Bronze trout knives

[Mecha]

Presenting two more little bronze knives, forged out of round bar stock salvaged from a WW2 era fishing vessel. These are probably the last ones I'll be able to make. Add an odd and rare bronze knife to your collection, or keep one in your tackle box for extra good fishing luck! These blades are sharp and functional, a splendid way to clean a fine trout.

For more information about how these knives came about, see:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1288453-Bronze-Bladed-Knives

Paypal: KLSAMEE@YAHOO.COM
Prices include shipping to USA

Number 1: $65 SOLD
OAL: 5 1/4" with a cutting edge of about 2"
This knife has a speckled, spotted look:

Number 2: $80 SOLD
OAL: 5 3/4" with a cutting edge of about 2"
This one shows a very interesting pattern of amalgamated copper:

Thanks for looking!~

 

[Chris Larrikin]

Very cool little knives.

 

[Mecha]

Very cool little knives.

Thankee!

 

[Jimmie Brown]

This is bronze. Can bronze be tempered? Bronze is not a hard metal...durability of the edge??? They are beautiful and unique...first ones I have ever seen.. Around saltwater they will develop an awesome patina.

Jimmie

 

[Mecha]

This is bronze. Can bronze be tempered? Bronze is not a hard metal...durability of the edge??? They are beautiful and unique...first ones I have ever seen.. Around saltwater they will develop an awesome patina.

Jimmie

Thanks Jimmie. The bronze work-hardens as it gets hammered, and must be annealed multiple times as it's forged or it will crack (knife #1 has a small crack at the back of the tang). It gets sharp and cuts soft/fleshy materials, but I imagine it would need to be touched up often. Here is a photo of the round bar stock patina as it looked after being at sea for 70 years! Beautiful browns and greens; notice the blobs of copper incompletely alloyed with tin where the patina was sanded off, which resulted in the copper spots on knife #2 above.

 

[alex451]

Would you be willing to rap the handle of #2 with that deer skin as used on my specimen slicer?

 

[Mecha]

Would you be willing to rap the handle of #2 with that deer skin as used on my specimen slicer?

I sure can, it will cover some of the copper blobs and forging marks, but there will still be plenty exposed. :]

 

[Charles Helm]

Could you do a paracord wrap on the handle or would that just slip off? Interested if any are still available.

 

[Mecha]

Could you do a paracord wrap on the handle or would that just slip off? Interested if any are still available.

Usually my little knives like this have a two-layer wrap, first waxed nylon cord, then covered in deerskin lace that is wrapped in the manner of a Mongolian sword that another blade-maker here (Stormcrow) saw in a museum. Here is a pic of the knife alex451 was referring to, which has the typical wrap:

If the wrap is preferred, I'll add it no problem, though usually the tang would be shaped a bit differently to prep for it.

 

[Ferahgo]

So cool. I haven't seen this sort made in bronze. How well is edge retention? I know it cannot be so bad, knowing your excellent rep.

 

[Charles Helm]

Let me know what is available and give me the PayPal info with the total as wrapped. I can't get the picture to load so far but I am sure it will be fine.

Thanks.

Edit: Picture loaded, looks good.

 

[aspinto]

From what I can tell, no one has purchased either of these fine little blades. I'll take #2 (with the copper blobs) as is. PayPal payment is incoming.
Thank you! Email sent. PayPal payment has been sent.

 

[Mecha]

So cool. I haven't seen this sort made in bronze. How well is edge retention? I know it cannot be so bad, knowing your excellent rep.

Not much testing has been done, and there have only been 5 of these bronze knives made since I only had a few small bars of this old metal to play with. Turning it into knives was a spur-of-the-moment novelty project. The metal is quite soft compared to a steel knife, but it seems to hold up decently when it's used to cut reasonably soft materials. I'm still hoping to hear some feedback from the folks who have the other two flat-ground bronze blades. They were all made so those who are interested can see what it's like to use a knife made of the OG blade metal!

Let me know what is available and give me the PayPal info with the total as wrapped. I can't get the picture to load so far but I am sure it will be fine.

Thanks.

Edit: Picture loaded, looks good.

Looks like the second blade with the copper blobs has just been claimed. Number 1 is still available, and the price is the same as posted if wrapped (it takes a tiny amount of materials and time compared to a sword hilt).
Paypal is: KLSAMEE@YAHOO.COM

 

[Charles Helm]

PayPal sent for Number 1 w/wrap.

Thanks.

 

[Mecha]

From what I can tell, no one has purchased either of these fine little blades. I'll take #2 (with the copper blobs) as is. PayPal payment is incoming.
Thank you! Email sent. PayPal payment has been sent.

You tell correctly. Good choice aspinto, I think you'll be pleased! PP received, and your knife ships in the morning!

 

[Mecha]

PayPal sent for Number 1 w/wrap.

Thanks.

PP received, your freshly-wrapped knife ships tomorrow as well. Bronze knives aren't something you see everyday, so be sure to brag to your friends!

 

[BM(406)]

Well done, sir!

 

[drducati]

I have one of Mecha's bronze knives as an interesting historical artifact. MECHA's knives are as good as any bronze knife you will find but when you use them you will understand why iron replaced it. He is giving you the straight dope on cutting. Soft stuff is OK but it is soft and the edge must be continually renewed. Nice piece of history but they are not an EDC
Don't mean to hijack thread I'm just adding info I have based on experience of this product.

 

[Mecha]

I have one of Mecha's bronze knives as an interesting historical artifact. MECHA's knives are as good as any bronze knife you will find but when you use them you will understand why iron replaced it. He is giving you the straight dope on cutting. Soft stuff is OK but it is soft and the edge must be continually renewed. Nice piece of history but they are not an EDC
Don't mean to hijack thread I'm just adding info I have based on experience of this product.

Thanks Dr. Ducati, glad to hear back. I would assume that the in the era of bronze knives, blades were touched up constantly and used mostly for cutting things like food, cloth, leather, meat, and of course irate assailants. Hence, trout knives!

 

[aspinto]

Hey Mecha, I received my bronze knife from you today. This is an awesome little trout knife... what a great representation of an ancient technique
using bronze as a medium! This little knife rocks! and I will try to use it on a daily basis (preferably on soft stuff like trout bellies). Thank you!