Bud Murray and his wife Carol live in Camdenton, MO where they both carve and Bud makes carving knives and carving tools.  Shortly after he began carving over twenty years ago, Bud began to make his own knives.  A carving friend in Georgia made one for him and then taught him how to makes knives.  Like carving, making knives grows with experience and with experience grows quality.  A Murray knife has gained a reputation as a quality carving knife over the years.  Murray Knives and Carving Tools are made by a carver for carvers and it does not get any better than that.

For almost two years now Bud has been making knives for the WOOD BEE CARVER  according to his blade design and pistol grip handle. These knives are designed for Whittle-Carving style of utilizing the slicing cut as often as possible.

Used planer blades from the lumber industry is what Bud uses for the shaping and sharping of the blades that are mounted in either Walnut or China Berry wooden handles custom shaped by Bud. The photos that follow show a portion of his basement work shop area where the knives are transformed from high carbon tool steel into a functional carving knife.  Bud uses grinders for stock removal in the shaping of each blade and then moves on to other motorized tools to continue the sharpening process.  Finally, he strops by hand the finished blade on a series of finish abrasive paper held flat in specially designed holding devices.  A final buffing brings the knife to the next stage of testing for carve ability which completes the final process.  The wooden handles are treated with tung oil and then waxed for durability.

Here are the tool grinders, the inventory storage shelves and the stropping center sections of the work shop.

Pictured above is Bud using a cut off tool, then shaping blade on grinder, and then sharpening on see through wheel.

Pictured above is Bud using a belt sander, then a buffing wheel and finally stropping on abrasive paper.

Knife makers, like wood carvers have stories to tell of their many experiences along the journey of doing what they like to do and Bud is never at a loss for telling an interesting story be it carving or knife making. But even better, Bud is a good and generous friend to the carving family. Thanks Bud, you are a cut above.