My Knives #18 Lady Chef for an English Lady (sort of)
Hello dear Steemians,
I won't say I'm back, because I was never gone, just absent for a while.
But I'm back and stronger than before - or something like that.
Nu, this is a story of a little petite chef knife I've named Lady Chef, I've made for, what turned out not, an English lady.
It all started a few months ago where one of my followers on IG began giving me and my knives just a bit too many compliments to be an ordinary follower.
So one thing lead to another and we started talking. She liked my knives and maybe she would like one but not right now... and so on.
I kinda liked her and was determined to get to the bottom of it and see what's the real reason she's not ordering one.
Now keep in mind that this was going on for a month or so, and all this time I was under the impression I'm chatting with an English lady.
Why? - you ask. Well, a few reasons. First of all her nick on IG is cookiesforengland. And, if that wasn't enough her language skills were well beyond your average US IG knife-lover.
Back to the story... After some additional probing, it turned out the Lady has quite petite digits, and all the knives I make would fall into the swords category.
With the mystery solved, I immediately said - Well, I can make you a petite chef knife! A real Lady Chef!
OK, it could be I wasn't that smooth, but I was something since she promptly started being happy in a proper lady-like way (still 100% sure she was English).
After the usual back'n forward and some pictures sent, I started thinking about design and how to incorporate everything I do into something so small.
First blueprint I did
After the design got OK, I've started the build.
I won't give too many specs since the measurements are in the drawing - so just the basics:
Steel - 1095 differential heat treatment
Handle - walnut with red G10 liners and brass pins.
The build
Hanging out with the gang from its batch, waiting for the HT
Clay-prep for the differential HT
From test etch off the grinder trough hand-sanding up to almost mirror finish
Preping up the front of the handle
Handle profiling
The final product, and some more of the story
So around that time, it was reviled to me that my Lady is not an English lady but a colonial one.
If I am anything, I am stubborn. And I do care what she says, I did this knife for the English lady, so I might as well finish the build with the same leitmotif.
Hence the final pics are taken with the aim of capturing a rainy-night-in-London atmosphere. It was actually raining and way past sunset in Zagreb so why the hell not.
Oh, apparently my (not an English) lady was really upset when she realized I've used the first sketch as a stencil and that it was lost in the making of the knife. She was planning to frame it and hang it on the wall.
What can you do when you hear something like that but take a pencil and draw a new one.
And that's it. Thank you for stopping by and see you sometime with something...
P.S. If someone knows how to fix the pics code, I would appreciate some help. - Solved, thank you @carlgnash
Love this ! I really admire your craft and the journey of this one from the sketch to the finished photoshoot pictures is amazing <3 You're one of a kind, @docsmith <3
Grats for curie, too <3
Why thank you - much obliged ;)
Hi docsmith,
Visit curiesteem.com or join the Curie Discord community to learn more.
Thank you guys - much appreciated.
hey, @docsmith.
Great story and great looking knife. I take it the knife gave you no troubles?
A colonial lady? I'm not sure who uses that term anymore, but let's go with it. Australia? Canada? Somewhere on the African continent? I'd say US, but you seemed to dismiss that one early on.
Congratulations on the curie, too. Very much deserved.
hey @glenalberthsen, thank you
Hard to believe, but I had not one single problem with this one ;)
Colonial lady is a perfect term, and should be used whenever possible. And since I am terminologist in my day-life I have the full authority to say so...
But, yep she'd from the US
This Curie really caught me by surprise, I'm not complaining or anything like that - just didn't expect it.
I think you did everything to please this 'not so English' lady :D
I understand why she wanted to frame it. How many of us have such a custom made knife? I surely don't..
My cousin got a set to make knives for Christmas from his brother. Now all family is making knives :D it looks like all boys are dreaming about that but they realize it just right after there is a knife set available :D I'm not comparing you to them as you're a professional though :) Just saying that you reminded me of them :)
Congratulations on the curie vote!
Thank you,
It's nice to hear that young people are getting interested in crafts.
That being said, I am not a professional - it's a hobby for me, I'm just good at faking it ;)
howdy from Texas docsmith! haha, great story, man it took you months to find out where she was located didn't it? lol. Did she like the knife?
"see you sometime with something..." lol. too funny. great job on the post!
Howdy, my Texas friend.
I do tend to be slow when my mind is set ;)
I don't actually know if she likes it - it's still in the mail. I guess I'll find out in a day or two
Howdy again docsmith! well she has to like it! I bet ya anything she loves it!
Great work!! I'm quite fascinated by the different steps it takes to make a knife. Funny enough I didn't know anything about it until a friend of mine made a short documentary about a guy making hunting knives. You should check it out, I'm sure you'd love it: https://www.facebook.com/TheLightAffect/videos/279701026145454
Even though you thought she was British, and she wasn't, I love your attention to detail with the cup of tea and the red phone booth. They're nice touches.
Thanks for sharing! I wish you luck with your craft. You've got quite the skill.
Thanks.
And yes, it's a complex craft full of joy and sorrow ;)
Absolutely. Keep it up though, it's a very cool craft.
A piece of art The history of the post, the design, the photographs of the result ... The whole post is in harmony of quality. You are an artist from one of the oldest trades of humanity, and that is something that moves me, because the first tools that our ancestors made were knives. How do you make your brand? Is it an engraving? You say you are stubborn with your creations, it's a good symptom, you know? that has forged your character. And by the way, for someone who admires art, there is nothing better than asking for a specific type of work, and that by "accident", the result ends up being something different but admirable like this. Greetings friend.
Thank you - much appreciated.
It is an interesting way to spend one's free time.
And when everything clicks into place asit did with this one, it's a special feeling seeing or hearing from a client how much they enjoy using something you made with your own hands.
You're right. Thanks for answering.
Just stick a hard carriage return (enter key to make a blank line) between the
<hr>element and the image code and it will take care of that :) Beautiful knife! Fun story as well, guvWorked like a charm, so thank you.
And thank you for the praise ;)
I had never thought about the process of making knives that we used to cut food. I thought the way the knife was taking shine and elegance as I was working it was very interesting. It was fun to read her publication because incorporated the story for which she decided to make it, for an English lady she met by instagram. The final photographs are a work of art, the elements used as an environment were perfect. Congratulations for such a good job.
Thank you ;)