Vincent Silva’s Carver packs healthy cutting power in a compact package.

After Vincent Silva retired from the military, he came across HealingFlamesForge.org, a Tennessee-based non-profit blacksmith shop for veterans. He took to the hammers and hot steel quickly, which progressed into making knives. Creating a functional tool from a piece of steel became his goal, and the Carver is one result. It begged to be tested and I was only too happy to oblige.

Carver Light-Duty Cutting

For the first edge test, the knife aggressively sliced into graphing paper even though the paper was slightly limp from the humidity. I applied smooth downward pressure and it cut cleanly. This is a well-balanced little blade.

Single-walled cardboard supplied the next challenge. Full-length push cuts went quickly. It was hard to keep my fingers out of the cutting zone if I went too fast. The handle aided in control of the blade while keeping cuts as even as possible (in the cardboard, not my finger). I could hear a small crunch sound as the edge parted the material.

Carver Medium-Duty Cutting

Next up: 8-ounce leather. The Carver zipped through it swiftly. The blade’s edge geometry is spot on for working leather. I used a push cut while skiving the material.

I like to be ahead of the game during camping weather, so a good supply of fire sticks is always a must. The Carver produced nice, feathered curlicues in some pine. The handle shape made it easy to control the depth of the feathering. All cuts came out smooth with just enough curl.

Carver Heavy-Duty Cutting

The Carver might be on the small side but it can handle such large jobs as splitting wood. Using a dead-blow hammer, I repeatedly pounded the blade through seasoned hackberry. A nice pile of kindling was the result. The handle was comfortable throughout and the blade was just big enough to beat on the tip to split the wood completely. There was no damage to the blued finish or the edge. Nicely done, Vincent.

It was time for my favorite cutting medium, natural rope—in this case, half-inch sisal on a cutting board. The Carver crunched its way to 192 cuts before the edge started to slide. The handle created no hot spots. The gimping was a tad sharp for my thumb but great for ferro-rod use. This is one cutting little knife!

It was back to the graphing paper for the final slice test. The blade still cut very well and lost only a bit of its aggressiveness.

To push things over the edge, I conducted a brass rod test to make sure the temper was done correctly. I could see the edge flex and return to true. Verdict: the heat treatment was spot on.

CHANGES
To mee, the edges could be softened a bit more, especially on the spine gimping. However, the Carver is a very well-made EDC sheath knife that performs at a higher level. It’s a sweet little blade.

Carver Specs
Maker: Vincent Silva of Iron Sapper Forge
Blade length: 3.5”
Blade material: 1095 carbon steel
Blade grind: Flat
Heat treatment: Differential
Handle: Pinecone resin by @sappercsmwife (Instagram)
Weight: 6.5 ozs.
Overall length: 75/8”
Sheath: Kydex or leather pouch
Maker’s list price: $250

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