Another from the Art Knife Invitational; Barry Lee Hands engraved SR Johnson subhilt

[Barry Lee Hands]

The catalogue description:

SR Johnson Manti, Utah

"Karen's Sub-hilt." A 71/2" Loveless-style Sub-hilt Fighter, CPM-154 blade steel, 416 stainless lugged guard, subhilt guard and rear bolsters, Mother-of Pearl handles, T416 SS fittings and 18K gold thong hole.

Featuring a unique "SR Johnson AKI-2013" logo on the spine, The high polish double ground blade includes the "SR Johnson Manti Utah" logo on the obverse and reverse.

This luxuriant piece is masterfully engraved by Barry Lee Hands in his Renaissance Leaf pattern with black satin background.

Details include inlays and overlays of assorted multicolor 24k, 22k and 18k gold surrounded by generous raised 24k gold borders.

The design elements are set with more than one hundred green and white diamonds and pink sapphires on the blade, handle fittings and, as only Mr. Hands can do, reverse sculpted gold inlays in the Mother of Pearl- the Gilded Pearl technique.

Housed in a beautiful French-fit display case.

 

[tundratrekers@mtaonline.n]

Barry,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

You will go down in the annals of history for this type work.
Thanks for letting us all have a look before it goes in the vault in some collectors undisclosed location.
michael

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thank you, and thanks to Steve Johnson for keeping me involved!
In the end, its all about the knife.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Fabulous work, Barry……..and technically challenging.

Looks perfect!!

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Marrinan]

Quit a beautiful piece of work. Your style has become a standard in elegance in the knife collector world. The knife was a real beauty to start with and you work has certainly bumped it up a few, well several notches. Should be a favorite for the collector who has it. The kind that gets an individual display case front and center. Great work Barry.

 

[leo]

hey barry always outdoing your self congrats you should make thread on the tesselation so newbies could find out how you get does beautiful patterns in the knife and thank you for showing us

 

[Marrinan]

Leo, there is one. Use the search feature. Fred

 

[GTJC460]

That's some pretty awesome work!! Are you etching the background. It's so perfectly flat. Just wondering?

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Fabulous work, Barry……..and technically challenging.

Looks perfect!!

Cheers
Andrew

Thank you Andrew.

Thanks Fred, I am glad you like it!

That's some pretty awesome work!! Are you etching the background. It's so perfectly flat. Just wondering?

Hi Bert, thank you very much! there is no etching.

 

[Weldon47]

"Thank you, and thanks to Steve Johnson for keeping me involved!
In the end, its all about the knife."

Barry,
I disagree with your quoted statement!
It's about the art & you my friend have entered a new plateau, a new strata!!
I'm so impressed words escape me

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

"Thank you, and thanks to Steve Johnson for keeping me involved!
In the end, its all about the knife."

Barry,
I disagree with your quoted statement!
It's about the art & you my friend have entered a new plateau, a new strata!!
I'm so impressed words escape me

Thank you Weldon, I am delighted you like it.
In some respect your disagreement is valid.
It is true, I could do the work on any reasonable piece of metal, on the other hand, unless I am working with a great maker, with a great design, in this case a Loveless derived subhilt fighter, it would not be economically viable as a knife.
The value of the knife and the engraving enhance each other, and without great knifemakers, it would be economically difficult to create more than one example.
Therefore, my friend, it really is all about the knife.

 

[Sam]

You da man, Barry!

 

[mtgraver]

Interesting discourse Weldon/Barry, validity all round. Excellent collaboration that elevates the field in many ways and areas. I particularly enjoy the descriptions of your projects Barry, the work speaks for itself, exemplary!
Mark

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thank you Sam!
Thanks Mark, I am glad you enjoy them.

 

[monk]

i guess you know the art you create surely "rules" to the max !

 

[Marrinan]

Barry, I have noticed that you are incorporating semi- and precious stones more and more lately. I don't really follow the knife world to closely. Has this become a trend in the high end custom knife collector world? Does this reflect that the collectors feel that engraving has reached some plateau and the are looking to stones to add that unique touch? I could and probably am way off base and just exposing my ignorance in a field that I don't play in. Fred

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Barry, I have noticed that you are incorporating semi- and precious stones more and more lately. I don't really follow the knife world to closely. Has this become a trend in the high end custom knife collector world? Does this reflect that the collectors feel that engraving has reached some plateau and the are looking to stones to add that unique touch? I could and probably am way off base and just exposing my ignorance in a field that I don't play in. Fred

Hi Fred, besides the fact it suits my taste, it's my background.
When I trained in the 70's at Gist Engravers in vacaville california, we set a lot of stones.
I also was employeed by engraver Steve Huff (trained by Rene Delcour) at treasure state foundry in the 80's, I was, amongst other titles,(bronze chaiser, wax monkey, buffing boy, janitor) the stone setter.
So it always seems natural to me to use stones in best quality ornament.
I have also been doing more stone setting since studying with Siderov.

 

[Marrinan]

Thanks Barry for explanation. They do add to the effect and affect of your current work. I again assume you are getting a very positive response from your client. Beautiful design and masterful execution. be proud of you work. Fred

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thanks Barry for explanation. They do add to the effect and affect of your current work. I again assume you are getting a very positive response from your client. Beautiful design and masterful execution. be proud of you work. Fred

The response is, favorable.
Thanks Fred.