About
About
Hello, I am Laurence "Larry" Lehman and I make sporting knives as well as a little kitchen cutlery. I am 62 years old. I work out of my shop at my home in Bakersfield, California. I use only the best stainless, carbon steel and Damascus that I can acquire. I like rare and beautiful wood but will make knives with Micarta and G10 synthetic handles because they are good looking and tough. I also like bone and horn for scales.
I make unique and "one of a kind knives" only now. If you acquire a knife from me it will be special . Yours will be the only one like it in the world. I will make
knives with similar blade patterns but no two exactly alike. I want my knife to be one of a kind and so should you.
I've only made two knives that were nearly identical and I do not intend to make duplicates again unless a father and son wants a matching pair. This does not apply to kitchen knives...I will not try to reinvent the wheel.
Are they worth the money?... YES! To own something of real quality; unique, and hand finished in these times where everything is mass -produced is unusual and special.
I have trouble not keeping every one of them for my own collection. This avocation of mine is certainly not about money but rather art and craft and the
satisfaction of creating something simple and beautiful . I have always liked knives.
I take the best photographs that I can of the knives I make but I know they are not exactly professional. I will gladly take more if requested.
It should go without saying that all knives shown for sale include a sheath formed to the knife and stamped with my mark. Some sheaths are finished with Neatsfoot oil and topped with Minwax paste or microcrystaline "Renaissance" wax depending on the sheath finish. Some sheaths are decorated with tooling and stamping when I think it suits the knife... or my taste. Some are natural and some are dyed depending on what looks complimentary to the knife. Again, each knife is special. I am now finishing sheaths with a thin clear matte enamel finish over tightly formed leather which gives a durable, good looking finish and a snug fit to the knife. I will finish them however the buyer wants.
Every knifemaker I know has a motto. I have several. Here's one: "Why not have at least one thing in your life that is unique and special and one of a kind?"
THANK YOU for looking at my website. Larry Lehman June, 2012