Fixed blades

I uncovered an old favorite of mine. I bought it at a gun show 12 years ago from a maker from around Houston named Kurt Knabbe. I wrote down his number on a piece of butcher paper but lost it and can't seem to find info about him.

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It's not big but it's quite handy.
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Only gripe is that the little handle basically forces you into a pinch-grip to be useful.

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The maker was a nice guy, young fella at the time, who said he spent years in Seki, Japan working with a traditional Japanese smith. I can't verify that claim, but he had several really nice handmade tantos at his table that he claimed to have forged and polished by hand. I was willing to believe him (he wasn't selling these pieces, just exhibiting them).

He wouldn't tell me what steel he used on my knife but said it was carbon steel featuring some little known technique to temper the steel which had an added benefit of aiding corrosion resistance (at least little known in the US). This technique is evidenced by the vertical lines on the blade which resemble to me a nice hamon. I'm not sure about any of that, but I used the knife heavily to skin/butcher dozens of medium game animals, giving it the bare minimum maintenance, and haven't had any issues with rust beyond minor surface rust I could smudge away with my thumb.

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I can say the edge came nicely convexed which I have somehow managed to maintain. The steel sharpens easily with natural and conventional stones and seems to hold it for a looooong time (getting through 2-3 whitetails before needing a light touch up). Hopefully I can track down the maker some day. It's rather a well made cutting tool, perfect in its simplicity. I would like to have another made like it, albeit larger in every respect.
 
oldmanwilly said:
I uncovered an old favorite of mine. I bought it at a gun show 12 years ago from a maker from around Houston named Kurt Knabbe. I wrote down his number on a piece of butcher paper but lost it and can't seem to find info about him.

View attachment 2935162

It's not big but it's quite handy.
View attachment 2935163

Only gripe is that the little handle basically forces you into a pinch-grip to be useful.

View attachment 2935165
View attachment 2935164

The maker was a nice guy, young fella at the time, who said he spent years in Seki, Japan working with a traditional Japanese smith. I can't verify that claim, but he had several really nice handmade tantos at his table that he claimed to have forged and polished by hand. I was willing to believe him (he wasn't selling these pieces, just exhibiting them).

He wouldn't tell me what steel he used on my knife but said it was carbon steel featuring some little known technique to temper the steel which had an added benefit of aiding corrosion resistance (at least little known in the US). This technique is evidenced by the vertical lines on the blade which resemble to me a nice hamon. I'm not sure about any of that, but I used the knife heavily to skin/butcher dozens of medium game animals, giving it the bare minimum maintenance, and haven't had any issues with rust beyond minor surface rust I could smudge away with my thumb.

View attachment 2935176

I can say the edge came nicely convexed which I have somehow managed to maintain. The steel sharpens easily with natural and conventional stones and seems to hold it for a looooong time (getting through 2-3 whitetails before needing a light touch up). Hopefully I can track down the maker some day. It's rather a well made cutting tool, perfect in its simplicity. I would like to have another made like it, albeit larger in every respect.
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That knife is strangely compelling, for being as raw/rustic as it is. Love the belly.
What is the handle material?
 
Aardvark said:
That knife is strangely compelling, for being as raw/rustic as it is. Love the belly.
What is the handle material?
Click to expand...
Thanks, and that's totally what drew me to it as well. It didn't hurt that the maker only charged a cool $60.00 for it, although I did have to buy a sheath separately. I normally avoid knives that are only functional in one specific grip but this one is an exception, despite the fact it requires a hyper-specific grip.

The handle is seasoned heartwood from a pecan tree. It has darkened over time from wear and exposure to blood, meat, oils, fats, etc.
 
oldmanwilly said:
Thanks, and that's totally what drew me to it as well. It didn't hurt that the maker only charged a cool $60.00 for it, although I did have to buy a sheath separately. I normally avoid knives that are only functional in one specific grip but this one is an exception, despite the fact it requires a hyper-specific grip.

The handle is seasoned heartwood from a pecan tree. It has darkened over time from wear and exposure to blood, meat, oils, fats, etc.
Click to expand...
I think that's the first time I've knowingly seen a pecan-handled knife. Really like it.
It's just the type of thing that you hope you can inherit from a family member.
 
oldmanwilly said:
I uncovered an old favorite of mine. I bought it at a gun show 12 years ago from a maker from around Houston named Kurt Knabbe. I wrote down his number on a piece of butcher paper but lost it and can't seem to find info about him.

View attachment 2935162

It's not big but it's quite handy.
View attachment 2935163

Only gripe is that the little handle basically forces you into a pinch-grip to be useful.

View attachment 2935165
View attachment 2935164

The maker was a nice guy, young fella at the time, who said he spent years in Seki, Japan working with a traditional Japanese smith. I can't verify that claim, but he had several really nice handmade tantos at his table that he claimed to have forged and polished by hand. I was willing to believe him (he wasn't selling these pieces, just exhibiting them).

He wouldn't tell me what steel he used on my knife but said it was carbon steel featuring some little known technique to temper the steel which had an added benefit of aiding corrosion resistance (at least little known in the US). This technique is evidenced by the vertical lines on the blade which resemble to me a nice hamon. I'm not sure about any of that, but I used the knife heavily to skin/butcher dozens of medium game animals, giving it the bare minimum maintenance, and haven't had any issues with rust beyond minor surface rust I could smudge away with my thumb.

View attachment 2935176

I can say the edge came nicely convexed which I have somehow managed to maintain. The steel sharpens easily with natural and conventional stones and seems to hold it for a looooong time (getting through 2-3 whitetails before needing a light touch up). Hopefully I can track down the maker some day. It's rather a well made cutting tool, perfect in its simplicity. I would like to have another made like it, albeit larger in every respect.
Click to expand...
Very cool.....Good luck with your search!!!! Share that info if you succeed!!!! 😉. Please...👌
Mk-211 said:
Welcome home brother.

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Damn fine pair!!! Joe does great work....👌👌👌
 
Here is one I finished up this week! Magnacut and carbon fiber/copper marble scales. Ordered 2 more sets of this handle material, too! I originally buffed it and tung oiled it, but tried leaving it as a high sandpaper polish; it has a more matte look to it and still has nice grip/traction when wet, too! 3" tip to plunge and 7.5" OAL. Its my FBBO RT model.

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Taz said:
Here is one I finished up this week! Magnacut and carbon fiber/copper marble scales. Ordered 2 more sets of this handle material, too! I originally buffed it and tung oiled it, but tried leaving it as a high sandpaper polish; it has a more matte look to it and still has nice grip/traction when wet, too! 3" tip to plunge and 7.5" OAL. Its my FBBO RT model.

View attachment 2936073
Click to expand...

Nice👌
 
The pass around knife in Procut came yesterday. I don't think its big enough for the frozen ham challenge, maybe spam? 😜

Everyone has already done something cool with it. Guess I'll have to cut up some boxes and open some envelopes. 😉

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Leather sheath is excellent, the kydex has positive click and hold.
 
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