the "rustic look", the forged look. question.

VultureParade

VultureParade

Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
369
Hey everyone,

I've got another question for the wise knife folks at Bladeforums. Notice me buttering you up there? Anyway, I'm interested in learning more about custom makers who make knives that have that "rustic" or rough forged look. A part of the blade still looks rough and bumpy from the forging process. I'll include some pics below so you get my drift.

http://www.cactusforge.com/bowies/bowie_knives-pg1.shtml
check out knife BK-002 to get what I mean.

It is also apparent in the Murray Carter knife I've been looking at.
http://www.bladeart.com/artists/murry_carter/murry_carter.htm
The Ironwood Wharnecliffe at the bottom of the page as well as the Alaskan Skinner closer to the top.

How is this style done? Can it be done in say S30V steel? Does anyone know any custom makers who use this method? I'm looking for a Utility/Defense knife for $200 or less, can it be done in this type of style?

Bear in mind I'm a bit lost when it comes to this stuff so far, but I'm learning! :) So if this is say a hand made forging process only done with a certain steel forgive my ignorance. I hope everyone is well.

-Bryan Sharp
 
Baiscally, only carbon steel are forged. The rough part that you mentioned are the hammer marks left from forging. Most stainless steel knives are made by stock removal, with the exception of a very select few people who castes stainless steel blade knives. I guess a stainless steel blade could be textured to look like hammer marks, but you might have to shell out a few more clams. There are quite a few makers( too many to mention) who make the knife of your discription. Perhaps, if you would provide some parameters like the length of the desired blade and the style, we could help you find what you are looking for.
 
Thanks for the replys. I'm looking for a blade length of around 3.5 iIN, perhaps a little smaller, but over 3 IN. The knife overall should be around 7.5 to 8 IN in length. I think this should be a good size for utility and defense purposes. Any thoughts?

As far as style goes, I'm pretty flexible. Pretty much whatever is functional for what I plan on using it for. I think a Wharnecliffe style blade can look nice if done well. I would have to say I'm attracted to "thinner" looking blade designs, let me give you an example.
http://www.ohareknives.ca/kestrel.html
This Kestrel from Sean O'Hare appeals to me and seems like it would be pretty functional as a utility/defense knife.

I think my biggest concern is finding a custom maker who will work with me on a design and has experience with the "rustic" blade design. But a maker who does this rustic design and deals with thinner blades and/or Wharnecliffe designs, is a plus.
 
I'm another great admirer of the forged antiqued look. I have not seen them done with stainless steel. Mostly frontier/primitive stuff. Also, there's a difference between fire-marks and acid etched marks.

Just for eye candy, look at daniel winkler's stuff.
 
I know a maker from Kansas who produces blades with the rough look but he does it by using an old dental drill or dremel tool. Then he etches them.
 
There are a lot of makers that produce frontier/rustic style knives. Joe Keeslar, Daniel Winkler, Gib Guignard, Richard Mize, Rich McDonald, Mike Mann, Norman Bardsley, Bernard Bertholus and Jeff Clairborne come to mind. There are many others as well, but I just can't think of their names.
 
Here is a picture of my knife that was made by Gib Guignard and Chuck Burrows.

finalfront.jpg
 
Ariel Salaverria, a knifemaker from Argentina makes those all the times.
I haven't seen any warncliffe from him (except a small necker he made for me) but he can do any designs you want in that price range.

Here are some examples of this technique.

leather2.jpg


pirate_detail1.jpg



I believe he wouldn't make it in S30V but in carbon steels, 9260, 5160 or 51200.

Anyhow, if you want, you can contact him at arielsalaverria@yahoo.com.ar

NsB
 
Thanks so much for all the replys,

Does anyone know a maker who replicates this look in stainless steel?

Or should I just go with the carbon steel? Which carbon steel is durable and holds an edge well?

Also, I'd like something with a multi-positional kydex sheath that I can horizontal carry on my belt or any other way.

A micarta handle would be a plus since I'm going to be using this knife hard, every day. But I suppose if that isn't possible a good hard wood would work (like that? "would, wood, work" I thought so.).

So I guess all I really need to know now is the quality/sharpness/edge retention of carbon steels and which one I should choose.
 
http://bussecombat.com/knives/1.html

It's not rustic, but it's definitely worth your while.

The basics are that carbon knives usually hold a better edge but it can rust.
Stainless steel knives won't rust as easily, but is more of a pain to sharpen.

If you really insist on rustic stainless steel knives, there are very few knifemakers who caste knives from stainless steel. I think David Boye offer such knives back a few years ago. Maybe some more knowledgable around here would know more about that.
 
I have been very happy with my Fred Perrin Street Bowie. Its blade measures 3 inches for the sharpened area of the blade, and 3.5 inches if the entire blade is included. The overall length is about 7 inches. Came with a Kydex neck sheath. Handle is black/grey micarta. Perrin's knives tend to have that rough forged look:

perrinbowie.jpg


Mike
 
Scandinavian-style knives often have forge marks; here's one by Eric O. Bergland (Blue River Oregon):
http://www.bladegallery.com/knives/knife.asp?knifeid=1156&pics=small&alt=one

If you don't really need true custom, here are trade knives. These are also made in Oregon but unfortunately I am spacing out the maker's name; met him last winter at the Eugene mini-show.
http://ragweedforge.com/HistoricalKnifeCatalog.html#trade
They are much nicer than you'd think conisdering the reasonable price.

Good luck,

Andrew
 
AndrewB:

Good link, thanks, very interesting knives on the links.

Mike, that Perrin is sweet, good score.

Brownie
 
You could beat the heck out of some stainless and then try to etch it. Not sure what would happen.

Why would you want it stainless? kinda defeats the idea, doesn't it?
 
Why would you want it stainless? kinda defeats the idea, doesn't it?
Click to expand...

Haha, yeah, it kind of does. The only thing is that I want a knife I can use hard every day. I was thinking that a knife in S30V stainless with a Micarta handle will last longer and keep an edge better than a knife made out of an old plow blade with a wooden handle, but I don't know. If I can get the same amount of quality and useability from a knife using a carbon blade and a wooden handle I will gladly go with that.
 
VultureParade said:
I was thinking that a knife in S30V stainless with a Micarta handle will last longer and keep an edge better than a knife made out of an old plow blade with a wooden handle, but I don't know.
Click to expand...

There are a lot of knives that were made out of old plow blades and that have wooden handles that were made 150 to 200 years ago that are still around and in really good shape today. Take care of your non-stainless carbon steel blade and wooden/bone/antler, etc. handle and it will last a few lifetimes.

Andrew, I think the name of the manufacturer of those trade knives is River Traders. I don't think they have a web site. Their knives only seem to be available from dealers, not directly from the manufacturer.
 
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