Fredeen Blades

hey graham how about you tell me how the show went and maybe post some knife pics

Well, the show was a pretty good time. I had a couple "goals" I wanted to achieve, but didn't quite. I wanted a best new maker award, but didn't qualify for it (2 years or less making/selling. No one really qualified, only 2 people put in for it, and they might have fudged). And I also wanted to sell enough knives at the show to cover expenses. I didn't end up selling anything at the show. With the state of the economy folks are less willing to spend money on knives, and even with some really reasonable prices on my blades, didn't even get anyone trying to work a deal or anything. This happens and I'm not really bothered by it. I didn't go to the show just to sell knives. I did sell one right before the show that paid for most of the table (minus about $20), so I'm not really out any money. Did pass out quite a few business cards and talked quite a bit with some good collectors and other show goers. There might be some business that results from the show. Shows aren't always great places to sell knives, but are always great for the exposure and "advertising" that they give.

While I didn't win the best new maker award I wanted, I did put in for Best Damascus of Show. I didn't win the award, but had MANY people tell me they thought I definately should have. This includes the fellow who won the award, who came up afterwards and shook my hand, told me he thought my knife definately deserved it over his and that the judges made a mistake. Bruce Bump didn't want to put his winding feather fighter up against it because he "didn't think he could beat it", and he personally told me that he thought I had best damascus of show. And quite a few of the other makers/collectors/ show visitors conveyed similar things to me. Its not everyday you recieve compliments like that, especially from an ABS Mastersmith like Bruce Bump, OR from the guy who actually won the award. I didn't have high hopes for awards at the show (except best new maker, before I knew I didn't qualify). Traditionally there's always been lots of political goings on and pretty "poor" judging at that show. For instance at this show they gave "best hand forged primitive cutlery" to a Stainless Steel hatchet (not hand forged)... AND if you can believe it, "Best KNIFE of Show" to that same stainless steel hatchet, just because the guy's last name was Ruana (grandson of the fellow who founded the Ruana knife company). So they gave it to a name, not actual quality. Bruce was really supprised when they announced that, he thought it would have been me or him (and I tend to agree with his assesment  ) .

I've decided to take my "almost" award winning knife (a nice mosaic damascus fighter with buckeye burl handle, and more damascus for the fittings) and send it down to Paul Long for one of his amazing sheaths (I do good with leather, but Paul is definately much better), and then from there ship it down to Jim Cooper (Sharp by Coop Photography) and get it professionaly photographed. Coop sends his pictures to all the major knife publications and they really like to publish his pictures, so there's pretty good chance my knife could end up in Blade magazine, or something like Knives Illustrated. That will be extremly good publicity and will seriously make a dent in getting my name "known" (thats part of the difficulty I have selling my knives... most folks havent heard of me and are therefore less likely to buy from me as opposed to well known makers).

Got a few pictures at the show, but not a lot. I'll try to post a few here later.

I didn't have time to get really good pictures of the knives I brought to the show either. I'll be trying to get some better ones this weekend perhaps.

So there's a basic breakdown of the show.

Hi Graham

Glad it went well. Your knives are some of the best I have seen and I am sure that from this point it's only up. made my first damascus blade two weeks ago. Too embarrased to post a pic, but for a 1st attempt I am happy with it. Will be starting my next one next week and I have just finished two gas forges (that work). Will post pics of that one when done. Thanks again for all the help

hey sorry for such a late reply i was up north on work. sounds like you had a good time out there, meeting guys like bruce would be worth the trip alone. its too bad about the awards, it seems like politics manages to sneak its way into everything now a days. From the pictures i've seen it looks like you pulled it all out for this show. I really like the fighter with the hamon, its beautiful! Also the guard work is very nice.

I've been so busy i havent touched my latest in a long time its been depressing how little work i've been able to do. I did find time to do my first destruction test. I did it on my last knife ( the one with the ebony handle and hamon) and i have to say it went almost perfect i was very happy witht the results and i learned tons.

how did the chat go on PIW the other night. I wish i could make it but monday and wednesdays i have karate and its impossible. Its good of you to take your time and do that.

I guess i have one question for you, I'm using a 4x36 grinder and i'm wondering what type of belts you used and how fast did yours wear out.

Jason

Well the show wasn't too much of a trip for me, just about an hour and a half drive north. Bruce had a much longer trip down from Washington. He and Kaye stayed with a good frind of mine (and theirs) Dana Hackney and his wife. Bruce sort of made it a vacation, more than business, but he sold a couple, won an award and took an order for a knife pistol, so that made it worth the trip to the show.

You haven't seen my really good knife yet, that Mosaic Fighter. The big fighter with the hamon was nice, but the mosaic fighter takes the cake in my opinion. I've fought and fought with my camera trying to get at least some sort of half way decent pictures of the show knives and it just hasn't happened. Did figure out some of the settings got messed up some how, but haven't had the chance to try again.

The mosaic fighter is leaving next week to go down to Paul Long for a sheath and then down to Coop for pictures. I'll DEFINATELY have a good picture of it then, which will MOST DEFINATELY be posted here on my website and across the many knifemaking forums I'm a part of.

In the mean time, I will still have to try for better pictures on my own. Just gets frustrating when you go and take a hundered pictures that should be "good" only to download them and find that the ISO settings got screwy on the camera and made everything grainy looking (and then doing it again, not realizing the ISO settings were messed up and actually the cause of the problem).

Don't get started on not getting work done in the shop. Ever since the show I've been hammerd with things and haven't done much shop related myself (save 3 rings, 2 damascus and 1 wood. Those darn things are getting a bit "old" to do, and there are tons of folks wanting them still). Going to try to do better this weekend. That Hamon fighter has a sister who's needing finished, as is a basket weave hunter.

Destruction testing is extremely good to tell you how you are doing with heat treatment and blade performance. Definately something I recommend people do. It can be difficult to destroy something you've worked so hard on, but the information and insight it gives is invaluable. I generally won't destruction test blades I have finished (unless they really bother me and I don't like them, but those rarely get taken that far), however I will quite often heat treat blades that aren't worth finishing and test those to destruction.

As far as the Blade chat goes, not a ton of participants, must have been a bad night/time for folks. The Blade chat is something I used to do on the old PI site, before the change over. Those used to be really good, with lots of people and participants. Considering I just knocked the dust off it again, might get better as time goes on. I did the first on the Wednesday because I had an 80 mile drive on Monday night, but will probably transition to Mondays here after. I asked for input on days/times from folks and didn't really get any response. I might be able to do something on a Tuesday evening instead, we'll see. I'll take it as it goes and see if I can corner people into telling me their perfered times.

As far as belts for the 4x36, I used the cheapest aluminum oxide belts I could find. They weren't really any good, and wore out pretty quickly. If you can find zirconia belts for it (they'll be blue), they will last much longer. Problem with the 4x36 (aside from not being very well suited for knife grinding in general) is that you have limited selction and avaliablity of belts, so you might not have the option.

AND, before I forget about it, here are some various show pictures and such. Will try for some better pictures of that Fighter with hamon, and the Mosaic as well.