by Frank Trzaska The parachute has been around for quite some time, at least in concept. There is something about a man jumping off a cliff or moun- tainside and floating to earth that has held a very popular image too many for years. Mad men perhaps, but the idea has been per- sistent and handed down through the ages. Leonardo da Vinci sketched a para- chute in his Codex Atlanticus of 1485 and he was not the first, other Italian drawings dated to 1470 have been discovered. They were drawn as being small and with wooden frames but the idea was there and it has stuck with us ever since. Many say the parachute had its begin- nings back as far as China in the 1100s and perhaps this is true. In any event, the activity we know as skydiving first appeared in 1797 with the Frenchman Jacques Garnerin and his public demonstrations. The first military use for the parachute was by artillery observers in observation balloons tied or tethered to the ground dur- ing the trench fighting in World War One. These large, lighter-than-air crafts were permanently fixed objects floating in the by Stephen Garger Mike and Debbie Mann are the couple behind “Idaho Knife Works.” The shop is located behind their cabin near Spirit Lake in the Northern Rockies of the Idaho Panhandle. The “Mountain Manns” built their place using logs from their land. “We brought the logs out of the woods on our backs because at first all we had was a front wheel drive Subaru and a Chevy Nova, which we later trad- ed in for a Jeep Wagoneer with 4-wheel drive,” Mike recalled while we all sat around sipping coffee. “The Subaru pulled the logs out of the woods and we carried them up to build the cabin, and our three sons helped with the carrying.” The moniker “Mountain Manns” is accurate in sev- eral ways. Not only are they living in the cabin they built, but they also settled in a remote area where there was no power and no phone service. They even hauled water for 23 years before putting in a well 10 years ago. “We would pull the Subaru up to the cabin and run wires off the battery of the car for lights inside the cabin,” Mike said. “Deb’s parents bought deep cell batteries (for an RV) and we would charge the batteries by running wires out to the Continued on page 14 Balloonist Knives PRSRT-STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LOUISIANA, MISSOURI 63353 PERMIT 11 $3.50 Knife World Publications, PO Box 3395, Knoxville, TN 37927 Vol. 41 No. 5 May 2015 www.knifeworld.com Continued on page 5 IDAHO KNIFE WORKS The Mountain Manns Idaho Knife Works’ “Buck Skinner” model. Side by side, the LF&C Balloonist knife and the larger 1921 Springfield Armory produced knife.
Transcript
by Frank TrzaskaThe parachute has been
around for quite some time,at least in concept. There issomething about a manjumping off a cliff or moun-tainside and floating toearth that has held a verypopular image too many foryears. Mad men perhaps,but the idea has been per-sistent and handed downthrough the ages. Leonardoda Vinci sketched a para-chute in his CodexAtlanticus of 1485 and hewas not the first, otherItalian drawings dated to1470 have been discovered.They were drawn as beingsmall and with woodenframes but the idea was
there and it has stuck withus ever since. Many say theparachute had its begin-nings back as far as Chinain the 1100s and perhapsthis is true. In any event,the activity we know asskydiving first appeared in1797 with the FrenchmanJacques Garnerin and hispublic demonstrations.
The first military use forthe parachute was byartillery observers inobservation balloons tied ortethered to the ground dur-ing the trench fighting inWorld War One. Theselarge, lighter-than-aircrafts were permanentlyfixed objects floating in the
by Stephen GargerMike and Debbie Mann
are the couple behind“Idaho Knife Works.” Theshop is located behind theircabin near Spirit Lake inthe Northern Rockies of theIdaho Panhandle. The“Mountain Manns” builttheir place using logs fromtheir land. “We brought thelogs out of the woods on ourbacks because at first allwe had was a front wheeldrive Subaru and a ChevyNova, which we later trad-ed in for a Jeep Wagoneerwith 4-wheel drive,” Mikerecalled while we all sataround sipping coffee. “TheSubaru pulled the logs outof the woods and we carriedthem up to build the cabin,
and our three sons helpedwith the carrying.”
The moniker “MountainManns” is accurate in sev-eral ways. Not only arethey living in the cabinthey built, but they alsosettled in a remote areawhere there was no powerand no phone service. Theyeven hauled water for 23years before putting in awell 10 years ago. “Wewould pull the Subaru upto the cabin and run wiresoff the battery of the car forlights inside the cabin,”Mike said. “Deb’s parentsbought deep cell batteries(for an RV) and we wouldcharge the batteries byrunning wires out to the
Continued on page 14
Balloonist Knives
PRSRT-STDU.S. POSTAGE
PAIDLOUISIANA,MISSOURI
63353PERMIT 11
$3.50
Knife World Publications, PO Box 3395, Knoxville, TN 37927 Vol. 41 No. 5 May 2015 www.knifeworld.com
Continued on page 5
IDAHO KNIFE WORKSThe Mountain Manns
Idaho Knife Works’ “Buck Skinner” model.
Side by side, theLF&C Balloonist knife andthe larger 1921 SpringfieldArmory produced knife.
Page 14 Knife World May 2015
Subaru and put a woodenblock between the seat andgas pedal to keep the carrunning while the batteries
charged.” In fact, it wasn’t all that
long ago when the only wayto contact the Manns if youwanted a knife was by
postal mail. Later theycould be reached by email,but initially Deb wouldhave to go to the townlibrary to retrieve the elec-
tronic missives. Today thehome is independentlypowered with added solarpanels, a bigger batterybank, two inverters andtwo generators. They alsohave a satellite dish forcomputer and televisionreception and wonder-of-wonders, a cell phone!
“We transitioned to solarpanels around 1985 andinverted the 12 V to110/120. A satellite com-puter, which Deb firstheard about at the library,came in 1999,” Mikeexplained. “Radio Shacksigned us up and we ranthe computer off the solarpowered battery bank andgot a satellite dish toreceive the signals.” Inshort, with Michael“Padre” Mann and Debbie“Coyote Woman” (“Padre”and “Coyote Woman” aretheir names at MountainMan Rendezvous events)you’re dealing with theembodiment of the expres-sion “walking the talk”when it comes to outdoorliving.
Perhaps because of that,Mike is one of the few mak-ers in my experience whohas somehow managed toimpart to his work anintangible yet undeniablyreal character, whichmakes itself evident whenyou use one of his knives. Itis not easy to define andcertainly not “reasonable”but when you hold a knifelike that, you just “know”it. I speak from experiencebecause one of Mike’s“Light Field Knives” (LFK)has been my cutting task“go to” in the kitchen fornearly ten years now. The
flat ground 4¾” bladebones, slices, filets, holdsan edge and is easy tosharpen. It is handled in130 year old osage orangewood, which along with the15N20 high-carbon steel,has taken on a wonderfulpatina.
The osage is from astash of fence posts put inat Mike’s family farm inIllinois back in the early1880s. Mike and his broth-er, Charlie gathered the oldposts when the fence linewas moved. The wood hadstabilized with age andalso contains a lot of natu-ral resin. My LFK has allthe utility, romance andcharacteristics that I lookfor and embodies why Iprefer handmade to pro-duction knives.
Mike grew up huntingand fishing with his broth-ers on the aforementionedfamily farm, which washomesteaded in 1868 byhis great-grandfather andstill remains in the handsof the family. He andDebbie met in the late1970s, fell in love and in1983 got married on theirIdaho mountainside prop-erty. She works with Mikeon some of the knife mak-ing processes, but primari-ly manages the long-stand-ing business with 2014marking the 25th year ofIdaho Knife Works’ exis-tence.
Anyone knowing Debbiewill attest that she is amaster of enjoyable conver-sational give-and-take! Sheis always ‘standing by herMann’ at knife shows andher disposition provides an
Continued on page 15
Continued from page 1
OurInternational
Membership is Happily Involved with“Anything That Goes ‘Cut’!”l Knife “Knewslettter”
lWorld Class Show April 9-10, 2016lDecember 5, 2015 Mini Show
PO Box 2091, Eugene, OR 97402(541) 484-5564
www.oregonknifeclub.org
The signature photo of Mike and Debbie Mann – “Padre” and “Coyote Woman” infront of the Idaho cabin they hand-built in the mid 1980s.
May 2015 Knife World Page 15
excellent balance to Mike’squiet sense of self, thoughhis dry sense of humor isalways spring loaded for averbal ambush. Togetherthey make an impressiveteam. Their personalities,combined with the alwaysattractively displayed widerange of knives on their
table, is a “must” stop atknife shows in Idaho,Colorado, Washington andOregon. They regularlyattend the Oregon KnifeShow (Eugene); RockyMountain Knife Show;Montana KnifemakersAssociation Show;Northwest Knife Collectors
Continued on page 16
Continued from page 14
The Mann’s “Dogman Knife”, styled after a knife used in the first scene of theWestern movie “Last of the Dogmen.” This one has burlwood handles.
The “San Francisco Bowie”was inspired by the bowie
knives produced byCalifornia cutlers during theGold Rush era, and beyond.Handles are of elk antler,
consistent with the originals.
Show; and the ProfessionalKnifemakers AssociationCustom Show.
An Illinois high schoolshop class is where Mikemade his first knife back in1965, and his developmentin the craft grew alongwith his interest. “DennisDesJardins, a buckskinner[people who enjoy reenact-ing the activities of themid-1800s Americanmountain men] fromMontana, is the firstmaker who asked us tocome into his shop, he’s theone who actually told usabout Blade magazine; andCanadian knifemakerDave Martineau also hadus in,” Mike said. “LeeKlawitter, a cowboy spurmaker, invited me to hisshop where I watched him
hammer steel. Basically hetaught me some heat treatcapability and how toforge, though he was ablacksmith who neverforged a knife, and I endedup showing him how tomake one.”
Mike, who picked uptempering fromDesJardins, currentlyforges and hardens bladesin the shop, and tempers inthe kitchen oven. Mike alsolearned from MontanaMastersmith Ed Caffrey, aswell as Gary Little ofConklin Meadows Forge inCoos Bay, OR. It was Littlewho showed him how to dodamascus. Mike bothforges and utilizes thestock removal method,explaining that the choicehinges on the knife being
Page 16 Knife World May 2015
Continued from page 15
Another historically inspiredknife by Mike Mann, the HudsonBay Camp Knife was originally
produced during the mid-1800s andwas a popular trade item with the
Native Americans.
Above: a typical Idaho Knife Works table spread at aknife show. Right: a view of the Mann’s cabin, locat-ed deep in the mountains of the Idaho panhandle.
Continued on page 28
built. “Stock removaldepends on the size andthickness and I use it for1/16” blades from bandsaw(15N20) steel,” he said.“Anything the next step upin size is 1080, high carbonspring steel; and all the bigstuff like the larger bowiesI hand forge from 5160 carsprings.”
Though the setting isrural and the cabin andshop hand built, the shopitself has modern equip-ment, including a buffer, aCoote belt grinder and a
drill press. The latter has astory attached to it. “In theearly days Mike would holdthe knife handle and drillfor the pins,” Debbierecalled shaking her head.“One day he drilledthrough the handle andright through his finger,then decided the best thingwould be to just keep thedrill running as he pulledit back out.” Mike cameinto the cabin, showedDebbie what happened andshe took him right to thehospital. “I could buy adrill press,” Mike told her
at the time. His knives combine just
the right blend of artistrywith functional design, andreflect Mike’s vast real-world experience as amaker and outdoorsman. Itstands to reason that a guywho built a log cabin andhunts and fishes for food inthe mountains of Idahowould know a considerableamount about the type ofknife that would be effec-tive for any outdoor relatedchore. “I like high carbon5160, 1080 and 15N20steels because they’re easy
to work with, are good edgeholders and make goodusing knives,” he said. “Myknives are not ‘pretties’ orshow knives, but workingknives and those are work-ing knife steels – plus theykeep the cost down for theuser.”
It comes as no big sur-prise that Mike prefersnatural handle materials.“I just kinda like the feel ofthe old natural stuff,” hesaid smiling. “There’s too
many plastics around thesedays.” Wood is the materialMike favors for workingknives. “The osage,Carolina fiddleback mapleand mostly Oregon walnut;there’s such a variety ofdifferent walnuts for fan-tastic grains” he noted.“Those are the woods I pre-fer, the three primariesand I also use a lot of elkantler on bowie handles.”
It was what came to beknown as the “Cliff Knife”that brought wider recogni-tion to Mann’s knifemak-ing. Cliff Jacobson is a wellknown outdoors writer anda professional wildernessand canoe guide. Hechanced to run into some-body who had a Mannknife they picked up at theRed Lodge, MontanaMountain ManRendezvous. “When Clifftook a look at that blade,he said ‘I could tell this wasa guy who knows what he’sdoing making a knife,”Mike related. “Cliff and Ithen collaborated on aknife design where hewanted modifications on aGerber Shorty; I sent him arough draft, he turnedaround and sent me backhis concept and I made himthe first ‘Cliff ’ knife, whichI named after him.”
Mike then began playingaround a little bit with theCliff knife design. “I madeanother knife and changedthe shape of it some, gaveit a bit more belly becausethe knife Cliff wanted waslanky and long,” Mikeexplained. “So I built one
Page 28 Knife World May 2015
Knifemaker Mike Mann, crafting a leather knifesheath at his workbench.
Above is the Idaho Knife Works version of a Nessmuk knife, designed by authorGeorge Washington Sears and popularized by his seminal 1888 book on campingand outdoor activities, Woodcraft.Continued from page 16
Continued on page 29
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out of the thin steel(15N20), handled it withfiddleback maple, and he[Cliff Jacobson] fell in lovewith it.” Jacobson’s enthu-siasm led him to write anarticle for Tactical Knivesthat appeared in the March1997 issue entitled“Mountain Man’sMasterpiece” and Mikewas, as he puts it, “on themap.” The Cliff kniferemains one of Idaho KnifeWorks’ best selling styles,it starts at $200 and movesup from there dependingon handle material. It isalso available as a hunter($235) for heavier use in1080 steel and as a “LadyCliff Knife” scaled downwith a smaller handle($190).
During our ranging con-versation, we touched onsome of our favoriteWestern movies, heartilyagreeing on the terrificmodern day tale, “Last ofthe Dogmen” with actorsTom Berenger and BarbaraHershey. It turns out thatMike forges a 6” bladed,“Last of the Dogmen” knife[price starts at $400] whichhe displays prominently atshows. I asked about thatdesign and whether he didthe one for the film. “I did-n’t do the one used in themovie but copied the knifefrom the first scene wherehe [the Tom Berenger char-acter] stuck the knife in alog,” Mike replied. “I hadsearched around but justcouldn’t find out who origi-nally made it.”
Some time later, at ashow in Portland, Mikemet the maker of the origi-nal knife. “A guy came upto me and said, ‘I see you’redoing the Dogmen knife’and told me he had madethree of the knives for themovie,” Mike recalled. “Itwas a father-son team outof Boise [Idaho], they saidthey didn’t want any crediton it and gave me one touse for a model, which Icopied to a ‘T’ so it is exact-ly like the one in themovie.” As an aside, Miketold me that he actuallyenjoys doing reproductionsand taking reproductionorders because “they giveme a chance to do some-thing new.”
Speaking of ‘somethingnew’ the knife I kept com-ing back to in our discus-sions was their recent“Buck Skinner.” It simplymelted into my hand thefirst time I picked it up and
made me want to findsomething to cut. When Isaw it handled with the oldfamily farm 1880s Osagewood it immediately madeit onto my have-to-havelist. “The blade is 1080high carbon steel that isdifferentially hardenedwith the cutting edge hard-er than the back and tang,”said Debbie. “The fourmountain peak logo, MMfor Mike’s initials, is acidetched on the blade [Itappears on nearly all oftheir knives], and the knifealso has brass trim, guardand pins.”
The blade design echoesthe Nessmuk pattern (astyle Mike also makes) aswell as some features of adrop point skinner. Thedownturned guard was,according to Mike andDebbie, influenced by theDogmen knife. “Mike putmore of a ‘cut out’ into thehandle just under theguard to make a nice comfygroove for the forefinger,”she said. “The roundedhandle end completes it.” Ican attest that the handleis comfortable and thiswould be a useable 3½”blade for anybody regard-less of application.
I asked Debbie about thename. “Well, Mike’s pas-sion is the elk hunt and healso lives to hunt maledeer, which are ‘bucks’ and
the knife is used to skin thegame,” she answered smil-ing. “We’ve also attendedlots of mountain man ren-dezvous and folks who setup the encampments, holdthe black powder shootingcompetitions and laugharound the campfires arecalled ‘buckskinners,’ sonow you have the story onthat!”
Mike and Deb Mann arejust flat-out good people.Their knives are fairlypriced, begin with rawmaterials and are craftedinto useful, functional
tools, much like the cabinthey carved out for them-selves in the IdahoPanhandle. As a final ques-tion I asked Mike how he’ddescribe his knives and hisanswer is consistent withthe old-fashioned pragmat-ics that drive the couple.“To me a knife is more thananything, a tool,” heanswered quickly. “If itdoesn’t perform well and fityour hand, it’s only good forlooking at.” Well, fromexperience I can tell youMike’s knives perform well,and it is also not an acci-
dent that they have thegood looks to match thatperformance.
Contact Mike andDebbie Mann at IdahoKnife Works, P.O. Box 144,Spirit Lake, ID 83869;phone 509-994-9394(Pacific Time). You cansend $1 to receive theirinformative and photoillustrated catalogue, andyou can also visit theirexcellent website:www.idahoknifeworks.comor email them at [email protected]
p
HIgo-nokami
VAN
NAK III
HandFOrgedblade
FOrged Hunter
Foldingpocketkukhri
KC4029 KC4017KC4025
Here’s the Manns’ LFK (“Light Field Knife”) model, this example with handles ofcurly maple. The “mountains” logo on the blade represents not only the Mannsand their lifestyle, but also Mike’s initials – MM.
