Sub-hilt Fighter - Who Makes Them?

Steelhed

Steelhed

Joined
May 21, 2001
Messages
2,871
Besides Cold Steel, who makes a good sub-hilt fighter? Either production or custom?
 
I make a modified subhilt fighter and camp/fighter. Modified in that the sub-hilt is a little smaller and resembles a very pronounced finger groove. I feel that it is more practical than a full sub-hilt.

There are hundreds of other great makers doing sub-hilts. Price ranges from $2000 for a Loveless Big Bear down to $200-$300 for lesser known makers.
 
Dave Broadwell makes, arguably, the best sub-hilt fighters going. I think he's a little burned out on them for the moment, but if you can find one of his, you're there.
 
There are sub-hilt Blackjack knives, most in Mint condition available from collectors like myself or from eBay auctions where they pop up every month or so. Prices are much more reasonable than custom made knives as mentioned above.
 
I think that Brian_Turner hit the nail on the head. David Broadwell makes an exceptional sub-hilt ! ! Another primo maker ~ Walter Brend ! ! !
 
Best Sub-Hilt Fighter Makers in the World.

David Broadwell
Steve Johnson
Schuyler Lovestrand
D.F. Kressler

Next Group:

Lloyd Pendelton
Doug Casteel
George Herron
Bill Luckett
Jim Siska
Willie Rigney
Yoshito Aida

Others to consider:

Bob Papp
Walter Brend
WW Cronk
John M. Smith
Steve Rapp
Fred Slee

The true masters of this knife make a SHF with a full tapered tang. Lots of places to make mistakes in this knife. It is perhpaps the most difficult fixed blade to make correctly.
 
Obviously you should heed Les. There are many beautiful subhilts on his site. But I would also add Wally Hayes to the first list. He doesn't make many, but when he does they are amazing. He has one or two photos on his site. I hope I can get him to make me one over the next few years.
 
Our own MaxTheKnife makes a killer one. Let me see if I can find you a pic, hmmm... where did I see that...

Oh yeah, here it is, in this thread here is a pic and the owners thoughts on the piece. Max is a great guy and makes some of the coolest stuff I ever saw. Definitely worth a look.
 
Doesn't get much better!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
subhilt1.jpg
 
max makes a hell of a knife, he's a good fella, and he stands beind his work. i highly recommend him (...even though he doesnt pay me for these ads ;) )
 
Many makers can put a nice looking sub-hilt together. Fewer yet can do so in a way that makes the extra guard just disappear. David Broadwell can do just that. I had the privledge of owning both a Broadwell MLR Fighter and MLR Sub-hilt courtesy of Les Robertson's site. I showed the Fighter to a friend of mine one day for him to handle and admire. The next week when the sub-hilt arrived I took that to him as well. He grabbed it from me and handled it for about a minute before he stopped, looked, and exclaimed, "hey, this isn't the same knife you had". He had literally grasped the knife by the handle without even being aware that it was a sub-hilt! That, and the fact that you get superlative craftsmanship and design all in one knife makes his work in a class by itself.
 
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