Mike Komick, Preferred Edge
Toolmaker of the Month, 5/2007
Back when I was much younger, I had
this vision that I should be a writer. I just needed the ideal
place to write. (I think I still have a similar vision of being a
craftsman – it’s just that my shop isn’t quite right to do the
work.) In that vision, my desk looked out over some sort of
beautiful landscape to inspire me.
This month, we travel to the Pacific
Northwest to the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. I’m
thinking now my vision was flawed. Had I the view of paradise
of our featured toolmaker this month, I would have never gotten any
work done!
 Michael
and Louise Komick are the owners of Preferred Edge Carving Knives
and Supplies. They are the makers of the high quality handmade
tools. Mike and Louise attend a number of woodworking and
carving shows during the year. While
instructing a welding program for inmates, Michael Komick was asked
to make carving tools for the Native Brotherhood. When the
contract ran out in eighteen months, he started working at another
welding shop and while there, a friend asked him to make an adze, a
few knife blades, and other wood carving tools. This later
turned into a hobby and when he was laid off work, he took a
marketing course through the employment insurance system called the
Self Employment Program and has been making wood carving knives full
time for several years now. Marketing has been done through
his web site, woodworking shows, pow wows, carving shows, farmers
markets and other craft shows. He has
been working in the metal trades for over three decades as a welder,
a welding inspector and a welding instructor. His studies in
metallurgy have given him the ability to kn ow
the best kinds of steel to be used for Native style wood carving
tools.
Every wood carving artist needs the
tools to turn their ideas into reality. The artisans provide
the ideas. Mike provides the wood carving knives and tools to
do the job. He manufactures a wide variety of wood carving
knives and tools. Custom orders are welcome.
A good quality tool will be one of the most important investments
you can make as a carver. A good tool can be just as important
as the experience you gain. It is very discouraging to have a
tool that won’t stay sharp or a tool that is too hard to sharpen and
will quite often chip or break. A good way to find good tools
is to ask a master carver. They have usually established a
working relationship with a retailer or a knife maker. When
looking for a carving tool ask the retailer or knife maker a few
questions like what is the blade hardness and what kind of steel are
they made from. If the retailer can’t tell you what kind of
steel it is made of stay away from it. The hardness should be
RC 57+ and the steel should be tools steel. L6 is about the
best I have found for wood carving tools. The cutting edge
stays sharp for a long time and there is a bit of flex in the blade.
With the right heat treatment this blade has what is called a tough
edge.
When purchasing a tool get one that has been pre-sharpened.
You don’t want to sit for hours sharpening to save maybe a few
dollars. If the knife comes with a guarantee, you can be
assured it has some quality. This will be a commitment to the
carver that this is a quality tool. A
little history. Through some research Mike has found out some
interesting facts about the start of the carving tools. The
tools started out very primitive. They were made of jade,
obsidian, bone, seashells and beavers hind leg. Certain fish
shins were used for sanding. Stories have been told of people
coming to the Americas northwest coast from different parts of the
world, before the 1700's. There were reports of people boating
over from Hawaii, Japan and Russia. These are the people that
introduced steel to the Native Americans. Steel had also been
retrieved from floating debris from wrecked ships. This steel
would have been in a very primitive state but a big improvement over
the bone and tools. The proof of this is that the carvings
started to get bigger and more detailed. The oldest bent knife
Mike has seen was one that belonged to Wayne Carlick who said it
belonged to his grandfather. The blade was made of bone and
shaped like a slow curved knife. It was lashed with sinew to
an arbutus brand that was the handle. Wayne is a carver at the
Capilano Suspension bridge in North Vancouver, BC. Preferred Edge
Knives are:
- High quality handmade woodcarving tools
- Made of high grade L6 tool steel
-
Delivered sharp
and ready to use
-
Guaranteed for
one year
-
Can be custom
made
-
Used by well
known West Coast Native carvers Rick Harry (Xwa-Lack-Tun),of the
Squamish Nation, Calvin Hunt and Mervin Child of Ft. Rupert, BC
-
Used by other
world famous carvers like Chris Pye of the UK and the Fuchs
family of Hofstetten, Switzerland.
Mike’s customers love his tools!
A testimony from Ron in New York (yes, we love his tools on this
side of the border too!).
“Great talking to you on the
phone the other day. It is a true pleasure speaking to
someone that takes pride in their quality of workmanship.
As I said I have a carving knife from every knife maker
known and by far, your knives blow them away. Your attention
to detail and perfection is incredible. The sharpness
when straight out of the package is unbeatable. I have
never!!! gotten a knife so sharp straight from the knife
maker. Mostly, I have had to re-sharpen them or strop
them and spend between 20 minute and as much as 2 hours on a
new knife. With yours I just start carving. What
a true joy. This is definitely true for I have ordered
three more knives from you I have a total of five now.
I have completely changed all the knives on my bench to
yours. That should tell the tale. They truly are
the Preferred Edge. That is the perfect name for your
company. The unique handle is extremely comfortable to
use for hours of carving at one time. I was so impressed
with our conversation about how a knife ordered from a
catalog came dull and that you wanted it right back so you
could make the knife right and razor sharp. That was
incredible. You don't find that dedication in today's
world.
 It
is a pleasure to speak to you. You did not give me the rush
job. Most do! You spent time with me and we had a
great conversation. Another thing you don't get these
days. Having custom hunting knives and carving knives
and years ago making my own before I became handicapped, I
can see quality and yours are miles ahead of the rest.
Without a doubt your knives are the best I have ever owned
or used in all of my thirty years plus of carving. Your
knives are truly the Preferred Edge.
If I can be of any service to you please don't hesitate to
call. In closing your knives are the best and you are a
great guy to talk with. It is a pleasure to find
someone like you who can be depended on.”
Mike’s customers are the finest
advertising one could ask for! Lastly, Mike offers a
disclaimer on his tools that is just too good not to share.
Among other more benign things, he cautions:
“These tools are shipped extremely sharp and are capable of
inflicting considerable mayhem upon careless usage. Please
use every caution when working with them.”
Ah, I do love sharp things! And to keep his tools that
way, Mike offers a great visual walkthrough for using his tools
and a very crisp photo tours of the sharpening process.
Contact Clark Mike Komick at:
Michael Komick
Preferred Edge Carving Knives
14414 N. Victoria Rd.
Summerland, BC
Canada V0H 1Z5
On the web at:
http://www.preferrededge.ca
Jim Esten
Cedarburg, Wisconsin
May 2007 |
