Tiaan Burger

You're welcome! There is nothing new under the sun, old ideas just get recycled.

My apologies for the late reply, my computer went on strike a couple of days ago. Got it fixed yesterday and just now remebered that I should check back on the forums... Thank you all for the feedback, I really appreciate it. I am already working on a couple more of these, including a smaller version for backpocket carry. Yes, I get where you are coming from. There are some designs that cover the notch when the knife is closed. Look at at "canoe"pattern folders and some of the older Sheffield made wharncliffe whittlers.

I wanted to make a very traditional folder, something as traditional as quaffing mead, boar hunting, getting into a long boat and raiding the coastlines of Europe. So I designed and made a pocket seax. This is the second one, the first had the thicker, more rounded handle of a fixed blade seax, so I decided to trim the handle down while retaining a bit of a rise towards the end. This one is 4" long from bolster to the end of the lanyard loop. I am thinking of doing a smaller, 3 1/2" version as well. SAE1070 blade and spring, Brass bolsters and liners, pink ivory scales. I did the carving on the bolsters. Questions and comments welcome!

Gerhard, I learned one very important thing a couple of months ago. I watched an interview of Tony Bose on YouTube, and the guy asked him how long he takes to make a single blade folding knife. Tony said he takes three days average. Now he is considered to be the best slipjoint maker alive. I always thought a single blade can be made in a day, two days max. After watching that video I slowed everything down and my quality jumped to a new level. To make a good knife means taking the time to do everything right, right from the first step. So my advice: don't rush it.

Thank you all. The five-blade shown above won Best Art Folder at the Brooklyn knife show. And a three-blade stockman I made won Best Working Folder.

Thank you all! As Brian said, optivizors are a game changer. After getting used to the narrow depth of field, I quickly realized that my work is much better than it ever was since everything gets a close up inspection. A leftover from my bladesmithing days is that I developed a love for traditional designs and materials, I use 1070 almost exclusively, and recently discovered that folding knives with iron fittings was quite common in the 19th century, so that will be another path to explore. I also want to get back into the forge, as I found that most of the damascus I can buy is not suited to pocket knives, the patterns are too coarse for such small blades, and the billets are way too thick. Again, thank you all for the response and feedback.

It has been a while since I last posted any work here, probably because I haven't done much knifemaking for the past couple of years. However, work suddenly dried up in August, and a prayer revealed the answer: "Make knives!" What sort of knives? The market is stuffed with makers. Again I got an instant answer: "Burger, wake up! Make multiblade folders!" Well so I got back into making knives and it was a struggle at first. One of the prime reasons I stopped was that I just couldn't see up close any more, and my reading glasses, no matter how frequently I changed them, just couldn't keep up. So i learned to make knives wearing +4 Optivizors! It took three weeks and four knives before I was used to working with them. Enough history! This weekend is the largest knife show south of the equator, the Brooklyn knife show in Pretoria, and I was lucky to get a table. So for the past month I have been working on a couple of special knives: The first is the second five blade stockman I made, (the first I made in 2012/13) this is knife nr 11 of 2019, and I am quite happy with it. The damascus was made by Henning Wilkinson. Brass liners, bronze pins and MOP scales. a Then, just to be completely insane, I decided to make some knives i have never attempted before: a split back whittler and a four blade congress,and since both are my first attempts, I just had to use damascus for both. The congress has warthog tusk covers, the blades are crushed w's damascus by Stuart Smith The split back whittler has paper micarta scales, the blades I made from a bit feather damascus I had left over from when I made my first five-blade about seven years ago. Thank you for looking, questions and comments welcome!

Rabbit folder sold, rose still available.

I have these two higonokami friction folders available on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/tiaanburgermetalart Should you wish to purchase but do not want to go through Etsy, send me a private message. The copper handled one with the rose is priced at US$300, add $30 for shipping via courier. The iron handled one with the bunny is priced at $450, add $30 for shipping via courier. Yes, airmail is cheaper, but it takes up to six weeks, during which time I am worried sick. With the courier I can track the package from point to point, and it takes five to seven days. Specs for the copper handled folder: The blade is made of Bohler's K510, differentially hardened and tempered for tough blade with a hard edge. Handle length: 3 3/4" (95mm) Blade lenght: 3 1/8" (80mm) Blade width: 5/8" (16mm) Specs for the iron handled folder: Blade length: 3 3/16" (80mm). Blade width: 17/32" (13.5mm) Blade material: W1 tool steel, differentially hardened and tempered, hand rubbed finish Handle length: 3 3/4" (94mm) Handle materials: Wrought iron, sterling silver, fine silver, bronze pin. Techniques used: hon-zogan, nunome-zogan Thank you for taking the time to look at my work.

Thank you! Yes,it is done by hand, using a punch with a cupped tip. On this one I used the smallest cup tip punch I have made to date. Here is a link to a short clip by Ford Hallam: Nanako Below is a cropped part of one of my photos. Not as good as I want it to be, maybe another little higonokami or two to get there.

Another higonokami I finished this week, but probably not in time for Valentines day unless I get a local buyer. Copper handle with a hand carved raised inlay and nanako texture. Each nanako dot is 0.4mm in diameter. Handle was patinated using rokusho the sealed with three layers of baked-on urushi. I'm one of the 5% who is not allergic to urushi. The blade was forged out of a piece of Bohler's K510, a W1 equivalent. Edge quenched for a hard edge. Thank you for looking, questions and comments welcome.

Brian, thank you. Simplicity is one of what I call "The Deeper Rules" of making things.

I have sold the dragon stiletto and the san-mai kitchen knife. The stiletto with the vines and the ginkgo knife is still available at reduced prices.

Thank you. Yes, it is a raised silver inlay. First cut to shape, inlaid into the handle, then carved.

I made the handle about a year ago, but as I did not have a decent forging setup at the time I delayed on making the blade. Having moved into a new home since then I managed to set up a smithy suitable for small work. The first items I forged were a couple of blades for higonokami folders as they are some of my favourite knives to make and embellish with carvings and inlays. Blade length: 3 3/16" (80mm). Blade width: 17/32" (13.5mm) Blade material: W1 tool steel, differentially hardened and tempered, hand rubbed finish Handle length: 3 3/4" (94mm) Handle materials: Wrought iron, sterling silver, fine silver, bronze pin. Techniques used: hon-zogan, nunome-zogan The handle dimensions are based on that of a kozuka (lit small handle) used on the kogatana, the small side knife carried in a katana or wakizashi scabbard. Thank you for looking, questions and comments welcome!