DB Fraley Fighter/Bowie

[Murray White]

Lightweight Fighter - Bowie by D.B. Fraley. 7 1/2" blade - 3/16" thick - 12 3/4" OAL. Ebony handle, nickel silver guard, ATS34 blade. Fraley is a member of The Knifemakers Guild and won the award for Best Fixed Blade and Best Folder at the BAKCA show in California last year.

I had seen his work at the show and was tempted on the Hunter that won the award but other things got in the way (lol).

Saw this piece on EBay and decided it would make a nice addition to the Bowie/Fighter segment of my collectio.

this blade is very tricky to photograph. note the sharpened clip that actually rises above the spine of the knife.

another unusual aspect of the knife is that while the ebody handle is made of 2 scales, it is actually a hidden tang knife. There is nice sculpting to the handle to provide an ergonomic shape in the hand.

The sheath is substantial and well done with a few locations for tie downs to the leg when the knife is carried.

The forward slanted guard makes for a nice feel in the sabre position.

 

[nifrand]

That young man has come a long ways.I like this makers knives better every time I see one.
Randy

 

[tom mayo]

Derek makes a very fine knife......

He started over here under the supervision of Stan Fujisaka and has done an excellent job of getting better and better!!

 

[Pontiaker]

Cool as hell to talk to and very helpfull too.
Matt

 

[notdos]

Every time Derek posts somethin' I'm more and more impressed. Finally broke down and ordered a couple of his folders,,,got them today. Very impressive. I think big things are in his future.


Phillip

 

[Keith Montgomery]

This knife has excellent lines and I love the way the handle is done, but I don't like the blade on a bowie to have a false edge or a sharpened spine that goes all the way to the ricasso. It is the reason that I don't like a lot of the fighters that I see.

 

[Murray White]

not too many Bowies/Fighters would have a sharpened spine--generally to wide a material. This piece which is more along the "fighter" category has the sharp clip which is then reduced to a smaller width from spine to edge. Quite an intereting treatment and one I have tried to show with the clip area image.