Samples Shipped for a Custom Steak Knife Set; with Antler Handles, Scrimshaw and Inlay work.

For the past 14 months, I have waited patiently to see if my investment in a prestigious national woodworking show would pay off. Sure it was a lot of fun to be counted acceptable by the jury, and to attend the show, but it is hugely expensive for a small one-man operation like I run here. Not only just the cost of the booth fees, but getting things ready to take is a huge undertaking, renting a truck, fuel, hotel, food, etc. I was disappointed with the “return” on my investment, so I elected to stay at home in 2007, and miss this show.

So for the past year, when folks would email me asking if they should apply to the show, I have tried to be honest with them, and tell them, “I don’t know.” I do know that if go to a show like that, you have to go full-bore, and if you don’t, it will show like a toupee in a windstorm. The other exhibitors give it a 100% effort.

During the 2006 Show my booth was set up adjacent to a wonderful couple from Durango, CO, Loren & Lisa Skyhorse (http://www.skyhorse.com/sky/). They have worked as a team for many years building fancy horse riding saddles. I believe that after looking at their work, it is the finest leather carving work I have ever seen, including the fancy saddles in the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum. Their work is just incredible. When I was a kid in 4-H I did several years of leather carving work, and so I can appreciate the hand work, the design, and the ability of someone that is really good at leather work. Their work isn’t cheap, and it can’t be, and it shouldn’t be. There is too much effort and experience invested in their work for it to be cheap.

Not only were they very nice people to my father and I at the big show, but they took some time this summer and helped me with a small project I did that included some leather work. It was an honor to put their tag on the project beside mine. (http://lumberjocks.com/projects/2337)

They have been working hard on a commission project for a client in Las Vegas. In one of their discussions with the interior design firm that is putting together the overall plan for the client’s house, the Skyhorse’s threw my name out as a woodworker that could help with the project. The designers needed some difficult woodworking done fast, and so I was contacted a few weeks ago. I couldn’t do the work as fast as was needed, so I reluctantly had to decline the commission (felt like cutting off my right hand).

A couple of weeks later, the interior design folks were looking through my website and saw my “Hunting Knives.” So, they called and talked to my wife on a Friday afternoon while I was working in the shop. Their question was whether I would like to build a large set of custom steak knives with antlers for handles, inlay work, scrimshaw artwork, for their client, the same project as the Skyhorse’s are working on.

My wife didn’t hesitate…..... and said that she had to go out back to the shop to ask me.

I of course, said, “Yes!”

So, the next step was to build a knife sample. What? Send a sample? In late-September I had to send a carving sample to another interior designer. I’m learning that the investment cost in bidding work to interior design firms is expensive.

So, I rushed around and spent the better part of a week getting a sample knife built and some examples of my scrimshaw artwork ready, and shipped to Las Vegas by overnight express. I was later told that the client liked the samples. We’ve spent the last 2.5 weeks hammering through the details of the design. So, right now, I am waiting now on the deposit check so that I can get started buying materials and doing the work. That should happen early this week.

Here is my sample knife. I didn’t have time to make a “steak knife” blade, so I used the only blade I had, a skinner style blade. I didn’t have any handguard material around here, so I used a chunk of aluminum for the blade guard.

I did have some ivory and some turquoise on hand, so I put together what I had for the sample knife.

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This is the sample “Board” that I used to demonstrate the different artwork that I can do in Scrimshaw on ivory.

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If you like knives, here are some projects I have posted earlier showing knives.

Lumberjock Projects with my knives:
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/241
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/240
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/61

My website link where I have some of my custom knives shown.
http://www.decoustudio.com/knives.html

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com