ArfinGreebly
Moderator Emeritus
When Don Llewellyn put up his tools a while back, it looked like my chances for getting a DLKnives custom were over.
For no particular reason beyond personal selfishness, I took it personally.
I can't really feel bad "on behalf of the knife owning community," as I don't recall being voted in as the "knife owning community" spokesman. And yet, I felt then and feel now that we are -- as a whole -- diminished when a creative soul, a craftsman and artist, hangs it up.
I recognize that it's selfish. Doesn't change how I feel.
Recently, though, a few of Don's pieces became available after they were discovered where they'd been stored. Through a sequence of events involving, among other things, the unexpected generosity of someone who knew I had a soft spot for his work, the opportunity to obtain one of these pieces was presented to me, and I was able to make that deal.
Today (Saturday), a plain white box arrived from Don.
Here's what was inside:
Llewellyn Six-inch Fighter, mirror polish, brown canvas micarta, with custom Kydex sheath with TekLok belt clip.
Paul Bos heat treat.
I am deeply pleased to have this knife, and humbled by the circumstances that made it possible.
In case anyone is interested, it makes short work of tomatoes.
It also lifted the skin on one of my fingers (call it a non-bleeding cut) when I wiped down the blade after some kitchen testing.
For no particular reason beyond personal selfishness, I took it personally.
I can't really feel bad "on behalf of the knife owning community," as I don't recall being voted in as the "knife owning community" spokesman. And yet, I felt then and feel now that we are -- as a whole -- diminished when a creative soul, a craftsman and artist, hangs it up.
I recognize that it's selfish. Doesn't change how I feel.
Recently, though, a few of Don's pieces became available after they were discovered where they'd been stored. Through a sequence of events involving, among other things, the unexpected generosity of someone who knew I had a soft spot for his work, the opportunity to obtain one of these pieces was presented to me, and I was able to make that deal.
Today (Saturday), a plain white box arrived from Don.
Here's what was inside:
Llewellyn Six-inch Fighter, mirror polish, brown canvas micarta, with custom Kydex sheath with TekLok belt clip.
Paul Bos heat treat.
I am deeply pleased to have this knife, and humbled by the circumstances that made it possible.
In case anyone is interested, it makes short work of tomatoes.
It also lifted the skin on one of my fingers (call it a non-bleeding cut) when I wiped down the blade after some kitchen testing.
[And for those who don't recognize the little yellow knife I used to open the package, that's an EKA Compact. A small, light (1.5 oz), 2 3/8 inch blade in Sandvik 12c27 with a high visibility plastic handle. Takedown screws for easy cleaning. Very sharp. Lanyard/keychain hole. About $15. If you order from someplace that combines shipping, it's a good idea to buy another one so that the shipping cost/item price ratio doesn't seem so absurd.
Separate thread to come on the EKA shipment.]
Separate thread to come on the EKA shipment.]
