I like to make knives that are not unnecessarily complicated just for the sake of complexity. I do like well thought out design details like Spanish notches and swages, that might not be really function but are traditional design features that allow a knife to rise above the purely plain. You know, add a little aesthetic dimension. You see so many "art" knives now that are dripping rubies and emeralds, but some how seem to lack any realized underlying form. Its all surface. More and more I find that the blade etching I do is an important part of the finishing process, and not just "making it look old." Right now I am finishing up a series of what I call Sheffield style knives, and doing some drawings. I am fascinated by the stylistic quirks of the 19th century Sheffield knives and have fun trying to capture something of the same flavor in my work.