Jalopy (#3)

Booth, Philip

Philip comes to knifemaking through the fine arts. He is an award winning painter, printmaker and knifemaker. At 10 years old he made his first knife by hammering a 16 penny spike and wrapping the handle with tape. Not much of a knife but at 10 years, a huge accomplishment. Philip sold his first knife in 1991 and is now a full-time maker and voting member of The Knifemakers' Guild. All the knives are made entirely by hand using the metal reduction methods on a one-at-a-time basis. This gives the maker ultimate control and makes each knife unique. Materials for each knife are laid out before each knife is begun, much like a painter laying out his pallet. Knives can be designed around a particular piece of pearl or ivory, and many take advantage of a certain pattern in the Damascus steel. In this way close attention can be paid to pattern, texture and color.