All About Pocket Knives

Years ago I lost out on an ebay auction...it was for a big 15 inch Bowie knife with
a massive Stag handle on it...on the end of the handle, like where the pommel would
be, there was a hand crafted Buffalo head attached on the end...the guy thought it
might have been Pawnee Bill's knife, a partner in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show
That loosing auction was the biggest loss on a knife to this day I have had happen to me

Several yrs later I bought a pair of Stag scales at a knife show, my wife found a small Buffalo
head pommel somewhere and surprised me with it...I then bought a small bowie blank on ebay
Got to yacking with Randy one nite, and he said...send me all the pieces, I will build it for you
I was thrilled as I am a junkie on the plains tribes "Buffalo Culture"
They used this beast for everything, food, shelter, tools, cloths, you name it, it was a worshipped critter
For over 25 yrs the wife and I supported 2 different indian schools with what we could afford ,,
Red Cloud in South Dakota and St Labre in Montana...
We were at Bear Butte state park in South Dakota, the center of Cheyenne & Sioux religion, an amazing place !!!
We were the "only" ones there when a bus pulled out and out piled about 50 Indian kids from St Labre...
they were there to have the Northern Cheyenne spiritual leader"Little Old Man" preform a blessing ceremony on the kids
As they got ready...the Elders... we had told them about our support for over 2 decades..."Blown Away" they ask my wife and I
to join in the ceremony, me with the boys, wife with the girls, we were blessed by Charles, Little Old Man of the Northern Cheyenne tribe
they then got back on the bus as the wife and I stood in amazement at the "Honor" that was just bestowed upon us
I told the wife I was gonna start looking for the parts with the buffalo pommel and have a Spirit knife made right then

My wife got very ill after gall bladder surgery 10-13-17...she fought for 3 months and just died a month ago today 1-6-18
The morning I came home from Hospice after she had died, there was a email from Randy that my knife was done & ready to send to me
With her, me, finding parts, and Randy making this knife, thats why I call it my "Spirit Knife"

Will

Fantastic timing on a fantastic knife.
Sorry for the loss in your life.
Great memories will come each time you pick this knife up.

Will:

You, me, and Randy seem to have some type of connection and here's why: I bought a USA Era Case 92 with Stag Handles that were coming off. I contacted Randy to see if he could re-handle that for me. Shortly after that my Mom passed away (3 weeks ago), and Randy just received my knife in the mail today, right before I read your post.

I'm fairly certain I'll be thinking of my Mom whenever I use that knife, and now I'll be thinking of you too after reading your story. Man, it's kind of strange sometimes how things work. I'm very sorry for your loss Will, but I'm also very happy your Spirit Knife is now complete.

___________
Mike

Glad to see you posting Will. That is a fine looking knife!
Randy did you solid on that one!

That's a beauty! Even more fitting that it showed up when you got home.

Great job, Randy!

Thanks Guys! Will I am so happy that that knife holds so much good energy for you! So I would like to add the build pics here and fill in a litle back story. Here is a pic of the knife blank and handle with the buffalo head. The original idea was to build a full tang handle as that is the way the blank was made. However the buffalo head changed all of that as it would not attach without a larger handle. So I decided to build it as a hidden tang handle. You can see the work that was needed to embed the handle in the stag. After all of that was finished and two half's lined up to form a tight seam. The stag was attached with epoxy and then pinned together. After I finished shaping the handle the buffalo head was attached taking care to insure that the butt of the handle was the same dimensions as the buffalo head. After finishing the pins and coloring and polishing the stag I was very happy with the results! As I talked more with Will and he told me how Pam bought the Buffalo head and Will bought the stag I could not wait to tell Will that Pam's Buffalo head set the course for the final design as the hole handle is built around the pommel! Both Will and Pam's spirits are in this knife!

Will's telling of their experiences with the Indians and the blessings that they received makes this knife just that much more special! I have had the honor of meeting local Maidus here where I live. There was a young Maidu couple that I remember very well. They showed me many sacred sites near where I live. The woman was an archeologist as well as a medicine woman and her husband was consider to be something they called the most likely ancestor. I understand that is big thing meaning that he has the purest blood in his tribe. I dont much about the Indians that Will knows, but I do know what an honor and privilege is to be invited to participate is such a ritual.

Will thank you for allowing me to part of this wonderful experience!

Will, I too have been supporting an Indian School in South Dakota. Also had considerable interaction with the Chiricahua Apaches in Arizona.
Your wonderful knife contains a profound spirit and deep energy for you.


Bear Spirit Animal
When Bear as a Spirit Animal comes to stand beside you, there’s the assurance of renewed power and courage. Whatever adversity you face, Bear holds you firm and keeps you grounded until hardships pass.

QS

So, so sorry to hear about your wife my friend. My sympathies.

Beautiful knife...absolutely beautiful!!

Great looking knife, glad you're back!

stagman,
What a special Knife! I've followed your ordeal since it was first mentioned in the Upper Room several months ago. It was good to learn more about you and Miss Pam, your supporting the Indian Schools and such. The fact that she found the Buffalo Head pommel makes this knife a real treasure.
God bless you Sir, as you continue on with this special treasure reminding you of better days. A special thanks to Randy/#goldpan for such excellent work.
Treefarmer

Great knife and story. Glad to get the story of the restoration. I am sorry for your loss.