From early childhood, knives or anything with a blade, were of great interest to me. Consequently, knives of all shapes and sizes were made from crosscut saws, chainsaw bars, galvanized steel
stays from telephone poles and any other piece of steel found laying around. Bladed
weapons were a family thing, so between three brothers an myself, we had quite a
collection.
Later on during my work as a ranch hand in Australia and as a horse trainer in
the U.S., sharpening and making knives was a spare-time thing. At this point my knives
were made exclusively, using a file and an electric drill. Time was cheap and so were
the files.
After a year of full-time knifemaking, I finally joined the Guild as a
probationary member in 1985. Becoming a full time maker was a big transition requiring
more production and yet higher standards and quality. Quality has always been the
motivation for me, bringing tight tolerances and fine hand finishes into one complete
package. Back then it was 600 grit satin finish. Right now I am achieving between 2,000
and 3,000 grit hand rubbed finishes. I hand worked my knives then and still do
Specializing in pocket knives set me on a course to interframes, so about 5 years ago, I purchased a machine to cut pockets, etc., and since have concentrated on this style of knife.
Numerous styles are available to the customer, with most of these being cataloged in the form of line drawings in actual size (unless otherwise indicated). Prices listed are base prices, i.e,, using wood, bone and/or micarta. These drawings will be revised on a yearly basis as will prices.
For interframes I would recommend the pearls or minerals for their stability. Please note, Ivories and stag will be quoted upon request, as will specific requests for premium pearls, semi-precious minerals and other special materials such as gold, silver and Damascus, etc.
If you require a conventional bolstered folder, please indicate and a separate catalog will be sent. At this time straight knives are not available.
When ordering a knife, I will give the customer an approximate delivery time. When the knife is started, the customer will be contacted as to the total amount due. Upon receipt of payment, I will then ship the knife.
I have recently concluded a contract with Benchmade Knife Company to design knives for their line of production knives, these will be known as "Osborne Production Designs" and can be seen at Benchmade's Web Site.
