Allen Elishewitz Creations knives, watches and pens

Getting over this summer

2011-09-07T16:07:00.003-05:00

I don't know what happened to the summer but last thing I remember was Blade Show! Seriously I took a little time off to recover from the Blade Show, went to the range, trained for a fight (more on that later!) and just relaxed. Then I got busy on my summer projects: I had promised Blade Magazine to write a whole chapter for their upcoming Guide To Making Knives II so I decided to explain how I use my pantograph to make patterns and then the knives. That project took several weeks, between making the actual patterns and knives, taking and editing photos and writing the chapter. I took this opportunity to re-design my Tank model (version 3.0), make new patterns and proof them with a small series of knives. I think they turned out great and so did the guys that were lucky to get their hands on them!

After the book I needed to make a special Tank knife for a very famous movie star who really likes my knives. I swore confidentiality so I can't tell you who it is but I can show you the knife!

Last year I had started making limited runs of some of my very first folder models, the Omega Series. I have already made the M1 and M2 in 2010 and I just finished the Omega M5 series. These knives are based on the original line drawings from my catalogs of way back then but they are made with the methods and processes I use today. The best of old school tacticals!

With the Paris knife show looming in a few weeks; I am busy in the shop making goodies to bring.

You have met Dr. Jekyll, now meet Mr. Hyde!

2011-06-08T15:07:00.007-05:00

The model I designed for the Build-Off had 2 blades designs. I made one and called it Jekyll and I finally finished a few models with the other blade shape to take to the show.

Meet Mr. Hyde!

On the Hogue front we also have been working hard to get the EX-F01 Damascus and cocobolo fixed blades ready for Blade. I think they turned out awesome! These are for sale and quantities are very limited.

The first EX-02 prototypes will also be unveiled. These are not for sale but we should be in full production within a couple of months.

If you are making it to the Blade Show come by and say hi at booths 54 & 55 in the back of the room!

More Blade Show prep and some finished knives.

2011-05-30T16:44:00.000-05:00

10 days left to finish all I want to bring to the show.... the heat is on!

Here are some examples of what I will have at the show:

Hogue and I are also working hard to have the EX-02 prototypes ready for the show

I am finishing some Tanks right now and will make the first Hyde models right before leaving for the show. Back to the shop....

Blade Show preparation

2011-05-19T17:18:00.000-05:00

Atlanta will become the center of the cutlery universe from June 10th to the 12th when the Blade Show will be held at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Hundreds of knifemakers, manufacturers, dealers will gather to sell and show their wares.

More info about the Blade Show here

This year I will have a booth (#54 at the back of the room) right next to Hogue's booth. I will have a variety of my customs including the new model(s) Jekyll/Hyde that I made during the Build-Off. I am planning to use a variety of materials such as Damascus, Timascus, Moku-Ti, Zirconium, Lightning Strike carbon fiber, marble carbon fiber, various woods and ivory.

Hogue will also have exciting products such as 5.5" and 7" Damascus EX-F01 fixed blades with cocobolo handles, all the EX-01 folder and EX-F01 fixed blade variations. Also expected to be unveiled at the show: EX-02 prototypes!

I am hard at work making knives and will be posting more pictures soon!

Knifemakers Build-Off 2011 (Final photos)

2011-05-11T13:33:00.000-05:00

Here is the finished knife with all the bells and whistles! It is a new model that will be part of my line of knives from now on and I will have some at the Blade Show in June. This is a fancy version with stainless steel Damascus blade (Chad Nichols), Timascus bolsters and clip, mastodonte ivory scales and zirconium spacer.

Knifemakers Build-Off 2011 (Days 4 & 5)

2011-05-09T14:48:00.000-05:00

Here is the last pictures of the work-in-progress before it is completely done. I cannot show every steps as it would take forever but I think you can get a good feel for the process involved when I make a knife.

I need to slot the liner:

Next I need to grind and finish the blade:

After a lot more work, the blade will be completely done and fitted up to the knife and I'll also have the liners detailed.

I still need to make the clip. I left this for last because I was unsure of the material and the shape of the clip but I have a good idea on what I want to do. There is a specific look I am trying to achieve with this knife and it will be explained in the final pics.

Next the photos of the finished knife!

Knifemakers Build-Off 2011 (Day 3)

2011-05-05T13:00:00.000-05:00

The next day I got the various parts ready for the pantograph, cut and fitted the bolsters and handle material together.

Then I started working on the spacer, which will be made of zirconium.

Next I worked on the handles, grinding, profiling and contouring.

These are only some of the steps to finish the handles; you will see the handles completely finished in the final photos.

Knifemakers Build-Off 2011 (Day 2)

2011-05-04T15:34:00.015-05:00

This build is long finished but here is the continuation of the work-in-progress:

Day 2: I spotted all the holes; drilled, tapped, and reamed the liners. Also pantographed the liners and added the serrations. Then I flattened the bolsters and ivory on my disc grinder. Once the ivory is flat I stabilized it.

Then I had to wait for the ivory to dry....so I worked on the hardware (pivot pins, stop pins, screws, etc...)

Here is a video of the work on the pantograph:

I also heat-treated and tempered the blade.

Knifemaker Build-Off 2011 (Day 1)

2011-04-15T16:00:00.002-05:00

For the past few years I have been organizing a friendly knifemaking competition on the Custom Knives and Guns Forum.

The rules are simple: 2 knifemakers compete against each other, making a knife in 5 days and documenting the process on the forum. The competition is great as it pushes the makers to make new models and try new things they haven't done before, and it gives the collectors an inside view of the making process and the shops.

Yesterday I started my competition against German knifemaker Uli Hennicke.

So I am supposed to start at 9am EST.... but I can't start right away... I have been thinking about this Build-Off since the first of the year, going through materials selection, designs and how I wanted to put everything together. The way I work is I go through a development process in my mind, then I start doodling and rough draft. Most of the time the rough draft is about 80% there. I had a design set but something did not feel right with me; the more I looked at it the more I felt it was not translating my thoughts and feelings. To many it would look just fine but I just wasn't happy with it.

At the last minute I went back to the drawing board. This was a good and bad thing: Good is that I believe the second drawing flows a lot smoother. I took elements from my past, polished it and upgraded it for today's knife collectors. The bad part about this is that I have been working the past 3 days on making patterns and I am not done. I will be spending part of today completing the patterns, fixturing and tooling. The reason why I spend so much time on these patterns is that it makes the knifemaking process a lot smoother and more precise. The cleaner your patterns, the better your knife turns out.

This is the first drawing:

This is the second one:

Here are some of the patterns already done:

After spending the morning finishing my templates; I finally get into the meat of it and start on the knife!

Drawing the various parts on the materials:

Cutting on the bandsaw:

Blade on the surface grinder:

Drilling the holes:

Putting the serrations on the blade with the pantograph:

Starting the grind:

Tri grind done and blade ready for heat-treating:

This is what I got done yesterday; I will post today's progress shortly.

A couple of new videos

2011-04-07T15:02:00.005-05:00

First is a video of the spine whack test I performed on the Hogue Elishewitz EX-01 folder:

Then I have a 2 part video on the new Hogue Elishewitz EX-F01 fixed blade:

I am planning to do some more videos on the testing of the fixed blade.

I am back!

2011-04-06T14:30:00.007-05:00

I apologize for the long silence.... 2010 was a very busy and hectic year and I was hoping that 2011 would be different, slower paced with more time out of the shop. Well so far it has not been the case!
Between the Shot Show, a sniper tactical match, the East Coast Custom Knife Show and a trip to Germany/France for the IWA Show; I have had barely enough time to unpack my bags. Besides revamping my whole set-up and patterns on the pantograph and proofing it with a nice series of Bolster-Locks, making knives for the custom show and a series of all titanium pens, I don't have much else to show for the first quarter of the year.

This is about to change though because I am home and working on a variety of projects: I will be making a series of prototypes for a new Hogue folder, I will participate in the annual Custom Knives and Guns Forum Build-Off and I will be making cool knives for the Blade Show! I am also hoping to be able to write more on this blog and share some of my experiences training in Southeast Asia for a month last November.... more to come soon!

Boys

2010-07-04T20:47:00.001-05:00

No matter how old we are, boys will be boys

You have to love the Italians

2010-06-01T20:29:00.001-05:00

FOOD, FOOD, FOOD

2010-05-25T13:18:00.002-05:00

I have been trying to be on the paleo diet and damn its hard.... I had to break down and get a little carb

Happy Edward

2010-05-25T13:13:00.002-05:00

Every year I host a hog hunt and every year my good buddy Edward does not get anything. This was his year, he got his first hog and almost bagged one more. That evening he celebrated in style.

Five fingers

2010-05-16T09:59:00.002-05:00

Valerie and I got a pair of new shoes or should I say socks. It is pretty cool to be able to got to a restaurant almost bare footed. I like them so much I am planning on getting another pair.

Tank Skulls

2010-05-15T22:59:00.002-05:00

I made a limited edition for Dave Stark of Steel Addictions. These mini Tanks have a skull inlaid into the carbon fiber and you have a choice on a tanto or drop point.

Life does not get better than this

2010-05-15T10:49:00.002-05:00

I want to share family pics with all of you . We would like to welcome a new addition to the clan his name is Titan and he likes .338 cal.

Hogue/Elishewitz EX01 videos

2010-05-04T16:39:00.002-05:00

This is my first attempt at videos so cut me some slack; I know I look and sound like a douche and Valerie had issues with focusing. Just because I have a pretty face, doesn't mean I am a Tom Cruise!

Yummy

2010-05-03T12:31:00.003-05:00

I love Star fruits, it reminds me of Panang when I was a kid. It taste like a cross between a plum and a Chinese pear.

Something different

2010-05-02T13:23:00.006-05:00

Here is something besides knives. After 2 years of waiting I finally got my movements. This is a new caliber called A10, it is very nice in design and quality of manufacturing. The Swatch Group owns a lot of watch Co/watch parts manufactures, several years a ago they decided they were not going to supply any company outside the Swatch Group anymore. This included ETA the largest movement maker in Switzerland. So it sent all the tuning houses to develop alternative. The A10 is similar to the ETA2892 but I think it's better designed.
Also I wanted to show a Chinese movement of a tourbillon cage. Yes , it is a real tourbillon and it works, the only problem is the quality of materials and the machining are horrible. The Chinese can do almost anything if they set their mind at it , but they need more guidance.

Such is the life of a knifemaker...

2010-04-30T15:42:00.007-05:00

...a never ending cycle of projects, special runs and parts!

This week I worked on several projects at the same time: I hand ground 50+ blades for Hogue and worked on a special series of knives for Dave Stark of Steel Addiction.

Hogue and I started a collaboration a little less than a year ago. The knives were unveiled at the Shot Show and started shipping this week. For the upcoming Blade Show they needed some special blades ground that our regular grinding house would not be able to get to on time so I stepped in. I will dedicate a whole post to Hogue/Elishewitz Extreme knives next week with lots of photos and information.

Regarding the knives I am working on right now: Dave Stark wanted a limited run of Mini Tanks and regular size Tanks for his website. Some of the knives will have the original tanto blade and some others the drop point blade. As you can see in the picture there are several handle configuration. More on these in a few days...

Boy am I tired!

Just a flesh wound

2010-04-28T18:04:00.003-05:00

I have been grinding a bunch of blades for the past couple of days. Some for myself and others for Hogue. We are both frantically trying to get ready for the Blade Show. Not only did I get a blister but I picked up a really hot blade which burned my skin until it was white and crispy. I can not wait to see the end of these blades so I can hurt myself on something different.LOL

Welcome to my blog!

2010-04-26T21:31:00.000-05:00

I created this blog in hopes to be able to share information with my collectors and friends. Here I'll be able to keep more of a journal of what is happening in the shop and in my life in general. I am planning to post pictures, videos and more information that is possible to keep on my website.

So let's go ahead in this new adventure (and bear with me as I have no idea how to do this blog thing ;-))....