Mystery US-made custom folder

M

mercano

Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
62
Hi!
Could anyone help me identify the custom folding knife, please? Along with the photos attatched, I'd like to describe this folder as accurately as possible.
So, I'm pretty sure it's US-made. The are no markings on the knife. The steel of the blade is unknown, but the rest is made of premium materials.
There are polished titanium liners as well as titanium, satin finished pocket clip. The scales and backspacer are made of polished G-10 and bolsters are made of carbon fiber.
The handle is nicely contoured and feels great in the hand. The fit and finish is perfect. The action is really smooth, there is no blade play and the blade is perfectly centered when closed.
I'd be very thankful if anyone could identify the maker or maybe the model of this knife.
Thanks in advance.







 
Can't help on the maker, but DAMN, that's a fine folder. :thumbsup:

Obvious question: No markings in the well?
Not obvious: Look under the LH scale. Maybe personalized there.
 
I've just checked it once again and there are no markings even in the well.
SharpByCoop said:
Not obvious: Look under the LH scale. Maybe personalized there.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the valuable suggestion. Removing the LH scale will be my last resort, if no one could help me based on my photos and description.
I simply don't want to spoil the folder's perfect fit and action.
 
Looks entirely too nice not to have a maker's mark on there somewhere.
 
mercano said:
Removing the LH scale will be my last resort, if no one could help me based on my photos and description.
I simply don't want to spoil the folder's perfect fit and action.
Click to expand...
Ahh, two spins of a torx driver and they will come right off and then go RIGHT back on. That kind of fitment the maker performed tells me they will mate back perfectly. No spoiling anything. Less than a minute.

When I was involved in building Kit folders (2002-2007), we often talked about NOT signing a blade, because that was reserved for true handmades. We would suggest signing under the LH scale. It's not an unusual spot.
 
Looks like a knife kit model. Just going by the description of the parts and the odd way the belt clip was attached

Stuck at the end of a curved area and not flattened to fit into the handle better.

DON
 
Well, I've unscrewed the LH scale, but it still remains attached to the handle. There is no way to lift or slide it without using a tool, which may damage the scale. I'm starting to think it's glued to the liner, but that wouldn't make any sense. :(

Thanks, Don.:thumbsup: Any suggestion about the possible manufacturer or vendor?
 
I checked the place I bought mine and they didn't have that design. Also checked a few other places, but nothing similar.

As a possible kit. You can reshape parts to make your own design

DON
 
Thanks for trying. Yeah, the builder may have glued it. Stop there.

I just looked again at every manner of kit folders, and although this has the hallmarks, I saw NOTHING of this exact sort.

Great clear photos by the way. That also didn't go unnoticed. :)

EDIT: It's got a very 'Ken Onion' blade shape. Maybe that's why it's also so appealing.

Good luck.
 
Thanks a lot, Coop.
All the photos were made by my 23-year old son. I only provided the background and a little help with the lighting. :)
I'm a great fan of Ken Onion's work, although I've only got some production folders designed by him and made by Kershaw Knives over a decade ago.

However, I've also done some research and it seems to me that my folder resembles some knives made by Randy Doucette.
I spotted the first example at the Russian guns and knives forum:
https://forum.guns.ru/forummessage/342/2293095.html
The second one is the folder owned (and photographed) by my friend from the Polish knife forum (https://forum.knives.pl):


This one has the blue anodized titanium liners and the S30V blade.

What do you think?
 
^^^ Great find. I did some Googling:

hard1.jpg


Really close. Good research!
 
Looks like a winner. Definitely check with Randy Doucette for more information. An early one maybe?

Beautiful grind on your blade.
 
I asked Randy Doucette and he replied very quickly. Unfortunately he is not the maker of my folder.
Looks like I'm back at the starting point. :-((
 
Could be Asian, some knives are high quality, but no mark, Thai for example. Why do you think US made?
 
Whether you find info or not it looks like top quality. Carbon fiber/ micarta scales, good grind on the blade, great fit and finish all around! Definitely a keeper. Thanks is for sharing it!

James
 
Thanks, James!:thumbsup:

brownshoe said:
Could be Asian, some knives are high quality, but no mark, Thai for example. Why do you think US made?
Click to expand...
I presumed it's US made, for I bought it from an American on ebay and the seller also bought it in the USA.
It definitely doesn't look like an Asian product. Chinese for example surely can make fine folders, although I can see no "soul" in their high-end products. Maybe it's because they widely use CNC machines and there is no human touch visible in these knives.
 
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