I just read today with great sadness that ABS Master Smith John White passed away on October 4, 2014 following a brief illness. He was 71.
Earlier this year, I had the great pleasure of meeting Mr. White in person at the BLADE Show in Atlanta, GA. For the past several years, I followed his work and many accomplishments through the BLADE Magazine and also online and was thrilled to finally meet the man who crafted some of the most exquisitely-crafted knives in the world. Through my limited interaction with Mr. White, I discovered him to be a true gentleman; soft-spoken and with a genuine sense of humility. When I met him, I joked by stating I was honored to "shake the hand of the legendary John White." He grinned at me and with a soft drawl retorted, "Whoa, now. I don't know about all of that." Mr. White then showed me a few of his knives and graciously answered a few of my questions. One of the knives he showed me went on to win the BLADE 2014 Best Fixed Blade award.
Rest in peace, Mr. White. You will be missed.
Michael