The Latest Work by Barry Lee Hands debuting at Ed Wormser's Chicago Knife Expo

[Barry Lee Hands]

Ed has got a really great event coming up at which I will be debuting my latest work, a Ron Lake folding Dagger with Gilded pearl, and burnished blade technique, along with inductive layout designed Handstyle arabesque with five color virgin gold relieved inlay, and a diamond studded screwdriver(in case you need to repair your eyeglasses).
The 2010 Chicago Custom Knife Show will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 10-11, 2010, at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza. Rooms are $149 per night.
Here is a link:
http://www.chicagocustomknifeshow.com/

Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza
350 West Mart Center Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60654
(312)-836-5000
Reservations 800-315-2621

Show presenter
Ed Wormser
edw11@aol.com

Admission

$15 One day pass
$20 Two day pass
$30 VIP pass/Early admission

We look forward to your joining us!

Here is a peek at some of what I will be exhibiting:

[Tom McArdle]

Gorgeous Barry!

Hope you have a great show!

Tom

[spike]

Being as I live in Chi town I will not miss it.

I need to see that knife of yours Barry................

[KDavid]

Barry you are truley Amazing!!!!

[mckeenh]

I am glad you posted that Barry. I liked it before it was finished. I really like it now. Are the two hands on the blade your signature? The photos acctually show the detail better than when you were at the MKA and I was using these tired old eyes. I guess I will need to carry my optivisor with me more in the future.

Neil
Stevensville, MT

[kyj]

I am always looking forward to your beautiful engraving.
Really great and wonderful work !

[chickenscratcher]

Hello Berry. Your work on this knife is great. I love all the different material elements you have put together and the simple yet extraordinary way you over layed the design elements. Are you going to be at the Chicago show? I live near Fort Wayne In. and was woundering if I would get much engraving insite by going to it. I'm am handicaped so it has to be really an event to make the effort worth the extra, if you know what I mean. If I get Caught mimicing some of your work it's only out of admiration of an artist. chickenscratcher

[SVD]

I wish I was good enough to copy some of Barry's work!

Although I'm sure some elements will work their way in, just like with everyone else that I study.

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thanks guys for the comments.
Hi Neil, the two hands are my signature, I am glad you like the look of it finished.
Chickenscratcher, I will be at the show, and the aisles are wide enough for wheelchair access if you need it, and I am sure the Hotel is accessible, so I hope you can make it.
See you there!

[Damien Connolly]

Hi Barry... met you at the Reno show in 'O7 and enjoyed our conversation. I'm interested in your burnished blade technique. Are you burnishing smooth the etched damascus surface? And are you incising the outline and shading the burnished areas? A very innovative and extremely interesting (perhaps not particularly time consuming?) way of using this naturally darkened background. Very nice work Barry, all of it, and I read your various posts on design etc. with great interest....Damien Connolly.

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thanks Damien, this "Burnished Blade" technique is something I came up with recently, which is mostly original, but influenced by things I saw and learned with the Knife and swordmakers I met in Japan and Indonesia.
I am grateful for your interest, on these forums we often get too preoccupied with technique, after all, it's really about the knife when you get right down to it, the individual knife itself, and the Artist's idea and vision of what suits it best, and how to create something unique, rather than following another line of thought.
This is how I design, from the knife back to design , and then the method which serves the idea is selected, or if need be, invented.

[myrh502]

Very beautiful!!! I have deep admiration for all your work.

[Dave London]

Barry
Beautiful work. Dave

[chickenscratcher]

SVD. Didn't mean to say I could actually do as good as Berry but intend to try, but even if I can't I will gain by trying new things; and he and others here on the forum are certainly well worth holding up there as important poeple in the art. chickenscratcher

[Ray Cover]

That is pretty darn slick Barry. Beautiful piece !!!!

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thanks folks, and Ray, you are one of the best knife engravers of all time, thank you for the very generous comment.

[KeithPedersen]

Barry, Just beautiful.
Love the blade engraving and the nice "signature", what a cool look.
Chicken scratcher, take the ride. seeing the knife up close will be worth the ride. Years ago, I flew out to Barrys place and am still surprised at how much I learned in the few days I was there.
Best of Luck at the show.....
Keith

[SVD]

Originally Posted by chickenscratcher

SVD. Didn't mean to say I could actually do as good as Berry but intend to try, but even if I can't I will gain by trying new things; and he and others here on the forum are certainly well worth holding up there as important poeple in the art. chickenscratcher

Yeah, that's part of the fun of them posting these pictures, isn't it? The way we get to see how well we can do just replicating such a fine design, both in drawing and execution.

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thanks folks, this knife will be cased as a set with this pistol:

[Andrew Ovalles]

Is that a saturday night special? Thats awesome

[rod]

Barry,

I have been enjoying an ongoing BBC Radio 4 series that you would enjoy:

"History of Humanity in 100 Objects"

It is archived here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/programme

Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, is the narrator and creator. When finished it will be 100 programs each about 20 minutes, and it is fascinating. I think your matched set of pistol and knife would fit right in to this series. Your objects are right up there in art and execution!

Rod

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thats interesting Rod, I will check it out, I think I have the book in my library in Oceanside, a cinematic version would be very interesting.

[Daniel Houwer]

Great knife's and the pistol with the knife look wonderfull!

He, Rod,
Thanks for that link. Truly amazing what source of information about our past is in those broadcasts!
This is what I will be listening to when I work alone

[JJ Roberts]

Barry,Beautiful knife & pistol casted set,you'll be a big hit at the show.Like Damian Im interested in your etching & burnishing technique.Can you please explain the technique to us on the forum. Keep up the good work. J.J.

[Barry Lee Hands]

Thanks guys, I hope you have a chance to come by the show.