I need a new knife

P

paleo25

Joined
Jun 16, 2002
Messages
217
I am looking for a fixed blade knife to carry big game hunting. Looking for a 4" blade with wood handle and leather sheath, does anyone know a custom knife maker that could help me. I want it to be simple, no exotic woods etc, its gonna be a hard used knife does not need to be fancy.

Thanks
 
Hi Paleo25,

The number of custom makers who could make you a competent knife for your stated hunting uses runs easily to the hundreds or thousands. One way of focusing the search for a maker is to tell us what price range you are looking at for the knife.

You might check out some of the work that gets shown in the Shop Talk, Knifemakers For Sale, Customs For Sale, and Gallery forums here on BFC to see whose work strikes a chord in you.
Shop Talk forum: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=741
Knifemakers For Sale forum: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=754
Customs For Sale forum: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=748
Gallery forum: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=734

Also, for buying custom-maker knives there are websites like:
http://www.bladegallery.com/
http://www.arizonacustomknives.com/
http://www.customknifedirectory.com/CKD_Mainframe.htm

One point I'd make is to pay close attention to the handle shapes used by the different makers to help determine which knife will fit you best. There are a limited number of blade shapes typically used, but the handle shapes can vary a lot more. And the handle is the more subjective (and often largely overlooked) "interface" part of the knife that we as users need to accomodate and adapt to in order to use the tool.

If you're not set on a custom-made knife, my recommendation for a wood-handled knife is to look at some models from Marbles Knives, especially their older models in 52100 steel. They came with leather sheaths. If you look in this direction, be sure you are comfortable with the idea of a stick tang, since the Marbles don't have full-width tangs on their knives. Bayou LaFourche has the Marbles Trailcraft, Sport, Woodcraft, and Plainsman models with Dymondwood handles in the $60-$65 range. I'm not sure if they stock the 52100 models any more, but you could ask them about it. Roger at Bayou LaFourche is a great guy to deal with.
http://www.knifeworks.com

Another Benchmade fixed-blade knife that might meet your needs, besides that nice drop point Josh offered, is the model 180 Outbounder. Optimally, I'd say find one of the model 180PD2 Outbounders in D2 steel for the added toughness over the 440c models. Not that 440c hasn't been doing the job as a stainless hunting knife steel for years.
440c model: http://www.knifeworks.com/product.asp?0=204&1=239&3=1537
D2 model: http://store.knifecenter.com/pgi-ProductSpec?bm180pd2

Hope that helps a bit,
-- Greg --

(edited to add) Oops, I forgot about the D.H. Russel knives as options in the commercial wood-handled leather-sheathed field:
http://www.agrussell.com/dhrussell/dhr101.html
 
Thanks guys for your inputs, Rokjok I have decided to go with the Outbounder in D2 steel, looks like a great knife and the price is alittle less than I wanted to spend....an extra bonus....thanks again
 
Mate, you're gonna get million answers the this
question:D

So my .02 is the stongly recommend Bob Dozier for
a hard working plain bulletproof knife from a man
who KNOWS what works in the field. I have two and
both are sleepers when it comes to a cutting tool.
NOTHING else in my large fixed blade inventory can
match the Dozier's for cutting abililty. NOTHING..

You can shop at two places for a Dozier......

http://www.agrussell.com/dozier/index.html

http://www.dozierknives.com/

If you don't see exactly what you want then call
Bob or his wife Linda. They are some of the nicest
folk's you'll ever meet. Bob modified one of his
designs for me at a price I thought was a
screaming bargain. The rest of his knives are
workingman priced , for what they are, anyway. :D

For field cutting tools you just can't beat a....
Dozier:cool: :cool:

Edited to add other members opinion of Dozier
knives...............

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=260333
 
Hi!
Believe me man,take a look at TOPS knives! I colect and use knives since all young, I've never meet such great quality than I found in TOPS! Specialy for the price!
but if you want something more "classic" try "knives of alaska".They make a very good combo setwith 2 blades in a very nice leather sheath.I used one in a trip in north NORWAY they worked just fine!
 
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