Michal Melichercik, traditional shepherd knives

Today I’d like to introduce a piece of work that was created earlier this year. These knives carry a bit of history as well as coincidence. They are made from several-thousand-year-old bog oak and mammoth tusk. And the way I came across these materials is a bit of an adventure in itself.

It was 2021 when a quiet notification popped up on my smartphone. Someone in a handmade Facebook group had shared a photo of a hand-carved angel. Normally I scroll past such posts without much interest, but this time one detail made me stop — the angel was carved from dark, almost coal-black wood. I immediately suspected it wasn’t just any piece of wood. I didn’t hesitate and wrote to the author. I wanted to know where such a large piece of material could be found.

I expected secrecy, but the answer was surprising: apparently it had been dug up during gravel extraction, and if I was interested, I should come and take the rest while it was still there. The man sent me instructions that sounded almost like they were cut straight from a treasure map — “five minutes’ walk upstream, behind the tall thistles…” Since the place was about 120 kilometers away from me, I didn’t think twice. I threw the chainsaw into the car and set off.

And indeed — right where it was supposed to be, I found a massive piece of ancient oak, dark and heavy like a chunk of forgotten history. They were huge pieces, and without the help of some fishermen nearby, I wouldn’t have been able to load them into the car. The oak is certainly a few thousand years old; dendrochronology showed only a weak sample match, so we can’t determine the exact age. The wood also contained a sort of time capsule — a mummified longhorn beetle. The beetle’s remains were sent to an entomology lab.

The mammoth tusk has its own story. A customer brought it to me, claiming a friend had brought it from Siberia. After a short conversation, we agreed on a trade — the tusk in exchange for a knife that would later be made from it. And so, two ancient materials that survived for millennia came together in these tools.



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SharpBits said:
I'm really glad you chose to post here. Fascinating knives and stories to go along with them.
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I concur 100%. I wonder if OP should post a few pictures in the traditional forum: these knives certainly qualify as faithful recreations of traditional patterns and I think the good folks on the Porch would enjoy seeing them.

On another note, I think I know what I'll do the next time I stumble across some mammoth tusks (trade them for a knife or two from OP).
 
oldmanwilly said:
I concur 100%. I wonder if OP should post a few pictures in the traditional forum: these knives certainly qualify as faithful recreations of traditional patterns and I think the good folks on the Porch would enjoy seeing them.

On another note, I think I know what I'll do the next time I stumble across some mammoth tusks (trade them for a knife or two from OP).
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Can you recommend a thread that focuses on this topic? For now, I’ll keep posting here so everything stays under one roof.
 
I think your knives could fit appropriately into any of these threads:

Django606

Thread 'Custom Traditional Photos'

Did some searching and was not able to find a general photo thread dedicated to custom traditional knives (please correct if I am wrong). Figured I would start by posting photos of some of the knives in my collection.

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pistonsandgears

Thread 'Wooden Wednesday - Traditionals only please'

Anyone else up for a wood handle Wednesday? I just received this curly zebra wood Queen gunstock from tonystl and figured it would make a nice start for wood handle Wednesday.
Hope you don't mind if I borrow your pick Tony as I haven't had a chance to take any myself.

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J

Thread 'What "Traditional Knife" are ya totin' today?'

Having ended the experiment and going back to my sinfull ways as an incurable knife knut, I have my daily rotation with me. In addition to my ever present Wenger SI in its belt pouch with the LED light, I have my old yellow peanut back in my right pocket. My classic is back on my keyring, and I feel like all is back as it should be. And in memory of my dear old Uncle Paul, I even tucked a very old Christy knife in my tobacco pouch, just in case.

What are you guys carrying today?
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If you post in those or other threads, you could also provide a link to this thread for people who want to learn more about the designs, history, and construction of your knives.
 
A few more classic shepherd’s knives with pewter inlay. The ones made from lilac wood (syringa vulgaris) are worth noting. I’ve grown fond of lilac wood lately — it resembles olive, is quite hard, and has a very dense structure. It’s really difficult to find a piece large enough that’s suitable for a handle. Most pieces are cracked. It also has to come from an old tree because the trunk doesn’t reach a large diameter.


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walnut wood, bohler N690

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apple wood,
walnut,
lilac wood,
Bohler N690

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lilac wood,
combination of walnut and bogoak,
walnut wood,
Bohler N690

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lilac wood
 
Hello everyone

This project was special to me because of the unusual handle material.
It is a free-form creation that respects the original traditional design.

For the handle, I used horn from horse hooves. Please dont ask wheere i got it from :D. Long story. This horn is somewhat tougher than the usual horn taken from cattle horns. It has a more pronounced fibrous structure, which is difficult to capture in a photograph. It is truly an excellent material.

Blade material: stainless Damascus steel Balbachdamast
Handle: horse-hoof horn and brass
Overall length: 26 cm

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a small piece of horse hoof with an M3 threaded cut
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jfk1110 said:
EXQUISITE...... And that feels like I'm short changing you.....A lot......

One way or another I'm gonna need something made by those hands of yours...😉......
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“Thank you, I appreciate it. :)
As soon as I finish the orders and the pre-Christmas rush in the workshop, my hands will be available. We can arrange an order then.”
 
The customer’s request was that the knife should have the vibe of a chopper motorcycle. The knife will be a gift for a biker and a lover of choppers. I based the design on my previous concepts, and this piece is the result. Let me know if I managed to achieve it.

Blade material: stainless Damascus steel Balbachdamast
Handle: nickel silver, black eben
Overall length: 27 cm

The glass breaking tip is made of hardened stainless steel.

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michalmelichercik said:
The customer’s request was that the knife should have the vibe of a chopper motorcycle. The knife will be a gift for a biker and a lover of choppers. I based the design on my previous concepts, and this piece is the result. Let me know if I managed to achieve it.

Blade material: stainless Damascus steel Balbachdamast
Handle: nickel silver, black eben
Overall length: 27 cm

The glass breaking tip is made of hardened stainless steel.

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EXQUISITE........ And I feel I'm short changing you with that statement.........

Drooling again...😉
 
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