mitt

I thought this to be the place to post this question. I recently bought a wild bill and sons double edge dagger with coffin handle. I was hoping Mr.Bill Mack Caldwell would fill me in on his prior work. Thank you for your time. Tim D.A.V

Bill Caldwell

Mitt...Looks like an early one,maybe 1970/74 hard to tell.....forged from an aged and workharded steel....can't be sure after all this time what steel it would have been, I always used steels that were so called high carbon, had to be .09 or better in carbon...Hope I've got that carbon percent written right , it has been so long since I've writen about steels I'm not sure without goin' back to the books....Wonder if this one can tell some stories, any Idea Who You got it from

Bill Caldwell

mitt

Bill, I sent a e-mail to the gent I bought the knife from requesting info about its travels since you made it. I know 2 weeks prior he had one that was similar,it had a black and silverwood coffin handle.Bill I Have wanted one of your knives for sometime and was able to find this one. I am very proud and glad to be adding it to my collection. Thank you for taking the time to post a reply.

mitt

Bill, I talked to the gent selling the "Wild Bill and Sons" knives. He told me that the knives 2 total, the one I described and the one I posted pics of are part of a estate sale out of the Fort Walton Beach area. Both comming from one private collection. Know the dagger will be a family heirloom,It will go to my adult son when I pass on.Thats a mighty fine tool! P.S. it did not come with a sheath or a box,did you offer a sheath with your knives? And is it possible to get a letter from you about the knife? Please. Thank you for your time Mr. Caldwell. God Bless Tim D.A.V

mitt

Mr. Caldwell your being asked to join us over at knife forums.com. I listed a post to Mr. Bernard Lavine in his forum, it was about your knife making background.Mr.Lavine has posted a fright bill,{I Believe} specifing a shippment of steel Mr. Lavine would like to know if you still use hobson steel? Please join us, you have a few "BIg" fans out there. respectivly Tim D.A.V. Master Member of knife forums.

Bill Caldwell

Send Me a P.M. with Your address ...when time permits I will send You a letter about Your knife. It is possible Your knife was made from HOBSONS CHOICE EXTRA BEST, I made knives from all of the steels I felt lended themselves to forgein', I never let a knife out of the shop that didn't test up to My standards....I still have a small stock of HOBSONS CHOICE EXTRA BEST, I beleive this steel is the very best for forgein' knife blades....You knife was Sledge Hammer forged versus the later knives that We Power Hammer forged, then brought to a final shape by hand hammerin'. I do drop in on the knife forums sometime, BUTT I have very few friends in the world of Knifemakers...I WALKED MY OWN ROAD....Could have joined the ABS when Billy Ray Hughes, Bil Bagwell, Don Hastings, and Bill Moran were startin' their club....Except for Don Hastings, their purpose was to promote themselves and their ideas of how knives should be made, I came from a Blacksmith family' felt I had more time at the forge than all the others combined....In the beginnin' and all the way into the 1990s there was unbeleivable backstabbin' among 96% of knifemakers...most would prostitute their Mothers, Wives, daughters and sons to sell one knife...All learned that liein' about Me brought on a face to face confrontation at the next meetin' so I was not invited to many of their social gatherin's.....I chose to leave the knifemakein' CIRCUS in the late 1990s... leavein' on My own terms an owein no one. I'm often ask "Will I ever make knives again"? I'm sure I will, just don't know when

Bill Caldwell

mitt

Bill, your right the controversy still exists over knives.It seems it is a cut throat buissness for some[pun intended].A recent incident comes to mind.Thank you for the gracious offer I will P.M. you with my address. Wild Bill you have knife fans out there. We have not forgotten your contributions to the art of knife making.Thank you as well for taking the time to respond to my posts.Your a "LIVING LEGEND" Bill.I am glad to have had the chance to chat with you here at your forum.

Wil Saxon

Hello Wild Bill,
This is my first post to your forum so I'd like to say hello from North Carolina. I'm the lucky fellow that bought the other knife that mitt mentioned here. I too have wanted one of your knives since I first saw the interview that you did with Greg Walker for Fighting Knives magazine in the 90s. The first thing I thought when I saw it for sale was, " It must be Hobson's Choice Best." Thanks for your good work. It'll be in my family for a long time to come.

peter1

me too, i want your knives also, it makes me eager to know your knives.

andysdone

A new website about Harvey Draper and his Knives. Harvey Draper Knives
Thanks for your time, Andy

Sayoc01

HOBSON'S CHOCE,boy does THAT bring back a memory or two! ANYONE...that can get BILL to make a blade from HOBSON'S CHOICE...DO IT!!!
Yeah,I have a couple of Bill's blades.
Take care,
Jim Clifton

TT GLOCKS

Well Gents.......I'm kinda' curious. Just what WOULD a "Wild Bill" knife be worth nowadays?