A primal passion for a tool so utilitarian in its shape that it is conceived by the majority of the public as mere that, a tool or weapon.
Some time ago I found it difficult to identify exactly what it is that I find so fascinating about knives and edged tools in general. This has become a thing of the past, as my direction and my approach to design have taken on a clearer focus.
As a boy I considered the knife as a tool of adventure. Numerous stories the likes of Tom Sawyer, The Pathfinder/Cooper, Robinson Crusoe and Jack London’s writings, have portrayed the knife, in my mind, as a tool associated with adventure. Sadly, in the 21st century this portrayal has become blurred. Nevertheless, I will continue to explore the knife as a media in which to express myself in.
Often in life we are blinded by the multi stimuli of our primal senses. We fail to see the things around us. I am inspired by the things around me – the way a branch grows out of a tree, the shape of a leaf, artwork, and sometimes even a movie. Architecture is yet another medium which, if envisioned on varying scales, can yield some interesting knife design ideas.
As an artist, my sense and direction have gone from a strictly utilitarian purpose to a form of expression that figuratively speaks to people, without sacrificing the purpose of the knife. To be able to blend materials, so ancient & exquisite as ivory from a mammoth tusk with a piece of modern steel is a gift to me. To take this gift and make it into an art that emotionally moves human beings, is a reward that I can not measure in mere words. To me there is no greater sense of accomplishment than this.
Defining my focus and direction to a larger degree is fairly easy. I take the familiar basics and create something truly outstanding, simple yet elegant, that will leave a legacy within the knife community and beyond.
