Knife maker to raise money through auction
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Fort Simpson (Nov 17/00) - Dan Quevillon's passion for making knives may help those in need.
Quevillon, who fills custom orders for hunting, skinning, caping and filleting knives, plans to auction two pieces of his handiwork Dec. 5. The proceeds from the silent auction will be donated to the Fresh Start counselling centre and the Deh Cho Friendship Centre.
"I thought that it would be good that Wesley Knives, as a corporation, take part in doing that for the people of the community," he said.
"It's good to take, but in my book it's always good to give back."
Quevillon is planning to employ an international knife company that uses the Internet to help secure bids. One of the auction knives will be a Damascus steel knife with a moose babiche handle. The other will be a filleting knife, likely with a local wood for a handle.
He started the venture in April, naming it in honour of his father who is a knife collector. To add to the family business, his spouse, Sylvie Clement, makes sheaths to encase the knives.
"Her custom work has been praised by the Canadian Knife Guild," said Quevillon.
In crafting the handles, he uses materials such as local hardwoods and birch, hardwoods from Belize, walrus-tusk ivory, antlers and Dall sheep horn.
"I try to use local woods first, but people have different requests," he said. "So that's why I have stabilized woods too."
Some of the knives, such as a lengthy Bowie knife used for hunting, can take up to 60 hours to complete. The process begins with a pattern in bristol board. That pattern is transferred to aluminum then steel. Cutting, grinding, drilling, and sanding follow. The metal is heat treated before a handle is added. Some final polishing completes the job.
Quevillon also carves or etches themes on the handles, if desired.
"I pride in excellent quality," he said.
