Fort Smith resident hones craft in Iqaluit
Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services
NNSL (Dec 14/98) - Bruce Freund's first attempt at his craft began in his parent's garage in Fort Smith more than 23 years ago -- an event that didn't go over so well with his father.
"I tried to make a sword when I was 16 in the garage and my dad kept yelling at me because he was afraid the sparks would set the garage on fire," laughed Freund, a lifelong resident of Fort Smith, who moved to Iqaluit this fall to enrol in Nunavut Arctic College.
A carpenter by trade, Freund said the move east meant he could learn to make better knives by taking the renowned jewelry and metalwork program.
"I had to learn more about metals and working with them, which ones would join together, how to join them and how to embellish my knives," said Freund.
At 39, he successfully completed his first professional knife almost two years ago and has spent the last year getting more and more serious about the craft he hopes will turn into a full-time trade. Since enroling in the three-year program, he has become a better craftsperson and has learned how to put more detail and patience into his knives.
"I'm learning patience. A hand-made knife is a thing that takes patience. Before as a carpenter, I didn't have to worry about a thousandth of an inch," said Freund.
The knives, which range between three and 17 inches, are made primarily of high-grade stainless steel and have become popular with tourists. Freund said that's why he wanted to learn how to put stones and more details into the knives and their handles.
"With embellishment comes a higher price. A hunter doesn't want to buy a fancy knife but a collector does," said Freund, adding that hunters, who make up a large part of his clientele, prefer more basic knives with long blades and little ornamentation.
Retailing between $90 and $450, the knives are of such good quality that they only need to be sharpened about every three or four months and will last a lifetime.
"You could leave this knife laying in saltwater for 100 years and it would never rust."
