Robert W. Loveless, True Legend

[Charles Vestal]

Here ya go guys,

[Charles Vestal]

Originally Posted by jayers3673

Finally Bob said " Jim, what kind of knife did you have in mind, and I replied that I would like a knive that He would make for himself ". To me, it was the only way to get a real Loveless knive- if that makes any sense. Bob simply replied " I know what to do then"

Jim

Jim,

I think you got a real Loveless knife, a true working knife that looks so good you want to look at it for hours.

Thank you for letting us have a look at this classic.

Charles

[Steve]

That is a jewel, Jim. Thanks for the photo. It's so cool!
And thank you, Charles, for posting it for us.
"Bob simply replied " I know what to do then." A Semi-skinner would
naturally be his choice.

Have you ever used it? If so, I'll bet it was great!
Hope the fishin' was good!

[jayers3673]

Never used it in the field, but I do unlease it when I am sitting
in my easy chair, stroke and fondle it for a couple hours from
time to time, and think about about the things I should have done
or shouldn't have done. ( same service I give my wife, lolol)

Actually, that is wrong; I did take it out on a deer hunt shortly after
I received it. The whole time I had it on me, I was worrying about
losing it somehow. Kept looking or feeling if it was still there, not
looking for deer trails or sign as I should have been. Got back to
camp that evening, took it off & locked it in my truck & set the
alarm.

Next morning, I put on a Sigman knife, went out & got a nice 6
point. lolol. I'm telling you guys that this Loveless semi-
skinner has almost taken on Religous implications for me. That
knife is almost sacred to me, I swear it. But equally important to
me are the treasured phone calls I had with Bob back in the 70's
and 80's.

I am not a collecter ( I detest that word for some odd reason), but
a outdoors guy that first was into guns then went into knives back
in the early 70"s & 80"s. After about 20 years of thought I came to
the conclusion that I have 3 huge regrets.

The first & foremost regret was not ordering a Loveless " Wilderness "
model back when I could have in the late 70's. It was only around
$ 250- 300 bucks in those days ( in those days that was alot,,hahah).

The second regret was not getting a Jess Horn model IGBK intergal
boot knive when I had the chance ( although I did get a Horn folder
model PF ) a few years later.

The third was selling a Herron model 2 semi skinner & model 3
" Little Dude " to a close friend that made me a offer that I thought
I couldn't refuse ( times was tough at that time & I needed the
money). #### ! I have only bought new knives from makers
and I think I paid George $ 95 & 65 bucks for those 2 knives !!!

Only if we were blessed with hindsight !

[Steve]

John Denton, son of J.W. Denton, the two of which were and are "The Authority" on Loveless and his knives, sent me this link to his new Bob Loveless Knives web site. It's brand new and already has some interesting information that you will enjoy perusing: http://www.boblovelessknives.com/
What a great family they are and what a wealth of knowledge and stories John has about Bob!

[jayers3673]

Steve,

Going back to your Lawndale/Riverside days, do you remember if Bob & you knew
a northern Ca. knifemaker by the name of Robert Hayes? He made some knives in the early to mid 70's. Supposely was very good and then kinda disappeared. Same question
for Richard Barney. I know that Bob & Barney wrote a book together - "How to make knives". Just curious about the story behind those guys and Bob, if there was one that is.

jim

[Steve]

Sure, Hayes was quite well known, but I don't know of any association, or relationship between him and Bob. He made some great folders with very innovative locks. Here are links to two of his knives, you see that they are very different, even from each other. Very talented!:
http://www.arscultri.com/en/messer_d...=606&liste=neu

http://legendaryknifemakers.com/make...bert/index.php

Richard Barney would visit now and then but stayed in the area for a while, it seems, while the book was being compiled. He made a few knives, I don't know how many, or for how long. I think he lived in northern California. He was/is quite knowledgeable about knife making and is a great writer/editor in my opinion. A very nice guy.
FYI, Here is a link to the Loveless/Barney book:

Amazon.com: How to Make Knives (9780873413893): Richard W. Barney, Robert W. Loveless: Books

Amazon.com: How to Make Knives (9780873413893): Richard W. Barney, Robert W. Loveless: Books

[Steve]

The Art Knife Invitational is coming up next week, October 29, 2011. I'm truly honored to be able to participate in this show, with all of the truly outstanding artisans that are members of AKI. I stand in awe of the beautiful works of art created each year!
Bob flabbergasted me one year, when he brought nothing but a bunch of Semi-skinners and Dropped Hunters....priced at $3450.00 each!! I could not believe that anyone, even he, could dare ask that much for a hunting knife. (I knew better, down deep, though) Of course he sold them all immediately, as I recall. Bob was really something! Most, if not all, had long guards and hidden bolt handle attachments; perhaps it was 2003, not sure. What a guy! What a blessing for me to have had the opportunity to work with and know him! I'll be thinking of him next week end. Maybe the fact that all but one of the knives I'm taking are of the Loveless-style, says something......
Actually, about all that Bob ever brought to AKI were Semi-skinners and Drop Points. 1999 saw Bob's table full of the same styles, priced at $2450.00. Bargains! Makes me wish, a little bit, that we were driving, so that we could go past the shop on the way to San Diego.......

[Steve]

While in Lawndale, Bob and I would zip over to Carson, CA (I believe) now and then to a camera shop where Bob would check out the latest cameras as well as leave some film to be developed, or pick up a pack, or packs that had been printed and visit with the gentleman from India, I believe for a while who either owned the shop, or worked there. Bob would usually suport that little store with a purchase of some kind. One day the proprietor had a bank of photographs that he'd taken in Yosemite National Park. Bob and I both were very impressed with the pictures, to the point that he purchased 3-4 and I bought one for myself. They were quite expensive, I thought, but worth it. I felt that Bob may not have loved the photos as much as he just wanted to support his "camera store friend," who always had his photos ready and was knowledgeable enough about photography to carry on a nice discussion about cameras, photography, etc. Bob was that way, he tried to give others a lift at times. one thing I remember about shooting pictures was Bob saying, "Film is cheap, shoot a lot of pictures, one of them might even be worth keeping!" (Something along that line, anyway. Of course I cannot give you the exact words, it was, after all, 40 years ago, or so!) It made sense, still does. Applies even more so these days, I guess, what with digital cameras and all. Bob loved guns (handguns) and he loved cameras! And...the reason for this post is to let you know that Bob supported most anyone who was trying to make it, doing a good job and caring about the work that they did. He gave a lot of support to a lot of people, and not just knife folks.

[s mcfall]

John Denton is a facebook friend of mine, he and my wife went to collage together and she told him that i used to make knives (i'm actually going to start again after i get my shop setup) i would love to see a loveless knife in person!!

[Steve]

s mcfall: John is the best! It looks like Jersey City, NJ is 4-4.5 hrs. drive from you. If you want to run down to the ECCKS Knife Show, the first of March and you can see John Denton, who will be showing plenty of Loveless knives. Not to mention more ot them in the show and hundreds of other knives!
http://fiftyfiftyproductions.net/eccks-info.php

[BOP01]

I just recently got my first Loveless viedo and can only imagine what it must have been like to have worked for the man. If you subscribe to the idea that we will all be judged out of the book of life, than we need to make sure that we put as much information into those books as possible. I have a freind who lives in Utah who is a writer, I met Blaine when I was a young man much like you were when you met Bob. Blaine encouraged me in writing down all of the experiences of life.

What better way to keep the memory of and the teachings of Bob Loveless alive than by writing as much down as you can. What a wonderful journey the two of you shared and what joy you would give to the knife world by sharing that journey.

Brian
Otherly abled Sportsman

[Steve]

Lots of info. here, Brian.

[Cthulhu]

Somewhere back in my younger days, I came across some pictures of some Loveless fighters, esp. the sub hilt fighters, and they struck a chord with me. I think it was the desire not to own, but to be the hand that made, knives as close to as beautiful as his that started my fever for knifemaking.

It was that desire to make beautiful things out of steel that gave me the confidence to apply for my job at Randall knives, and to continue to try and make knives after I left the company.

For that, I will be forever grateful to Bob Loveless for that inspiration, even though I've never met the man.

One of these days, I want to make a sub hilt in his style as a tribute to the man.

[Steve]

Just received notice today that a great knife set that Bob and I made back in 1972 will be in the new David Darom book. It was a great set and you will be surprised to see it. Once the book is published, I'll post a photo here. I was just taken back 30+ yrs. when the notice came in, made me think about and appreciate, again, the marvelous opportunity I had to work with Bob. And - all the great knifemakers with whom I was blessed to associate. "Some guys have all the luck!"