You guys who know me,know I love knives. I mostly carry & use customs w/ hollow ground ss blades. I own & display some vintage stuff & production knives,too,but I mostly just own those like a collector.
I also do alot of meat cutting & cooking & have a pretty nice array of custom handmade & vintage & production kitchen knives.
Now in the case of Billy Watson's knives,I have a soft spot for his knives. He is a great guy to deal with,and I do believe his work is modestly priced.
Last year around this time I sold two of his here on the site.
His knives have a feel of old world craftsmanship.He does period correct knives. Forged carbon blades & hand made Damascus,too.
Billy has slowed down making knives,but if you are lucky to get one,hang on to it. They are irreplaceable.I do not think Billy is taking orders,but he told me he had a couple of Damascus knives available.A great opportunity for purchase.

I have a hunter & a folding trapper inbound here soon & I'll post pics.
But I asked Billy to join here,he said he had a Damascus knife or two he wanted to sell.I told him about this site & all the hunters here are good guys,who appreciate these types of knives

Here is his web site :

http://www.watsonknives.com/

I'm going to email him .w/ a link to this thread & hopefully he'll make it here

I'll get you some pics of the knives I have inbound for Christmas
Talk Soon & Thanks,
-Vince

To hold you over,here is a basic 4" 1095 forged hunter. Check out the forged in finger guard.The file work adds as "jimping" on the spine,for a thumb grip. Curly maple
I think waterbug has this knife now

Nice knife. Is he not taking orders and making knives anymore?

I do believe,he is trying to make knives,to fill his orders to date.I do believe he has temporarily ceased taking orders,but he still builds/forges knives.
I jump on any available knives I can,from Billy. I know he has a few available knives,as I stated above. I think his knives are modestly underpriced.They are works of art,but fully functional & are of exceptional quality.
-Vince

I'd sure be interested in one of his #015's.

That's a standard 4" hunter wioth fancy handle

Here is one I sold here last year & prolly shoulda kept



I think its a rare one from Billy
-Vince

Vince I have one just like the first knife you showed with the forged finger guard. Picked it up out of a friends blackpowder store years ago. Nice knives.

Makes sense Mike,he makes alot for BP & Rendezvous guysa.
If you know,what I am trying to say,lol
Vince

I really like that top knife as well, not the typical style I go for, but it does it for me.

Well,Billy has not made it here yet
I dunno if this is allowed here,but here goe's. If its a no -no,mods please delete this link
But this is a real nice one,ready to go,check out the price! :

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=801031

-Vince

He listed 2 more. One of 'em is a standard hunter :
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9030291#post9030291
-Vince

That hunter lasted about 10 mins.
I would have bought it,but I got a similar one
-Vince

Here's one of 2 I got in today
This is a 4" slim trapper with forged 1095 blade & smooth bone.
Nice filework,flat grind is sharp,really nice action on a strong as heck pivot.Bolsters are dovetailed
Merry Chrismas all,
-Vince

He listed another,over there :

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=801901

Here is the hunter I recently picked up.It's forged 1095 & has a forged in finger guard,and silver wire inlaid into curly maple scales,bolster of mild steel

Nice curly maple with nice wire work.

Very nice. I've communicated with him, and he's responded. Doesn't seem real interested in taking an order though.

Last year around this time,unfortuneately Billy had an eye injury,in the shop (I believe).It cost him his sight in one eye
So,that is why I posted the links to the avail knives.I think there is one nice one avail,a hunter
There is a stag over there too,listed,in Damas. And a bowie
So all told,3 on BF's still avail
If there are avail knives,I take what I can get,in certain situations.
-Vince

Take a look :

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=798086

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=801031

I wish you could post those pictures...BF won't let me access the pictures.

I think these two are available
I sent you a PM,too

Thanks for posting those. I really like that first one. Wish he'd make me one without the ornamentation in the handle. I like that basic 1095 forged hunter that you posted a picture of earlier...I'd like to get one of his #015's. And I like the jimping on the blade too.

"Revolutionary War style Folder",is what Billy calls this masterpiece..... "It is similar to the folder used in the 18th century, only better. 176 layers of 1095 and nickel damascus steel made in my blacksmith shop. Heat treated to 59 rockwell hardness "

My meas.'ts are :

5" closed
3-3/4" bld.,meas. tip to bolster,about 1/8" thick
cut edge is 3-1/4"
8-3/4" opened up

Camel bone scales look like mammoth.This big boy has half stops,and walks & talks like big folders,in the "old days"

Happy New Year,
-Vince