Midweek Maker Military-Style: Scooter Davis

Erin Healy

October 4, 2017

Midweek Maker Military-Style: Scooter Davis — The W.A.C.K.-1 (Wilderness Area Camp Knife) has a 5-inch blade forced from 1095 high-carbon steel. The scales are fashioned from OD green canvas Micarta with hunter orange G10 liners and a ½-inch stainless steel lanyard tube. Contacts listed at the bottom of this article.

When Jerry Davis was a baby he was scooting across the floor and his grandmother dubbed him Scooter. He is a third-generation welder and fabricator. His dad made knives as a hobby, and by the time Scooter was a teenager, he, too, was making knives.

Scooter Davis is a welder and fabricator whose dad made knives, and now he does too. — Schooter Davis, a Desert Storm US Marine Corps veteran, specializes in small everyday carry knives, skinners and survival knives.

At 19 he entered the U.S. Marine Corps and served as a heavy equipment engineer during Desert Storm. The Gulf War veteran served four years then returned to West Virginia.

Knifemaker Scooter Davis is a Marine who served in the Gulf War. — Scooter Davis served in the U.S. Marine Corps during Desert Storm. The Gulf War vet then returned to his native West Virginia.

When he isn’t making knives, he’s attending rendezvous, living history gatherings that bring early American frontier days to life. He makes many items in his kit and, of course, period-appropriate knives.

Scooter Davis has been attending rendezvous living history events since he was a child and is enamored with the early American frontier period. — “A primitive rendezvous is a living history event,” Scooter Davis explained. “I have enjoyed them since I was a child. It’s like taking several steps back in time and I enjoy crafting knives and other items that represent that time period [early American frontier].”

He’s also a singer and musician, playing weddings, parties and other events, equally comfortable with Sinatra or Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Scooter Davis makes knives and plays music, too. — The quintessential Renaissance man, Scooter Davis of Rough Run Forge, can also perform anything from smooth jazz to country.

“I’ve always been an artistic feller, always making things. I can make just about anything,” Scooter said. But what really inspired him was the quality of the work he saw coming out of other knifemakers. John Savage has been a good friend along the way. “My goal is to create blades worthy of being used in the outdoors.”

Best-selling knife patterns: small everyday carry, skinning, survival
Favorite blade steels: 1095 for ease of forging, toughness; 52100 for toughness, edge retention
Blade grinds: flat for deep cutting and skinning, convex Scandi for durability in hard use
How he tests his knives: field use, chopping mountain laurel, slicing paper, cutting small bolts, shaving
Favorite handle materials: Micarta for toughness and durability; wood and bone for beauty and value. “I am partial to rare and hard-to-find materials,” Scooter noted.
Price range: $150 and up
Online purveyors: Pendleton County Outdoors, www.pendletoncountyoutdoors.com
Knife shows he attends: Greater Shenandoah Valley Knife Show, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Member of: American Bladesmith Society
Forums he participate in: Facebook Groups, Knife Dogs, BladeForums.com

Scooter Davis' bowie is 17 inches overall. — This bowie has a 13 1/2-inch blade made of pattern-welded steel by Zoe Crist Knives. The handle is comprised of elk antler, stainless steel and G-10 spacers. The maker’s own pattern-welded steel was used on the guard. Maker’s list price: $800. Contacts listed at the bottom of this article.

Scooter Davis of West Virginia makes a seax with Mircata handle for $250. — Scooter Davis’ seax is 10 1/2 inches long with a 5 1/2-inch blade made from W2 steel with hamon. Avocado Micarta scales were used for the handle. Maker’s list price: $250. Contacts listed at the bottom of this article.

The W.A.C.K. is just one of many knives offered by Desert Storm Marine Corp vet, Scooter Davis. — The W.A.C.K.-1 (Wilderness Area Camp Knife) has a 5-inch blade forced from 1095 high-carbon steel. The scales are fashioned from OD green canvas Micarta with hunter orange G10 liners and a ½-inch stainless steel lanyard tube. Contacts listed at the bottom of this article.

Contact Scooter Davis at 540-560-1672, [email protected], on Facebook at Rough Run Forge and Instagram @roughrunforge.

A Digital Subscription To BLADE is the Answer

Save $4 off the print price of a annual subscription to BLADE Magazine with a digital subscription. — You can read your digital issues of BLADE Magazine anywhere you have your phone, tablet or computer, and there’s no need to find storage for all your old issues.

If piling-up issues of magazines seems like a waste to you… If you feel like you don’t have time to read a magazine… If you like the stories we offer in BLADE, but want a more economical option, then a digital subscription is the answer. An annual subscription to BLADE is $17.98, $4 off the print price.

NEXT STEP: Download Your Free KNIFE GUIDE Issue of BLADE Magazine

BLADE’s annual Knife Guide Issue features the newest knives and sharpeners, plus knife and axe reviews, knife sheaths, kit knives and a Knife Industry Directory.

Get your FREE digital PDF instant download of the annual Knife Guide. No, really! We will email it to you right now when you subscribe to the BLADE email newsletter.