CARLYLE - Garth Hindmarch has resided in Carlyle for many years and has acquired a skill in making knives.
Hindmarch moved from Manor to Carlyle in 1967. He was employed as the manager at the Co-op lumber yard from 1966 until he retired in 1997.
In addition to travelling to nine provinces and 16 states with his wife Donna during the 1970s , ‘80s and ‘90s, as a pastime Hindmarch started making muzzle loading rifles. This led him to an interest in hunting knives and in 1991 started making them himself.
Making knives is an exact science and Hindmarch was proud to provide some details. He purchases 440C or ATS-34 Stainless Steel in 18-inch lengths from a supplier in the United States. At that time the steel is very pliable and the pattern of the knife is drawn and the metal cut and ground accordingly.
The blade is then sent away to a kiln where it is heat-treated up to 1900 degrees. The knife is returned and then sanded. It has become hard-forged steel and is the finished product.
Hindmarch shaped his own handles out of various materials including exotic hardwoods, whitetail antlers, mammoth ivory, giraffe leg bone and big horn sheep horns. He also made his own sheaths, purchasing mats of leather from Tandy’s in Winnipeg. Hindmarch meticulously cut his own patterns and he also made his own display cases.
Hindmarch loves reading and of course his extensive library includes several knife books. They include Art of the Knife by Joe Kertzman and The Bowie Knife by Norm Flayderman. There is also a series of magazines called Knives Illustrated and Blade Magazine.
Hindmarch has pictures of his own knives in several of these magazines and in The Art of the Knife, it added some commentary.
“Garth Hindmarch makes working and fancy straight knives, fillet knives, bowies and friction folders, as well as some presentation knives for various fundraising auctions where he lives. For his own personal art collection, he has fashioned 16 reproductions of 19th century Sheffield and American Bowies, his favorite sharp objects, particularly the Kimball style dog- bone -handled bowie.”
From another publication: “Hindmarch, Garth. Specialties: Working and fancy straight knives, bowies. Patterns: Hunters, skinners, bowies. Part-time maker. All knives satin finished.”
Over the years, Hindmarch has made nearly 500 knives, including hunting, filleting and bowies. He has also built friction folders, half scale knives, and even 13 kitchen knives.
Fifty-six of his custom-made knives have been sold at auctions in southeast Saskatchewan over the years. They include the Estevan, Moose Mountain, Redvers and Wawota Wildlife Federation auctions, Arcola Buck Night and the Carlyle and District Lions Club Supper and Auction.
“We must have had one of Garth’s knives in our auctions for over 12 straight years,” said retired Carlyle Lions Club chairman Keith Walker. “They were an exciting part of our live auction and always went for a premium price.”
Hindmarch has attended numerous trade shows over the years and has won many awards including several at a Western Canada Knife Maker’s Association show in Kamloops, B.C. in 2009. He thoroughly enjoyed this hobby but due to his age decided to call it a career in 2018.
“I would estimate that over 80 per cent of the people that purchased my knives do not use them, they were bought solely as collector’s items. I have also taken a picture of each and every knife that I have made.”
“I am proud to say that in my over 27 years of making knives, I have never cut myself, not even a scratch.”
