BLADE Staff

Josh Blount reproduces Chingachgook’s gunstock war club.

ABS apprentice smith Josh Blount recently rewatched the 1992 version of The Last of the Mohicans, and the gunstock war club of the character of Chingachgook in the film inspired him to make his own stunning version.

Josh patterned his reproduction after the movie piece* but with his own spin, including a low-layer-twist damascus blade and curly maple stock decorated with silver wire inlay in assorted mountain images: a daytime scene with hawks circling the sun, a nighthawk nighttime scene amid moon and stars, etc. “My background is wildlife biology, so I live birds and chasing wildlife,” he noted. “So, I put a little bit of that in there.”

Josh’s mentors include the late Ron Claiborne and Larry Harley, and, of course, ABS master smith Daniel Winkler, who made some of the knives and tomahawks for Mohicans (February 1993 BLADE®). In fact, Josh visited the Winkler shop just over 20 years ago. Josh was bladesmithing then too, but life happened and he went to college. Now he’s back to hammering hot steel in Franklin, West Virginia, and hopes to test for ABS journeyman smith in the near future.

Gunstock War Club Specs
Maker: Josh Blount
Blade length: 6.5”
Blade material: 80CrV2 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels
Handle/stock: Curly maple from Dunlap Woodcraft, w/pewter pins and deerskin wrap from Crazy Crow Trading Post
Overall length: 40”
Maker’s price for a similar piece: $800

*The gunstock war club in The Last of the Mohicans was made by the movie’s prop department.

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Hot haves by custom makers from around the globe.

With BLADE Show 2024 just around the corner, many new knives are hitting the custom and factory markets. We scoured the former end—hitting all points of the compass along the way—to bring you some of the latest and greatest handmade gems. If you’re heading to Atlanta, be on the lookout for these and other great custom creations.

Camille Sennegon Fighter

Blade length: 8”
Blade material: 80CrV2 carbon steel
Blade grind: Flat, w/a small convex grind on the edge
Blade finish: 800-grit satin
Blade pattern: Harpoon w/recurve edge
Handle: Ironwood
Bolster: 304 stainless steel
Overall length: 13”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $800 at press time rate of exchange
Maker’s remark: “I made this knife based on a design drawn and given to me by my friend, ABS master smith Samuel Lurquin.” (Jocelyn Frasier image)

Francesco Piccinin Northern Style Utility

Blade length: 4”
Blade steel: 14C28N stainless
Blade grind: Flat
Handle: White G-10 w/black G-10 frame and spacers w/hole for a lanyard
Bolster: Ash burl
Overall length: 9”
Sheath: Leather w/belt loop and leather tiedown w/bead
Maker’s price for a similar knife and sheath: $600 at press time rate of exchange (Jocelyn Frasier image)

Steven Ramos Pisces

Knife pattern: Hunting/utility
Blade length: 7”
Blade steel: CPM 154 stainless
Blade grind: Hollow
Blade finish: Bead blast
Handle: Micarta® w/G-10 liners
Overall length: 10.625”
Sheath: Kydex over aluminum frame; made by Steven Ramos
Maker’s price for a similar knife and sheath: $825 (Jocelyn Frasier image)

David Lisch Singing Crusader

Knife type: Fixed blade
Blade length: 5.25”
Blade material: Damascus of 1080 carbon and 15N20 nickel alloy steels
Blade grind: Convex
Construction: Damascus integral
Handle: Forged pipe handle holds ball bearings that make the knife “sing” when shaken
Knife to know: The bear head pommel is hand forged; the maker is an ABS master smith
Overall length: 10.5”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $1,500, though this one being a one-of-a-kind, the pipe handle and carved pommel would be somewhat different, as would the damascus pattern
davidlisch.com (Jocelyn Frasier image)

Jason Fry Border Bowie

Blade length: 8”
Blade material: Explosion/twist/border-wall damascus
D-guard/bolster: 1880s wrought iron artifacts
Handle material: Mesquite
Frame: 1848 and 2023 half dollars
Overall length: 13”
Knife to know: Border-wall stand included
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $4,200
frycustomknives.com (SharpByCoop image)

David Brodziak Hunter

Blade length: 4”
Blade material: Stainless damascus w/VG-10 stainless core
Blade grind: Flat
Blade thickness @ ricasso: .126”
Guard: 416 stainless steel
Handle material: Banksia nut w/gold fleck inlay
Overall length: 8.27”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $320 plus postage
brodziakcustomknives.com (Rod Hoare image)

Mardi Meshejian Razor-Style Linerlock

Blade length: 3”
Blade material: Damascus of 1080 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels
Blade grind: Hollow
Handle: Mammoth ivory
Bolster: Damascus
Liners: Titanium
Closed length: 6”
mardimeshejianbladesmith.com (SharpByCoop image)

Adam Fromholtz Steampunk Assassin Injector

Blade length: 5.9”
Blade material: Damascus of 1075 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels
Blade grind: Flat
Handle: Tasmanian blackwood
Frame: Brass, copper, steel, clock parts, nickel silver
Guard: Bronze
Knife to know: The knife includes parts from clocks, a piano, cordless drill, gas valves, cigarette lighter and a gas bottle; the maker is a member of the Australian Knifemakers Guild and is an ABS apprentice smith
Overall length: 12.2”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $4,700 at press time rate of exchange (Rod Hoare image)

Gabriel Turner Fixed Blade

Blade length: 6.25”
Blade material: Damascus of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels
Blade grind: Full flat
Guard: Cable damascus
Handle material: Bog oak
Overall length: 11.25”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $1,050 (SharpByCoop image)

Julian Roche Nakiri Chef’s Knife

Blade length: 8.27”
Blade material: 1084 carbon steel
Blade grind: “S” grind
Blade thickness @ ricasso: .196”
Blade at widest: 1.77”
Knife to know: Forged from one piece of 1084; rust-blue finish and brassed
Overall length: 12.6”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $450-$475 at press time rate of exchange (Rod Hoare image)

Jeremy Wheaton Leon

Knife type: Lockback folder
Blade length: 3.19”
Blade steel: CPM 154 stainless
Blade thickness @ ricasso: .12”
Blade @widest: 1.2”
Blade grind: Flat
Handle: Crazy lace agate seed inlays; a local miner sourced the agate
Frame: 410 stainless steel
Closed length: 5.27”
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $445 at press time rate of exchange
Maker’s remark: “The photo is a testament to Rod Hoare, who has worked very hard to bring his work up to an international standard. All of us Australian knifemakers are very grateful that we now have an artist of his caliber servicing our industry.”
wheatonartsandcrafts.com (Rod Hoare image)

Mike Tyre Beavertail

Knife type: Double-action automatic/manual folder
Blade length: 3.5”
Blade material: Damascus of O1 and L6 tool steels
Blade grind: Flat
Blade pattern: Wharncliffe
Blade opener: Thumb stud
Handle: Gold-lip mother-of-pearl
Frame: Titanium
Lock: Linerlock
Closed length: 4.5”
Knife to know: Engraving w/gold inlay by Joe Mason; heat-colored filework
Maker’s price for a similar knife: $4,200
miketyrecustomknives.com (SharpByCoop image)

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