Lofty, thanks for resurrecting this thread and posting the Youtube video, which was terrific. How often can you see truly gifted artists and craftsmen at work?

I had read "Hear The Hammer", but the video really brings home how small the shop is, and how well the knife-making equipment still function 80 years after Rudy Ruana conceived and built it, apparently with parts from a wide variety of sources.

I just picked up my first Ruana knife, a 28-CD Skinner, as I really like the 'fat belly' blade profile. It is beautifully made, and fits the hand perfectly. I absolutely adore the hand-hammered pins in the elk horn handle inserts; they are a perfect reminder that the knife was made by hand by smiths who are supremely skilled. I'm looking forward to using it, maybe this summer.