Locking knives, beginning with the Lockback or Midlock were developed at least 200 years ago. Until 1964, they were a minor part of the business because people thought it foolish to pay a 20-30% premium for the locking mechanism. But things changed in 1964, when a new company, Buck Knives, offered a large lockback which was dubbed the “Folding Hunter”, the Buck 110, that was soon one of the fastest selling knives in the knife world. Soon all of the older knife companies were offering at least one lockback to their customers.
However, as far as folding knives go, the Buck 110 is probably the best selling knife ever and it is awesome sharp in 420HC. The steel is easy to sharpen, but doesn’t keep the greatest edge. The knives are heavy and tough, and well suited to hunting and camping purposes, if you prefer a folding pocket knife.
Having said that, we don’t really prefer a folding knife for use as a hunting knife, as they can often result in serious injury if the lock fails or the blade is accidentally is closed on a finger. We prefer a drop point fixed blade knife for hunting purposes. Such is Paul’s hunting knife, together with some shown below from a friend who is a knife maker, which is what we like for both the blade shape and overall size, which are on the small size for big game hunting, but still very useful and good for birds and fish as well. We really like the S35V and S30VN steels which are sharp and durable. The 1095, D1 and D2 file steels are great steels for hunting or cowboy/horseman blades, as shown below. There are many great steels these days, new and old formulas.
The cowboys prefer a cross draw short knife like these, which we like very much for western riding and horsing around. The cross draw provides easy access and the sheath doesn’t dangle like traditional belt sheaths. However, these cross draw cowboy holsters really work best for very short knives, around 2-3″ blades at most. Anything bigger starts getting awkward.
Or sometimes they wear them with a back draw:
Paul prefers these little 3″ knives made in the Sandhills, which he uses on birds, fish and big game, even bear.
These little cowboy knives are made from old horse rasps and came with a cross draw sheath, meant for carrying on your left front hip.
This one is made a former horse shoe rasp and is 1095 high carbon steel and desert ironwood. It’s very thick steel, so it slices surprisingly well for being so thick of a blade.Sold for $900 that Damascus came from one of the best Damascus makers in the world the bolsters are made from meteorite the handles are mammoth tooth and with custom work down the back.
This fixed blade is 7 1/4 inches and would be $350
Made with a stainless Damascus blade meteorite bolsters blue mammoth ivory handles and did file work down the backThis is another of our horsewomen favorites, we ordered one of these in pink for , but Cody hasn’t made it yet:
This is a neat Celtic knife that would be great for our daughter’s archery Renaissance festivals and hunting as well. 500Euro from https://www.facebook.com/NowodworskiKnivesJewellery/ with about a sixth month wait and the total length of the knife is 22.6 cm, of which 10.3 cm is blade, wide at 2.3 cm and thick at 4 mm but can be custom made.
Another unusual knife comes from Mr. Litty, a knife builder in Missouri. http://littycustomknives.com/. Knives made with S35VN steel can be used for various purposes. Thanks to its high grade toughness and ability to become razor sharp, it is ideal for use in hunting and bushcraft knives, where toughness and wear-resistance are key. Knives using this steel will surely perform even under the often less-than-ideal conditions found outdoors. For avid woodsmen, campers, and hunters, you will want a knife that provides an impressive, quality knife experience but also will not let you down where knives with other steels might. If you are frequently found outdoors in rainy, muddy, and otherwise dangerous conditions, than so will your knife. The rugged dependability offered by S35VN steel in less-than-ideal conditions makes it quite obvious why one would want it in their knives. This Litty knife is S35VN steel, ground at 21 degrees. It cuts venison like butter.
The other knife shown above is a Larry Page, which is an ideal for a smaller version of the Loveless Hunter Style Knife and is CPM154 steel. The blades should be resharpened at a 21 degree angle. Larry Page began making knives in 1983. He has always been a hunter and has strong opinions about how a knife should be designed to work properly in the field. It should always fit the hand in use to prevent slippage when dressing game to avoid serious injury. His favorite blade style is a drop point since it keeps the blade away from the gut or muscle during skinning.
Your Larry Page knife will include a sheath of 8 to 9 oz. double shoulder leather, which he makes himself and form fits to each individual knife. Each knife and sheath will bear matching serial numbers to assure that you will always get your knife back in the correct sheath.
Larry is a life member of the NRA, and has been a member of the South Carolina Association of Knifemakers since 1984 and a member of the Knifemakers Guild since 1987.
Larry Page 3″ Drop Point Hunter
The 3″ mirror polished drop point blade is CPM154 stainless hardened to about 59 Rc. with a strongly tapered tang. The handle scales are Desert Ironwood from the Sonoran Desert with a 303 stainless hilt and stainless handle screws. Measures 7-1/2″ overall and weighs 3.8 oz. Includes a handmade leather belt pouch style sheath.R.L DOZIER CUSTOM LOVELESS STYLE HUNTER KNIFE 3.625 INCH BLADE WITH MICARTA HANDLES 154-CM STAINLESS STEEL PLAIN BLADE EDGE Here we have a custom hunter knife made by R.L Dozier, who was an apprentice to the late Bob Loveless, whose hunter knives now sell for $7-10,000. This knife will leave you wanting more. R.L Dozier designed this knife after the famous Loveless style hunter. This knife feels great in the hand and has a great weight to it. It has micarta handles which add a great finish to the knife. Blade has a mirror polish finish, with a tapered tang. This knife features a 154-CM stainless steel blade. This knife comes with a brown genuine leather sheath for carry and storage. This would be a great collector’s item, you do not want to miss out on this once in a lifetime deal.
The blades should be resharpened at a 20 degree angle.
Weight (Lbs.) 0.6200
Blade Length 3.625″
Blade Thickness .188″
Overall Length 8.125″
The finest knife in the world is worthless without a good sheath. We make Loveless sheaths from heavy 8 – 9 ounce cowhide shoulder leather. We hand fit each knife to its own pouch style sheath by wet forming. After thorough drying, each sheath is dipped in our own blend of waterproofing & preserving oil.In use, a Loveless Knife comes out of its sheath with one hand. No keeper strap in the way to be fumbled with or carelessly cut. The knife,in its sheath, should stay in one place on your belt so you can count on easily getting to it when you reach for it. When you place your order tell us what belt width you will be using and we can make the belt loop of the sheath a snug fit for you.
A R. Dozier Loveless Hunter
Loveless Hunter
Paul’s sheath
A.G. RUSSELL DROP POINT HUNTER
$280 | Available
SPECIFICATIONS
Category Fixed Blade Item # KLC12254 Maker A.G. Russell Model Drop Point Hunter Main Blade Length & Type 3 1/4″ Drop Point Blade Steel ATS-34 Stainless Steel Rockwell 57-59 RC Handle Material India Stag Hilt Nickel Silver Liners Red & Black Spacers Overall Length 7 3/8″ Overall
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Pre-owned. Not used or carried. The blade is hollow ground and has a satin finish. Handmade in the mid to late 1990’s in the A.G. Russell custom shop. The guard has a some light tarnish marks from being kept in the sheath. It comes with the original brown leather sheath. These knives are made by John Bartlow of Wyoming, who recently passed away. Still looking at which one might be best for our purposes, but the stag one with engraving looks best, but yikes at $900.
Keith Murr $240.00
Keith Murr is a Northwest Arkansas maker whose knives we have offered in our catalogs for several years. We have offered knives with ram’s horn, bone and Micarta®. This is the first with any kind of wood. Keith’s choice of handle material for this version of his Model C6 hunter is a striking Rosewood Burl. Keith began his knifemaking career in 1987 in much the same way other makers began, by making knives from saw blades. We have seen progress in his work over the years, but he has stayed true to his feeling that no matter how pretty, his knives are working tools. This philosophy can be seen in the simplicity and quality of his work.
This 3-3/8″ full tang drop point satin finish blade is D2 at 59-60 RC. The handle is a beautiful rosewood burl wood. Measures 7-1/2″ tip to butt and weighs 4.6 oz. Includes a handmade brown leather pouch style sheath. Handmade in the U.S.A.
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This “Jackal” from the Scavenger series features a hand rub satin finished drop point N690 blade, .107″ blade stock and .821″ blade depth, full tang construction. The handle has stabilized kudu bone scales. Comes with a brown bovine leather sheath. Comes with original box and COA. New from maker at the 2018 Blade Show. 3″ blade 6.625″ overall. ABOUT THE MAKER-Arno Bernard I made my first knife in 1978 out of a saw blade, at that time I was a teacher at a technical school. I started making knives on a regular basis in 1991 and became a full time maker in 1996. At that time I was working as a school psychologist. I like to work with different ivory (legal), especially mammoth and warthog ivories. I work with steels like ATS34, 12C27, Damasteel and other Damascus. I live in South Africa and did my first show in the USA in 1996 and visit the States to do about 8 shows per year. I have been a member of the South African Knifemakers Guild since 1994. I make fixed blades as well as folders. _______________________________________________________
So, who are the kind of men who carry pocket knives today? They are typically utilitarian. They are the type of men who work hard for a living, fix what is broken, hunt and fish, and stand fearless in the face of a world full of evil. To put it simply, they are the type of men that I feel this world needs more of.
If you find yourself in a tight spot and need some help, just ask the guy with the pocket knife. Although they are few are far between these days, chances are he can and will be able to lend a hand.
For the girl who carries a pocket knife, and not a fixed blade for hunting, there is this Painted Pony Prototype from Tidioute Cutlery and Great Eastern Cutlery features a drop point linerlock blade with file work. The handle features textured nickel silver bolsters, turquoise scales with a black lip pearl inlay along with fancy fileworked brass and stainless steel liners. Nice detent, blade seating and lock up. Blade has a few minor imperfections but otherwise in overall excellent condition.
PRODUCT DETAILS
- Blade Length 3
- Overall Length 7
- Closed Length 4
- Weight (oz) 3.3
- Source Previously Owned
ADDITIONAL SPECS
- Knife Type Half Stop
- Blade Details Drop Point
- Handle Material Micarta, Pearl, Stones & Minerals
- Other Details Prototype
Tidioute Cutlery Painted Pony Proto
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Or this favorite of girls everywhere, a cowgirl knife from Roper Kiesner, with pink bolsters, custom pins, and a Damascus blade.
Bobby Toole
Check out this slip joint pocket knife with a dog leg handle made of desert ironwood with a native blade, custom made by Bobby Toole, as recommended by our bird dog doc, who has one that he loves. And, remember, as Bobby says, “No one knife will do all things. But guys say this one can do anything.”
Dog Leg Jack
CPM 154 blade
416 stainless bolsters
3″ blade
3 15/16″ closed
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