Thread: Gembloux 2015

I went to the knife show in gembloux this year. I wasn't going to originally, but Mike Blue stayed at my place after I picked him up from the airport and gently insisted I tag along to meet some of the people he was going to be with. I crashed their party and found myself a free bed. It was one of the best decisions I ever made, and will have a lasting effect on the things I do and will do next year.

This was my early Christmas gift. It did not come cheap, but worth every penny: Razor sized blanks of Alfred Pendray wootz.



Stabilized and colored antler. I bought it because the curvature follows the usual profile I need for razors. This will look great in dark Damascus.



Stainless handforged bracelet. I wanted something like this for a long time. Funny thing was it didn't fit initially, and the women at the table gave it to me and told me to find her husband outside at the anvils, and ask him if he could adjust it. I thought it was a bit odd she'd trust a complete stranger but the guy managed to adjust it.



A couple of buffalo horn buttons and a slab of imitation ivory made from milk protein. Cheap enough to give it a try and see just what happens.



A new hammer. Again something I wanted for a while. They were very well priced at 49 euros.



Mike Blue eating a cheese baguette



Me eating at the same table. Grace Horne decided at that moment she needed my pic for her contact list right when I was stuffing my face with some shared food.



A little Wootz knife I bought from LX_Emergency. I just had to have it because it was wootz and it was a nice and small cutting tool that easily fits in my pocket.



A humongous slab of Turkish twist Damascus which I got from Ed Schemp. That'll be a lot of razors.

The guys I was with told me I should get my own table set up next year, and Grace finally convinced me that I would have to book a table next to her.

Btw that pattern goes through and through, so I can forge it and hollow grind it and the patter will never wash out.

I almost forgot: I also bought mammoth tusk ivory. These were offcuts. rectangular scale pairs were very expensive but the offcuts were cheap, and there was a bix box to rummage through. The 2 dark bits I have planned to use for scales on a wootz kitchen knife.
The 2 larger pieces should each be able to make a pair of scales that would go well with either wootz or Damascus.

Nice to put a face to my maker of so many blades!! Glad you had a good time Bruno , now get back to work!!! Just kidding. Tc

Thank you Bruno! Looks like a great place to be.
~Richard

That hunk of Turkish delight is awesome!
Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

That hunk of Turkish delight is awesome!
Thanks for sharing.

Yes indeed. And Ed's a wonderful guy as well. He explained how he made it, how I should be sawing, forging, and heat treat it.

Some great buys there Bruno. I particularly like that bracelet.

That looks like a great show. Your purchases are very interesting and , yes, you need to set up a table of your own work next year.