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Modern Period Knife: A Link To The Past And Present

Mike Haskew
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Modern Period Knife: A Link To The Past And Present

Blending old and new, the modern period knife brings history alive in masterpieces.

Historical perspective is a relevant component in just about any undertaking. In the realm of cut, incorporating an appreciation of the past into the work of today brings another dimension to the custom knifemaker’s statement.

Interest in the knifemaking of a bygone era offers a window into the true artistry required to reproduce the knives of yesteryear, particularly with the absence of modern conveniences in the shop. Along with the interest in the historical knife, several custom makers bring famous designs, styles and patterns to life once again in tribute to those who have gone before.

The idea of the period knife blends old and new. “I’ve been making knives seriously since about 2002 when I took a class with the American Bladesmith Society in Washington, Arkansas,” related ABS master smith Lin Rhea. “Joe Keeslar and Greg Neely lit a fire under me and got me on my way. Since then the town of Washington has been like a second home, and I’ve even added to the personal connection between me and the area by interest in one of the town’s historical residents who was also a knifemaker. His name was James Black.”

A resident of Prattsville, Arkansas, Lin gained an appreciation for Black’s distinctive body of work*, using contrasting materials and techniques to create a bold, attractive look. “I’m grateful to get to know Mr. Black by studying his work,” Lin continued. “This intense study led me to try to recreate one of his knives, the Carrigan Knife. The original knife, a guardless coffin-handled bowie, was made by Mr. Black in the early 1830s in Washington, Arkansas. I chose the Carrigan as my first attempt because of its less intimidating size; however, as is often the case I found it to be just as intimidating once I started into the project.”

Lin Rhea’s period knife, a reproduction of the Carrigan Knife is based on a dress bowie James Black is thought to have made in the early 1830s in Washington, Arkansas. The original Carrigan includes a black walnut handle with coin silver pins and trim. The blade is about 6 inches long and the overall length is approximately 10.25 inches. (Whetstone Studio image)
Lin Rhea’s period knife, a reproduction of the Carrigan Knife is based on a dress bowie James Black is thought to have made in the early 1830s in Washington, Arkansas. The original Carrigan includes a black walnut handle with coin silver pins and trim. The blade is about 6 inches long and the overall length is approximately 10.25 inches. (Whetstone Studio image)

The original Carrigan includes a black walnut handle providing a nice contrasting background to the coin silver pins and trim. The blade is about 6 inches long, and the overall length is approximately 10.25 inches. The full tang is virtually covered entirely by the walnut scales and the silver wrap.

When Rhea undertook his homage to Black and the Carrigan, he chose stabilized walnut, which he harvested himself several years ago, and trim in sterling silver. He forged the blade from 80CrV2 carbon steel and included at least 30 separate parts while attempting the same techniques used by Black nearly two centuries ago in fastening and assembling the finished knife.

“There is so much to be said about not only this knife but also Black’s work,” Lin concluded. “He was able to create a knife design utilizing only three materials yet impacting the knife world as few others could. His ability to arrange these materials into a functional, long lasting, beautiful tool is only enhanced by the knowledge that he also built in other qualities like moisture resistance, logical assemblage and ergonomics. All of this was done in a historic setting without modern equipment and epoxies. In my opinion, his design is ingenious.”

The Gold Rush Period Knife

Recently inducted into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame® (September BLADE®, page 52), knifemaker Jim Sornberger has assimilated his gold and silversmith skill sets into custom knifemaking while helping introduce the modern world to the classic design, luster and embellishment of the Gold Rush era and boomtown San Francisco of the mid-19th century.

BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Jim Sornberger’s interpretations of the Michael Price San Francisco/small dress bowie have won awards at various venues, including Best of Show at the 2019 International Custom Cutlery Exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas. This period knife features a blade in Vegas Forge stainless barstock AEBL and 412 stainless steels and san-mai damascus with a solid core. The guard and wrap handle are in Mike Sakmar mokumé barstock. Jim’s price for a similar knife: $3,500. (SharpByCoop image)
BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Jim Sornberger’s interpretations of the Michael Price San Francisco/small dress bowie have won awards at various venues, including Best of Show at the 2019 International Custom Cutlery Exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas. This period knife features a blade in Vegas Forge stainless barstock AEBL and 412 stainless steels and san-mai damascus with a solid core. The guard and wrap handle are in Mike Sakmar mokumé barstock. Jim’s price for a similar knife: $3,500. (SharpByCoop image)

“I’ve been making knives since 1975 with the help of the late Les Berryman, an early Guild member, and with some guidance from Bob Loveless, Herman Schneider and Barry Wood,” Jim recalled. “The last three signed for me to join The Knifemakers’ Guild.”

For Sornberger, the style, embellishment and decoration of the canes, jewelry and knives of the Gold Rush era are most appealing. “San Francisco from 1850 to 1904, the Gold Rush period, was one of the wealthiest cities in the world, attracting some of the greatest artists, jewelers, carvers and engravers to ply their trade to a wealthy clientele. The work done in that period,” he opined, “rivals the best ever done.”

In the knifemaking genre, Michael Price and Will & Finck were among the most successful and prolific of the Gold Rush. Their work remains emblematic of the great migration to settle the American West, and the riches and ruin that were found with the experience.

“Price was Irish, and both cutlery firms hired workers who were English, German and possibly Scottish,” Sornberger explained. “Their dress knives are probably the most embellished American knives made in the 1800s-1900s. The dress knives had two common handles: an interesting, modified coffin shape and a more rounded, subtle taper shape. The blade shapes are spear-point dagger and San Francisco clip spear point.”

Sornberger is recognized as an authority on original San Francisco knives, as well as the magnificent gold quartz that was used so well by Gold Rush artisans. His modern interpretations of the Michael Price San Francisco/small dress bowie have won awards at various venues, including Best of Show at the 2019 International Custom Cutlery Exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jim’s dress fixed-blade bowie in the accompanying picture was made with Vegas Forge stainless barstock AEBL and 412 stainless steels, and san-mai damascus steel with a solid core. The guard and wrap handle are in Mike Sakmar mokumé barstock. Jim’s made such handles in gold and silver and nickel silver, also. The inlays are tortoise celluloid and California native gold/gold quartz.

According to Sornberger, the biggest challenge in his stunning creation was grinding the blade to show the distinctive pattern of the shell and the hardened core. The san-mai laminated blade was etched with ferric chloride, rinsed and color set with WD-40®.

Frog Knife

“The style of Michael Price’s work is a really good canvas with flowing lines, and there is a lot you can do with it,” observed ABS master smith Jon Christensen, who is in his 22nd year of making knives. “I wouldn’t call my San Francisco-style knives replicas. I do like to keep to the original form and honor the style of the maker, though.”

Jon Christensen’s San Francisco-style folder includes a blade of feathered leaf damascus steel and a handle of carved mammoth ivory with inlay of 4,500-year-old bog oak. Quite a period knife. (ChantryLeePhotography.com image)
Jon Christensen’s San Francisco-style folder includes a blade of feathered leaf damascus steel and a handle of carved mammoth ivory with inlay of 4,500-year-old bog oak. Quite a period knife. (ChantryLeePhotography.com image)

One of Christensen’s most evocative pieces to date is referred to simply as the Frog Knife. However, the piece is far from simple, and Jon manages to convey the spirit of the Michael Price style while also imprinting some of his own personality.
“I built the feathered damascus for the blade with 1080 and 15N20,” he advised. “It’s a canister damascus. I forged the bamboo leaves and placed them in the can, welded it up, reduced it, and feather cut it so it would produce feather-cutting smears and leaves, and form branches to look like a little grove of bamboo leaves.”

The 10-inch knife has a 5.5-inch blade and a frame and sheath incorporating 410 stainless steel. Christensen utilized the “canvas” of the handle to the fullest, carving the mammoth ivory into a pleasing vignette of frogs and lily pads.

“The handle has something of a back story,” he smiled. “I had seen the Poppy Knife that Michael Price made and thought I would do my version. I took the knife to the BLADE Show and it didn’t find its owner. Then, the handle got ruined, and I just took the opportunity to rehandle it with the frogs and lily pads.”

Christensen got his start making stock removal knives after a career as a horticulturist. He learned to forge while working with ABS master smith Ed Caffrey and visited with knifemaker Rick Eaton and ABS master smiths Shane Taylor and Wade Colter. Jon also makes San Francisco folding knives and enjoys swordmaking. Plans for the future include more period knife examples.

Kimbll Style

ABS master smith Josh Smith owes his little league baseball coach, ABS master smith Rick Dunkerley, credit with getting him started making knives about 30 years ago. From the beginning, Josh has appreciated the thought process and craftsmanship of custom makers from a bygone era.

A period knife reproduction of the I*XL George Washington Hunting Knife by Doug Noren gets the full treatment in a 13.5-inch blade of 5160 carbon steel, a mother-of-pearl handle and 18k plated nickel silver. Overall length: 21.5 inches. (Whetstone Studio image)
A period knife reproduction of the I*XL George Washington Hunting Knife by Doug Noren gets the full treatment in a 13.5-inch blade of 5160 carbon steel, a mother-of-pearl handle and 18k plated nickel silver. Overall length: 21.5 inches. (Whetstone Studio image)

“There’s something special about reproducing something that was built nearly 200 years ago,” he reasoned. “It’s easy to get lost in your thoughts while working on these knives, wondering what the makers were thinking about at the time. Was the knife going into battle? Was a rich man just wanting something unique? Was the maker just trying to be different and impress people? Were function and effectiveness of use the only factors that mattered? It’s really cool to think about.”

Josh has found the opportunity to consider historical context with a dagger in the distinctive dog-bone handle, recalling the mid-1800s when a gentleman named Loring Kimball of Vicksburg, Mississippi, owned several similar original pieces that were probably made by at least two different knifemakers in the New Orleans area. Knives in what many refer to as the Kimball style have been reproduced by a number of modern makers, mostly bladesmiths.

“The distinctive characteristic of the dog bone is clearly the shape of the handle,” Smith said, “but to me it’s more than that. The large domed pins and the flat facets on the handle provide such a neat look. One of the original Kimball daggers from the 1830s had silver wrapped around the butt of the handle and a small, thin silver guard. I never pretend to exactly reproduce these knives. I always put my own spin on the knife, trying to bring some of my style into it.”

Smith’s dog-bone dagger is fashioned from his own ladder pattern “W’s” damascus blade, African blackwood handle and 18k-gold pins and liners. The 9.5-inch blade is forged from 1080 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels, while a gold collar stretches over the back of the blade and bears the engraved name of the maker. Overall length: 14.25 inches.

“This particular knife was heavily influenced by Tim Hancock,” Josh said. “I feel Tim, Harvey Dean and James Batson are the three men who led the way in bringing these knives back to prominence, and Tim had the most influence on my construction of these knives. I love period knives and definitely plan on doing more. There are so many incredible weapons from the past that would be fun to recreate.”

*While a number of top industry authorities attribute such original 19th-century pieces as the Carrigan Knife, Bowie No. 1 and others to Black, no knives with Black’s mark are known to exist.

The Best Knife Handle-to-Blade Ratio

Mike Haskew
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The Best Knife Handle-to-Blade Ratio

It’s the critical cooperation of handle and blade that makes the knife perform. One supplies the cutting edge, while the other allows you to exert control. So, then, the age-old question follows in finding the right ratio of length for each in a knife of proper construction.

In many cases, the experienced knifemaker follows his gut feeling to achieve the best knife handle-to-blade ratio, his understanding of just what it takes. Instinctively, the design brings balance and function to the piece.

Certainly, the process would be simpler if a formula existed to guide the maker in the optimal handle-to-blade ratio. However, according to those consulted for this story, there is no such formula.

The best knife handle-to-blade ratio, they reason, is driven by intended use.

Use, Not Size

Best knife handle size
It’s hard to establish the best knife handle size because no two hands are the same.

“I base the ratio on use, not size,” explained knifemaker and BLADE® field editor Abe Elias. “For instance, when you look at the knife you carry every day, you’re not usually out there skinning animals or felling trees. You’re cutting open boxes and packages, snipping string or tape, and—if you trust the cleanliness of the blade—cutting a piece from a block of cheese or peeling an apple. In the end, everything is based on what you do with the knife.

“So when you look at all that, everyday use versus bushcraft or camp use, then you might say to yourself that you don’t need a lot of handle for torque or control if you’re cutting a piece of tape or your Amazon box open. If the blade is small, you don’t necessarily have to put a small handle on it; but, if the job doesn’t require a good, full grip, I’ll shorten the handle to make it easier to carry in an urban environment to do non-strenuous jobs.

“Bushcraft requires that you do strenuous stuff related to torque, and with carving or craft ing or skinning an animal,” Abe concluded. “Therefore, the handle must be full size to provide the ability to control the blade and put enough force behind it. Small jobs need control but not always a lot of force.”

Best knife handles
Instead of the knife’s size, knifemaker/BLADE® field editor Abe Elias bases handle-to-blade ratio on its use.

What Pleases the Eye

Don Hanson, making knives for three decades with the Sunfish Forge mark, has no exact, best knife handle-to-blade ratio formula, and he readily asserts that any standard such as a “handle length an inch longer than the blade” falls apart pretty quickly.

Ratio best knife handles
Don Hanson said he does not have a formula for the blade-to-handle ratio. “I just do what looks good to my eye,” he noted. “With folders I make the blade as large as possible to still be able to fit inside the
handle when closed.” (SharpByCoop image)

“I don’t have a formula for the ratio,” he commented. “I just do what looks good to my eye. With folders I make the blade as large as possible to still be able to fit inside the handle when closed. I don’t think making the handle an inch longer than the blade on a fixed blade is accurate. That would not work for bowies or fighters, where blades are typically seven to 12 inches. On these the handles are usually 5 inches.

Now, it could be true for a hunting knife if it has a 3.5-inch blade. A 4.5-inch handle would be perfect for that hunter.”

The Golden Mean

Hanson allows that the mathematical “Golden Mean” ratio may be helpful, though he does not specifically use it in his work. Without launching into a prolonged Algebra lesson, two quantities are in the Golden Mean if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. Dust off that old high school math book for the actual formula and a clearer definition.

“Handle-to-blade ratio is function first,” Hanson added, “but in this time of images on the internet and magazines, the visual aspect is very important. Sometimes we see a knife that looks pretty good but just doesn’t seem right—and it’s not apparent why. In most cases the handle-to-blade ratio is off.

“The Golden Mean ratio is a good way to get handle-to-blade ratio right. I don’t use it, but most knives that look right will fall within the parameters of that ratio. Still, there is no rule or ratio in folding knives. The handle is always longer than the blade.

“A folder just looks bad when the blade is too small. I just design knives that function well and look good. I rarely measure anything or use any rules. The knife has to look good to get someone to pick it up. Then, if it feels good in the hand you have a winner.”

Best knife handle to blade ratio for knives
The old adage that the handle should be about 1 inch longer than the blade doesn’t work with large knives. “In period pieces such as an 18th century Scottish dirk, the grip was typically in the 4-to-5-inch range despite a blade length that could be up to 16 inches,” Vince Evans (inset) noted. His Scottish dirk repro was the cover for the March 2020 BLADE®.

Function, Comfort, Looks

According to Vince Evans, a full-time maker since 1981, some handles do require a certain length or shape depending on function, and some hunters prefer a small grip that is completely in the hand to avoid getting in the way when field dressing an animal.

“Personal preference probably plays a big part in that idea,” Vince said. “In period pieces such as an 18th century Scottish dirk, the grip was typically in the 4-to-5-inch range despite a blade length that could be up to 16 inches. Knives of the past tended to have more similar grips than modern ones.

“People carried a knife all the time for various purposes, so I would think that the ratio worked out naturally over time, and I would imagine that overall weight had a lot to do with the size.”

“Aesthetically, if you have a blade that is too big for the handle, it can become wonky,” Joe Flowers, a knife designer for Condor Tool & Knife, reasoned. “If you don’t balance the blade with the handle on a fixed blade, it can become messy. The human eye picks up on imbalance, so, if you have a short blade and a long handle, you’d better have a good reason.

“For fixed-blade bushcraft knives the most popular example is a 4-inch blade with a 4.5-inch handle, with a point down the center line. As a designer, especially recently, I’ve tried to jump out of the ‘rule’ rut that I’ve made more or less for myself.”

Best knife handle sizes
The White River Knife & Tool M1 Backpacker makes nice, tight curls. “Bushcraft requires that you do strenuous stuff related to torque and with carving or crafting or skinning an animal,” Abe Elias observed. “Therefore, the handle must be full size to provide the ability to control the blade and put enough force behind it. Small jobs need control but not always a lot of force.” (Abe Elias image)

Ergonomics are an integral component of the best knife blade-to-handle ratio, and the user surely appreciates that balance in the field.

“I’ve done a lot of research on human hands/tool use ergonomics,” Flowers offered. “More ergonomic knives have less geometry in their handle design for long-term use. Sometimes these handles don’t look very special, but after the third hour of whittling a kuksa [a Scandinavian drinking cup carved from birch burl] or an axe handle, you will appreciate them.”

Flowers adds that torque and dexterity dictate handle length in relation to a knife blade. In other words, if more force must be applied, then more surface area in the right points of contact with the hand allow the user to apply that torque.

“If it’s something like a neck knife,” he interjected, “you probably aren’t going to be applying that much torque, and are using it more for miniscule tasks such as cutting line rather than chopping down a tree. The handle length can sometimes dictate what the blade is capable of doing. An axe with a 3-inch handle would work differently than one with a 23-inch handle.”

The perfect combination of handle and blade is ultimately put to the test with intended use. In the absence of a formula, the true judgment may be found in the fatigue or the number of blisters on the palm when the job is completed.

Overthinking Handles?

Years ago, a well-known knifemaker offered Elias some advice.

“He said two things,” Abe smiled. “‘You’re spending too much time on your handles. You’ll never get your money back for it. And your handles are too long. They should be the bare minimum.’ Now, my whole thing is that the knife is only as good as your ability to control it.

“I will ask a customer what size their hand is. I’ll ask them to go to a store and find a pair of metric-sized gloves that fit and give me the number. That way I know the dimensions of their hand and can work from that accordingly.

“Still, it would be good to say that there is some kind of ratio that always applies, but like I’ve said, I don’t have a mathematical formula—I have a use formula.”

The best knife handle-to-blade ratio is, after all, the product of evolution, experience and the trained eye. Placing these elements in perspective produces the balance and control necessary for the knife to function as it should, while also making a pleasing presentation from a visual standpoint.

Chute Knife: Full-Spectrum Warrior

Mike Haskew
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Chute Knife: Full-Spectrum Warrior

A fine example of a tool and weapon of war, the chute knife more than rose to fulfill the roles for which it was intended.

Harry Archer was a somewhat shadowy figure. At the height of the Vietnam War, he was engaged in nasty business—fighting a stealthy enemy in a steaming jungle, sometimes up close and all too personal.

Those who knew Archer acknowledged that some of his exploits were “larger than life.” They considered him an early non-movie version of author David Morrell’s fictional character of John Rambo*. Still, Archer was real, flesh and blood. And it seems altogether fitting that responding to his need for knives that “deliver” in a tight spot—survival, seconds along the fine line between life and death—he would come to know and rely on another legend.

According to John Denton, perhaps the world’s foremost authority on the knives of BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bob Loveless, Loveless and the man he came to describe as the “head of CIA operations in Vietnam” were introduced to one another by knife writer/Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Ken Warner. It followed that Loveless made several knives for Archer’s use in the field, among them a fine sub-hilt and stag-handle example of his well-known Big Bear, along with several other  Big Bears. Loveless’s close friend and fellow maker Steve Johnson was working in Bob’s shop at the time and participated in crafting these. A fighter in a tulip wood handle is another cold beauty.

Johnson worked with Loveless from June 1971-October 1974 in the Lawndale and Riverside, California, shops. Steve had a hand in the production of the prototype chute knife in the earliest days, and 23 years later signed a photograph for John Denton attesting to his work on that piece of history. Steve’s inscription reads in part: “This is to certify that I, Steven R. Johnson, worked on the Archer ’chute that is numbered ‘AP-003’ while in Lawndale, CA, approximately 1971-72.”
Johnson worked with Loveless from June 1971-October 1974 in the Lawndale and Riverside, California, shops. Steve had a hand in the production of the prototype chute knife in the earliest days, and 23 years later signed a photograph for John Denton attesting to his work on that piece of history. Steve’s inscription reads in part: “This is to certify that I, Steven R. Johnson, worked on the Archer ’chute that is numbered ‘AP-003’ while in Lawndale, CA, approximately 1971-72.” (images courtesy of John Denton)

Then there is the well-known Harry Archer chute knife, a versatile fixed blade with good looks and the ability to travel light but cut paracord for a quick exit from a tangled parachute shroud, and with a stout spine for prying loose from the wreckage of a helicopter. The chute knife was made for the jungle. It was made for Harry Archer.

“It seems that Loveless had been left out of a book by Warner, and Loveless sent Ken some knives to review,” Denton recalled. “It just so happened that Archer was there with Warner. Harry saw the knives and bought them all.”

Johnson worked with Loveless from June 1971 to October 1974 in both the Lawndale and Riverside, California, shops. He had a hand in the production of the prototype chute knife in the earliest days and 23 years later signed a photograph for Denton attesting to his work on that piece of history. Steve’s inscription reads in part: “This is to certify that I, Steven R. Johnson, worked on the Archer ’chute that is numbered ‘AP-003’ while in Lawndale, CA, approximately 1971-72.”

Johnson explains that the chute knife is a fairly small, compact fighter and survival knife, short, light, double-edged and strong, but not made in stock thicker than 3/16 inch. Holes for thongs are placed in the rear of the handle and the guard for lashing the knife to a pole or limb to make an improvised spear. It rides into action atop a chest pack or secondary parachute for quick, easy access. Claims that Warner had a hand in the design are unconfirmed, but “the chute” simply looks the part of the warrior’s dependable asset.

“You’re able to cut both ways with the knife via the swipe of an arm or hand,” Johnson related. “Specifically, it’s for cutting parachute cord should it be tangled or caught in a tree. It’s a knife that a pilot, paratrooper or soldier should carry, and it would not be a burden but useful and available in every situation.”

HARRY ARCHER LORE
Stories of Archer’s combat prowess have been told and retold, but to raise awareness of the immediacy of a close-in fight, nothing is better than the harrowing tale that Denton remembers Loveless repeating. John points to a photo of a vintage Big Bear, identifies it as a knife that Archer took into combat, and says, “Harry and his men got into a hand-to-hand fight, and the tip of the blade was broken off inside the enemy. Harry took the knife back to Bob to fix, and Loveless said, ‘Where’s the tip?’ Harry replied, ‘It’s still in the rib cage of the Viet Cong soldier.’ So, Loveless fixed the blade.’”

Made in Bob Loveless’s Lawndale, California, shop about 1973-74, this chute knife in ivory Micarta® is stamped BR-003. It was made for the Brass Rail, a famous gun shop in Hollywood, California, where all the celebrity types hung out to see guns and knives. Note the holes in the guard for lashing the knife to a pole to make a spear.
Made in Bob Loveless’s Lawndale, California, shop about 1973-74, this chute knife in ivory Micarta® is stamped BR-003. It was made for the Brass Rail, a famous gun shop in Hollywood, California, where all the celebrity types hung out to see guns and knives. Note the holes in the guard for lashing the knife to a pole to make a spear. (images courtesy of John Denton)

Like the Big Bear and other Loveless creations, the chute knife has its place in the lore of Harry Archer. After he collaborated to produce the prototype, Johnson continued to work with Loveless on more of the chute knives. He remembers meeting Archer in the California shops.

“Loveless really admired Archer and his adventures in the Vietnam War era, working with USAID**, the CIA and different assignments in various parts of the world,” Steve commented. “[Harry and I] discussed life in camp in Vietnam, interactions with Vietnamese soldiers and personnel with whom he was serving. That was quite interesting.”

Steve calls the chute “one great knife” and remembers conversations in Lawndale when the veteran operative praised it as light and small enough to carry so that it could always come along on a mission. Johnson also made a chute knife for Archer and continues to produce his own model today.

“We worked together on Archer’s order for a ‘Johnson’ version of a chute knife on a bench in the rear of Bob Loveless’s shop, in his garage in the back of his house in Lawndale,” Steve smiled. “Archer asked me to make my version, which we—mostly he—designed in the early 1970s. He did a drawing for me. The 154CM blade was about 4.5 inches long, the handle slim and a bit longer than normal, and it had a large thong tube, three handle screws, a stag handle, and checkering on the top and bottom of the tang just behind the guard.”

Bob Loveless (left) and John Denton (right)
Bob Loveless (left) and John Denton (right)

For Johnson, working with Archer was a pleasure and a defining moment in his illustrious knifemaking career, which, after recovery from a serious accident, took him from Loveless’s shop to his own space in Manti, Utah, more than 40 years ago. “Harry Archer was a great guy who appreciated my work, as well as Bob’s,” Steve added, “and I made him a few knives after California. He was very easy to talk to, respected others, and he really was a man of intrigue and adventure. And Bob Loveless treated me like a son.

“I’m making a chute knife for Atlanta [Steve was interviewed prior to BLADE Show 2021] as we speak, with the blade polished so far, instead of the top grind being just the length of the clip,” Johnson concluded. “I use the pattern that Loveless gave me when I left his shop in Riverside in 1974 or 1975. This particular knife is going to have a stag handle and stainless steel fittings. I’ll make more when asked, and I still have a few on order in my books.”

Long-time maker and designer Bob Dozier was a friend of Loveless and went on to design a chute knife for Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer A.G. Russell. Though his only acquaintance with Harry Archer is through the recollections of A.G., who knew him, Bob says his version of the chute knife remains in demand for one simple reason: “It sells.”

Dozier turns out his chute knife with a 4.75-inch D2 tool steel blade and overall length of 9.75 inches. The handle is green canvas Micarta® “because Goldie [Russell] won’t let me put anything else on them. I’ve got some blades hanging right now, getting ready.”

The “RR” on the guard of this Loveless chute indicates it was for the Ram Rod gun store in New Castle, Indiana. Early on Ram Rod sold knives by Loveless, Bill Moran, Ron Lake, W.W. Cronk and others. It appears here with a Smith & Wesson Model 41 modified by Loveless.
The “RR” on the guard of this Loveless chute indicates it was for the Ram Rod gun store in New Castle, Indiana. Early on Ram Rod sold knives by Loveless, Bill Moran, Ron Lake, W.W. Cronk and others. It appears here with a Smith & Wesson Model 41 modified by Loveless.

Dozier is familiar with the Loveless chute knife configuration but never had the Loveless pattern. He looked at the earlier chute knife profile and made some tweaks. “My handles are like the Loveless, but I don’t cut the butt off as square as he did. I leave more of a point on it than he did. Mine is still mostly like Bob’s, and he was one of the first to make a really good slab-handled knife. That’s one reason why most of us have copied him.” Dozier’s chute knife, designed and built for A.G. Russell Knives, has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $895.

SAGA of The CHUTE
The saga of the chute knife certainly has a human side. While Denton estimates that early Lawndale chute knives might fetch as much as $14,000 if found for sale today, and chute knives made in Riverside command up to $12,000 each, they are desirable on the collector market. Nonetheless, the greatest value of the chute knife lies in its lifesaving and protective capability in the hands of a dedicated professional such as Harry Archer.

Through those years of association, Loveless and Archer became friends, sharing a common bond of respect and admiration for the best in fighting and utilitarian knives.

“Loveless said that Harry would come by his shop after periods of being in the jungle for months at a time,” Denton remembered. “He used Bob’s place to unwind and try to become civilized again before heading home to Virginia. But Loveless also said, ‘Harry was like a wild animal when he came to the shop, trying to keep his head straight before he saw his family.’”

Whenever Harry Archer ordered several Big Bear fighters from Bob Loveless, Loveless said Archer told him to “send the bill to the Pentagon.” From top: the Big Bear Harry broke the tip off inside a Viet Cong soldier during the Vietnam War; tulipwood fighter with skull cracker; Loveless/Johnson sub-hilt with the initials HJA for Harry J. Archer; boot knife with skull cracker; and one Loveless called the Pig Sticker.
Whenever Harry Archer ordered several Big Bear fighters from Bob Loveless, Loveless said Archer told him to “send the bill to the Pentagon.” From top: the Big Bear Harry broke the tip off inside a Viet Cong soldier during the Vietnam War; tulipwood fighter with skull cracker; Loveless/Johnson sub-hilt with the initials HJA for Harry J. Archer; boot knife with skull cracker; and one Loveless called the Pig Sticker. (image courtesy of John Denton)

The chute knife is indeed a fine example of a tool and weapon of war rising to fulfill the roles for which it was intended. It remains a popular pattern because of its looks, quality and versatility. And for one other reason in particular: It helped men like Harry Archer survive the most desperate of situations and make it home.

*In actuality, Morrell based the Rambo character on Medal-Of-Honor recipient Audie Murphy.

**USAID is the acronym for United States Agency for International Development, with the inference here being that in this instance it functioned as a cover for the CIA.

More On Bob Loveless Knives:

  • 15 Best Bob Loveless Knives of All-Time
  • The Legacy of the Bob Loveless Dropped Hunter
  • Merritt-Loveless Knives Do Indeed Hold Merit
  • Fourth In Greatest Loveless Knife Designs Series

    • 9-11 Knives: Custom Memorials To The Tragic Day

    Mike Haskew
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    9-11 Knives: Custom Memorials To The Tragic Day

    The atrocity that shocked the world continues to transform it, and knives, too. Here is a look at some of the memorials 9-11 spawned from that fateful day.

    It began as an ordinary Tuesday. It ended with the world changed forever.

    The atrocity of the terrorist attacks at 8:45 a.m. EDT on Sept. 11, 2001, will never be forgotten. Now, 20 years after planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, retrospect brings not only memories of sadness and profound loss, but also an acknowledgment of the heroism of 9-11 and the humanity that emerged.

    A measure of that humanity took the form of custom knives made from the twisted and scarred steel of the World Trade Center (WTC) buildings—forged once in the conflagration of that terrible day and then again in tribute to lives lost, and for the benefit of those who miss them and live on.

    Keith Kaiser (right) was in Ladder Company 131 of the New York City Fire Department that reported to the World Trade Center on 9/11. In 2003 he enlisted several leading makers to produce knives with blades made from WTC steel. Those makers, with the exception of Mel Pardue, from left are: Bob Terzuola, Bob Dozier, Allen Elishewitz, Gil Hibben, and Pat and Wes Crawford.
    Keith Kaiser (right) was in Ladder Company 131 of the New York City Fire Department that reported to the World Trade Center on 9/11. In 2003 he enlisted several leading makers to produce knives with blades made from WTC steel. Those makers, with the exception of Mel Pardue, from left are: Bob Terzuola, Bob Dozier, Allen Elishewitz, Gil Hibben, and Pat and Wes Crawford. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven image)

    Ladder Company 131 (L131) and Engine Company 279 (E279) of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) were housed in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn on 9-11. Keith Kaiser was a member of L131. Moved later to enlist the support of several custom makers to produce knives with blades made from WTC steel, Keith remembers the horrific day vividly.

    “Because of the proximity to lower Manhattan, both companies started to gear up,” he recalled. “As we were approaching the tunnel into lower Manhattan, we saw the second plane hit the south tower. The engine company went into the buildings first, and the ladder company soon followed. L131 was in the lobby of the hotel on the ground floor of the south tower when it fell. We breached a wall and got out a group of civilians before we realized what was going on. The engine company was never found.”

    Five members of E279 were killed, and the FDNY lost 343 firefighters in all. Since then, according to Kaiser, nearly as many have died from 9-11-related cancer and other illnesses. His older brother, Wayne Kaiser, an electrician who worked to restore communications in the wake of the terrorist attack, recently died of illness due to extended exposure to toxic dust and debris.

    Keith was seriously injured on 9-11. “Oddly enough, my getting injured probably saved my life because I was not able to dig in the pile subsequently,” he said. “I was looking for something to occupy my mind and time, and one of the men lost from my company, Christian Regenhard, was a knife collector. I thought I would try to get my hands on some steel and get knives made out of it for charity and to keep me involved.”

    Early efforts to get the project started were difficult, but Kaiser persisted. Eventually, he contacted several of the biggest names in custom knives and secured their commitment to contribute to a benefit for the New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation. Bob Terzuola, Bob Dozier, Jerry Fisk, Pat and Wes Crawford, Allen Elishewitz, and BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® members Gil Hibben and Mel Pardue made one knife each with blades incorporating steel from the fallen twin towers (page 90, August 2003 BLADE®).

    Murray Carter holds the last two knives he made of WTC steel as part of a special fundraising project that included FDNY343 (fdny343.org) and Building Homes For Heroes
    Murray Carter holds the last two knives he made of WTC steel as part of a special fundraising project that included FDNY343 (fdny343.org) and Building Homes For Heroes (buildinghomesforheroes.org). (Murray Carter image)

    “It was planned with the help of Christian’s father, who was a New York City police detective,” Terzuola said. “Seven knifemakers, including myself, volunteered their time and materials. Keith presented the idea to us and offered to supply a piece of steel from the wreckage of the fallen towers to each knifemaker, from which they could make a knife of their choosing.”

    The knives included signature works: a Dozier damascus folder; an Elishewitz folder; a CQB from Terzuola; a Hibben dagger with scrimshaw handle; a skeletonized folder from the Crawfords; a damascus folder from Pardue; and a damascus stag Sendero hunter from Fisk.

    The task brought the added challenge of making the Trade Center steel usable for knife blades. “It was low carbon structural steel,” Dozier related, “and I asked Daryl Meier to make damascus for me. At the first show after 9-11, Keith brought some steel to me and wanted me to make a knife with it. I wouldn’t take it. A friend of mine who was a state police investigator here in Arkansas said to leave it alone because it was evidence. Then about a month later, a big cardboard box came in the mail and there was the steel. I cut it into pieces and Daryl made some ladder-pattern damascus.”

    Once the knives were gathered, they became tangible remembrances. “They were placed in a beautiful cocobolo box with a beveled glass top that was etched with the World Trade Center,” Terzuola commented. “The idea then was to put them up for auction for the benefit of the burn center. Keith sent them around to various museums prior to the auction, and after several years they almost became permanent exhibits in some places.”

    Keith reached out again to Terzuola, who helped arrange an auction, and the set sold in June 2020 with the proceeds benefiting the hospital. “Keith sent me the knives, and I cleaned them up and got hold of Rock Island Auction in Illinois, one of the top auction houses for knives and firearms,” Bob states. “They did a beautiful two-page spread in their catalog and after the auction sent a check directly to the burn center.”

    Murry Carter Knives 9-11 Custom

    Like so many others, the atrocity of 9-11 touched custom knifemaker Murray Carter significantly. He was asked to partner with FDNY343, an organization of retired New York firefighters dedicated to keeping the memory of those lost on 9-11 alive, and Building Homes for Heroes, a charitable enterprise that provides homes for those injured while serving their country and in the 9-11 attacks.

    Ryan Johnson was just starting up his RMJ Tactical when 9-11 shook the world. The U.S. military was looking for something that would punch through body armor and the RMJ Eagle Talon hawk, featured on the cover of the March 2002 BLADE®, filled the bill. RMJ Tactical took off and is one of today’s leading hawk makers with such models as the Shrike.
    Ryan Johnson was just starting up his RMJ Tactical when 9-11 shook the world. The U.S. military was looking for something that would punch through body armor and the RMJ Eagle Talon hawk, featured on the cover of the March 2002 BLADE®, filled the bill. RMJ Tactical took off and is one of today’s leading hawk makers with such models as the Shrike.

    Carter has produced several kitchen and outdoor knives, each incorporating a laminate of Trade Center steel with a 1084 carbon steel core. The motivation to produce the knives was strong, and Murray notes that the components of fire, water and stone were present both in the 9-11 incidents and the making of the knives. He reasons that fire enabled the forge, water quenched the blades and stone honed them into tools. Conversely, fire brought the towers down, water hampered rescue efforts, and lives were lost in the crush of stone.

    “So, the same elements are here in the knives, and they bless people daily,” Murray explained. “When iron is red hot, that’s how we get steel, and some of the victims were burned, the elements fused in a chemical trade. The depth of the fusion was dependent on time and it was brief. So, I didn’t want to do much grinding in order to leave these elements in the surface of the steel.”

    One of Carter’s kitchen knives was auctioned for $10,500 and the proceeds were given directly to Homes for Heroes. He calls the effort, concluded in the spring and autumn of 2017, an honor and one of the most humbling tasks of his long knifemaking career.

    RMJ Tactical 9-11 Spike Hawk

    Ryan Johnson was just starting up his Chattanooga, Tennessee-based RMJ Tactical when 9-11 shook the world. He had always been interested in tomahawks, and was making pipe and spike hawks before that desperate day. Then, things changed quickly.

    “I had made a spike hawk and a gentleman saw one of them on my website,” Ryan remembered. “He was with Air Force security forces and said, ‘We’ve got some guys securing air strips, and we’re looking for something that will punch through body armor.’ He said my French-and-Indian-War-style hawk looked perfect for the job.”

    The seven knives from Keith Kaiser’s 9/11 memorial project were placed in a beautiful cocobolo box with a beveled glass top etched with the World Trade Center.
    The seven knives from Keith Kaiser’s 9/11 memorial project were placed in a beautiful cocobolo box with a beveled glass top etched with the World Trade Center. (Eric Eggly/PointSeven images)

    The first shipment of five spike hawks had just gone out before 9-11. “The same guy called me up and he was already in the Gulf,” Ryan said. “He said to get busy making these things because they would be big.”

    Like lightning, the demand for hawks soared—not only with the catalyst of 9-11, but also with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that followed. “I received a call from a gentleman working as an attaché to Donald Rumsfeld [Secretary of Defense] and made him a hawk. He sent me a picture back of him in his office at the Pentagon with a letter that said when the planes hit the towers, all the brass in the Pentagon were out in the hallway in front of his office passing that hawk around. A few moments later, a plane hit the Pentagon. Just before that happened, an admiral had walked by and said, ‘This war will be fought by hawks at the ends of the hands of soldiers.’”

    A short time later, a story on Ryan’s hawks appeared in the Chattanooga newspaper and was picked up by the Associated Press, ultimately appearing in countless media outlets. “The article was on making hawks for the military,” Johnson recalled, “and before long Green Beret units were getting in touch with me and asking why they weren’t getting hawks. When you look back at the early days of the wars, Task Force Dagger included the first 300 special forces and others into Afghanistan. We had hawks going in with them.”

    Orders kept coming, and civilian deliveries were postponed to fill the demand from the military as RMJ Tactical got started. Twenty-five Eagle Talon hawks went to Marines in the town of Najaf, Iraq, just before the battle for control of the city of Fallujah.

    “I got a phone call concerning those 25 hawks,” commented Ryan, “and it was from the wife of a Marine officer. She said there was a plane leaving that night with room aboard for the shipment if we could get it ready. I called my friend Richard Carmack and knew his kids might have the time to help wrap the handles if I could provide the pizza and a movie. Now, Richard makes sure things run right here, his son Jonathan is our production manager and I’m still working in design.”

    Conclusion

    The atrocity of 9-11 and the lengthy conflicts that emanated from it continue to echo through the lives of every American. Remembrance is tinged with vigilance and the pledge to never forget the sacrifices of those lost.

    Here are the beginning (bottom level), middle (mid-level bar of steel) and end products (top level) Murray Carter used to forge weld World Trade Center iron into a usable blade with a 1084 core. The blade is water-quenched for maximum sharpness and edge retention, and the blade surface still retains the soul-infused character of the WTC steel.
    Here are the beginning (bottom level), middle (mid-level bar of steel) and end products (top level) Murray Carter used to forge weld World Trade Center iron into a usable blade with a 1084 core. The blade is water-quenched for maximum sharpness and edge retention, and the blade surface still retains the soul-infused character of the WTC steel. (Murray Carter image)

    Though nothing is for sure at this time, there may yet be other knives produced with the venerated World Trade Center steel. Terzuola still has a small amount of the steel but probably not enough for another knife blade. He is considering a knife with Trade Center steel bolsters and G.L. Hansen Micarta® that includes a thin blue line in its composition. Proceeds from the sale of such a knife would go to benefit a law enforcement officers relief fund.

    Hunting Knife Sheath: Choosing The Right One

    Mike Haskew
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    Hunting Knife Sheath: Choosing The Right One

    Expert craftsmen give insight on how to find the best hunting knife sheath for the best protection, performance and look.

    For the hunter in the field, a dependable and durable hunting knife is indispensable equipment, and it follows that the sheath that holds the knife must be equally up to the task.

    Secure carry, protection for the blade and handle, easy access, and the ability to stand up to the elements and hard use are essential. While there is a variety of sheaths available and each one contributes something to the equation, the sheathmakers themselves have come to eye-opening conclusions as to the making and deployment of the correct sheath for the hunting knife. Personal preference is still a prime mover, but the basics make the difference between cooperation and catastrophe in the field.

    “The best style for a hunting knife sheath is whatever the hunter wants,” explained veteran sheathmaker Paul Long. “Personal preference is very important. However, the knife that would best be described as a hunter would be best suited in a deep seat pouch with a loop that would carry relatively high on the belt. In most cases the deep pouch would preclude the need for a retention strap. For a double-guard hunter, a drop-loop belt sheath would probably be best with a snap strap for secure retention.”

    Depending on the style of the knife, the guard often dictates the best pouch configuration. “I favor the pouch-type sheath, and the hunting knife generally has a single guard as opposed to a double guard,” related sheathmaker Paul Lebatard, who also has found success with his custom knives through the years. “I make a lot of doubles, too. You would have to make a snap-type sheath with a keeper strap, but on hunting knives with single guards the pouch type is always best.”

    Knifemaker Paul Lebatard shows off one of his custom hunting-knife-and-sheath packages.
    Knifemaker Paul Lebatard shows off one of his custom hunting-knife-and-sheath packages.

    A sheathmaker for over 50 years, Chris Kravitt zeroes in on the personal preference perspective. “First and foremost, it’s a matter of the configuration of the knife, and then if more than one style will work it becomes a matter of personal preference,” he observed. “My preference is to go with the pouch because it is easier to draw and resheathe the knife without worrying about straps.”

    At the same time, Kravitt acknowledges varying hunting knife construction and its influence in sheath form and function. “If a knife has a double guard, it isn’t going to work on a pouch sheath, and if you have a knife with an integral handle, possibly,” he said. “Certain things don’t lend themselves to the traditional style, like when the blade is the widest part of the knife or there is no bolster or ricasso extending beyond the edge.”

    Kenny Rowe, owner of Rowe’s Leather in Hope, Arkansas, adds another option on the hunting knife sheath. “Ninety percent of these sheaths would be the pouch type because they cover most of the knife, and with the guard you can make a welt where the knife has some resistance coming in and out,” he noted. “Some sheaths will have a lid that has a snap on it, and that is as secure as you can get with the flap snapping over the front of the sheath.”

    Exotic leathers make great inlay materials, and Paul Long uses various animal skins, including snake, lizard, ostrich and others. He employs ostrich for the red inlay on the sheath of a fixed-blade utility knife by Julian Antunes.
    Exotic leathers make great inlay materials, and Paul Long uses various animal skins, including snake, lizard, ostrich and others. He employs ostrich for the red inlay on the sheath of a fixed-blade utility knife by Julian Antunes.(SharpByCoop images)

    The consensus with the pouch sheath makes sense for all the reasons that the hunter encounters in the field. For its toughness and the ability to shape and mold the sheath as desired during the construction process, cowhide reigns supreme among sheath materials. Most sheathmakers use 7-to-9-ounce* vegetable-tanned cowhide.

    Sheath Leather Types

    The use of exotics such as ostrich, stingray, alligator, crocodile or other hides is a continuing option, though for the most part they are used as accents, often in the form of inlays, rather than adding any performance-related component to the sheath.

    “Exotics are very useful in sheathmaking but primarily for aesthetics,” Long explained. “Elephant and shark are two that are tough enough to withstand very hard use and are usually built as an overlay on a vegetable-tanned base sheath. I work with various snakes, lizard, ostrich and many others.”

    In addition to standard sheaths, Paul Lebatard also makes doubles, many of vegetable tanned leather. “A lot of people say not to store knives in the sheaths, but as long as the sheath is made of good vegetable-tanned leather, I’ve never had a problem,” he noted.
    In addition to standard sheaths, Paul Lebatard also makes doubles, many of vegetable tanned leather. “A lot of people say not to store knives in the sheaths, but as long as the sheath is made of good vegetable-tanned leather, I’ve never had a problem,” he noted. (Paul Lebatard images)

    As Kravitt noted, “The basic sheath is going to be cowhide 99 percent of the time, but for overlays and inlays my favorite is stingray, which is near bulletproof but more expensive and harder to work with—but great stuff. Ostrich leg or shin is very nice, and Malaysian horned frog has a very nice texture to it. Snakeskin is not very durable, but it’s fine when the knife and sheath are for show since it won’t hold up with regular use.”

    Tooling and carving also provide style points and may be pleasing to the eye. However, neither actually contributes to the performance of the sheath in field use. “I occasionally do some tooling with stamps, but carving is a talent I don’t have,” Lebatard remarked. “Still, on almost every sheath I’ll put something in keeping with the theme of the knife, like a small deer. Someone might place an order and specify that they just want a bare, plain sheath, or they may want just their initials on it. That’s a good thing about leather. When it is wet it can be molded and stamped, and when it dries it will hold that impression.”

    Tanning Styles

    Vegetable tanning is essential when the blade meets the sheath leather for an extended period. In contrast to chrome-tanned leather, a vegetable-tanned leather is not known to corrode or stain a blade left in the sheath for any length of time. That old admonition to store the knife itself separately from the sheath will then get a longer look.

    “A lot of people say not to store knives in the sheaths, but as long as the sheath is made of good vegetable-tanned leather, I’ve never had a problem,” Lebatard noted. “I made a knife for a friend a few years ago and he didn’t want a sheath. He was going to get someone else to make the sheath for him. Several years later, he brought the knife to me and he had had it in a chrome-tanned leather sheath. It was nearly rusted through. The chrome-tanned leather is very corrosive.”

    Kravitt has had similar experiences. “I hear so many people say not to store knives in leather sheaths, but I have kept knives in sheaths for years and never had a problem,” he recalled. “My sheaths are all vegetable tanned as opposed to chrome tanned. Chrome-tanned leather may have salts and other things in it.”

    Sheath Extras

    Waterproofing is another essential element, and in the construction itself there are questions surrounding drainage holes and inserts as well.

    The different decorations Kenny Rowe offers with his sheaths include, from left: smooth; border tooled; basket weave; acorn and oak leaf hand carving; exotic skin overlay (gator); exotic skin inlay (beaver tail); and exotic skin full coverage (ostrich leg).
    The different decorations Kenny Rowe offers with his sheaths include, from left: smooth; border tooled; basket weave; acorn and oak leaf hand carving; exotic skin overlay (gator); exotic skin inlay (beaver tail); and exotic skin full coverage (ostrich leg). (Kenny Rowe image)

    Most sheathmakers shy away from inserts since contact with the blade may dull the edge. After all, the welt and/or strap should suffice for a snug fit. Inserts in and of themselves may be judged to provide some measure of redundancy, but contribute little to the overall stability of the lockup or in protecting the knife itself. Long says, “Even the best inserts, being rigid, will do more harm to a blade than top grain leather.”

    At first glance it might appear that a drainage hole is a good idea to help maintain cleanliness and prevent the buildup of moisture or debris within the sheath. Not so fast!
    “I do not ordinarily put a drain hole in my sheaths,” Long asserted. “Nor do I do any waterproofing of the interior of the sheath. Rather, I depend on the normal intelligence of my client to not go swimming with their sheath, and to at least try to clean the blood and guts off the blade before reinsertion.” Rowe agrees.

    “I don’t see any sense in it,” he commented. “I can count on one hand the number of sheaths I’ve made with drain holes in them, and I’ve been making sheaths for 35 years at least. The only time I would expect someone to have their sheath in really wet conditions would be if they accidentally rolled into a deep river or their boat sank. I wouldn’t expect someone to haul off into neck deep water with their hunting gear on. For debris, it’s easy enough to take a wire with a little hook in the end and just rake the sheath out, or blow it out with air, or stand it upside down and shake it or tap it on a table.”

    Ultimately, Chris Kravitt—here working on a sheath in his shop—stands by the individual perspective. “First and foremost,” he begins, “it’s a matter of the configuration of the knife, and then if more than one style will work it becomes a matter of personal preference.”
    Ultimately, Chris Kravitt—here working on a sheath in his shop—stands by the individual perspective. “First and foremost,” he begins, “it’s a matter of the configuration of the knife, and then if more than one style will work it becomes a matter of personal preference.” (Chris Kravitt image)

    Kravitt, on the other hand, will utilize a drain hole and an insert from time to time. Often, the insert itself is fashioned from leather to avoid additional friction against the knife edge. The employment of the drain hole is in direct response to the future use of the gear in the field.

    “If I know the sheath will be used in harsher conditions, I think it should have a drain hole,” he remarked, “not just for draining moisture, but also removing debris—especially when the user has spent a lot of time in the woods.”

    Sheathmakers do tend to rely on the owner of the product and of the hunting knife to exercise responsibility in the field. “Explain to the client, if they are a novice, about the ‘care and feeding of a leather sheath,’” Long smiled.

    On almost every sheath, Paul Lebatard puts something in keeping with the theme of the knife, such as a small deer. “That’s a good thing about leather,” he observed. “When it is wet it can be molded and stamped, and when it dries it will hold that impression.”
    On almost every sheath, Paul Lebatard puts something in keeping with the theme of the knife, such as a small deer. “That’s a good thing about leather,” he observed. “When it is wet it can be molded and stamped, and when it dries it will hold that impression.” (Paul Lebatard image)

    Finding The Best Option

    The well-crafted sheath is the constant companion of the hunting knife, either in the field or a collector’s cabinet, and the best measure of the sheath’s contribution is its role in that partnership. For the sheath to function properly, owners must remember the fundamentals of hunting knife care. Keep both the knife and sheath clean. Wipe away moisture and other fluids. Maintain the surfaces as needed. Don’t put the knife away wet and expect the sheath to do more than expected.

    Adhering to best practices will ensure long life for both the hunting knife and its all-important sheath.

    *According to the Montana Leather Co. website (montanaleather.com), leather thickness is typically measured in ounces. For instance, an ounce of leather is equal to 1/64 inch. As a result, 7-to-9 ounce leather will be in the 1/8 inch range, give or take a few millimeters.

    Custom-Made Chef Knife: The Kitchen Integral

    Mike Haskew
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    Custom-Made Chef Knife: The Kitchen Integral

    One-piece custom-made chef’s knives embody strength, balance, line and flow and more

    By Mike Haskew

    As it does in other aspects of custom knives, integral construction, with blade bolster, tang and pommel forged from a single piece of steel, has its application in the kitchen. ­The high-performance chef ’s knives that result from such a construction provide an excellent opportunity for skilled knifemakers to showcase their abilities. Function is always at the forefront. After all, First and foremost, all knives must cut. So, chopping, slicing and dicing ability, comfort in the user’s hand, edge-holding properties, and easy maintenance and upkeep are prerequisites. To step it up, consider chef ’s knives that blend the basics in their efforts to raise the game. Good looks are indeed a bonus, and the featured models deliver with delicious damascus, tantalizing handles and overall presentation that will keep you in the kitchen just for the sheer pleasure of manipulating them.

    FORM & FUNCTION TO CONSIDER FOR CUSTOM CHEF KNIVES

    When Gabe Mabry of Norwood, North Carolina, cooked up a kitchen stunner with a 300-layer ladder-pattern damascus blade forged in partnership with Steve Grosvenor, he took the principles of form and function to heart.

    “­There’s something about an integral chef ’s knife,” he said. “Forging it connects bladesmiths to their forebears. With all the modern technology, there’s only one way I can think of to manufacture an integral chef ’s knife—and that’s to forge it to shape. A well-executed integral will have impeccable balance and design flow that seems intuitive. Conversely, much toil went into the shape.”

     Mabry’s piece was constructed for a specific client order. ­ The damascus is forged from a combination of 80CrV2, 52100 and CruForge V carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels. ­ e handle of ancient walrus ivory is tapered with a slight curve and accented with the owner’s initial in the butt.

    “­The construction of an integral is a labor of love,” Gabe commented. “However, all the work and care of setting up the bolster makes the handle assembly simpler to a degree, with the inclusion of up to an inch of metal in the bolster. ­ is inch of material can be subtracted from the handle material, increasing the options in handle materials. Integral knife construction adds multiple steps and a degree of difficulty as well.”

    While the fundamentals of any good working knife must be incorporated into the integral, the construction itself doesn’t apparently add or detract from the user’s experience. Balance, edge, comfort and dexterity, durability and cleanup still matter. And the last attribute is perhaps one where an integral has an advantage.

    Above: A stacked billet is ready for more forging in Gabe Mabry’s shop. (Gabe Mabry image)

    “An integral knife has its benefits,” offered Charlie Ellis of Eagle Crest Forge in Asheville, North Carolina. “And when done well it is very strong, with a minimal number of joints to become problems with material movement or becoming a possible breeding ground for bacteria. Also, it minimizes potential issues with wood movement. Having the joint positioned where there is the least chance of movement and using stable material is a wise choice.”

    The HEXAGRAL CUSTOM MADE CHEF KNIFE

    Ellis created a beautiful integral chef’s knife with a 10-inch damascus blade of 1095 spring and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels in a radial laddered W’s pattern, and an “S” grind for less resistance in the cut and better food release. The handle is African blackwood with silicon bronze and G-10 fittings. “It’s big but light for its size and balanced perfectly for a pinch grip,” Ellis explained.

    The knife is fashioned in a distinctive style Charlie calls the hexagral. “I call this design the hexagral as a nod to my friend [and ABS master smith] Haley DesRosiers, who makes octagonal-shaped integrals she calls octagrals. With the hexagral, the integral bolster is shaped in a hexagon, both in cross-section and, quite challengingly so, on the faces.

    “Compared to typical hidden-tang construction that is limited by the spine thickness, an integral can have a truly robust tang. Also, with this knife, the tang runs through to be bolted and capped on the end so that if for some reason the ep- oxy failed, there is a mechanical connection keeping it tight.

    “So,” he continued, “while there are some practical bonuses to an integral, I would have to say that what draws me to them, and why I choose to make them the most, is their artistic potential. Seeing the pattern condensed in the bolster and then flowing out into the blade is always one of my favorite parts. Between that and the sculptural aspect of the transition between the blade and handle, there are so many interesting possibilities. I al- ways get excited with each new integral I create.”

    Brent Stubblefield of Join or Die Knives in Richmond, Virginia, finds the challenge of integral construction one of the most appealing aspects of the undertaking. “Integral-construction chef’s knives are special because the production meth- od cannot be counterfeited,” he reasoned. “Standard stock removal processes can- not be used to make them, and machining processes, while an art unto themselves, cannot produce the flowing patterns that a forged damascus blade can.”

    Brent Stubblefield’s chef’s knife features an “S” grind with hollow ground “cheeks,” while the cutting edge is flat ground up to about one-half inch above the edge to assist in food release. Depending on the pattern, Brent’s price for a similar knife ranges from $850 to $1,500. (Caleb Royer image)

    For Stubblefield, the integral’s functional advantage lies in the flow of the handle, its uniqueness and strength rather than any perceived upgrade in edge performance. Integral construction, he says, should provide a blank canvas for the maker to use any shape or geometry desired. In this case, the style does not inherently improve edge geometry but al- lows for infinite possibilities.

    “Larger stock must be used for integral construction,” he explained. “I usually use at least 1-inch round stock and, when making damascus, I leave the stock at 1 inch by 2 inches, plus the desired length. There must be enough thickness to leave material for the bolster and tang as well as drawing them out, and there must be enough blade material to draw the heel back toward the handle. In considering integral. hidden-tang-with-guard and full-tang knives, each has its pros and cons Quality material plus excellent fit and finish bring those differences down to the level of nuance. The standout advantage of the integral is the strength of the seamless connection of blade and bolster.”  

    “A WELL-EXECUTED INTEGRAL WILL HAVE IMPECCABLE BALANCE AND DESIGN FLOW THAT SEEMS INTUITIVE.” -GABE MABRY

    Brent’s chef’s knife has an 80-layer ladder pattern damascus blade forged from 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels. The blade features an “S grind with hollow ground cheeks while the cutting edge is flat ground up to about one-half inch above the edge to assist in food release. The Virginia maple burl handle is fashioned in the style of French Sabatier chef’s knives with extra wood at the end to help balance the longer blade. A G-l10 spacer provides a subtle accent.

    “Integral knives have fewer seams when built in a hidden- tang fashion, he added. “There are no inside corners where handle or bolster material terminates. So, the integral may be easier to keep clean and free of food particles. Although we do our best to seal our handle material to the tang with epoxy, there is always a possibility of liquid intrusion, So, the more seams around the tang, the more chances of infiltration. I’m building knives with the intention for multiple lifetimes of use, so I prefer any advantage for longevity.”

    ADDED STEEL MASS

    Jason Ellard of Coningham, Tasmania Australia, built a mosaic integral chef’s knife with an 8.86-inch blade of feathered damascus in 1084 and 1SN20 steels, spalted sassafras burl handle with a domed pin and twist damascus inlay, and an accompanying sheath in frame construction and nickel-silver and twist damascus to match the spacer. Overall length: 14.76 inches.

    Jason Ellard’s mosaic integral chef’s knife boasts an 8.86-inch blade of feathered damascus in 1084 and 15N20 steels. Overall length: 14.76 inches. Jason’s price for a similar custom made chef knife: $7,000. (SharpByCoop image)

    “The forward angle of the bolster- blade transition allows for easier stone sharpening,” remarked Jason. “Handle spacers are made from nickel-silver and twist damascus with broken edges for a nice feel. The handle also has proven edges, which help with stopping a hard ridge at the transition if the wood ever swells or shrinks. I carved out a recess to allow the bolster to fit inside the sheath, and the stand is ringed gidgee with damascus pegs raising the back portion and a nickel-silver plate under the front section. The sheath pin has a twist damascus inlay and its own designated holder on the stand. Lastly, I created a mosaic damascus logo plate pinned onto the base of the stand.”

    Ellard approaches integral construction with a full understanding of its difficulty. “It takes a lot of skill in every aspect of creating it,” he observed, “and even more so to do it well. The forging, grinding, symmetry, handle fitting, and hand finishing are all a lot more difficult to do than other constructions, and it’s a major staple of a skilled maker to do this with a high level of quality. I person- ally just enjoy making integral knives a lot more. I find it more pleasing to the eye, and I enjoy the added challenges in creating them, allowing me to show what my skills are capable of.”

    The stand for Jason El- lard’s chef’s knife is ringed gidgee with damascus pegs raising the back portion and a nickel-silver plate under the front section. The sheath pin has a twist damascus inlay and its own designated holder on the stand. Jason created a mosaic damascus logo plate pinned onto the base of the stand. (SharpbyCoop Image)

    According to Jason, the added steel mass of the integral will always make the knife more solid and heavier than other types. Performance is a key attribute, though other kitchen knives are comparable in many ways. “The performance shouldn’t be affected negatively or positively as long as the knife is made correctly,” he noted. “The lack of a hard 90-degree at the ricasso in a hidden-tang knife can make cleaning a lot more difficult. It also makes it easier for debris or moisture to get into the handle. With the integral construction moving the seam further back, it takes these issues away very well. I’ve also found it easier to get a tight fit against an integral bolster than a hidden- tang ricasso.”

    Integral construction in a chef’s knife adds another dimension to the artistry that is custom knifemaking. In fact, an appreciation of the skill and execution of the integral may actually push the chef to new heights of culinary creation.

     

     

    The Best Blade Grinds: What To Look For

    Mike Haskew
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    0
    The Best Blade Grinds: What To Look For

    As with most things knife, one type never fits all.

    BY MIKE HASKEW BLADE® FIELD EDITOR

    Finding the best blade grind for the job at hand has become the subject of some debate, but most knife users agree that certain grinds are better suited for certain functions. Combinations of steel, knife design and use influence the choice of grind.

    “I’m a proponent of the right grind for the right job,” related author/knifemaker Abe Elias. “In small bushcraft knives, a thin, flat grind and a saber grind are hard to beat. It makes sense that clear cuts are best flat edged. Carving chisels have rounded convex edges to go into wood and take small cuts and come out.”

    An inappropriate grind may produce drag, a ragged or erratic cut, and generally poor results. “For overall working of wood and good, straight, controlled cuts, you want a knife grind to ride flat against the surface so it cuts past certain levels and growth lines, riding flat on the wood between growth lines,” Elias added. “It’s just physics. That’s all, and nobody can really argue it.”

    One of the most popular grinds for bushcraft knives is the scandi grind, and Elias describes it as a perfectly flat grind with no secondary bevel, starting at the shoulder with an angle that is perfectly flat and straight to zero.

    One of the most popular grinds for bushcraft knives is the scandi grind. Abe Elias describes it as a perfectly flat grind with no secondary bevel, starting at the shoulder with an angle that is perfectly flat and straight to zero. He used it on the blade of his Woodcrafter model. (Abe Elias image)

    “Scandi grinds will go on any steel you want, but there are limitations to them because of the shoulder,” he noted. “It doesn’t tend to go through soft surfaces well, such as processing meat. When the knife enters a malleable surface, it creates too much drag on the blade. Like anything else, the thinner it is the easier it enters into other masses. We run into problems when custom makers make them and factories produce them without following the golden rule of proportion. The angle should be proportional to the thickness of the steel and the design of the knife itself.”

    CONVEX MODIFIED

    Influenced heavily by BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame® member Bill Moran, Bill Bagwell, and Don Hastings, ABS master smith Jim Crowell recognized early in his knifemaking career that the intent was to make a full convex grind from the spine of the blade to the cutting edge. He has adapted those original lessons through the years.

    “I’ve found that it’s the edge that needs to be convex, not necessarily the whole cross section of the blade,” Jim noted. “Consequently, I have now, for many years, ground my blades flat from spine to cutting edge, stopping short of going to zero and then rolling the cutting edge on convexly. The trick is to get the geometry correct for the thickness the edge was ground to prior to sharpening in conjunction with the type and heat treat of the steel used.”

    Crowell says he believes the convex grind is best for knives in the field, including bowies, fighters, and fillet knives. He uses the convex grind almost exclusively and indicates it allows for an uninterrupted transition from the cutting edge to the full thickness of the spine of the knife. No matter how thick or thin the spine of the knife, with convex geometry it will have the least amount of resistance when cutting through an object.

    ABS master smith Jim Crowell has ground his blades in a modification of the convex style for many years, grinding them flat from the spine to the edge, stopping just short of a 0-degree angle, and then rolling the edge in a convex shape. His 15.5-inch bowie features W2 tool steel and walrus ivory. (Chuck Ward knife image)

    As for sharpness, Jim gives the nod to the scandi grind. However, he believes that when the cutting edge is, in fact, the grind line as well, the edge itself is more fragile in comparison to other grinds.

    “Scandi grinds are great,” he said, “and useful for a lot of small chores. Then there are special-purpose applications like some sushi knives that have specialized grinds. Still, for day in and day out I like and recommend the flat, convex grind.”

    COMFORT MATTERS

    Knifemakers tend to use the grinds they are comfortable with and which they believe fill the bill for the types of knives they make. The degree of difficulty associated with a particular grind lies more in the experience of the maker than in the grind itself.

    “The hardest grind is the one you do not regularly do, and the easiest would be the one you do all the time,” Crowell reasoned. “When I started, I used to hollow grind stock removal blades. You could lay everything out and follow the lines—it is still hard though. When I started forging it was really hard because there were no layout lines to follow, and all the scale and hammer marks made it hard to tell what I was doing. Daggers are generally acknowledged to be more difficult. Some of the Russian and Persian stuff with a ‘T’ spine or center ridge would be tough.”

    According to Jim Crowell, the dagger blade pattern generally is acknowledged to be more difficult to grind than most. Michael Jankowsky ground the blade to a double edge on his “Thor” model in Elmax steel and Siberian jade inlay. The engraving is by Kati Mau.(Francesco Pachi image)

    “The hardest grind is the one you do not regularly do, and the easiest would be the one you do all the time.”—Jim Crowell

    ABS journeyman smith David Lisch—shown grinding the blade of a custom collaboration knife to raise money for the African Wildlife Foundation in its fight to protect elephants from poachers—applied a Persian grind to his 16-inch integral fighter in Thunderbird damascus and walrus ivory. (SharpByCoop.com knife image; image of Lisch courtesy of Mark Knapp)

    FACTORY APPROACH

    Knife manufacturers gear their grinds for prospective use as well. Hollow grinds are usually the most efficient for manufacturing because both sides of the blade are ground at the same time. Flat grinds are ground one side at a time, and precise machining and good tooling create the even grinds for which manufacturers are known. Convex grinds are usually finished by hand, and such work is the province of a skilled custom maker.

    “Hollow grinds are great for slicing,” commented Jim MacNair, new product coordinator and senior designer at KAI-USA Kershaw, “and they create a nice, thin edge geometry, and the panel of the grind stays thinner as you sharpen away the blade over time. These blades will feel very sharp because the grind scoops away more material and makes the blade thinner overall.

    The hollow grind is great for slicing and feels very sharp because it scoops away more material and makes the blade thinner overall. Vasyl Goshovsky employs a hollow grind on his working knife’s 4.5-inch blade of N690Co stainless steel. (SharpByCoop.com image)

    “The most obvious benefit of the flat grind is strength and toughness. The wheel is grinding a flat surface rather than a concave one like a hollow grind, and it removes less material from the blade. That added material makes the blade thicker and stronger.”

    The most obvious benefit of the flat grind is strength and toughness, according to Jim MacNair. Kevin Cross flat ground the 52100 blade of his kitchen knife. The handle is spalted hickory. (SharpByCoop.com images)

    MacNair sees compound grinds emerging in the custom market, including blades that feature a combination of flat- and hollow-ground bevels. These are often done to create a “cool” look, and the maker is also providing the best of both cutting options: a thin, hollow-ground edge for slicing and a thick, flat-ground tip for toughness.

    Innovation continues to find its way into new and user-friendly blade grinds, while the emphasis on the job to be done is at the center of the decision. Putting the proper edge on the blade for cutting, slicing, skinning, chopping or any other task will always be primary.

    SWORD GRINDS HOSTETTER’s WAY

    Swordsmith Wally Hostetter focuses on Japanese blades and tailors the grind of each to its anticipated function. He forges the blades and sets up the edge geometry with hand filing.

    “A lot of guys do hollow or flat grinds with a machine, but what I do has to be done by hand,” Wally explained. “I hand polish to the cutting edge, and there is no micro-bevel. Some have an appleseed [convex] edge—niku is the Japanese term—and some have the edge slightly rolled in for better cutting. For cutting heavy stuff, the niku comes to a finite edge but runs farther up the blade. There are many subtleties to it.”

    According to Hostetter, other Japanese grinds, such as that found on the tanto, are fine and done to a thin edge because they are not intended for hard striking against surfaces. He uses 1095 carbon steel primarily and decides on the appropriate grind based on both the use of the blade and the historical time period that is being replicated.

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