Hey Andrew and anybody else interested,
I am in no possition to say lets start another kith or have no idea how to go about starting one, but I have been very intrigued by the idea of a kith ever since I first read the thread about the gents kith a month or so ago. I had never heard of a kith before. After I read that thread and the "what is a kith" sticky I thought that was one of the coolest things I had ever heard of, and wanted to participate in one very bad. I have been wathing for another one to start but have not seen one. So I am just asking or suggesting if anyone is interested or has any good ideas to lets start another kith. I have racked my brain trying to think of a good topic but I can't ever seem to think of any good ideas. Andrew always sounds like he has good ideas about such things. The only things I have realy thought up are The coolest burliest wood handle you can find, or hunting seson is coming up so we could do hunters, or damascus blades only would be a cool one. Speaking of whick I have a blade etching right now that I need to attend to. Being that I am mostly a stock removal guy right now and have only made a few folders( none of which I would want anybody to see) I would say lets not do folders only or forging only. I'm not sure how these things work so I hope I'm not stepping out of my place when I suggest doing one. Thanks and let me know what you all think. Thanks, Shane

I second the motion :D

I was going to get in on the gent's kith but when talk started about jeweled embelishments etc. I decided to sit that one out.

I was just thinking two or three days ago that someone was going to suggest another KITH any day now. We're about due.

There have bee a number of great ideas tossed around and more still, I'm sure, that have yet to come up. Now that we're talking about it, it'll be like a heavy rock rollong down hill--someone'll come up with a winner.

As for me, it better be a looooong due date, 'cause I'm buried in work and need to get some stuff finished for the Knife Group show in September. I'm cutting back on 25% of my tattoo appointments after the first of the year so I can give more time to knife making. I also have another huge project in the works...

My point is, a lot of makers are busier than every right now, so whatever we do, let's keep it simple.

I'll toss few out there to get the rock rolling.
-EDC with most creative sheath
-chute knife
-first scrimshaw attempt on handle
-scandi
-'Black' knife (i.e. dark blades, handles, and sheaths)
-knife made from a file, screwdriver, or other tool
-mini tomahawk
-homage to a famous maker
-buffalo nickel (work it in to the design somewhere--I have a roll of those things to provide)

...other ideas?

While I was writing this thread I was wondering how busy everyone else was right now. I am fairly busy with 4 or 5 others on the bench. So lets take as long as we need. Those all sound like awsome ideas Andy. I think the any of those would be way fun to take a wak at. What other ideas are out there? Thanks, Shane

How about an Alamo Bowie. KITH?

I was kinda thinking a bowie KITH would be cool. Don't know how well I could make an Alamo bowie but I would surely give it a whirl.

I'm not thinking the Alamo bowie design. More what you would have made for Jim Bowie to carry at the Alamo. The only rule would be periode materials. Would be good to see some big knives.

How about a kith that will focus more on different designs and not necessarily a specific knife style or specific materials? My idea is that you would be able to make any style knife you want but would spend more time on trying to design something unique.

For example, while I think the loveless style handle is a comfortable and good looking design for a handle, I find it to be over used. When I see a new knife with a Loveless style handle on it (especially a drop point hunter) I immediately think that the maker spent no time in developing his own style and cheated himself of the opportunity to come up with the next great design.

Rather than spending a day or 2 coming up with a design, we could spend a month or 2. I suggest we design and submit drawings/sketches for numerous knives and get feedback from the participants of the kith as well as any forum members that would like to give their thoughts. When the participant comes up with 5 designs they they are happy with, they submit all 5 sketches in a polling post and participants/forum members will cast thier vote as to which design they would like to see made. Their would be "X" number of weeks to come up with your 5 final sketches, and "X" number of weeks after the design was voted on to get the knife completed.

This way the maker can still make the type of knife he wants (folder or fixed blade, hunter, skinner, chute etc.) and I think as a result of this style of kith we will all end up with a library of different design ideas that we can all tap into for future knives. I also think with this style of kith there will be more participants as no one will get left out because they can't make a folder or cant afford mammoth ivory and diamonds etc. although if someone wanted to make a mammoth ivory diamond encrusted folder I wouldn't turn it down if I was drawn to receive it :D

What do you guys think?

Wow!! That is deep. I realy liked the idea of a bowie KITh, but your idea Brad sounds realy cool as well. That way you could make just about anything you want, and we would probly end up seeing some pretty cool stuff. I do have to say that drawing and designing on paper is not my strong suit. When I started this thread I about said lets do a bowie KITH but didn't. So I am pretty much game for anything. I just want to be part of a KITH. Lots of good ideas so far. Lets keep the rock rolling.

I wouldn't exactly call myself a sketch artist either but no one will be grading you on your sketching ability. As long as the general idea of what the finished product will look like is presented, the route you take to get it across doesn't really matter. If anyone has trouble conveying their designs by sketching on paper they could find other means such as cutting out a paper shape and drawing the handle/ bolsters etc. or they could do a quick grind on a piece of pressboard or design it on the computer in CAD, sketchup, or MS paint etc.

I like the Alamo bowie . Being new it would be more of the lines of what I was capable of :)
Or what about steak knife/ utility food knife.

Dave

How about a makers choice type thing. Each person could make what they wanted to. You could make that knife you always wanted. Then give it away.

Very intersting stuff...

Brad's idea leaves room for plenty of bowies, for those that want to make them, but I'm not sure that coming up with five designs for the group to vote on is gonna be realistic, for a few reasons.

Design is my favorite part of knife making. When I draw a profile, details as minute as the width of a pencil line are of paramount importance. When the drawing is complete, I stare at it for days, to make sure there are no changes I want to make, and to make sure it still looks 'right' day after day. This is time consuming and mentally taxing. After creating one design, another might not comes for weeks or months, for me anyway.

Then there are the guys who design as they forge. They let the hammer do the design work for them--let the steel become what it wants to be--with very little refining. To exclude these guys would be inhibiting creative design, not encouraging it.

Then there's the whole 'oops' factor. What happens if the finished product doesn't look like the drawing the maker submitted for a vote?

Remember, for me to participate in this one, it has to be 'simple' in nature. I want the group to do what they want, and if that means I can't play, that's fine. I just wanted to share my thoughts.

I like the Alamo Bowie idea for this one. The speculative nature (what you would have made for Jim Bowie) reminds me of the Armageddon and Ultimate Combat Knife KITHS. Those were fun. However, Brad's idea is certainly worthy of development and plays into my favorite elements of the craft.

LOT'S OF TIME!!!!!!

OOOOH! OOOOOH!

"The knife you would have made for RAMBO' :doubleenf :rockon: :101 ;) :lol :banplease

Knife Rambo don't need no stink'in Knife. For him it was just macho jewelry.

YES Rambo! No I think I had better leave those for Mr. Hibben. It could be a fun one to make though. I kinda like either the either the Makers Choice or the what would you make for Jim Bowie. I think the Makers Choice theme would kina go along with what Teknition was talkin about earlier. Lots of good ideas so far.

I like the idea of having the freedom to make the knife you want rather than strictly one style of knife. I think if a maker can make what he wants to, the kith will be more enjoyable for the maker.

My whole idea of submitting 5 designs was to get the makers to think outside the box and see what surfaces. I agree that there are issues with drawing the design out, especially 5 of them. When I was thinking of the sketches, I wasn't thinking about full blown detailed drawings. They could be as simple as an outline of the knife shape from the side as well as top down or as intricate as you want to make them. All that would really be required is a very basic concept of what you are trying to achieve. They wouldnt have to be perfect, more of a doodle type of drawing, very general in natrure. I would think most would be able to achieve that.

If the finished knife doesn't end up looking exactly like the drawing that would be fine too, part of the freedom of the knife maker is to modify a bit on the fly, like when an oops happens or when you get the blade ground out and it doesn't feel quite right in the hand. Grind a little more off here and there and now you have a comfy design or maybe end up with a slightly shorter blade than you were thinking of :cursin

I agree that there should be alot of time provided. A kith is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable experience and being under the gun takes all the fun out of it. I don't want to limit participation by saying you HAVE to submit drawings if you are one of those that absolutely can't make a knife that way.

How does a non drawing maker that designs on the fly interact with a customer for a custom order? Does the customer only get the choice of style, blade steel and handle material? What about the general shape of the guard/bolsters and handle or does it come down to "trust me, I'll make you a nice one? I compare that to getting a tat and having the choice of color and generally what it is but if I told you I want a bear tat and let you go, would it end up looking like Yogi or Grizzly? Your concept of what a bear is and my concept of what a bear is could be miles apart, and the same would go for a bowie knife or a kitchen knife.

Hopefully we will get more makers interested and hear some more thoughts and suggestions. Though I think an Alamo Bowi may be a cool concept, for me it would most likely end up a wall hanger rather than a user. I can't recall the last time I was cutting something and said to myself "dang, I sure wish I had an Alamo Bowie right now"

How about a makers choice type thing. Each person could make what they wanted to. You could make that knife you always wanted. Then give it away.


I'll put another vote in for making what you want. It sounds like a lot of us are busy with one thing or another, and while we are about due for another KITH, I think having something too complicated might take the fun out of it for some folks, especially when it gets down to crunch time.

That being said, we haven't had a Newbie KITH in a while, and there seems to be a few new faces in the last year or so. This would be a good chance to get those guys to jump in.

O.K.
Listen -up....I mean read-up. I haven't been posting lately and may not participate in this one but, What if you set the number of pieces used to make the knife? Say blade and two pieces for the hanlde. or Blade two bolsters and two pieces for the handle. etc.. That way knives would be of similar design yet the maker may have their own interpretation.

As far as newbies are concerned, I refer them to the stickies--all are welcome in any KITH sponsored in this forum.

A freestyle KITH is ok, but it lacks the focus that make KITHs interesting, for me anyway. Besides, I see a few ways that not being specific can ruin a KITH. I don't think anyone I've every KITHed with would be tempted that way, but hey...

I guess we just need to keep tossing around ideas.

I like 'one word' ideas too. We just say a word and make a knife which ties to it in a visible or material way.

Red
Indian
Chess
WWII
Computer
Machine

OOOH! How 'bout this? Everyone throws a word into the hat. Then we draw the words and names and pair them up as they come out in the draw. That maker gets to interpret that work in an artistic, yet fairly obvious way. This really opens the door to make what you want while sticking with a theme! What an oportunity to be creative!

What do you guys think?

Good one Andrew! By reading some of the other old post I relized you come up with some pretty cool ideas like that one. That could be interesting, creative, and fun. Someone mentioned earlier about doing steak or kitchen knives. I never have realy made a kitchen type knife before so that one could be fun aswell. For me anyway. Andrews idea kinda leaves it open to make what you want to a certain extent and also sounds very fun.

Good one Andy! I like that idea. So, the word becomes the name of that model of knife?

That could be a lot of fun!

Hey lets get some more guys rounded up and keep this thing rollin!

Wev just need a few more to offer an opinion I guess.

I think if we had at least six players, that'd be enough. Thoughts...?

The thread is only a few days old. I think we should give it a week or 2 to let people have a chance to find it and submit their ideas.

Seeing were throwing ideas out there. How about a Famous Military knife KITH. This would be your interpitation of a military style blade. IE, the less experianced or beginner could do an Ek style and someone like Mr.Garrett could have the freedom to go at a wasp blade gerber style or those simply complicated grinds on the MAC-V SOG knives. Not exact copies but your interpitation. Then you post a pic of your knife and the original.

I know I haven't been posting much here lately, but love getting involved in the KITH's...

I always thought of a KITH as a chance for individuals to push their comfort zone, so to speak... For me its an ATTEMPT to make a period peice, or a chance to try a new finishing technique or combo of materials, and get a real feedback on the finished product....

Andy, I like the idea of the picked theme or words for the knife, that way a person is kind of forced to think outside the proverbial box and push their limits with that particular knife to fit a set "theme"

I kind of think of this particular KITH like the old books I used to love as a KID....

MAD LIBS...

We can have a style randomly picked, a color and even something like a theme, and the maker can have their way with the knife as long as it fits those criteria... It is also a very good exercise for customer relations. I have often found a customer wants a specific blade shape, likes certain colors and leaves a lot of the rest up to the maker (hopefully)

Anyway, I think a KITH needs a specific theme, to keep everyone involved on the same page. So that one maker isn't slaving over a traditional Japanese polish where others are rough forging a peice and leaving the scale on ect.... But the idea of setting a goal or theme for each maker that is UNIQUE would give enough freedom to get everyones blood boiling but still give us lots of fun stuff to look at and possibly get from the KITH....

Just some ideas....

Alan Folts

I'm a new knife maker and would like to participate. I've been forging primitive style knives, have made a couple of bowies, and some EDC, and have scrimshawed 1 knife. All the ideas put out sound great, but I'm most attracted to an "Alamo Style Bowie". The truth is, no one really knows what knife Jim Bowie had at the Alamo, and that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. If the group goes with another plan I'd still like to participate as long as I have the skills for the job. If the KITH is for a folder (unless it's a friction folder), I'd have to just have to wait and watch and enjoy the show. I'm In!

How about a Movie knife kith? We take X# of movie titles. Manly stuff no sissy crap. You have to make a knife for that movie. Match the movie to a person(random drawing) and thats your theme. Could be interesting.

I like the Rambo and the Military/Fighting ideas.

Dave

All sound like great ideas. The movie idea sound like it could be fun. Some type of bowie still sounds fun or the draw a name and draw a word thing sounds fun as well.
Or what about knives of different origins. Draw a name and a country. Like theres the scandinavian scandis, nesmuks from canada, and norwiegen type knives, and some others that I can't think of off the top of my head. We could go with just one style or draw names along with countries. Just a suggestion. Fighters would be cool as well.

As a newbie I've wondered how I would interpret a customer's request if I were to ever get an order from a stranger. Could a KITH be associated with this? Could a KITH be switched up and the names exchanged at the beginning of the project where, from there, the "customer" could request a type of knife adding as much or as little as wanted leaving little or all to the maker? The downside of this is when someone has to back out, what then happens to the idea/request/knife? I think this would be better fit by a small group of newbies, probably, but I wanted to put it out there.

Just another idea to throw in the "hat".

I've participated in one KITH and sadly had to back out of another. I've got four knives in the (slow) making right now but depending on this timeline I could possibly join in.

-AlanR

I guess it all comes down to, 'what do you want to make' and 'what do you want to get'.

If your theme suggestions are because you want to MAKE a knife of a particular type, then a more open style KITH with a word drawing can suit everyone. You draw a word, say... 'mountain'.
-The guy who wants to make a period knife might do an antiqued mountain-man bowie.
-The guy who wants to make a military style knife might honor the vets who died on Mt. Surabachi during the invasion of Iwo Jima by making a bayonet or work the emblem of the famed 10th Mountain Division into the handle or sheath of a fighting knife.
-The guy who prefers service/rescue knives might do something suitable for a smoke-jumper or mountain para-rescue professional.
-The art knife guy might scrim or carve some beautiful mountain-scape into his work.
-The Japanese knife lover might honor Fujiama in his work.
-You could use woods the come from only mountain regions.
-You could use volcanic rock if you have the tools to work it.
-I might do a survival knife geared toward mountaineering types.
The possibilities are endless, and that's just ONE word!

However, if your theme suggestions are reflections of what you wish to SEE and RECEIVE (which is just fine), then we need to be very specific, so no one feels disappointed.

I like many of the ideas suggested, but would not want to copy a movie knife. If it were a 'what knife would you have made for Han Solo to wield' kind of deal, that'd be cool, but depending on the movie and character you choose, your creative genious might be lost on some people just because they never saw the movie.

I like the bowie idea. I think a totally art-deco, post-modern style bowie would be wild (though tough to make)!

I like an 'any knife in a mexican-loop sheath' idea.

I like a 'double duty' idea, where the knife has to have multiple features which let it do more than a simple knife (i.e., saw back spine, wire cutter, screwdriver pommel, etc.)

I like the idea of going to a surplus store and grabbing an old M-8 bayonet and re-using the hardware on a full custom knife.

Then there's the ever-popular kiridashi!

There are lots of good ideas coming up here. I like the word in a hat idea and I think it leaves alot of room for creativity to show thru but it could go either way for me. For instance I have a mental block for what I would do if I was to end up with the word "red" other than to put a red handle on it, and I'm not so sure I would want to interpret "computer" or "machine". I would be more intrigued by the word in a hat idea if there was an opportunity to draw a backup word at the start of the kith.

If I'm going to enter the kith and make a knife, I would really like it to be a knife that someone will be able to use, not something like a Rambo knife that someone is going to go out and hack up a few trees with, then throw it in a closet.

A few other kith theme ideas I had were kitchen knife, camp knife, or a mini camp hatchet.
Keep the ideas flowing guys.

If I had 'Red', I'd make something with a hammer and sickle, or some other commie imagery.

Instead of each maker getting a word, how about one word and everybody work off it. That way you get several different concepts of the same general theme.

I could dig that.

That sound like a good idea to me. It could still leave a lot of room to make what you want and use your imagination.

Sounds good to me.

Instead of each maker getting a word, how about one word and everybody work off it. That way you get several different concepts of the same general theme.


Each person that wants to participate could submit a word, then we could vote on which of those words we use for the KITH. I suppose the only problem there is that once we start we couldn't really take on anyone else, unless they want to just accept the word chosen by the rest of the group.

Anyway, I like the idea. Either that or a scandi KITH. I've been attracted to those little knives, of late.

love the rambo idea! what about a kneck knife kith?

OK. It seems there is some agreement here.

I'll start a new thread and we'll do the submissions and voting there.