BLADE Staff
Cool Custom: John Dennehy’s Model 1 Alpine
John Dennehy carries on a family tradition with a Model Alpine 1 for Kristi Noem.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and her leadership skills have captured the imagination of many Americans, including Colorado knifemaker John Dennehy.
John’s been looking for a place to retire, and Noem’s handling of the pandemic put South Dakota square on his list of places to consider. “The state stayed open and came out of the pandemic with a strong economy,” John noted. “I like Kristi’s no BS approach and her conservative Christian values.”
As a result, Dennehy decided to carry on a family tradition started by his father, BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame member Dan Dennehy, of making knives for notable individuals that he admires. John reached out to Kristi’s office and offered to make her the knife of her pick of his DAN-D models. One of Kristi’s aides got back to John and told him Kristi wanted the Model 1 Alpine general-purpose field knife.
John completed the knife and personalized the handsome leather sheath with Kristi’s initials and turquoise from King’s Manassa Turquoise mine near Manassa, Colorado. Though John didn’t get to talk to Kristi directly, she had a picture made of her holding the knife and had it sent to him. The smile on her face speaks volumes of how pleased she is with her sharp new gift.
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Shop Dump: Tony Cetani Of Hourglass Knives
Tony Cetani has left his mark in the kitchen knife niche grinding it out at Hourglass Knives.
When asked why he makes knives, Anthony “Tony” Cetani of Hourglass Knives grinned and states, “It’s cheaper to make them than buy them.” It was while recovering from knee surgery that he got the idea to make one. “After weeks of reading forums and watching YouTube videos I bought a single-burner forge, a 4×36-inch belt sander, a set of files, a hacksaw and a bar of 1084, and in March 2017 made my first knife,” he recalls.
“It took me a few years to figure out what my niche in the knife world was going to be,” Cetani continues. “With so many amazing makers and designs I wanted to try and set myself apart. In late 2020 I made my first kitchen knife and fell in love. I started with some traditional Japanese styles and put my own spin on them. I love a knife where everything flows together and there are no straight lines in the profile. Though I love making all types of knives, kitchen knives have become a huge part of what sets Hourglass Knives apart.”
In seven short years, Tony has made his mark in the custom knife realm.
“My grinders are my most-used machines in the shop,” he offers. “Whether I’m grinding bevels, contouring handles, getting in tight corners with my small wheels, sharpening a pencil, or chasing scratches on a finished blade that I end up ruining, I use my KMG grinders for everything. Both of these machines have been invaluable to me. Having 1.5-inch tooling-arm slots gives me a ton of different options for attachments and fixtures. Switching belts is quick and easy with no tracking issues. Beaumont makes a tough and very reliable machine.”
Cetani lauds his Foredom SR flexible shaft rotary tool. “There’s a few rotary tools out there I’ve tried but the Foredom has been my favorite. It has tons of different attachments, bits, accessories and the hand pieces can fit most rotary tool bits,” he explains. “The Foredom has given me the ability to do fine detail work on plunge lines, spines, tangs and the like that no other tool can. This rotary tool has helped my finish work immensely.”
For his exquisite knife grips, Tony shares his key to success. “The Palmgren Powergrind-XP 8-inch, 1-horsepower, variable-speed buffer has changed my handle game. For years I ran a 3600-rpm buffer and was really happy with my results,” he reports. “I only use buffing compound when finishing my handles, and the change I saw after using the Palmgren variable speed buffer was phenomenal. Starting at 3600 and being able to drop it down slowly to 900 rpm really helps bring the most out of the wood. Being able to adjust speeds when buffing oxides off or polishing steels has been huge as well. The variable speed buffer is the one tool I wish I would have bought early on in knifemaking.”
For sanding Cetani uses a Edward Braun hand-sanding fixture. “I always disliked hand sanding because of the amount of times I stabbed and/or cut myself. When I first saw Edward Braun had a few hand-sanding fixtures for sale,” he recalls, “I knew I needed one. The fixture makes it fast and easy to secure your knife and start hand sanding. Adjusting the clamp is quick and allows for multiple holds for the specific knife you are working on. Since buying one I still don’t like hand sanding but I haven’t hurt myself!”
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Knife Handles: Gripping Use Of Natural Materials
These beauties look as good to the eye as they feel in the hand.
Synthetics have made great strides in knife handles and rightfully so. They can be tough, ergonomic and attractive. But there’s something about the innate beauty and warm feel of natural handle materials that synthetics, try as they will, probably will never duplicate—not that they won’t keep trying.
Michael Deibert: Curly Maple
A curly maple handle on the steering end of a 6-inch ladder-pattern damascus blade gives ABS journeyman smith Michael Deibert’s hunter a rich natural look. The guard is stainless steel. (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Denis Tyrell: Maple Burl
A maple burl handle fluted and wire wrapped and a 10-inch blade of spectacular Ocean Sunset damascus forged in a collaboration with Rick Hall top off Denis Tyrell’s dagger. Overall length: 16 inches. (SharpByCoop image)
Anthony Stovall: Sambar Stag
Anthony Stovall opts for a Sambar stag handle and a bronze guard and buttcap for his hunter in a blade of Robert Eggerling damascus. Overall length: 9 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Scott Gallagher: Biggs Jasper
ABS master smith Scott Gallagher goes what for him is a different route with the Escalante, a lockback folder in a mirror-polished frame of 416 stainless steel and inlay of Biggs jasper stone. Blade and closed lengths: 3 and 4.5 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Frank Edwards: Mother-Of-Pearl
A handle of mother-of-pearl with 24k-gold borders and nitro-blued liners and a 4-inch blade of feather damascus highlight an automatic folding dagger by Frank Edwards. Closed length: 5 inches. (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Jim Perkins: Stabilized Maple
An orange stabilized maple handle and a 9-inch blade of a damascus of 272 layers of 1095 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels complete a Filipino barong by Jim Perkins based on one his wife used as a child. Overall length: 13.5 inches. Blade grind: convex. (SharpByCoop image)
Casey Vilensky: Koa Wood & Mammoth Tooth
Koa wood and a mammoth tooth bolster complete the handle of Casey Vilensky’s gyuto. The 12.5-inch blade is carbon damascus. Casey’s list price for a similar knife: $4,000. (SharpByCoop image)
More On Knife Handles:
- Best method to stabilize wood handles
- Hall-Of-Frame Handles
- G10 Knife Handles: Are They The Best?
- The Best Knife Handle-to-Blade Ratio
Cool Custom: Derick Kemper’s Scottish Dirk
A bonnie blade to be sure, Kemper makes a statement with his Scottish dirk.
Derick Kemper celebrates his Scottish heritage with his sprawling reproduction of a Scottish dirk. It’s overstated to salute the legend and lore of his Scottish Highlander ancestors who fought so valiantly for their independence from Great Britain, beginning with the Jacobite rising of 1745.
The edge of the stunning damascus blade is a simple twist pattern of W2 carbon and 15N20 nickel alloy steels. The three bars above it are Derick’s version of Robert Eggerling’s paisley pattern—a modified twist of 203E carbon steel for the bright section and W2 and 15N20 as well.
The habaki has Derick’s Damselfly Forge stamp of two damselflies and his initials in the middle engraved on one side, and the white rose of Scotland’s “Bonnie Prince Charlie” (1720-1788) on the other.
The chess-piece-like handle is oversized as well, with the pommel engraved in Latin, Qui Optime Regnare Ius Habet. The English translation is “Who hath best right to reign,” a slogan that appeared on the flags and accouterments of many of the Highlanders in the 18th century.
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What’s New: Top Knives—Damascus, Stainless Steel And More
Damascus, high-performance stainless and straight carbon steel standouts.
Always on the lookout for the new and exciting when it comes to edged gems, Blademag.com has collected a bevy of beautiful new knives hitting the market. This includes both custom and factory knives with a particular eye towards damascus, high-performance stainless and straight carbon steel standouts in this round.
Bertie Rietveld: Flirt
BLADE LENGTH: 7”
BLADE MATERIAL: Nebula damascus
BLADE GRIND: Hollow
FRAME MATERIAL: Zirconium
BOLSTER: Zirconium
ENGRAVING: Of fine silver by Bertie Rietveld
KNIFE TO KNOW: Stanhope lens in butt of handle
OVERALL LENGTH: 12”
MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $6,000
MAKER: Bertie Rietveld, rietveldknives.com (SharpByCoop image)
Keith Barthelmes: Serpent Chef’s Knife
BLADE LENGTH: 9.5”
BLADE GRIND: Flat that tapers to a convex edge
BLADE MATERIAL: Serpent damascus of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel steels
HANDLE MATERIAL: Curly koa
BOLSTER: Black canvas Micarta®
OVERALL LENGTH: 15”
MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $1,600
KNIFE TO KNOW: Keith is an ABS apprentice smith and hopes to take his ABS journeyman smith test in two years
MAKER: Keith Barthelmes (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Matt Humphreys: Lockback Folder
BLADE LENGTH: 3.5”
BLADE MATERIAL: Damascus forged by Jim Poor
BLADE GRIND: Hollow
HANDLE MATERIAL: Ancient ivory inlay, 24k-gold and fine silver inlay, 14k-gold and sterling silver chain
FRAME MATERIAL: 4130 carbon steel
ENGRAVING: By Matt Humphreys
CLOSED LENGTH: 4.5”
MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $5,500
MAKER: Matt Humphreys, outlawwaterjetdesign.com (SharpByCoop image)
Shayne Carter: Coffin-handle Bowie
BLADE LENGTH: 8.25”
BLADE MATERIAL: A mosaic explosion damascus pattern of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels
BLADE GRIND: Flat
HANDLE MATERIAL: Mammoth ivory
FRAME MATERIAL: Damascus
OVERALL LENGTH: 13.25”
MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $3,200
KNIFE TO KNOW: Shayne Carter is a master smith in the American Bladesmith Society (ABS)
MAKER: Shayne Carter, (SharpByCoop image)
CRKT: Monument 4001
DESIGNER: BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Michael Walker
BLADE LENGTH: 3.07”
BLADE MATERIAL: Rose damascus by Damasteel
BLADE GRIND: Flat
BLADE PATTERN: Modified sheepsfoot
HANDLE: Titanium w/white dragon scale inlay
PIVOT: Damascus in a Bluetongue pattern by Damasteel
ACTION: IKBS ball bearings
LOCK: Linerlock
POCKET CLIP: Deep-carry design
WEIGHT: 3.9 ozs.
CLOSED LENGTH: 4.17”
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Italy
MSRP: $500
COMPANY: CRKT, crkt.com
TOPS Knives: Steel Eagle 105C
BLADE LENGTH: 5.13”
BLADE MATERIAL: 1095 carbon steel
BLADE THICKNESS: .25”
BLADE FINISH: Black Traction Coating
HANDLE MATERIAL: Black linen Micarta®
WEIGHT: 15.3 ozs.
OVERALL LENGTH: 10.5”
SHEATH: Black Kydex w/rotating spring clip
WEIGHT W/SHEATH: 18.6 ozs.
MSRP: $240
KNIFE TO KNOW: Sawteeth, full-tang construction
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: U.S.A.
COMPANY: TOPS Knives, topsknives.com
Spartan Blades: Poros
DESIGNER: Curtis Iovito
KNIFE PATTERN: Flipper folder
BLADE LENGTH: 3.75”
BLADE Steel: 154CM stainless
BLADE GRIND: Flat
BLADE FINISH: Black titanium nitride coating
BLADE PATTERN: Drop point
PIVOT: Ikoma Korth Bearing System (IKBS)
HANDLE MATERIAL: Scalloped black G-10
LOCK: Linerlock
HARDWARE & LINER: Stainless steel w/electro-deposit powder coating
POCKET CLIP: Deep carry
WEIGHT: 5.28 ozs.
CLOSED LENGTH: 5.25”
MSRP: $180
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: U.S.A.
MAKER: Spartan Blades, spartanbladesusa.com
Hardcore Hardware: MILF-02PS
KNIFE TYPE: Tactical flipper folder
BLADE LENGTH: 3.54”
BLADE STEEL: CPM S30V stainless
BLADE @ WIDEST: 1.18”
BLADE GRIND: Hollow
BLADE FINISH: PVD coated
WASHERS: Phosphor bronze
HANDLE MATERIAL: G-10
FRAME & LINER: 420J2 stainless
LOCK: Framelock
POCKET CLIP: Reversible tip up or down, ambidextrous
WEIGHT: 7.34 ozs.
CLOSED LENGTH: 5.51”
MSRP: $280
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Australia and Taiwan
COMPANY: Hardcore Hardware Australia, hardcorehardware.com.au
Civivi: Vaquita II
DESIGNER: Nate Matlack
KNIFE TYPE: Fixed blade
BLADE LENGTH: 3.2”
BLADE Steel: Nitro-V stainless
BLADE GRIND: Flat
BLADE PATTERN: Kukri
BLADE FINISH: Black stonewash
HANDLE MATERIAL: Dark green canvas Micarta®
WEIGHT: 1.28 ozs.
OVERALL LENGTH: 6.23”
SHEATH: Black Kydex
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: China
MSRP: $69.40
COMPANY: Civivi, civivi.com
Morakniv: Bushcraft Knife
BLADE LENGTH: 4.05”
BLADE STEEL: Recycled Swedish stainless
BLADE THICKNESS: .098”
BLADE PATTERN: Drop point
HANDLE MATERIAL: Bright ash wood
CONSTRUCTION: Full tang
WEIGHT: 6.8 ozs.
OVERALL LENGTH: 8.38”
SHEATH: Vegetable-tanned leather w/belt loop; compatible with the Morakniv Dangler 10 w/button
KNIFE TO KNOW: Blade spine compatible w/a fire starter
MSRP: $240.07 (at press time rate of exchange)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Sweden
COMPANY: Morakniv, industrialrev.com
DP Custom Creations & Zero Down Forge: Fighter
BLADE LENGTH: 7.5”
BLADE STEEL: 300-layer, 4-bar, alternating twist damascu
BLADE GRIND: Flat
HANDLE: Blond claro walnut, thorn and vine accent copper spacers, and copper pin
FITTINGS: Twisted damascus guard and center spacer
OVERALL LENGTH: 12.5”
MAKER’S PRICE FOR A SIMILAR KNIFE: $1,100
KNIFE TO KNOW: Don Penny is an ABS apprentice smith
MAKER: DP Custom Creations & Zero Down Forge, (Jocelyn Frasier image)
Tony Cetani: Chef’s Knife
BLADE LENGTH: 9”
BLADE STEEL: RipTide damascus by Baker Forge & Tool
BLADE GRIND: Flat
HANDLE MATERIAL: Amboyna burl w/copper pins and liners
OVERALL LENGTH: 14.25”
MAKER: Tony Cetani, HourGlass Knives, [email protected] (Baker Forge Studios image)
Check Out More Knife Drops:
- Production And Custom Kitchen Kinves
- Production And Custom Damascus And Stainless Steel Knives
- Production And Custom Large Blade Knives
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