Fredeen Blades

hey i noticed to hang around bruce bumps forum. I just found it a couple weeks ago, his work is great. I've never seen anything like the pistol/knife combos he does. I'm thinking of giving that a try, as kinda a side project. Ever think of trying one of those out? just curious

jason

Bruce does phenominal work and is definately one of the great Master Smiths. Bruce and I share a mutual friend, Dana Hackney, who lives about 40 min North of me. Dana is a great guy and he says Bruce Bump is a real stand up guy as well. I have conversed a little with Bruce over the internet, but not excessivly. He will be comming out for the PKA show here in August however, so I'll get a chance to meet him then and am looking forward to it.

Bruce's "Cut' n Shoots" are pretty impressive and the level of craftsmanship required is amazing.  I'm not a real big "gun" guy personally, but you do have to really like those things. As far as making something like that myself, not at this point in time. The many other skill sets involved in doing something like that (have to be able to make amazing folding knives, and you have to be a gunsmith as well) is well beyond where I currently sit, and I wouldn't possibly have the time to even attempt to try to learn something like that for a very long time. Those little things are mighty complicated and require exacting tolerances to function properly. Look through some of Bruce's threads and see some of the pictures of everything all dissembled and all the many pieces and parts that have to be painstakenly crafted by hand. Bruce is a full time maker, and he spends months and months making those. With my current shop time it would probably take me a decade. Plus anytime you fool with something like making a functioning firearm you really need to know what you are doing otherwise there are big safety concerns.

I'll be sticking with knives for the moment and won't be biting off anymore than I can handle right now, thats for sure. 

I look through almost all his stuff the first night i found his site. I've talked to him a few times via email. A real good guy, friendly and helpful. I don't / can't make folders but he did have an example of more simple knife that was a beautiful fixed blade with a barrel mounted on the top. I think while difficult this is doable. I've asked him if i can use his trigger design as a starting point and he said he is fine with that. I think my imitation will be a joke compared to his work but you got to start somewhere plus if it works then that would be just plain cool. I expect this to take a long time to finish and even if it doesn't work it might be fun.

hey make sure you post some pics of the blades you'll be showing at your table.I've never been to a show should be fun for you man.