MATERIALS USED

A brief description of the steel, wood, and other materials I use to make my knives

BLADE STEELS

90MnCrV8 / 1.2842 - A deep-hardening tool steel with high manganese content. Small amounts of chromium and vanadium contribute to edge-holding. Etches very dark when used in damascus.

80CrV2 / 1.2235 - A low alloy tool steel with small amounts of chromium, vanadium, nickel and manganese for both toughness and wear-resistance. Etches grey when used in damascus

75Ni8 / 1.5634 - A nickel-bearing tool steel known for its high toughness. Remains a bright, silvery grey when used in damascus.

SC125 - A very clean, pure high carbon steel. Takes an extremely fine edge and can produce a vivid hamon when differentially hardened.

C105 / W1 - A hypereutectoid carbon steel. Takes a very fine edge and can produce a vivid hamon when differentially hardened.

W2 - A hypereutectoid carbon steel with small amounts of tungsten and vanadium for added wear resistance. Takes a very fine edge and can produce a vivid hamon when differentially hardened.

1084 - A deep-hardening carbon steel that holds a very good edge.

L6 - An extremely tough tool steel alloyed with nickel, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, and vanadium.

Pattern-welded (damascus) steel - I forge all of my own damascus, usually from combinations of two or more of the above-listed steels.

HANDLE MATERIALS - WOOD

Wood (Natural or Stabilized)

Australian Ringed Gidgee - one of the hardest woods known to man. Heartwood has a reddish-brown color and certain specimens also exhibit a tight curly or velvety figure
Hawaiian Koa - a member of the acacia family, Hawaiian koa is known for its warm brown tones and handsome grain. Some specimens exhibit a tight curly figure with wonderful chatoyance.
Desert Ironwood - a hard, dense wood native to arid climates that produces vivid figures and tones, ranging from golden tans and dark oranges to deep chocolate browns.
Ancient Bog Oak - this is oak that has been naturally preserved and stained a dark brown from being submerged in tannin-rich anearobic environments like peat bogs or muddy riverbeds for hundreds or even thousands of years
Sugar Maple - A very hard and dimensionally stable wood with a dense grain that can produce beautiful figure and chatoyance. Though not exotic, it remains one of the best choices for wood-handled knives.
Walnut - A tight-grained and dimensionally stable hardwood with a deep brown color and occasionally vibrant figure.
African Blackwood - A dense, dark wood used on everything from knife handles to clarinets.

Stag / Antler - a hard, dense, and naturally grippy material that has been used on knives, swords, and tools for thousands of years

Ancient Fossil Ivory (Mammoth and Walrus) - dense, hard, stable, and colored by the earth's minerals from laying submerged in the permafrosts of the far north for many thousands of years.

Micarta - a non-porous composite phenolic material known for its strength, durability, and resistance to environmental factors such as moisture or UV exposure.

G10 - a non-porous fiberglass laminate known for its high strength, durability, and resistance to environmental hazards.

Carbon Fiber - carbon fiber reinforced polymers are known for their high strength to weight ratio. Like other synthetics, carbon fiber reinforced polymers are non-porous and resistant to moisture and other environmental factors.

HANDLE MATERIALS - OTHER NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC

Stag / Antler - a hard, dense, and naturally grippy material that has been used on knives, swords, and tools for thousands of years

Ancient Fossil Ivory (Mammoth and Walrus) - dense, hard, stable, and colored by the earth's minerals from laying submerged in the permafrosts of the far north for many thousands of years.

Micarta - a non-porous composite phenolic material known for its strength, durability, and resistance to environmental factors such as moisture or UV exposure.

G10 - a non-porous fiberglass laminate known for its high strength, durability, and resistance to environmental hazards.

GUARDS, SPACERS, PINS AND FITTINGS

Stainless Steel - stainless steel offers strength, corrosion resistance, mass, and a bright finishability, making it an excellent material for guards, spacers and pins

Bronze - bronze is more ductile than steel and responds well to a variety of finishing techniques. Its yellowish copper tones can provide a wonderful complement to dark woods like walnut, bog oak, or african blackwood

Titanium - a lighter-weight alternative to steel

Argentium - a tarnish resistant, 93.5% pure silver alloy. argentium adds luster and shine when used as inlay or pin stock.

Damascus - hardened, etched, and polished or blued, damascus fittings add unique patterns and textures to any knife

Carbon Fiber - strong and lightweight, carbon fiber can be used for handles, bolsters, spacers, pins, and lanyard tubes.

Micarta - a durable composite material available in several colors and patterns that can accent a composite handle construction in myriad ways

G10 - a highly durable and relatively light-weight composite also available in several different colors

LEATHER

Handmade leather sheaths are available upon request for any of my camp and field knives. I use only high quality vegetable-tanned leather, cut precisely for a custom fit, and hand-stitched with strong nylon thread. The leather can be dyed tan, brown, or black to complement the colors of the knife and handle.