Some sweet blades

[ThunderNocked]

Just wanted to share. Got some BEAUTIFUL knives recently.
Three Cross Knives:
Hunter, Drop Point Hunter and Boys Hunter! Aged Stacked Leather and 2 Sheep Horn!

 

[chuckchili]

Very pretty

 

[NMGuy]

nice!

 

[Sytes]

Very nice! Appear very clean - nice shape/lines.

What do you (and anyone) look for when considering the purchase of a mid - high $ knife?

 

[BHKC20]

Nice. Type of steel?

 

[ThunderNocked]

Nice. Type of steel?

These ones are all A2 Steel.

 

[ThunderNocked]

Very nice! Appear very clean - nice shape/lines.

What do you (and anyone) look for when considering the purchase of a mid - high $ knife?

Interesting question. I am a fan of a couple of very reputable brands and the brand families around them. Steel choice, blade style, are all important.
One of the things that separates these is they are small batch very finely hand finished knives. The other knives I like are known for a nearly perfect heat treat. This gives you the best of edge retention and of toughness.
I love a couple of Brands but the other thing is what you consider high dollar.
Bark River Knives, Cross Knives, Tope Knives, Lon Humphrey’s, Lishen, and more are all makers I’ve become acquainted with.

what are you looking for in a knife?

 

[ThunderNocked]

This is my fixed blade ‘family’.
The 8 on the left are Bark River Knives, I have the three Cross, Benchmade, Western, Figure 9 Forge, a Fairbairn-Sykes British Commando Dagger and then the random cheap Fair/Carnival Bowie.

 

[1_pointer]

I really like the shape of the one left side, third from bottom not including the filet knife. Very nice collection.

 

[ThunderNocked]

I really like the shape of the one left side, third from bottom not including the filet knife. Very nice collection.

The one with the Black Handle - North Country EDC.
It is a great knife. Has lots of size and belly for a variety of tasks. I used it alot on a Caribou this March and it performed very well.

 

[shrapnel]

This is a Kauffman Damascus with stabilized Box Elder scales. Dave is from Montana City and makes a great knife...

 

[noharleyyet]

My only custom was a Charles May Noxubee configuration...too nice for me, gifted it to Ken Jr.

This one but burl scales...

 

[Addicting]

A Montana made skyblade skinner knife. I like that curved black handled one too.

 

[ThunderNocked]

@Addicting the smaller curved one with the black handle is a Bark River North Country EDC. The one with the big belly for its size.

 

[ThunderNocked]

@shrapnel that Damascus is pretty sweet looking? What his company name?

@noharleyyet yeah I don't have any of the super fancy ones - though I do have a customer I'm about a year out on from Cross Knives. I'm excited to get one of his knives with some more features I want.

@Addicting that Montana Skyblade is a great shape. There are a couple similar models I've looked at and I want to get something like that.

Great knives guys!!! Its awesome to have great tools to work with!

 

[shrapnel]

@shrapnel that Damascus is pretty sweet looking? What his company name?

Dave isn't a company, but a private individual that makes exceptional knives. I have several and the fit and finish is second to none. He polishes them to a mirror finish and did his own engraving on the engraved knife. He also made Micarta handled utilitarian knives for the guys that like stainless steel and plastic stocked guns. These knives are flawless in the fit and finish of all aspects of the blades...

 

[ThunderNocked]

@shrapnel that is fantastic! Sounds like Cross Knives. He does everything the same - hand does each knife. I have those first three from him - those were all old models but my sharpest and extremely well put together.
The Bark Rivers are 'semi custom'. They makes batches of knives where they cut them out of plates and then hand finish each one. They both make great knives. I'll have to check out Dave - I love how much more supportive the knife community seems to be overall then any of the other outdoor communities I've belonged too. Quality blades are quality blades - or at least that has been my experience.

If you are on Instagram check out Cross Knives - I'm super excited for when my name comes up in his books!

 

[pre6422hornet]

Gorgeous knives all of them...

I am a part time knife maker myself, but my skill set is so far behind these guys. It literally my 4th job behind husband, daddy, day job, then knife maker. Currently I am running about 6-8 months out from time of " I want one" to finished blade in a clients hand.

It is a frustrating experience to say the least and I couldn't imagine being an actual professional. For every 10 people who message me about price, I receive one person who says yes ( and my prices are very reasonable in my opinion basically covering materials and $20/hour labor). My knives are completely finished by hand ( metal finish, handle, sharpened from a .020 edge) I make my own sheaths by hand and stitch by hand as well. The general public doesn't appreciate hand made things anymore and it makes me smile to see you guys still being patient and commissioning these hand made works of art.

Here are my last two that left on Friday for their final destination in Florida.



And one I made earlier last year for a fellow HT'er who asked me to reproduce a family heirloom from a picture. It was a great project and challenged me greatly.