Death of Yarmouth's famous elm brought new life to Bohrmann Knives
photo/Tim Greenway
Bruce Bohrmann's handiwork creating knives from wood salvaged from Yarmouth's famous elm, Herbie, has drawn national attention
Bruce Bohrmann isn't quite sure how long it takes to make a Herbie Knife, crafted from the wood of the largest, oldest elm in New England that was felled in Yarmouth in 2010 after succumbing to disease.
"Some knives hate me, some love me. I can usually tell from the minute I pick them up whether it's going to go well," he says.
But Bohrmann, 82, loves his knives, from the Herbie Knife ($299) to the Alamo ($375). He spends hours in his Bohrmann Knives shop off the barn of his Cape-style home in Yarmouth, cutting wood to size, drilling, grinding, sanding and attaching brass caps and stainless steel blades. His work hasn't gone unnoticed.
In August, Bohrmann received The SCORE Foundation's award as the Outstanding Small Business Launched by an Individual Aged 50+. He traveled to New Orleans, where he was honored for "demonstrating unique vision, innovation and achievement."
Mainebiz recently chatted with Bohrmann in his shop. The following is an edited transcript.
Mainebiz: What inspired you to begin making knives from Herbie wood?
Bohrmann: I say that when Herbie died, it gave me life. [Others have] made so many beautiful things with that wood. So when the tree came down, I said, 'I think I'll try that too.' I went to the lumberyard and got 17½ board feet. Based on that, I got 150 orders. I caught the tiger.
Describe the process of crafting a Herbie Knife.
I'm always aiming for fluidity. I [use a saw to] come pretty close to the basic shape. Then I use a disc sander to grind it down, and belt sander to get it round. And then the work starts. I clamp it and with a file begin to soften and round it. Then I use 12,000 grit sandpaper to finish the smoothing, and etch it with the Herbie stencil.
How did you become interested in making knives?
I first made a Bowie knife in the 1950s after seeing the move the "Iron Mistress" starring Alan Ladd. Then in college I wanted to make a hunting knife. We only had a hand grinder in the basement of the dorm, so my friends would come down there and turn the handle of the blade. Then I puttered around … including bartending at the Muddy Rudder. I had every style of knife mounted in a wood box behind the bar. A man came in one night and ordered five. I've made over 1,500 knives. They're in England, Scotland, Germany, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Japan and maybe 40 of the states including Alaska and Hawaii.
How did SCORE help your business?
Pricing is the most difficult thing: If someone will spend $50, will they go to $75? So I called SCORE, and luckily got Skip Orem. I worked with him. He said, 'Do you want to be rich or do you want to make knives?" Skip has become a dear friend, and SCORE has been kind of like a member of the family.
What's next for Bohrmann Knives?
I'm going to make every one of these knives in miniature, and right now I'm working on a special sheath for the knives. It's pretty dull work out in the shop. I'm always thinking about other projects.
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