Another Arno Bernard 'Wild Dog'!

S

Stainz

Joined
Jun 24, 2007
Messages
3,760
I messed up with my first Arno Bernard 'Wild Dog' in spalted maple last August. We're all adults here - I can admit it. I did it right with my meager Bark River collection - I bought the natural canvas Micarta or G10 handled Barkies - users - cheaper, too. Okay, there is that bocote handled Boone - great knife, just too pretty to use. Then I had to get this beautifully made A.B. knife - a 'Wild Dog'. Great fit - and how mundane - a spalted maple handle. In reality, what a looker. I had messed up again - carrying it on my belt in that neat sheath - seemed unlikely. I thought, what if I got another one - in an indigenous South African handle material - like giraffe bone. That looks mundane to pretty. I ordered one - it arrived in short order - and I got it Christmas AM. Wow. Now I have two nice knives I can't bear to use!

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They currently use Bohler N690 steel. The full tang is tapered in thickness in the handle, and secured with five pins. The finely ground edge is razor sharp. The giraffe bone handle is a bit thinner than the spalted maple - both are a nice hand fit. These are the two finest made, considering material fit/finish, knives I own - and I have a few CRK's, too. Hard to believe they were at most, ie, list, just under two c-notes delivered...

I've made my decision - the spalted maple will become the user... I'll just cringe the first few times I use it. Check out Arno Bernard's site.

Stainz
 
Arno makes a nice knife... use them both... go ahead :D

My box opener & coupon cutter
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Stainz's knives are by Arno Bernard, Jr.

Ebbtide you have Arno Bernard, Sr.

Both do nice work that I've been tempted to get considering their bargain prices. I would have pulled the trigger on one of senior's knives but really dislike the look of his logo and how big it appears on his knives, so that has stopped me.... Personal hangup of mine.
 
Grapevine is correct as usual about stainz knives being Arno jr and ebbtide's being arno senior.

I was lucky enough to meet Arno benard Sr at the NYCKs show.

Wonderful man and great work! Nice to see some of his handiwork here!

Jeff
 
^^^ One of my first custom purchases as well. For the prices he asked, how could you lose? Great stuff (if you love warthog ivory!)

That cardboard cutter is perfecto. That's 90% of MY cutting tasks around my studio.

Coop
 
OOPS!
And here I thought that Mr. Bernard finally changed his logo.
I'm not a fan of billboard/truck side blade etches as well.
But in this case the sum of the little knife's merits outweighed the oversized logo.
One of those knives that you pick up and fall for immediately.
 
If Junior's work is as good as my pair, I don't see how his Pappy's could have been much better. Really fine workmanship. I keep thinking about a smaller one - like a 'Gecko' - as a pocket fb. I wonder if they could make the sheath less the belt loop...

Stainz
 
One of the most comfortable knives I ever held was an Arno Bernard knife on AT Barr's table at a show in Lexington. It just melted into my hand. Beautiful.
 
Per "I would have pulled the trigger on one of senior's knives but really dislike the look of his logo and how big it appears on his knives, so that has stopped me.... Personal hangup of mine."

I have the same hangup; has kept me from buying one of his knives on two different occasions. Not sure why some people have to have logos that can be seen from 10 feet away by a myopic scientist :)
 
Here are a few of Jr and Sr's examples I now have. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the Bernard family at BLADE 2012 - really nice folks - great work, too.

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I have since added Leopard sized from Jr's collection. All five appear to be of the same metal - Bohler N690 - and are as perfect as can be. The apple didn't fall far from that family tree - great craftsmanship. I should have put labels on the sheaths...

Stainz
 
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