Bob Loveless facts for kids

Robert "Bob" Loveless (born January 2, 1929 – died September 2, 2010) was a very famous American knife maker. He changed how custom knives were made. Bob Loveless designed and made popular the "hollowground drop point blade." He also used "full tapered tangs" and special screw-type fasteners for knife handles. These ideas made knives stronger and better. Many other knife makers and collectors say he was one of the most creative custom knife makers in the world.

Early Life of Bob Loveless

Robert Loveless was born in Warren, Ohio, on January 2, 1929. When he was 14, he changed his birth certificate. He then joined the Merchant Marine. Later, he worked for the Air Corps on Iwo Jima. He saw many knife fights in bars in other countries. This made him very interested in knives.

In 1950, Loveless went to a school in Chicago. He studied literature and sociology at Kent State in Ohio in 1951.

Bob Loveless: A Master Knifemaker

In December 1953, Loveless went back to work for the Merchant Marine. He was on a tanker ship in New York. Loveless visited a store called Abercrombie & Fitch in New York City. He wanted to buy a Randall Made knife. But he learned he would have to wait nine months to get the knife he wanted. So, he decided to make his own!

How Loveless Started Making Knives

He made his first knife blade from an old car spring. He found it in a junkyard. He shaped the metal on the ship's stove. After he showed this homemade knife to the head of the Abercrombie & Fitch knife department, they wanted to sell his knives. Loveless sold his knives to the store for $14 each.

From 1954 to 1960, Loveless made knives called "Delaware Maids." These knives became the best-selling handmade items at Abercrombie & Fitch. They even sold more than the Randall knives. At first, Loveless copied Randall's designs. But by 1960, he started making his own new designs. These new ideas made his knives special.

Innovations in Knife Design

Loveless was a founder of the Knifemakers' Guild in 1970. This is a group for knife makers. He was the first Secretary of the group. He later served as the Guild's president for two terms, from 1973 to 1976.

Loveless studied old knife-making methods from the 1800s. He then created the "fully-tapered-tang" way of building knives. In his knives, the main piece of steel goes all the way to the end of the handle. This makes the knife much stronger. He made the handle end of the steel thinner, just like the blade's point. This made the knife's weight balanced in the middle. The handles were held on with screws, making the knife very strong.

In 1972, Loveless introduced a new type of steel called ATS-34 stainless steel to knife makers. He also was the first to use a material called Micarta for knife handles. Micarta is very tough and long-lasting.

Loveless called himself a "Bench Maker." This meant he only made knives from his own designs. He did not make knives based on ideas from his customers. The only thing a customer could choose was the handle material. Most other knife makers stamped their logo onto their knives. But Loveless thought this could hurt the steel and make the knife weaker. So, he did not stamp his knives.

Specialty Knives and Collaborations

Loveless was best known for his "Dropped Point" hunting knives. He is also seen as the first person to make what is called a tactical knife. These are knives designed for military or police use. However, Loveless would only sell his fighting knives to people who had police or military identification. They also had to show they needed the knife as a weapon. Loveless also made special knives for the US Army Special Forces and the CIA. One knife was the size of a pocket comb and fit inside a passport case. When the case was thrown, the blade would cut through it.

Loveless designed the Gerber Guardian knife for Gerber Knives. For a time, he was Gerber's main designer. He also designed knives for other companies like Lone Wolf Knives, Beretta, and Schrade Cutlery. The company Cold Steel makes a copy of his "Big Bear Classic" fighting knife. Loveless was part of the Art Knife Invitational Show from 1993 to 2006. This show features the 25 most collectible knife makers.

Besides making knives, Loveless also wrote books about how to make them. One book was called How to Make Knives, which he wrote with Richard Barney in 1977.

Awards and Legacy

Because of his many new ideas in knife design and for helping handmade knives become popular, Loveless was put into the Blade magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame. This happened at the 1985 Blade Show in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Loveless passed away on September 2, 2010, at the age of 81. He died from lung cancer at his home in Riverside, California.

Bob Loveless: His Thoughts on Knives

• "Why would anyone pay $3,000 for a hunting knife? They say, because my name is on it. I wouldn't spend that much money for a knife if it were autographed by Jesus Christ himself!"
• "When a man picks up a knife, there's an old memory that comes up. A knife is a very old experience. It was man's first tool and weapon. People were making cutting tools from stone before they invented the wheel. No matter how modern we become, a knife takes us back to the cave."