Hey Robert, we alone in here...Kinda fun huh!!  Looking forward to our regrowth

Hey Jan,

Thank you for the invitation to join you here.

By all means....ladies and gentlemen.....and now one old Desert Hermit.

(Neighborhood's going downhill already)!

Well I don't know about that Dave.  I got me a Cajun and a Desert Hermit.  I feel like I am in the best company around.

Mr. Dave Taylor, I would like to introduce Mr. Robert Burris, a wonderful gentlemen that I have had the opportunity to get to know here.  Mr. Burris, my very good friend Mr. Dave Taylor 

Robert,

A fresh start and the best two gentlemen on the block should do it

I am honored to meet you here Robert.

I'm sure we can help Jan make this group a fun place to visit.

Glad to make your aquaintance sir.

My feelings exactly.

They don't come any better than Jan.

And you're sure right.  Good = Good!

Dave,

I am hoping the spring wont be too tough in that new GEC 72.  I never could open a 23 but this blade makes this look like it may have the feel of a larger knife without the challanges for me.  I think Robert is right, it sure has the look of an classic knife pattern and I like that handle color also

With that large Spear blade I have every reason to believe it will function much the same as an Easy Open pattern knife.  Being a Lockback style of knife there is no strong spring to overcome in opening, and the lock does tend to wear-in with use making closing safe and easy.  I have been using my Wharncliffe blade #72 quite a bit and I don't even use the nail nick to open the blade.  It is that easy.

You will like the #72 Mini-Lockback, a good choice for Ladies and Gentlemen alike.  And that is an attractive handle as well.  A lot to like there.

Donnie can get that lock worked in for you.  An hour in front of the television locking and unlocking the knife repeatedly and he'll have it working butter smooth.  It is a precisely fitted lock that I personally admire.  Strong and safe!

We are all pleased to have you with us James

Welcome James.  Glad to have you here.

We were all beginners at one time and we're all still learning.

Come join us on this journey of discovery and sharing.

James,

That is an amazing article and knifemaker.

Welcome Jake DeBaud and thank you for joing us.  Come right on in and have some fun

Well team it appears that we are in for another name change.  NO DELETING ANYTHING THIS TIME JUST THE NAME CHANGE.   So lets take a vote.  Still want to reflect the mission

A place for Knife loving women to call home.  Women wanted - Men Welcome

Since this is all our home I say we ask for suggestions.  What do you all think?

Dellana,

Thank you so much for joining us.  I hope you have enjoyed reading our comments today as much as we have enjoyed your article and looking at your knives.

Thanks, Jan!!

Dellana,

Just realized your getting ready for the Blade show.  I cant wait to see your knives in person.  We are hoping to get more women interested in all aspects of knives.  As we started researching James Ivy shared the article on you with us.

Jan, in answer to a question I see posted, I must say I love this tag line "A place for Knife loving women to call home.  Women wanted - Men Welcome".  

I'm just a person who makes knives, rides a big motorcycle, and does many, many things that are usually thought of as "Gender Specific".  I let all that go a long, long time ago.  Let's just all have fun!!! 

:-)

What do you ride?

James,

Wow, I am with the guys my oven produces a lot of wonderful things but nothing like that.  It is a handsome knive for sure

As I begin to become more familiar with searching for information on women in the knife industry I am constantly amazed that 40 years as a collector, I did not realize what an impact the contributions of women have had in this industry. I came across this article in the Oregon Knife Collectors Newsletter. The article was rather lengthy so I pulled just some interesting information

By the 1980’s Sheffield had become a mere shadow of its former glory. Gone were the hand forgers, the master engravers, the hand grinders, the ivory cutters, the horn pressers and the acid etchers, to name but a few. And yet, if one was on the inside , it was sometimes possible to find the right retired person, to whom one could take a cherished cutlery item, for the type of hand work no longer offered elsewhere. So it was with Doris Walsh. Even at age 78 she could be persuaded to produce an etching of Victorian style quality.

Doris Walsh came up the hard way. Apprenticed at age 14 in the acid etching trade. Doris started her working life in 1927 as an errand lass and proceeded to learn the trade. “It was years before I was allowed anywhere near a knife” Quite typical, as an apprenticeship was usually for 7 years. “If I cut myself, the head girl would tell her, wrap it up quickly as an don’t let any blood get on those knives.” NOW THAT’S A GOOD WOMEN

Doris would tell people, my hair is as black today as it was when I was a child. Here is a strange fact:

Of the acid etchers in Sheffield , most of whom were women, 95% never turned grey.

As for the process of recreating the artwork done on those blades, Doris describes it as follows:

“ It is really very simple. An engraver would design the master plate and a transfer taken from that plate - it was brass by a steel press. The press’s rollers rubbed the ink, it was made from beeswax, Swedish pitch, soot and turpentine - onto tissue. You’d print 6 transfers at a time, then cut them up individually, and whetted them off with warm water, making sure the imprints were straight and all in the same place on the knives. As head girl, I could stick on a gross in about 15 minutes - 4 gross an hour. The only reason I earned anything from it was due to speed of setting. The blades would have to be cleaned with lime before you could work on them It was awful, the lime, got up in your nose and all. After whetting off you would brush with a spirit based varnish to protect the knife from the acid but allow the knife to take the imprint. Then we’d dry the knives in front of a fire before applying kerosene paraffin to release the ink without affecting the varnish. Then you’d put on some more lime to kill any grease, and then nitric acid, which would eat into the mark without harming the rest of the knife. When the acid had eaten deep enough, you’d use spirits to clean it again and the knife would be perfectly marked.”

She sure made it sound easy

Thanks James I appreciate that.  Our friend Rick may enjoy this next one.....

Khurmi ( ladies Knives ).

This is called Khurmi or Ladies Khukuri. This knife modeled after a wheat harvesting tool, this piece, while not an actual Khukuri, is great for yard work. There is no standard size of the knife. The shape of this knife is completely different than Khukuri. The half-moon shaped blade catches small branches and dispatches them safely and quickly. Nepalese village Women mostly use it in rice field for cutting the grass. The sheath of the Khurmi is made of wood cover bye buffalo hide leather while the handle is made of Aluminum. It weights varies according to their size. A normal size blade is 8" long blade and handle is 5" long.

Donnie just buys me a lawn mower LOL