Best hunter 2015 - FINALISTS CHOSEN!

S.Alexander

S.Alexander

Joined
Jul 7, 2013
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Hello everyone, this year I thought it would be nice to start a Best Hunter thread to compliment the Best Bowie thread. Hunters can be very well thought out and complex pieces that rival their "big brother" Bowies in beauty. They can also be subdued and subtle.

I have spoken to Roger about it, and will follow the same format as the Best Bowie thread.
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This thread is about celebrating the quality and diversity of the genre, and the talented bladesmiths and knifemakers who make hunter knives. There may be a broad definition of what a hunter should look like, but to keep things simple, if a maker has classified their knife as a hunter then it will qualify for our competition.

Both stock removal and forged blades are equally welcome. Daggers are excluded, as are Khukuris, Bowies, and traditional Tantos.


Requirements are:

1) Defined by the maker as a hunter. It can be hidden or full tang, with or without a guard.

2) Knife must have been made or first shown on Bladeforums in 2015.

3) Must be a custom knife.

PLEASE DO: number each knife in each post, starting with the number 1.

PLEASE DO NOT quote earlier posts and reproduce the images contained therein (this really messes up the voting for finalists.

Nominate as many as you like!

Here are a few to get started:

1) TK Steingass - Presentation grade hunter

Maybe the first of many hunter nominations for TK Steingass in this competition. While following the Loveless style, this knife has a personality all its own. From the beautiful black walnut handle, to the perfect fit and finish this knife has it all.

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2) J. Doyle - harpoon hunter

The beautiful dark colours in this knife are contrasted well by fluted bronze collars. John makes a beautiful hunter that would be the pride of anyone's collection, or as a great working piece.

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3) Facundo Montenegro - Hunter feather

The feather Damascus steals the show, so to speak, on this amazing hunter. However, if you look closer you can see that all of the details in this one are just right. The guard is perfectly proportionate to the knife, and shows a high level of detail.

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4) Darcy Ellis - Damascus and walnut hunter

I had the privilege to handle this knife, and kind of regret not buying it now. All of Darcy's Damascus is hand forged by swinging a hammer. This rustic beauty is very comfortable in the hand, and shows Darcy's attention to detail when making a working knife.

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That's a great start Shane - thanks for coming up with the idea for a Best Hunter thread and for running it - I look forward to seeing what others come up with.

I'll have a couple more entries but I'm in and out for most of the day, so I'll start with one I picked up at Blade.

I don't have a solo shot of the hunter, but you can take it that the bowie is not being put forward for consideration here:

1. Wess Barnhill

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2. Levi Graham:

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I know there are MANY more nice hunters out there. If you acquired or made a nice hunter this year, please show us!

Here are a couple of mine from this year:

1) S. Alexander - harpoon

Curly koa and hidden lanyard.

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2) S. Alexander - Mossy trail

Blue #2 San mai with Bog Oak scales.

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Great idea

I don't get to many traditional hunters these days but these are knives that I use as hunters

1) David Mirabile small Utility/Caper





2) Sam Lurquin Hurak from the Paranee Hurak Project 2015

I know some would consider these fighters but I've been hunting with one on my belt for years :)





3) Jason Knight Fullered Fighter/Hunter :)





4) Erik Markman Taurus Fighter/Hunter :)



 
Nice ones Joe! There seems to be a fine line between a hunter and fighter sometimes, and those look like they would be fantastic for hunting/skinning.
 
S.Alexander said:
Nice ones Joe! There seems to be a fine line between a hunter and fighter sometimes, and those look like they would be fantastic for hunting/skinning.
Click to expand...

Thanks Shane

They are all a type of hunting :)
 
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Here's a beauty of a little integral hunter / utility:

1. Russ Andrews MS

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1
Kyle Gahagan, JS

Donated to support Knife Rights' efforts to oppose Ivory and Mammoth Ivory Bans
Ivory donated by a generous Knife Rights supporter


 
1. Stuart Davenport "Samurai Stuart" Walnut Hunter

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The steel is Hitachi Blue #2, with a handle stabilized walnut and black G10 liner, with brass pins
 
So much good stuff here and this looks like it will become a great addition to the year end agenda on Blade Forums.
I will add a few if I may:

1.) Sheep Horn Hunter with hot-blued single twist:


2.) San Mai and Feather Walnut:


3.) W2 and Desert Ironwood:


4.) W2 and Tasmanian Blackwood:



5.) Laddered Ws and Walnut:



6.) W1 and Black Micarta:



7.) Twisted Ws, wrought iron and stag:




8.) 1095 San Mai, hot-blued fitting and Walnut:

 
Although it's one of John's JS knives, it was first shown here this year on the exchange and I grabbed it.
Desert Ironwood Hunter / Caper.
Kenny Rowe sheath.

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DC
 
#1 Ben Seward JS

This one has great appeal to me.
#2 Ben Seward JS

This one just looks all kinds of right.

Chris
 
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#1 Osprey Knife & Tool Apache Hunter
Blade: 1/8" CPM154 with a 4 1/4" flat ground blade, tapered tang, hammered and textured flats, 8 3/4" OAL
Scales: Buckeye burl with Shadetree tangerine bolsters over natural micarta liners with orange and white pinstripes

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Nominated for simplicity of design combined with creative use of materials and color.
 
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Disclaimer: I haven't used a knife for hunting...............

Also it should be noted (not that it needs to be) that Joe is the man, and has endless knowledge on this... but I assumed the shape of the Hurak's tip wouldn't be as efficient a cutter for that sort of thing. To me it feels pure fighter! Not that a great knife can't be used for anything.

I don't want these to be used in voting but I think they still have a place in the 2015 thread. This Hurak is more fighter and the White is old but I brought it to life on the internetz. If the Hurak is eligible, then ok.

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1) Adam Desrosiers Integral Hunter that won Best Hunter at ICCE. Can't say enough about the craftsmanship in Adam's knives.

Adam Desrosiers Hunter ICCE Best Hunter 2015 by Bob, on Flickr

2) Another Ben Breda JS Hunter - Also at ICCE. There is something so clean and appealing about Ben's knives.

Ben Breda JS Hunter 2015 ICCE by Bob, on Flickr

3) Jerry Moen Mammoth Tooth Hunter (set w/ Cowboy knife)

K07222-Moen Jerry-397-7 by Bob, on Flickr

4) Harvey Dean AKI Hunter

Harvey Dean Hunter AKI 2015 by Bob, on Flickr

This DE Henry style hunter has a 5-inch trailing point ladder patterned blade. It has 416 stainless steel fittings engraved and gold-inlayed. The handle is India stag.
 
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Here are some that I've enjoyed this year, posted in no particular order. :thumbup:

1.Don Hanson III hunter in W2 & Stag -(Profile completely forged to shape, the only stock removal was on the bevels.)









2. Haley DesRosiers hunter in twisted W's



3. Jerry Fisk "Sendero" - 5160, Afrazilia Burl, Stainless guard and Jerry's deep relief engraving.



4. Jerry Fisk "Sendero" -Sambar Stag, Dog Star pattern Damascus, deep relief scroll work on the stainless guard



5. Jerry Fisk - "GameMaster" - Laddered W pattern, Sheep horn handle with some scratching on the guard.





6. Karl B Andersen - 1095/420SS San Mai, Brute de' Forge, with Ray skin and silk cord wrap.







These are just some I wanted to post. A lot of the ones I really like have already been posted so I had to go searching to find more :D. Also, I want to note that I copied and pasted the dscriptions from Kevin Jones on the Fisk knives, so credit for all of those that go to him. ;)

Thanks, Shane, for the great idea and the managing of this thread, I really appreciate it and I'm sure everybody else does! :)

~Paul
My YT Channel Lsubslimed
... (It's been quite a while since I've posted any new vids)
 
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Great idea for a thread Shane..........this is gonna be epic!:thumbup:

I have a few more to enter the fray.:D

This one is part time hunter, part time fighter, and probably my personal favorite small knife of 2015 that I built.

#1 birch burl


#2 cocobolo guardless




#3 cocobolo with nickel silver guard and scratching



Darcy
 
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