World Class Blades
I’ve known Michael Connor by acquaintance for several years. Very nice guy and very meticulous in everything he does. I only recently found out that Mr. Connor became an ABS Mastersmith in 1983. He’s also still an instructor at the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing when classes roll around. In the past his work has been featured in “publications such as Knife World, Knives, and The Blade.”
In the words of a few blade collectors over at BladeForums… “Michael makes some of the cleanest work you will see.” and “An ABS Mastersmith told me that Connor knives are the knives that Mastersmiths collect. He has a great reputation.”
Those are fine words I’d think any man would love to hear. I never would have known… the guy is so modest he’s never mentioned it. I don’t think he gets online.. There are guys that’ve been waiting 7 years on orders.
This has sparked my interest in custom blades, and more specifically bladesmithing. I’ve obtained an ebook entitled The Complete Bladesmith – Forging Your Way to Perfection by Jim Hrisoulas. I plan to read it through and see what I learn.
I think I’m going to pick up some 0-1 flat bar and try my hand at grinding out a full tang blade and carving a simple two piece wooden handle. Deal is, I don’t have the necessary power equipment so it would be made entirely with files and and stones. I don’t think I want to jump into forging just yet. I bet I can borrow a torch for hardening.
I want to see some of your custom blades. List the bladesmith if you can. Knifemaker, this means you too if you find the time. 😉 Indicating whether forged or ground would be great, I can’t really tell the difference just yet from appearance.
Here are some photos I’ve collected of Michael Connor blades. Apparently they are hard to come by. I’m going to have to have a talk with this guy. Maybe he’ll let me mow his lawn for the rest of my life in exchange for a blade. 😛
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Obsidian is great for knifemaking although it has very poor durability. It is actually used in surgical scalpels and is appreciably sharper (something like 100 times!!) than steel due to being much thinner on the edge.
Rolled linoleum, 2.5 inch branches, and steel belted tires actually. On the flip side, it can cut an empty plastic bottle or a hanging single sheet of newspaper. I don’t use it on the tough stuff anymore though. The handle is removable and someday I will have a middle-eastern style handle with lots of “bling” made, as the original blade form was copied from shamshirs by the British.
Shoulda posted this earlier- these guys did it. http://fallinghammerproductions.com/
Riffraff- there are plenty of flintknappers around- I learned how to do it as part of my anthropology degree- but I don’t claim anywhere near such skill. Still, its a ton of fun, and easy to try, but difficult to master.
Thats the same technique he used. He told me he made his tools from .25″ brass rod.
His knives had more brown color to them, but otherwise looks just like black obsidian.
The only one I handled cut my thumb and I didnt even realize it until he took the knife from me. It had a Stag antler handle with hand wrapped leather tang and pommel. It looked both modern and prehistoric, if you can imagine that.
It felt deadly, fit my hand perfectly, and was only $200. I did not buy but I wish I had. Never seen anything like it anywhere and never will again. His knives have all sold and he died in 2005.
I used to know this fella that made knives out of Obsidian. Hand chipped and really professionally done. This guy dug his own obsidian somewhere near Mt. Baker.
The only one I handled cut my thumb and I didnt even realize it until he took the knife from me. It had a Stag antler handle with hand wrapped leather tang and pommel. It looked both modern and prehistoric, if you can imagine that.
It felt deadly, fit my hand perfectly, and was only $200. I did not buy but I wish I had. Never seen anything like it anywhere and never will again. His knives have all sold and he died in 2005.
Hasan Chop !!!!!
Looks like that bad boy could remove a few limbs!
Not a knife… but something different.
Local blacksmith shop made this for me as a copy of an antique. The blade isn’t damascus, its wootz- the patterns are carbides and it’s over 2% carbon.
They’ve done knives of this material, but I just have the sword.
No chance they could ever make me poor WOK, I already am. LoL. Thanks for the video. I’d be working in a similar primitive fashion. 🙂
Acour, those are some good looking knives. You have nice taste.
I mostly collect folders, and I think that the vast majority of those are ground. Here are a few pictures:
Todd Begg, Glimpse:
RJ Martin, Rampage II:
Robert Terzuola, TTF-1A:
Matt Cucciara, early framelock:
Busse Combat Knives (Jerry Busse), custom shop ASH-1:
Tim Galyean, Punk:
Ken Onion, Dragster:
Ken Onion, Packrat:
Custom blades are great and can make you poor very fast. I have a few.
Take a look here for some ideas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ysKd1cswlo
Also you can pick up Wayne Goddards $50 knifeshop at a borders or Barnes and Noble for some ideas as well.
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I wouldnt have bought one to use, I was entertaining the collecting urge back then. He was selling them to help cushion his retirement.
He had a little one hanging from his neck, maybe 2.5″ long. Used it to open his Copenhagen cans with LOL.
He give me a little odd look when I asked him if it was a failed attempt at an arrowhead. He then laughed and showed me what it was for.