Howdie from the Southern California desert!

mtausig

New Member
Greetings folks.
I’ve been a member of a couple other knifemaking forums for a while but just happened upon knifedogs and see loads of new users I’m not familiar with.

I’ve been a wood and metal maker/hobbyist on and off for most of my life. Well, since my teens anyway, and I’m comin’ up on 50 here. Knives and blacksmithing came along later in life, and are my primary focus these days, as I am teaching the basics to my nearly-16 year old son.

Side note...I’m a single dad, and raised two kids by myself. My daughter attends college in Northern California while my son and I live in Hemet (about 30 miles from Palm Springs). Moved from Northern California in July of 2017.

My primary knife builds are hidden tang construction, but I do build some full and 1/2 tang pieces. I only do fixed blades, as I just never got the bug to build folders or flippers of any kind. My favorite build is likely a fighter, as they are an elegant looking knife IMO, but I’m a sucker for a nice drop or clip point Bowie as well. I love Damascus, but don’t do a lot any more as I’ve had 5 spinal reconstructions and am permanently disabled. If I had a power hammer I might do more, but I ain’t complaining.

I hear a lot of makers say the handle is their least favorite part, as they would rather be forging, but for me, I enjoy it all equally. The handle making might actually have a slight edge over the blade (no pun intended) as I can take my time and work as my body allows. Love working with hard woods (eg Afr Blackwood, cocobolo etc) especially as the grains are often deep but prominent. I also really enjoy burl, as the patterns are always spectacular and you never see the same one twice. The last piece I completed was a 9” blade-length fighter with eight piece handle and s-guard construction - African Blackwood, alumilite, stainless, and G10.

Unrelated, I have degrees in mathematics and systematic musicology, and worked in the music industry for the better part of 20 years, in finance. Now I’m just a crippled single dad who enjoys learning what I can outside the working environment!

Loads more, but that’s me in a nutshell. I look forward to “meeting” some of you and am always happy to answer questions, especially since I enjoy asking them!

Cheers, and forge on!
Little Mountain
 
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