More pic's to come showing him using the knives that he made especially for this hunt. He made one for himself and one for his Dad.
I'm sure he was tickled to put food on the family table but I know he was also thinking about "handle material on the hoof". :)
Update - September 2009
Calvin has worked in the shop with me since the end of May 09 with a 6-week haiatus that ran from mid-June through the first week in August. He was on a missionary trip to the Azores, Germany and Scotland. If we only count the time spent in the shop, it's roughly two and one half months . Check out the pictures of his most recent work below. He has a natural talent for knifemaking and it's obvious.
May 2009
I'm a huge believer in Karma, or basically, the thought of what goes around, comes around - with a shot or two of the Golden Rule thrown in for good measure.
This April and May(09), I was asked to be a guest speaker at Warren Tech. Warren Tech is the career and technical high school for Jefferson County Public Schools. I did a presentation on knifemaking to the construction, metal working and welding shop classes. After conversing with the instructors, our goal was to inform the students that there is more to woodworking than hammering nails; more to metal working than bending sheet metal; and more to welding than repairing a car. In about an hour and a half we covered basic knife construction, some metallurgy and options in handle materials. It was a wonderfully interactive class with tons of intelligent questions being asked.
After the first class in April, a student stepped forward with several more questions. We spoke for a little while and then he disappeared only to return from the trunk of his car with a roughly forged blade in an antler handle. This 18 year old young man had passion and a need to know more. He explained that he'd collected enough equipment to do some forging in his backyard. After looking at his work, it was obvious that unknowingly, he is right in line with traditional Neo-Tribal bladesmithing techniques.
That began the apprenticeship program. "CJ" now spends about three days a week in the shop with me. In the evenings at home, he works at his forge banging away at whatever material he can gather. So far it has been some old roto-tiller tines. He then brings them to the shop where together, we turn it into a knife. This young man has a real eye for art and it shows in his finished product. At this time we've been working together for almost a month and in that short amount of time he has really developed a style unto his own.
Meet "CJ"
CJ's Copperhead Hunter available for $175 with sheath
