- Joined
- Feb 28, 2002
- Messages
- 13,348
Ed Caffrey is a maker whose knives I have long admired. One of the primary attractions to his work is the fact that he has accomplished something that eludes many: his knives have a very distinctive style. Many a time have I seen knives ranging from elaborately decorated folders, to presentation grade bowies, to simple, functional hunters and said to myself thats a Caffrey without needing to refer to the makers mark. I recently had the opportunity to add one of his terrific bowies to my collection. Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure.
This knife features a mosaic damascus blade that is just a shade under 9 inches, with an overall length just under 14 inches. The handle is a beautiful piece of fossil walrus ivory, showing a range of colours from cream, to caramel to chocolate brown almost good enough to eat!
The elegant S-guard features heat-blued and textured mild steel, with the half-pennies forged-in. The file-worked butt cap matches the colour and texture of the guard. If you look closely at the first picture, you will see that the frog button on the first-rate scabbard is also heat-blued and textured to match the fittings of the knife itself. So often it is the little thoughtful touches like this that set a knife apart.
The blade itself deserves a closer look. It is forged from a blend 1084 and 15N20 steels, combining between 9 and 12 bars to produce a fascinating checkerboard mosaic. Each window shows one of a variety of swirls, whorls, rolls, starbursts and stripes in a repeating pattern. Here is a closer look:
Ed describes this knife as a fighter / bowie and it certainly resides comfortably in either camp. The knife has a quick and responsive feel in the hand that befits the fighter designation, but also conveys a sense a strength and solidity (and sufficient blade width) that puts it right at home with my bowies as well. The knife features a true through-tang construction, with the end of the tang threaded through a small nut on the end of the butt cap.
Ill wrap up by saying that I could not be more pleased with this knife and scabbard. Everything about it from the flowing design to the complex mosaic blade, to the first rate materials and flawless fit and finish make this piece a real joy to have and hold. Heres one more pic this one by the maker:
Cheers,
Roger
This knife features a mosaic damascus blade that is just a shade under 9 inches, with an overall length just under 14 inches. The handle is a beautiful piece of fossil walrus ivory, showing a range of colours from cream, to caramel to chocolate brown almost good enough to eat!
The elegant S-guard features heat-blued and textured mild steel, with the half-pennies forged-in. The file-worked butt cap matches the colour and texture of the guard. If you look closely at the first picture, you will see that the frog button on the first-rate scabbard is also heat-blued and textured to match the fittings of the knife itself. So often it is the little thoughtful touches like this that set a knife apart.
The blade itself deserves a closer look. It is forged from a blend 1084 and 15N20 steels, combining between 9 and 12 bars to produce a fascinating checkerboard mosaic. Each window shows one of a variety of swirls, whorls, rolls, starbursts and stripes in a repeating pattern. Here is a closer look:
Ed describes this knife as a fighter / bowie and it certainly resides comfortably in either camp. The knife has a quick and responsive feel in the hand that befits the fighter designation, but also conveys a sense a strength and solidity (and sufficient blade width) that puts it right at home with my bowies as well. The knife features a true through-tang construction, with the end of the tang threaded through a small nut on the end of the butt cap.
Ill wrap up by saying that I could not be more pleased with this knife and scabbard. Everything about it from the flowing design to the complex mosaic blade, to the first rate materials and flawless fit and finish make this piece a real joy to have and hold. Heres one more pic this one by the maker:
Cheers,
Roger
