Just yesterday rec. my period correct belt knife from Dennis Miles at Double Edge Forge.
Overall length is right around 10.5" with 5.5"(roughly being blade). It is forged from an old mill file and left pretty rough with carbon and hammer marks up around the spine. The handle has a slight turn down on the heel for gripping ability. The blade itself has a slight drop point to it also. The handle slabs have 3 brass rod pins and there isn't a hard edge on the slabs at all. Read that as extremely comfortable to hold. The slabs are very dark walnut, almost aged looking. Sealed with bees wax and a combination of pine pitch and one other ingredient that I can't recall off hand. There is no guard at all, as there weren't on knives of the period. It also has short choil on it that is left unsharpened for about .75" until the blade grind begins. The overall balance of the piece is very nice too. In a couple of words it is a very well made piece and very historically correct. It appears to have a convex grind to the blade also. Extremely sharp out of the box. It is kind of neat to take note of the fact that the spine has a couple of very slight crooks in it but the edge itself is straight as an arrow. I had this knife done for me in less than a week delivered to my door for $75. He also makes neck knives, camp knive, belt axes, tomahawks, and other accoutrements for the muzzleloaders and he stands in very good stead with the American Trekkers. These are muzzleloaders and such that actually take off into the wilderness with just exactly what a trapper, longrifleman, etc. would have had at the time. Talking with him I am sure he would also do the more modern of knives too. I find it interesting that in just this months issue Blade does a story on folk schools. Forging and crafting like they did a hundred to two hundred years ago. As Dennis says his forge is stuck in the 18th century. All I can say is that this blade is historically correct,(like I wanted), is razor sharp, is extremely well made, was inexpensive considering, and done very quickly. I am one happy pilgrim. Can't wait to order my camp knife. Oh yea everything he makes he expects to be used to the fullest. Watch yer topknots.
Overall length is right around 10.5" with 5.5"(roughly being blade). It is forged from an old mill file and left pretty rough with carbon and hammer marks up around the spine. The handle has a slight turn down on the heel for gripping ability. The blade itself has a slight drop point to it also. The handle slabs have 3 brass rod pins and there isn't a hard edge on the slabs at all. Read that as extremely comfortable to hold. The slabs are very dark walnut, almost aged looking. Sealed with bees wax and a combination of pine pitch and one other ingredient that I can't recall off hand. There is no guard at all, as there weren't on knives of the period. It also has short choil on it that is left unsharpened for about .75" until the blade grind begins. The overall balance of the piece is very nice too. In a couple of words it is a very well made piece and very historically correct. It appears to have a convex grind to the blade also. Extremely sharp out of the box. It is kind of neat to take note of the fact that the spine has a couple of very slight crooks in it but the edge itself is straight as an arrow. I had this knife done for me in less than a week delivered to my door for $75. He also makes neck knives, camp knive, belt axes, tomahawks, and other accoutrements for the muzzleloaders and he stands in very good stead with the American Trekkers. These are muzzleloaders and such that actually take off into the wilderness with just exactly what a trapper, longrifleman, etc. would have had at the time. Talking with him I am sure he would also do the more modern of knives too. I find it interesting that in just this months issue Blade does a story on folk schools. Forging and crafting like they did a hundred to two hundred years ago. As Dennis says his forge is stuck in the 18th century. All I can say is that this blade is historically correct,(like I wanted), is razor sharp, is extremely well made, was inexpensive considering, and done very quickly. I am one happy pilgrim. Can't wait to order my camp knife. Oh yea everything he makes he expects to be used to the fullest. Watch yer topknots.
