I recently picked up an Orca 2.0 and I can't keep it out of my pocket. It has gotten me looking at other S. African makers like A2, 3LegDog, Trevor Burger, Clyde Challenor, and others. It's interesting that the design ques are a little different from US makers - fewer full ti frame locks, more liner locks with ti liners and lots of dedicated front flippers.
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S. African Knives
- Thread starter Tensaw
- Start date
John Phillips
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2020
- Messages
- 2,386
Love my AB fixed blade for the kitchen, used everyday!!!
A2 makes some of the most beautiful and smoothest action knives I’ve experienced to date. Thys Meades is another that I’ve been fortunate to own but his prices are getting steep, good for him though…supply and demand!!!
Quick video of my A2 A11 with Ceramic IKBS is top smoothest action I’ve experienced to date. As good or possibly better than Shiro in my opinion PERFECT lockup in every direction and ZERO lock stick.
Video:
A2 makes some of the most beautiful and smoothest action knives I’ve experienced to date. Thys Meades is another that I’ve been fortunate to own but his prices are getting steep, good for him though…supply and demand!!!
Quick video of my A2 A11 with Ceramic IKBS is top smoothest action I’ve experienced to date. As good or possibly better than Shiro in my opinion PERFECT lockup in every direction and ZERO lock stick.
Video:
WedgeAntilles
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2020
- Messages
- 946
I've only tried Arno Bernard and CRK (obviously U.S. made now, but the aesthetic is there). There is some seriously awesome stuff, certainly my favorites, from this part of the world.
Very nice! Bladegallery has an A11 that I've been checking out.
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2008
- Messages
- 6,253
I can assure you that you will be hugely impressed with it.
100% I now live in New Zealand and am commissioning a fellow South African near me to make a hunting knife. The engineering skills of South Africans are legendary. His work is way ahead of local guys. Precise. Excellent.We are lucky enough to have some of the best knife makers on the planet. The South Africans punch far higher than their weight in the custom knife world.
That's nice
I started going to the annual Knife Shows in South Africa when I was a boy some 40 years ago. They were incredible knife makers then. Saw the Sebenza when Chris first made it. He lived in my suburb. Boy, that all feels like a millions years ago.
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2008
- Messages
- 6,253
I'm from Durban as well. I was buying knives from Chris when he was still working out of a one car garage in Berea!
FYI there is a fantastic knifemaker in Nelson named Brent Sandow. He was originally Capetonian and has been in NZ over 30 years. Both he and his late Dad were KGSA members. Give him a shout if you want anything special, his work is excellent.
Goodness! Blinking small world. My first name is also Steven. I grew up in Westville; eventually moved to Berea when I got married, then Everton/Kloof before coming to NZ in 2009. I worked up in Nelson in 2021. Met Richard van Dyk - a Dutch knife maker (and jeweller by trade). He made Lord of the Rings swords for the movies. I bought a small fixed knife for my daughter who is besotted with the LOTR films. So you would have gone to the Durban Easter Knife Shows. Those were the days! You're my oldest sister's age. I was born in '73. I'll look up that Brent guy. I might be going through Nelson in the next couple of months. You in SA still? CT?I'm from Durban as well. I was buying knives from Chris when he was still working out of a one car garage in Berea!
FYI there is a fantastic knifemaker in Nelson named Brent Sandow. He was originally Capetonian and has been in NZ over 30 years. Both he and his late Dad were KGSA members. Give him a shout if you want anything special, his work is excellent.