Thanks for the kind words everyone.
David Lowry wrote:I see what you're trying to do. These dog gone photos are going to make me buy a SFSW Kiwi.
Yep, it's all part of my fiendish plot to keep the Kiwi off Sal's "endangered species" list. Figure that as long as SFSW needs them, there's a better chance of it staying in the lineup.
jaislandboy wrote:phenomenal collection Paul ! :eek: :cool: It's like taking a trip through the Minerology section of a science museum.... :)
My SFSW Malachite Kiwi is also a fave of mine.....it's funny how such an inexpensive mineral can hold so much visual appeal.... :p
I think my favorite bone handled folding knife is the production (smooth) red bone Kiwi....
Yes, I agree, some of the least expensive materials are among the most attractive.
Of all the stone ones I have, the malachite is my favorite as well. I love the original production jigged bone, it's inexpensive, but one of those materials that just looks "right" on a pocket knife. I think many different woods, none of which are terribly expensive, at least not in the quantity required for a Kiwi, look great too.
For the future, I'd love to see Spyderco do a run of Tortoiseshell celluloid, another cheap material that's both extremely attractive and very traditional.
MAT888 wrote:Paul,
You should say]Maarten, it has been said that "There is a fine line between a hobby and a mental illness" . Sometimes I'm not sure myself which side of that line I fall on.
:D .
As for the bone. Best answer I can give you is to quote from the SFSW website's description of the dinosaur bone they use:
Santa Fe Stoneworks wrote:Bone is a common material for knife handles - and we have the oldest bone available. The gemstone in these knife handles is actually a section of petrified bone form a sauropod (brontosaurus) that lived over 150 million years ago. Coming from Moab, Utah, the colors vary dramatically from red to brown, black, white & yellow depending on the minerals surrounding the bone as it became petrified.
I would imagine that iron oxide would be a major contributor to the red, limestone to the white, and perhaps sulphur to the yellows, not really sure about the others.
tonydahose wrote:i really like the mammoth tooth and SFSW Gaspeite - a new stone from the Gaspe Penninsula in Canada is a pretty cool color. whats the grand total up to on the flock? Do you have one display case to show them all in?
Yes the Gaspeite is very pretty, and it's probably a good choice for the Kiwi, as it resembles the inside of a Kiwifruit.
"Grand total" depends on how you do the math. The 38 that appear in the photos are the ones I would defninitely count. At any given moment those are in a display case in my living room, except for the one in my jeans and another on my nightstand. Then there are 7 more bolster and scales ones that I have in boxes, which I keep for those times when I want a custom made one and Bill is out of blanks and 2 more all stainless ones in case I get a hankering for another engraved one (I really need one by an American engraver). Then there are the 3 that are "in the pipeline". Finally there's the handful I've given as gifts.
Mr Blonde wrote:
Awesome, simply awesome. I like the Patriot and Charoite Kiwis best! Do keep updating this thread as the flock grows!
Thanks Wouter, I plan on adding the new ones to it as they arrive. There are three "in the works" right now, two of which should be here within the next couple months. Lignum Vitae thanks to STR, and Slovakian opal thanks to Jano. The third is something really special, it will feature marquetry which Bill is having a very small quantity of made at my request.
jaislandboy wrote:ok Paul, I hope these are "worthy" to be posted in your Kiwi thread.
Charoite, Malachite, Smooth Red Bone, MOP/Abalone, Gold Pearl, and Turquoise Kiwis.... :) :cool:
They most certainly are Brian, I enjoy admiring other people's Kiwis almost as much as fondling my own and Yoda is always a pleasure to see.
The madness continues...
