I Received My Custom/Handmade Knife Today

[Pete44ru]

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I just received this B&T (Bird & Trout) damascus-bladed knife from it's maker ("Montucky", over on RFC), today - and I love it !

From the maker:
The blade is .130 Alabama Damascus, "Buckshot" pattern - no power tools of any kind were used after heat-treating.
Blade length is 3 1/4" .
OAL is 7 3/4".
Rosewood burl scales are held with brass Corby bolts.
Fancy, hand-filed "vine pattern" on top of the rear tang.
Blade edge done on Japanese water stones.

Also - the leather sheath was handmade & stamped/carved by the knifemaker.







The maker's name (Rick Cox, of Montana) is barely discernable, worked into the damascus pattern on the LH side of the blade (above, right))


IMHO, this maker exhibits a very high standard of workmanship, in his blade-smithing, wood-working (Rosewood scales), and leatherwork (sheath) - at an embarassingly-low price (for a very well-made custom/handmade knife).

FWIW, I've bought 3 other handmade knives, over the years, from well-respected makers - and the quality of this one is as good or better than my other custom knives.

I yam a happy camper !



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[rjohns94]

That's a beautiful work of art! May it serve you many years

[Mescalero]

I hope to one day own a real damascus knife.
I will probably never have enough money.

[Paladin]

Beautiful knife and sheath, enjoy.

[CowboyTutt]

That is one exquisite hand made knife! Nice job!!

Mesc, never say never. These are reasonably priced.

http://www.bearandsoncutlery.com/index. ... y=DAMASCUS

-Tutt

[Pete44ru]

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Tutt/Mescalero - FWIW, my new custom damascus knife w/sheath cost me about half of what those Bear & Sons knives are priced at, AND the maker does them in non-damascus steel for even less $$.

Since the maker's a hobbyist, it took about 3mos until he got to my (verbal - no deposit) order - AND, he guarantees a buyers satisfaction..................


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[Chuck 100 yd]

Very nice!

[CowboyTutt]

Pete does he do big bowie knives in Damascus? That's what I'm looking for. -Tutt

[Mescalero]

You would think a guy with a gold mining operation would have some extra cash, overhead is a killer.

[Mescalero]

You should see my (made from a Chevy truck spring) Bowie, made to the American Bladesmith's Society definition of a proper Bowie.

[mod71alaska]

Steel, wood and leather so beautifully made into a tool...and art!

[CowboyTutt]

You should see my (made from a Chevy truck spring) Bowie, made to the American Bladesmith's Society definition of a proper Bowie.

Uh, yeah, I would agree. Pics please!!!!

-Tutt

[Borregos]

Now that is really, really nice work
I can see you would be very happy

[PaperPatch]

Ohhhhh......

[arjunky]

That Purrrrrrty.
Byron

[horsesoldier03]

That's a mighty Purdy potato skinner you got there!

[Ysabel Kid]

S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G!!!

[AJMD429]

That just looks s-s-s-h-h-a-a-r-r-p-p-p-!!!!!!

For some reason, those Damascus-style steels always seem sharper than other ones.

[gamekeeper]

Beautiful......

Craftsmanship and artistry rolled into one.......

[Gobblerforge]

That just looks s-s-s-h-h-a-a-r-r-p-p-p-!!!!!!

For some reason, those Damascus-style steels always seem sharper than other ones.

Some of that has to do with the laminations going across the cutting edge, giving it a micro serration.
I have made a lot of Damascus over the years and that one is just superb.
Gobbler

[Pete44ru]

Pete does he do big bowie knives in Damascus? That's what I'm looking for. -Tutt

IDK, Tutt - because I've never noticed him posting a pic of a bowie, just hunting-type sheath knives of a few different patterns.
That's not to say he doesn't - it's just that I wasn't interested in another bowie, and so wasn't looking out for a post on one.

The mouth-watering pics, of some of the knives he made for previous customers, is what drove me to order from Rick.

Thanks everybody, for the compliments - which I've passed on to the maker.


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[Rimfire McNutjob]

That is just stunning ... all of it. The wood has as much character as the blade. A great pairing.

[Griff]

As I said before... outstanding... Yep, I could wait if something that beautiful came my way...

[jazman]

Man, that is a knife worth the wait for sure! Flat beautiful.

[BenT]

SWEEEEEET!

[Pete44ru]

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FWIW - For your enjoyment (I hope), here's some of the other type/style knives this maker (Rick Cox) has made:

A 4" blade "hunter":




A 4-1/2" damascus "hunter":



A 6-1/2" kitchen knife:



A "short & stout" 4" hunter:




A long hunter, in use:




A small (6") "chef's knife":




A short (2-1/4")/fat utility skinner:




A 4-1/2" skinner:

[piller]

Each and every one of those knives would be right at home in a deer camp. I am often amazed at the way some people have the talent for turning steel and wood into useful pieces of art. A little bit of work can turn steel into a useful knife, but it takes talent to make it a work of art.

[Tactical Lever]

Those are some good looking knives. I really like the burled wood and Damascus type steel. I have been getting into them lately, and I am reasonably certain that mine cost quite a bit less, but there is a bit of a mental block when it actually comes time to use them.

Probably due to my lack of sharpening skill...

[Pete44ru]

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You might be surprised, as I certainly was, at how low (bordering on ridiculous) this maker's knife prices are.



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[CowboyTutt]

Pete, I think he is using stabilized wood for the handles? Some of those woods looked like spalted soft woods to me.

I need a huge "short and stout" hunter in Damascus!

Here's my current dream bowie knife. Cheap it ain't and its not in Damascus but its design looks awesome.

https://lonesomepineknives.com/site/wp- ... bbowie.jpg

-Tutt

[Dave]

That is a really nice looking knife. That size and shape make it good for anything from bream to deer. Nice

[bdhold]

gorgeous and a useful size

[Pete44ru]

Pete, I think he is using stabilized wood for the handles? Some of those woods looked like spalted soft woods to me.
-Tutt

AFAIK, Rick doesn't use stabilized softwood, like some of the RFC knifemakers - just various kinds of burl hardwood, exotic & plainer hardwood's, Micarta, and laminated wood.

Those are the choices he listed, during our back/forth when I was ordering my knife.

I gave him my 1st, 2nd & 3rd choices/preferences for scales - and also what I didn't want (Micarta & lamo wood).

My 1st choice, for the scales on my B&T, was an exotic (Tamarind, below) - but (alas), he was out of Tamarind, with none available to him in the near future.



This Micarta B&T seemed a bit too artificial-looking, for my taste (YMMV):





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