Issue 15 ~ Spring 2004
24 pages all-gloss tabloid-sized magazine
packed with information and photographs!
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Cover: Gold prospector's pan off dish
supplied by Phil Baker, whose father owned and worked a goldmine on the
Kalgoorlie (WA) goldfield.
The Bowie-style belt /camp knife and fossicking knife
were made by prominent Melbourne (VIC) bladesmith Tom Brammer (circa 1920).
Cover pic: Spencer photo - Copyright 2004
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Edge-itorial: Keith
Spencer
Prior to the federal election a bloke
representing one of the political parties approached me on the phone from
interstate urging me to use Knives Australia magazine as a political platform
to promote their particular political persuasion. I respectfully declines
his exhortations, explaining that Knives Australia is an objective and
impartial publication, that it is both non-sectarian and non-political.
He persisted ...
Letters to the Editor
...... cont. page 3
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Issue 14 features:
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Our Man in Japan - Glenn Waters
Many Skills Make Swords Work - Part 2
In Japan the registration of swords is necessary. It is controlled
by the Department of Education & Science. That's right, the Department
of Education & Science because Japanese swords fall into the category
of ART. I realize that in Australia some people, especially those in Government
positions, do not consider swords to be art. For many, art needs to be
a painting hanging on a wall.
..
cont. page 4
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Gregsteel Bowie Replica
A rare opportunity to purchase a replication of the rarest
Australian manufactured military knife, the Gregsteel Bowie, handcrafted
by authorized Gregsteel custom knifemaker, Zane Darcy-Shaw.
Zane was commissioned by the Australasian Knife Collectors
Club (AKC) to produce a replication of the original knife that was designed
by Gregory Steel Products of Melbourne 60 years ago, but with slightly
thicker blade steel. The fractionally larger, heavier duty model built
to original design features makes it ideal for use as a bush knife.
The AKC Club, owner of the Gregory Steel Products trade
name and trademarks, authorized highly skilled knifemaker, Mr Darcy Shaw,
to produce Gregsteel replications on its behalf more than a decade ago.
Zane has expertly reproduced a number of Gregsteel Commando Stilettos that
now grace the display cabinets of military collectors around the world.
cont. page 5
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Holed Up On Hogan Island: A Bass
Strait Kayerer's Story
as told by Col Grandison
The annual Sydney-to-Hobart Bass Straityacht race of 1998
is a memorable event for the wrong reasons. Four sailors perished, two
others were presumed drowned and more than 50 had to be rescued in very
risky conditions when 145-kilometre per hour winds and l0-metre swells
struck the fleet of racing yachts. Adverse weather conditions proved to
be trying that year for sea crossings between the mainland Victoria and
the Tasmanian Isles.
Viewing the awesome television coverage of heart-in-the-mouth
rescues by skilful and gutsy helicopter pilots and the brave emergency
services personnel, who were winched up and down in gale force winds to
save sailors at the mercy of savage seas, was both gripping and sobering.
A grim reminder of what 'mother nature' can dish up when she's in a bad
mood!
Watching the footage, the last thing on most people's
minds would have been to plot a path paddling a kayak across the treacherous
Bass Strait waterway. Yet, that is precisely what Col Grandison and a fellow
kayaker, Lincoln Gray, did that same year.
....
cont. page 6 & 7
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Milspec - with Paul Bergen:
Glock
Felt Messer
Smack in the middle of the European continent lies a steeply
folded mountain range. Formed some 30 million years ago, this jagged alpine
redoubt is home to Austria. Unlike its slightly smaller neighbour, Switzerland,
Austria's historical past is tumultuous and bloody.
For centuries this region was a violent buffer between
Christian Europe and the recurring surge of Islam. As recent as in the
last one hundred years this country became subject to a near total collapse
from its imperial expanse (then co-joined to form the vast Austro-Hungarian
Monarchy). In the aftermath, the five million or so Hitler left Austrians
economically depleted and militarily unaligned and thus helpless to resist
the invasion and annexation (Anschluss) in 1934.
...cont.
page 8
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Eureka Stockade: 150 Years On
In keeping with the theme on the front cover of this issue
we remember the influence of gold discovery upon our fledgling nation.
This year is the 150th anniversary of the Eureka Stockade,
that most notable and memorable incident which took place during the goldrush
years in the last half of the 19th century. A quarrel arose between the
Victorian government and the Ballarat goldminers over unfair licensing
fees imposed in the search for gold. License hunts carried out by the police
authority were inconvenient at best and downright brutal at worst. The
miners also resented having no political representation.
Early on the morning of December 3 1854 a pitched battle
bet ween goldminers and a contingent of government troops caused the death
of 34 miners and 6 soldiers. Many others were wounded, some badly, and
125 prisoners were taken from the stockade to be incarcerated at the government
camp.
... cont. page 9
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Leatherman Raises Bar On Standards
When you invent a concept that grabs the imagination of users
worldwide, then stave off for the next 20 years all those who cashed in
on the concept, eventually you come to realise that, unless you make radical
changes to your range, the pack snapping at your heels will get you.
That's precisely what Leatherman has done, rearranged
its multitool range, but it takes guts to dump six best sellers and introduce
new upgraded models all at one time. The bulky press release is entitled
' Leatherman Overhauls Product Line' and the document makes interesting
reading.
...cont. page 10
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Mintan Field Test
The Sicut Mintan mini survival knife was designed and a prototype
made by yours truly in 2000 prior to their production by a Pakistan manufacturer.
The Mintan field test was undertaken in 2003 by Australian Army CPL R W
Langdon, Patrol Commander, 3 Brigade, Reconnaissance Platoon, who returned
the mini survival knife, along with the following letter.
"I finally managed to get this knife back. Sorry it has
taken so long, but after a tour of East Timor, I went back packing in Europe
for a year, some time to catch up with the bloke who had it last."
Re-handling Table Knives
People often ring about rehandling old tableware and carving
sets that are the worse for years of wear. Depending upon the condition
and collectable value of old culinary cutlery determines the advice they
are given. Their options are arrest the deterioration, but don't interfere
with the collectable value of the item, seek the services of a knifemaker
to professionally restore the item for them or, if they're good with their
hands, restore it themselves. Most restoration jobs aren't very difficult
to do, so long as you have the right tools and materials, some handyman
nous and a bit of patience.
...cont. page 11
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CEO Letter Openers
Many of us are familiar with C.I.A. Letter Openers, the Smart
Alec idea of moulding hard plastic into daggers, flat on one side and 'diamond
ground' on the other, that would pass through metal detectors unnoticed.
Good for opening letters, these coverts (coz they're black) could, at a
push (excuse the pun), be used as a weapon. But then, you wouldn't want
a lump of shaped hardwood, bone or stone 'in your eye for a wart' either!
Anyway, bladesmith Reg Ellery came up with a unique way
of recycling Western Australian history by forging a wide range of what
I've elected to call CEO (Chief Executive Officer) LETTER OPENERS - polished,
rustic tools designed for the desktop.
Reg, a long-term policeman, got onto the idea when he
served a stint at the goldfield city of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, which is a
steady seven hours drive east of Perth, if you take your coffee breaks.
... cont. page 12
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Historic Stiletto Recognised
Originally designed by Gregory Steel Products of Melbourne
in 1943, the historic Gregsteel Commando dagger has been adopted by The
Fourth Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (commando) to form paI1 of
the display and emblem of the Tactical Assault Group - East (TAG-E). The
following 'unclassified' information has been approved for publication.
This designated name represents the Australian Defence
Force East Coast Counter Terrorist (CT) incident
resolution unit. Roised in 2002 to increase the Australian
Defence Force domestic CT capability, TAG-E is manned by commandos from
4RAR (Cdo) and RAN Clearance Divers. TAG-E has created an unfficial emblem
that embodies its joint structure. The back-sround is a modified double
black diamond on green. The double black diamond design draws inspiration
from the Commando Independent Companies of World War Two. The Sherwood
Green background aligns to the Commando beret colour. This combination
of black and green also represents the 4 RAR (Cdo) dual roles of CT (black)
and War (green). The symbol of the RAN Clearance Diver, the
standard diving helmet, symbolises the RAN contingent. The Fairbairn Sykes
commando knife ooverlies all these images. The Fairboim Sykes is a direct
link to another former Australian joint Army/Navy Special Forces Unit of
World War 1 - the Z Special Unit.
Reference in the text to the Fairbairn Sykes (FS) commando
knife relates to the Gregsteel FS-type Australian manufactured commando
knife. The Gregsteel stiletto is the Australian version.
..... cont. page 13
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Nary A Knife Seen
Old Eastern Goldfield knives of Western Australia is these
days a story of no knives. That's right, there are no knives to be seen
about the place amongst thousands of relics in museums scattered through
the towns of Kalgoorlie, Boulder and Coolgardie. I listed in the realm
of 40 basic items on show in displays used around prospector's and miner's
campsites dating from the late eighteen hundreds up to the 1930's, but
no knives. The occasional tableware and carving sets appear in dining room
settings in heritage-listed settlers and mining engineer's homes, but I
saw no old kitchen cutlery.
Scouring the second hand shops proved to be equally fruitless,
but I know avid knife collectors have long since snapped up old bladeware
offered for sale. The good news is hundreds of old goldfield pocketknives
and fixed-blade knives are salted away in collections and so not altogether
lost. Sadly though, few people get to share in the historic knife experience.
The big museums generally aren't much help to knife aficianados either,
because most of the bladeware they accumulate over years rarely sees the
light of day again and remains buried in their vast storage areas.
...cont. page 14 & 15
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Damasteel Dynamic Bladesteel
The controlled swirls and whirls of the Swedish-made stainless
Damasteel barstock patterns are much sought after by discerning knife makers
for collectors who've 'just got to have them'. No less than 10 different
patterns in 27 assorted dimensions overall are on offer to Australasian
knifemakers via Australian Knifemaking Supplies.
Beginning with a modest stockholding a few years ago
as the national distributor for Damasteel AB of Sweden, Australian Knifemaklng
Supplies has since invested many thousands of dollars to provide good stocks
of a full range in order to satisfy the growing demand for this exciting
bladesteel.
Occasionally running out of some dimensions in various
patterns is unfortunately unavoidable. With so many variables (patterns
& sizes) it is impossible to gauge what knifemakers want at any given
time. One minute they'll be making small skinners with tight patterns,
then big Bowie-styles and even swords that call for sparse patterns. Sometimes
the governing factor is balde thickness; at opther times is
blade width; "What have you got in this...or that...size or pattern?"
... cont. page 15
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Just Jensen
Self-styled crafter of survival-type knives in New South
Wales, Peter Jensen calls his new creation Jensen's Unique Survival
Tool (JUST). It's the latest inclusion in a 40-page booklet that Peter
provided on military/civilian survival-type bladeware. Peter offers by
far the widest range of Australian handcrafted knives for those whose lives
may depend upon the reliability of the knives they carrry with them. Not
dissimilar in appearance to the Inuit ulu blade configuration,. the 12-cm
JUST fits into the category of a mini-survival knife, a back-up blade that
can be carried in a pocket, around the neck or in a small container of
survival bits and pieces.
Otis Via Denilikoon
Now, you might know that Otis is the tradename emblazoned
on custom-made knives by Mal Hannan, but most of you are asking where the
hell is Denilikoon? Which reminds me of a funny story that happened about
two years ago. Over the years I've had lots of dealings with lots of folk
living al] around the continent, and travelled quite a bit, sometimes into
remote places with names I can hardly remember and find difficult to pronounce.
I like to think I'm a bit worldly when it comes to Aussie locations, but
a bloke rang me for some information and when I asked where to send it
to he told me 'care of the pub at Mungungo'. being one Aussie talking to
another, I asked him "where the hell is Mungungo?" "Aw, everybody asks
that", he said. "I'll send you something in th email, then you'll know."
A few days later I received a package in the mail. It contained a stubby
holder with Where the Bloody Hell is Mungungo printed on it. Underneath
was the postal address - in QLD. By the way, where exactly is Mungungo?
.. cont. page 16
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SOG Switchplier -
by Peter Ervin
Since Tim Leatherman produced the first leatherman multi-tool
back in 1983 there has been a virtual flood of similar multi-tools from
other manufacturers to hit the market. Most of them are similar in design
and variations on a theme. There have been a few exceptions to this rule
over the years with the Spyderco Spyderench probably the most original
design to date.
In my search for the perfect multi-tool, I have owned
or used just about every make and model on the market and have reluctantly
come to the conclusion that the perfect multi-tool does not exist. They
all have great designs and each one has its benefits as well as drawbacks.
Some have a lot of tools, but are heavy and cumbersome to carry, while
some others have innovative features that can be a bit fiddly to use. Up
until now I have found the SOG Paratool best suits my needs. It has ten
tools, a compact design and is light enough to carry around all day without
noticing it.
...cont. page 17
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On July 29 this year, less than three months
after celebrating its 1O0th birthday, Imperial-Schrade of Ellenville
in New York closed its doors and those of its Listowel factory in Ireland,
which had been in operation since 1961. Best known for the now historic
Uncle Henry and Old Timer knife brands, the firm that employed almost 1,000
workers in its American and Irish establishments in 2001 has called it
a day.
Leading Australian bushcraft exponent, Bob Cooper, (from
whom
I learned much of what I know about survival - in every sense of the word)
drilled into me; "the only certainty in life is that nothing is certain".
Imperial-Schrade's demise provides a classic example of Bob's motto. Sure,
many firms, for all sorts of reasons, go through rough periods in business,
but who would have predicted the downfall of this long-term iconic outfit.
Nothing in life is certain!
...cont. page 18 & 19
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How To Do Tapered Tangs
The next lesson in a series of do-it-yourself by NSW
knifemaker Peter Bennett.
Tapered tangs are these days one of the main things that
separate custom-made knives from factory produced knives. The main reasons
for tapering tangs are as follows:
Tapered tangs increase the surface area of the tang,
which allows greater strength in the fitting of the handle.
The removal of the material lightens the handle and
helps ': balance the knife
Looks visually appealing
After marking out, profiling and shaping the blank, paint
each side with dye-chem or a similar layout dye. Scribe two lines on each
side of the tang just inside the edge on the flat sides of the blank. Mark
out and drill the holes for your guard and handle. Do not worry about counter
sinking the holes at this stage, as you will have a fair bit of grinding
to do. ...
...cont page 20
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Across The Tasman ~ New Zealand correspondent
Norman Sandow
Auckland Custom Knife Show
Over two crisp, but sunny North Island days, the fourth annual
Auckland Custom Show was held at the Parnell Community Centre on July 24
and 27, 2004. The ongoing success of knife shows is determined, to a large
extent, by the flow of new knife maker's work onto the display tables.
Whilst users and collectors will always attend shows to see the work of
establish knifemakers, they love to see new knives and speculatively invest
in the work of upwardly mobile makers whilst their prices are still modest.
Scrimshaw artist, Michele Clair, who's fantastic scrimmed
images featured in an earlier issue of Knives Australia, travelled to the
show from the South Island and went home with a bag full of extra work
to do. Clearly, makers are keen to have their knife handles embellished
with Michele's 'scratched' creations to enhance the 'sellability'
of their work.
...cont page 21
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Sheffield Scissors History
The follow precious slice of scissor-making history is supplied
by Kutrite of Sheffield, Philip Wright, in response to a letter asking
for more information relating to an old pair of IX*L scissors. The reply
to KA Publisher, Joan Renton-Spencer, from Phillip is shared in its entirety
with our readers.
"Joan, you have done a brilliant job with your article
on scissors, When Two Blades Cut Better Than One. (Issue 12 Summer 2004).
I was really impressed with the very well edited version of the potted
history of our family business. Well done! My thanks must also go to Nick
(Philip's son) for sending the photographs on to you. They have reproduced
well. Now Joan, to the question you posed in the last paragraph - Quentin
Saville's (member of Australasian Knife Collectors Club) old, faithful
I*XL 10" Paperhangers Scissors - they would not have been made by Ernest
Wright & Son (the original firm founded in 1902, now Kutrite of Sheffield).
George Wostenholm (I*XL trademark) was a very large self-contained
business based in their Washington Works, which was an island site with
the main frontage being on Wellington Street, the works now long since
demolished. All's the pity - Sheffield City Council had a lot to answer
for in the 1970's, letting all the City's heritage disappear within a single
decade - they finally came to realisation, albeit too late. It is ironic
that the pub next door called The Washington still stands and trades as
a pub.
..cont page 22
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Custom-Made Down-Under Blades
John McLarty - SA
Adam Fromholtz - ACT
Jeff Peck - NSW
Kurt Simmonds
Col Barn - Qld
John Suraski -WA
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