Description

Designed to be a compact and functional utility survival knife, this clay tempered blade was hand forged from an old file at a demonstration event. Some natural texture from fire and hammer marks as well as the remains of the original file teeth have been left on the upper surface of the blade.

The concept for this piece was to combine the style and size of a western outdoor knife with the engineering of a Japanese sword mount. The blade has the lines of a scaled-down classic bowie and the overall look and feel of the knife is reminiscent of the Australian commando knives made c. 1944 for survival and utility use in various environments in the Pacific rim.

The hand carved maple handle began as a piece of discarded furniture built in September 1968. The tang and handle are constructed in a similar manner as a Japanese tanto and a single bamboo pin holds the assembly together. A forged copper collar adds strength to the handle and the lanyard hole is lined with a small copper pipe. The blade is 5.25″ long and the overall length is just under 10″.

Material: Reclaimed file steel, copper pipe, bearing bronze, and bamboo, rawhide, reclaimed maple furniture

This piece is in a private collection on Vancouver Island.