Knifemaking with Bob Loveless: Build Knives with a Living Legend

194 Pages·2010·24.85 MB·English

by  Durwood Hollis

Learn from one
of the most
innovative
custom knife
makers in the
Join the legendary
w o r l d ! Bob Loveless as he reveals
his knifemaking methods, materials used,
machinery, handwork, tips and philosophy. In
the pages of Knifemaking with Bob Loveless:
Build Knives with a Living Legend, you’ll enjoy:
Exclusive access and interviews, color
photos and insight into the world’s most
famous knife maker and his private
“You have to know knifemaking shop
within yourself that Photo gallery of famous Loveless knives
you can do it. If you and patterns, including never-before
published images of custom Loveless
can work a wrench,
knives
use a screwdriver or
Insider information on how Bob
hammer a nail, you
Loveless grinds, heat-treats and
can make a knife.” tempers his blades
— Bob Loveless
Step-by-step knifemaking techniques
by Bob Loveless as told to author
Durwood Hollis
Tips from Bob Loveless on fi eld use,
handling and care of his or any knives
Foreword by A.G. Russell, proprietor
and publisher of the largest mail
order knife company and catalog in
existence—A.G. Russell Knives and
“Russell’s For Men”
US $29.99
Z7240 (CAN $33.99)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-1155-3
ISBN-10: 1-4402-1155-8
52999
0 74962 01163 3 9 781440 211553
Z7240_COVER.indd 1 9/2/10 3:12:19 PM
Knifemaking with Bob Loveless DURWOOD HOLLIS
UPC
0 F4321n QScJLnU1WyV Y109lBrZ4sVD2 Y0yVDSB1yA2BQA03kdE NaWvXDxJZkAsp2UacMWM2jlAENvbxMhMikdTPGTARYluvz3bNMJnAlZMwI42AsM9I=EyA eluESYxByBLAV oV Q
EAN
0 F4321n STcJLnUi1W0V Yx09lMrZ4sV2 Yw0yVSB10y25BQA4NkdE azWvXgxxJZBNspGaDcWM2QlNvEwbhMMikdTjPGEARlxvuN3bNJTnAlZMUI24zs9MAIEyAelu=ESY=xBy BLAk oV B
Knifemaking
with Bob Loveless
By Durwood Hollis
Z7240_PG1-7.indd 1 8/30/10 11:22:17 AM
Copyright ©2010 F+W Media, Inc.
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a
reviewer who may quote brief passages in a critical article or review to be printed in a magazine
or newspaper, or electronically transmitted on radio, television, or the Internet.
Published by
Krause Publications, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
700 East State Street • Iola, WI 54990-0001
715-445-2214 • 888-457-2873
www.krausebooks.com
To order books or other products call toll-free 1-800-258-0929
or visit us online at www.krausebooks.com or www.Shop.Collect.com
Front cover photos by Jim Weyer, Toledo

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010924669
ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-1155-3
ISBN-10: 1-4402-1155-8
Cover Design by Tom Nelsen
Designed by Dave Hauser
Edited by Corrina Peterson
Printed in China
[2]
Z7240_PG1-7.indd 2 9/14/10 7:33:19 AM
Just as this his blue jeans,
book was going he was clean-
to the printer, shaven and his
we received the clothes were
sad news that spotless. T e
Bob Loveless, a ease with which
member of the he answered my
Blade Magazine questions belied
Cutlery Hall a shop and per-
Of Fame©, had sonal appear-
passed away on ance that—sans
Sept. 2, 2010. the untucked
T e father of the modern custom knife shirt—would have passed most any
movement, the man who popularized military inspection. At one point he
the dropped hunter, Big Bear sub-hilt even grabbed a push broom and swept
f ghter and other knives, and, along up some miniscule bits of dirt unseen
with Richard Barney, co-wrote How to all but his discerning eye. Whether it
To Make Knives, the precursor to this was his polite way of telling me the in-
book, was gone. terview was running long or he simply
In 1999, I had the privilege of visiting was that fastidious, I don’t know. I do
Bob in his shop in Riverside, California, know that he had a sign on the wall that
to conduct an interview for BLADE® read, “Your mother does not work here.
Magazine. T e thing that stood out was Please pick up af er yourself.”
the cleanliness of both the shop and We at BLADE and F+W Media are
the man himself. Like the lines humbled and proud to present this work
of his knives, Loveless and showcasing the knifemaking legacy of
his shop were clean, un- Mr. Loveless. T ough knifemaking was
cluttered and unpre- but one of many pursuits that made this
tentious. T ough fascinating man tick, it is what he will
he wore a blue be remembered for most.
denim shirt We are honored to be able to add to
out over the memories.
Steve Shackleford
Editor
BLADE
[3]
Z7240_PG1-7.indd 3 9/10/10 12:14:57 PM
From the Autho®
DU RWO O D H O L L I S
This work is dedicated to
my friend and knife maker
Loyd Thomsen.
Loyd owns a ranch in the prairie country of South Dakota, where
he raises cattle, feuds with coyotes and makes knives. Good friends
are hard to come by. When you f nd such an individual, they become a
part of your own extended family. So it has been with Loyd T omsen.
T ank you Loyd for who you are and your continued friendship.
[ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ]
T e scope of this book was such that without Bob Loveless gave life to my words and served as a window to Bob Love-
it would have never come to fruition. T roughout the course less’ knife making career. For his generosity and kindness, I
of several interviews, Bob was the consummate gentleman. will be forever grateful.
Never growing impatient with my seemingly endless string of I am also grateful to photographer Hiro Soga for allowing
questions, he answered every inquiry with experience birthed me to use many of his f ne photos in this book. His stunning
out of more than half a century of knife making. Certainly, work clearly illuminates the purity and clean lines of a Bob
Bob Loveless is well worthy of my gratitude. Loveless creation.
Likewise, I am thankful to knife maker and Loveless part- Of course there are others who contributed to getting
ner Jim Merritt for his insight into the career of a man who’s this book into print. Steve Shackleford, editor, and Joe Kertz-
become a legend in the world of handmade knives. T ere’s no man, managing editor of BLADE Magazine, worked behind
doubt that his long association with Bob Loveless has given the scenes at F+W Media/Krause Publications to “get the ball
rise to a true friendship between them. rolling.” I truly appreciate the conf dence and support of both
I am also indebted to Utah-based knife maker Steve John- men.
son for sharing with me the time he worked with Loveless in Lastly, Corrina Peterson, Editor, Firearms/Outdoor
the early 1970s. During our conversation about that relation- Books at F+W Media/Krause Publications encouraged me
ship, you could hear the warmth in his voice when he said, when things bogged down. I most certainly give thanks for
“Bob treated me like a son.” her support and patience.
Montana knife maker Steven Kelly is also deserving of my And a special “thank you” goes out to my wife Anita for
thanks. Steve was a consultant on several of the chapters of putting up with the mess in my of ce during the months that
this book and his unself sh assistance was a tremendous con- this project was underway. T is book has truly been a dif cult
tribution to this ef ort. taskmaster, but knowing that it will be found in the resource
Loveless knife collector and purveyor John Denton pro- library of many future knife makers is a reward of uncount-
vided many of the images contained herein. T ose images able measure.
[ ABOUT THe AUTHOR ]
Since childhood, Durwood Hollis has been regularly involved in outdoor pursuits. Game meals were a
staple on the dinner table in camp and at home, and a sharp knife was key to proper game care. Durwood’s f rst
cutlery mentor was his father, who taught him knife safety, sharpening and f eld use.
For nearly 35 years, his writing has appeared in a wide range of outdoor magazines, including Outdoor
Life, Petersen’s Hunting Magazine, Guns and Ammo, Gun World, Tactical Knives, BLADE Magazine and
Boar Hunter.
Over the course of his freelance writing career, Durwood served as the editorial director for T e Complete
Book of Knives (Petersen’s Publications, 1985); and authored the Complete Game Care Guide (Brunton/La-
kota, 1995); Elk: Strategies for the Hunter (Krause Publication, 2001); T e Complete Book of Hunting Knives
(Krause Publications, 2001); Hunting Monster Mule Deer in Arizona’s Kaibab Region (Arizona Big Game Hunting, 2001); Hunting
North American Big Game (Krause Publications, 2002) and Hunting Upland Game & Waterfowl (Krause Publications, 2003).
A lifelong resident of southern California, the father of six children and grandfather of a dozen grandchildren, the author resides
near Los Angeles with his wife Anita and their youngest daughter Kailea.
[4]
Z7240_PG1-7.indd 4 9/10/10 12:15:37 PM
Table of Contents
Foreword 6
Preface 7
Chapter One:
T e Loveless Story 8
Chapter Two:
Words of Wisdom
from Bob Loveless 24
Chapter Three:
Tools of the Trade 42
Chapter Four:
Blade Work 56
Chapter Five:
Handle Work 78
Chapter Six:
Sheath Work 96
Chapter Seven:
Edge Work 116
Chapter Eight:
Knife Care and
Keeping 132
Chapter Nine:
Helping Hands 152
Chapter Ten:
Resource Guide 168
Af erword 188
[5]
Z7240_PG1-7.indd 5 8/30/10 11:22:28 AM
BY A.G. RUSSELL
n 1964, I started a small mail order business selling
IArkansas sharpening stones through tiny ads in gun
magazines like American Rif eman and Guns & Ammo. knives
Very quickly, I began to sell knives in those ads as well. and the knife
Sometime in 1967, I made a trip to sit down face to face business. We formed a
with the handmade knifemakers I had come to know friendship that, even af er more
as a result of this new business. One of those makers than 40 years and being separated by half the
was D.E. “Ed” Henry in Mountain Ranch, California. country, endures to this day.
Ed had a small knife collection and on the evening of Bob and I talked endlessly on the phone, work-
my visit, I was thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to ing to promote his business and knifemakers in gen-
examine those knives up close and personal. Af er look- eral. One of the results of this was the formation of the
ing at several nice pieces, I picked up a knife that I did Knifemakers’ Guild in 1970. In the beginning, the only
not recognize, and I kid you not, the hair at the back of support we could f nd came from Dan Dennehy. Most
my neck lif ed as I looked at the most stunning f ght- makers were afraid that others would steal their custom-
ing knife I had ever seen. T e mark was “R.W. Loveless, ers. T e Guild became very important to knifemakers
Lawndale, CA.” and managed to stay relevant for the next 40 years. Bob
I asked Ed, “Who is R.W. Loveless?” He refused to always wanted to expand knowledge of knifemaking to
tell me anything unless I agreed that I would not provide as many as he could, so he was always free with informa-
any promotion for Loveless. I told Ed I could not make tion about materials and techniques.
such a promise and he f nally gave in, telling me that he R.W. (Bob) Loveless is universally acknowledged as
and Loveless had traded knives. During that time most the greatest designer of hunting and combat knives in
knifemakers were envious of each other and Ed Henry the entire history of our industry. His designs are copied
was no exception. He did not want me to use my little and adapted by other makers all over the world.
company and my contact with gun writers to promote I have no doubt that Bob’s designs will endure as
Loveless. long as people use hunting knives and wish to carry
Af er my visit with Ed, I went on to the San Francisco boot and combat knives. Not many people have even a
airport and called R.W. Loveless. I was surprised to learn small hope that their name will endure for 100 years af-
that he knew who I was and that he was quite excited to ter their death. Bob surely can.
hear from me. He insisted on picking me up at the Los An- A.G. Russell
geles airport that af ernoon. Bob and I spent hours talking Rogers, Arkansas
[6]
Z7240_PG1-7.indd 6 9/10/10 12:17:12 PM
ost writers f nd it dif cult to encapsulate the complimented me on the presentation.
Mlife and contributions of any individual in the Several more years ensued and Loveless continued
pages of a book. Even the best attempts fall short of the to remain a bit of an enigma. It wasn’t until I visited his
actual reality. At best, only a representation can be pre- Riverside, California, knife shop that a hint of who he
sented and even that only touches on a few elements of was began to emerge. T at particular visit happened at a
a life. T at which is revealed in print only hints at the time when Loveless was involved as a design consultant
vast substance that remains beyond the immediate. T e with a production knife f rm.
same thing can be said of this tome. “If a production knife company is able to produce
When a man like Robert “Bob” Waldorf Loveless a Loveless-style knife, with good steel, at an af ordable
has lived more than eight decades, only the peaks of his price, then that allows the average guy to own one of my
life and work can be seen above the clouds of the past. designs at an af ordable price,” Bob said.
Most of the valleys remain in dim mists beyond remem- Af er that, I visited the Loveless shop on a few more
brance. However, when compared with what is seen and occasions. And the idea of writing a book about his life
recalled, that which is overlooked or forgotten is of far and knife making career began to germinate. When I
less importance. In this instance, that which is timeless approached Bob about the book, he was quite positive
remains in steel. And that alone speaks of the man who about the idea. Subsequently, he granted me the neces-
gave it life. sary access to produce such an undertaking.
For more than half-a-century, Bob Loveless has made I was aware that a couple of other books had included
his mark in the arena of handmade knives. He emerged some commentary on Bob Loveless and his work. How-
onto the scene in an era where there were few notable ever, things change over time, new materials emerge
knife makers. Men like Bo Randall, Harry Morseth, and knife making methodologies evolve. In this ef ort
Rudy Ruana and later Bill Moran were the most promi- it is my goal to update and expand on what has already
nent f gures in that early era of knife making. been written about Bob Loveless and his knife building
My f rst encounter with Bob Loveless came about techniques.
when he had a shop in Lawndale, California, a small In the pages ahead, you’ll read about Bob Loveless the
suburb south of downtown Los Angeles. And from man, his life and his work. You’ll also be able to follow
time-to-time, I would see him at an occasional knife him through various phases of knife building, from raw
show. Many years af erward, I was asked to present a steel stock to the f nished product, including material
seminar on knife work in the f eld at the BLADE Show about how-to make a sheath for your new knife. T ere
West, held at that time in Ontario, California. T at’s are chapters on knife making tools, blade sharpening,
where I saw Bob once again. knife care and upkeep and a helpful resource guide. In
Shortly af er my seminar began, Bob walked into the addition, there are many illustrative images, including
room accompanied by Steve Shackleford, the editor of several Loveless knife images that have never been pub-
BLADE Magazine. I must admit, Bob’s presence was a lished previously. A lot more lies ahead, so read on and
bit disconcerting. When he made comments during the enjoy.
seminar, I was more than just a little concerned. Howev- Durwood Hollis
er, his statements were right on point. Always a gentle- Rancho Cucamonga, California 2010
man, af erwards he came up to me, shook my hand and
[7]
Z7240_PG1-7.indd 7 9/10/10 12:17:21 PM
[ CHAPTER ONE ]
The
Loveless Story
[8]
Z7240_PG8-19.indd 8 8/30/10 1:57:51 PM
From a humble beginning on a farm,
Robert “Bob” W. Loveless has riseN
to the pinnacle of knife making
hen it comes to writing a biographical sketch,
Wwhere to begin is not always as clear as many
would believe. Some would pick a seminal event that
had a transforming ef ect on the life of the individual
in question. Still others would begin at the moment of
birth. When selecting a point of origin to begin the life
story of R. W. “Bob” Loveless, the very same challenge
beset this writer. And to fully understand the life any
individual, I believe one must start with their parents.
T erefore, it’s at that point that this story begins.
Bob’s father, Carl B. Loveless was born in 1890 and
served in World War I. Returning home from the war
Carl brought with him the scars of conf ict. Like many
others that saw duty at the battle front, his lungs were
badly damaged by the mustard gas attacks unleashed by
the Germans, and breathing dif culties would beset him
for the rest of his life. Looking for the quiet life of a small
town, Carl settled in Warren, Ohio, where he met and
married Doris B. Huf . At the time of this union Carl
was in his late 30s and his bride was barely out of her
teens. While initially the age dif erence didn’t seem to be (above) Bob Loveless’
maternal grandfather,
a factor, in time both partners found themselves looking Clinton Huff owned a small
for something dif erent in the marriage. Only a couple farm about halfway be-
of years passed before Carl and Doris were divorced. tween Warren, Ohio, and
However, one signif cant event in the marriage did oc- Sharon, Pennsylvania. It
was there that Bob spent
cur, the birth of a son in
much of his early life.
(opposite) Bob Loveless has 1929, Robert Waldorf (Image: Bob Loveless)
cybeoaeprnies dm. Hainksdi nw hgoi rskk ni nihvfla eusse bfnoecree nn f ewealitrd leyl y6 0 LovAelmesesr. ica was just en- (Broigbh Lto) vDealiessys H’ mufaf twearnsa l
throughout the cutlery industry, tering what is known as grandmother. She and
from production factories to the Great Depression in her husband Clinton
h
i
aza eknsnd ihfmeisa s dkheno iukvnledis v beaes,. “aHenevd ec nrhyoattrhhaiinncggte r- tmhaek einargl ya 1li9v3in0sg awnads djuisf-t twreealircaehn ricneegs pdBouonrbisn isgbe ltelhf -feo r
else.” (Image: Durwood Hollis) f cult for most families, Great Depression.
especially those that had (Image: Bob Loveless)
[9]
Z7240_PG8-19.indd 9 8/30/10 1:58:00 PM