Richard W. Barney

[tuttleworks]

I am interested in information about Richard W. Barney, co-author of
"how to build a custom knife". Is there any current info on the man and his knives?

[tuttleworks]

Is there no one who knows Richard W. Barney? Robert Loveless co-authored a book with him. Isn't he a custom knife maker of high caliber? I e-mailed the Guild and have had no response.

[gil hibben]

I do not have any current information on him. Your best bet might be to call Bob Loveless directly, 909-689-7800.
Gil Hibben

[tuttleworks]

Thank you responding but the phone number for Bob Loveless
(909-689-7800) is not valid. I'm sorry for the trouble. Any other ideas?

[gil hibben]

That is the phone number in our Guild directory. There is a mailing address:
P.O. Box7836
Riverside, CA 92503
I hope this helps.
Gil

[John R. Fraps]

If you do a google search on Robert Loveless in the "white pages" for Riverside CA, following 2 listings come up

R W Loveless
4333 Tyler Street
Riverside, CA 92503

gives 2 listings:

951-689-7800
and
951-687-4645

Looks like, as has ofthen happened with area growth, that the phone company added an area code, and that changed RWL's.....(I used to a phone company person).

I am assuming that because the phone #s match up , that the above 2 are valid...with the newer area code. As to address, I'd bet that the P.O. Box may well still be valid but that the street address is likely also.

[tuttleworks]

Thanks for the help, guys. I'll contact Mr. Loveless.
Ralph

[David Pitt]

Richard passed away a few years ago in Mount Shasta City,Ca.
A large selection of his knives a still for sale at the Olde West Gun And Pawn in Redding,Ca.
He taught a young fellow to make knives but I don't know his name and havn't seen any of his work for a couple of years
DAVE

[bugust]

I have 3 knives made by R. W. Barney. They are lovely and in a similar style to the Loveless offerings. Loveless, Barney, and Sorenberger all were contemporaries, but Richard was a loner, a mountain man who lived in the woods near mount shasta and come into town only monthly to sell his knives for supplies....He was a troubled soul, deeply depressed, and unable to relate to people as easily as he could to the steel on his forge. He often sold to Ken Mansfield, the now deceased owner of Olde West Gun/Pawn shop in Redding, Ca. He never became popular or marketed his skills as did the other above mentioned artists. I have 2 very nice pieces, one is a small gentlemans bowie with a full tang, an ebony handle and guard inlays of nickel silver in a celtic weave pattern done by Richard himself. The other is an ivory handled, double edged coffin dagger, very angular and menacing. The third is a rather unusual piece which I believe ended up being an experiment after the maker stamp ended up crooked. A fairly nice blade was mounted on a crude silver handle with busts on it like old reliefs. Cheesy, but I like just seeing the stamp on the blade. My father knew Richard and respected his deep soul and fantastic talent. He knew him as a friend and we have been proud to own some of his works. My father still has a 1 & 1/2 edged, lanyard fighter of Richards with a leather sheath and a blonde micarta handle. I really, really like that piece. The nice thing about the 2 good pieces that I have is that though they were purchased 20 years apart, they were made in the same period of time as evidenced by the same stamp/font size which is different from all the other examples of his stamp which I have seen. Danny Mansfield, Ken's son, now runs Olde West and still has a very nice collection of Richard's work ranging from simple to really elegant. Richard seems to have allowed both crude and very refined pieces into circulation at least in the NorCal area. Many of his pieces were in the drop point style so closely associated with the Loveless trademark shape and had characteristically deep sculpting into the blade material. They are graceful, technically advanced, solid, and satisfying knives to handle. So, I end by saying that it is nice to see mention of Richard here and I'm glad to dispel some of the fog about his work.