Howdy, from an old timer.....

D

Dana Acker

Well-Known Member
It's been a while. Went to the old forum and nothing much takes place there any more; kind of visiting a haunted house where you used to live. A search landed me here, where, Stormcrow, an old compadre from back in the day, I see, has done a great job holding down the NT fort. Hats off to ya! And thanks to Knife Dogs for helping keep things alive. Two thumbs up.

Back in the early 2000's my wife encountered a number of life threatening accidents and illnesses. My attention, naturally, turned to her. Also with life saving treatments come life changing bills. It didn't take long to figure out that said bills were not going to be paid on this knifesmith's earnings. To escape ruinous financial litigation, I had to find a more consistently paying job. So I became a commercial winemaker and distiller, and between hospital visits in several states, the exhaustive grape harvests, family health issues, and a bout with cancer myself, I had to take a break from everything sharp and pointy for awhile. It nearly broke my heart, but not so much that I got rid of my shop. In May I retired, and re-entered my shop and picked up right where I left off. Aside from finding a few muscles I forgot I had, it was like I never left.

To all those who have worked to keep the spirit of Neo-Tribalism alive; well it's gratifying. I cannot and would not say the NTM's movement was the best thing to happen to the knife world, I think I can say it was one of the most fun things that has happened in knifemaking. It brought a lot of new people into the craft, and kept a lot of us elder brothers on our toes just to keep up. We were quite likely the most functional dysfunctional group of makers on the planet, and it was a hundred mile per hour ride down a twisty mountain road in the dark with our eyes closed...but it was a blast!

Many have come and gone. Some of our rag tag carnival of fire and steel freaks have gone on to produce heirloom quality pieces of work, some of which I view with amazement as to how far they've come. Some have, sadly, just moved on, if not from this life, then from the craft. They'll forever be missed.

It does an old heart good to see the spirit lives on. Stormcrow, your Carcass Splitters do us all proud. Good job. I hope you don't mind an old codger hanging out and chiming in occasionally.

Respectfully,

Dana Acker
"Medicine Man" of the original Neo-Tribal Metalsmiths
Blue Ridge Tribe
 
Howdy, Dana! Good to see you around! :) Sorry to hear how bumpy the road has been for you and your wife.

I appreciate the appreciation. :) Knifemaking is my full-time gig, both forged work and mid-techs. It certainly ain't the easy way to pay the bills! :D
 
Hey guys, and thanks for the welcome. One of the things we NTM'S did back in the day (to the horror and chagrin of a lot of the knife world) was we often forged the blade completely to the cutting edge, so that once all the heat treatments were accomplished, handles affixed, etc, all we had to do was finish sharpening the blade. To many in the knifemaking world, this was the first step towards heroin and child sacrifice. A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine who got one of these knives from me (mfg. date on the blade was 2000) brought it back to me to clean up for him. There's some very slight surface rust, and just some discoloration that comes from twenty years of use. But the knife held up. It was still sharp (he said he hasn't sharpened it) and there were no cracks or breaks. The point was still pointy enough to pick splinters out of my fingers.

I'm not posting this to brag that I made the 21st century version of Excalibur or Col. Bowie's "Iron Maiden." Not in the least. But what I'm hoping to convey, is that using techniques that our long ago forefathers in the craft employed, and pushing the technique envelope in the face of many in the craft who decried our methods, one can still put out a quite serviceable blade.

Never be afraid to go against the grain of accepted practice. I'm sure the naysayers of the day feared our methodology or lack thereof would lead to a deluge of inferior knives flooding the market and thus making the entire custom knifemaking world look bad. To a degree I understand their concern.

While the NTM's were a rowdy bunch, kind of like the Vikings of the more sanitary knife world of the day, we, from the most experienced to the newest newbie stressed quality. We constantly bounced ideas off of each other in the quest of making superior blades. We elder brothers welcomed new makers in and tried to provide instruction and advice to help them get better as they grew in the craft.

And as I began looking up some of the old tribal members recently, I was astonished at the quality of work that guys who were newbies then are turning out today. It makes some of my best work look like an old wagon wheel rim sharpened on a rock. Wow! Those who accused us of potentially purveying shoddy work, have a lot of crow upon which to feast; no pun intended James.

I'm glad the spirit is alive, and I look forward to interacting with y'all.
 
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Johan Nel said:
Welcome back. Now you can come show us some of your newly built knives some time!
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I have some photos, I could post, but alas I am technically challenged. I still get antsy when big silver bird flies over my house. My photos are resident on an iPad, which my granddaughter outgrew, and switched to a phone that costs more than my car. So please don’t assume I know what you’re talking about just because everybody else in the free world would so understand. You’re the air traffic controller on the radio, and I’m the person who’s never flown a plane and needs to get it safely on the ground from 9000 feet, because the pilot is incapacitated. OK? Any takers? Also will I need either a smoke grinder or a left handed monkey wrench?
 
Dana Acker said:
I have some photos, I could post, but alas I am technically challenged. I still get antsy when big silver bird flies over my house. My photos are resident on an iPad, which my granddaughter outgrew, and switched to a phone that costs more than my car. So please don’t assume I know what you’re talking about just because everybody else in the free world would so understand. You’re the air traffic controller on the radio, and I’m the person who’s never flown a plane and needs to get it safely on the ground from 9000 feet, because the pilot is incapacitated. OK? Any takers? Also will I need either a smoke grinder or a left handed monkey wrench?
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You're gonna need both !
 
Dana, it's been since Oct 2020 for your last visit, but I wanted to drop a line just in case. Hello!

It has been a long time since you walked up to my pitbull at Bowie's, crouched down, made an instant friend for life, and showed everyone he wasn't one of the evil beasts they feared. Same thing next year, and he remembered you instantly. Thank you for that. Jojo lived to a fine 14 years and went peacefully, having the vet crying with us at the end. Best dog ever for us. So we got two more a month later.

I see your path has been as crooked as most everyone in life. Welcome back to the craft. I am just in the process of returning myself.

Hello, best regards, best wishes, take care,,,

mike fitz
 
"...To many in the knifemaking world, this was the first step towards heroin and child sacrifice...."

Read both of Dana's lengthy posts again....and if he get's bored with makin' he could write for a living....that line above? LOL!! easy readin' fer sure...
 
fitzo said:
Dana, it's been since Oct 2020 for your last visit, but I wanted to drop a line just in case. Hello!

It has been a long time since you walked up to my pitbull at Bowie's, crouched down, made an instant friend for life, and showed everyone he wasn't one of the evil beasts they feared. Same thing next year, and he remembered you instantly. Thank you for that. Jojo lived to a fine 14 years and went peacefully, having the vet crying with us at the end. Best dog ever for us. So we got two more a month later.

I see your path has been as crooked as most everyone in life. Welcome back to the craft. I am just in the process of returning myself.

Hello, best regards, best wishes, take care,,,

mike fitz
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Hey there, Mike! So good to hear from you. I'm very sorry to hear about my buddy Jojo. What a character! In fact I'm feeling a little misty at the news. But one thing you could tell, he was one well loved dog. We just got a new puppy whose mother was a black lab, and whose "Papa was a rolling stone." He's 7 months old and has gone from the size of my boot to almost a pony. From his neck back he looks like a black lab, but his head looks like a pit bull. His name is Rowdy, as it best fits his personality; he's a 70 pound tornado. My e-mail remains, ackerforge@yahoo.com Drop me a line some time and I'll send you a picture of this lovable lap-behemoth.
 
Dana Acker said:
Hey there, Mike! So good to hear from you. I'm very sorry to hear about my buddy Jojo. What a character! In fact I'm feeling a little misty at the news. But one thing you could tell, he was one well loved dog. We just got a new puppy whose mother was a black lab, and whose "Papa was a rolling stone." He's 7 months old and has gone from the size of my boot to almost a pony. From his neck back he looks like a black lab, but his head looks like a pit bull. His name is Rowdy, as it best fits his personality; he's a 70 pound tornado. My e-mail remains, ackerforge@yahoo.com Drop me a line some time and I'll send you a picture of this lovable lap-behemoth.
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Hi, Dana! So happy you saw my post. Interesting how folks get drawn back into the craft after long distractions.

I will send an email with a pic of my two pits.

So good to strike up a convo again, Dana!
 
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