (a process not<br>
normally used abroad).<br>
“This process makes the 154-CM cleaner than what you could get abroad,<br>
theres no slag, and it finishes real nice without freckles or specks.” Being a tad<br>
particular about his steel, Tony is especially happy with this 154-CM.<br>
“And hey did you know,” he adds, “this 154-CM is what they make jet engine<br>
parts out of. It will work at 1000º without losing its temper.” Impressive.<br>
Tony says its always a challenge to put two blades on a single back spring. One<br>
side of each blade must have an offset grind so blades can pass each other, but<br>
the end result is a thinner overall piece, making for a more comfortable knife in<br>
your pocket, which is a just and fitting description for the Norfolk, a very<br>
comfortable knife in your pocket.<br>
While we had Tony cornered, we told him we already knew that making knives<br>
was his passion and his most favorite thing to do…BUT… what about when hes<br>
not making knives? What would be his passion?<br>
“Well,” he replied in that drawl that is undeniably Tony, “my vocation is making<br>
knives and my hobby is messing with knives. I just love them, love everything<br>
about them.”<br>
Now for any and all who know Tony…theres no surprise there.<br>
Thats why his knives are so highly sought after; each one has a bit of Tony<br>
within. Besides his obvious interest in knife making, Tony is also an avid sports fan.<br>
Reese Bose, the oldest of the three Bose kids, was an enterprising young man<br>
while he was still in school. He established a knife sharpening business in the<br>
third grade. The teacher would collect all the knives that the other children<br>
brought to school and hold them till school let out. It was clear even back then<br>
that Reese would be involved in the knife making business when he grew up.<br>
Tony says that, "I have helped a lot of guys figure out how to make pocket<br>
knives, but Reese is the only one I have taught". It's apparent that Reese has<br>
been taught well. Reese joined his father in the workshop in 1993 and has<br>
established himself as an accomplished knife maker.<br>
Even though working together only several feet apart at Wilfred Works (that's<br>
what the boys call their knife shop), there is a difference in the way Reese goes<br>
about making a knife. Reese has a style that is uniquely his own and the<br>
attention to detail that serves him and his customers well.<br>
Reese's free time activities include horsing around (horseback riding and caring<br>
for his trusty pal Tonto), hunting, keeping his old pickup running, and starting fires<br>
with sticks and strings (which he has perfected).</p>