Early Linerlock

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.