The Big Knife Handling and Carry Options Part 2

The big knife.  Gotta love the larger sized knives they are great for many
tasks.

A handling option for you to consider:  You may do this or have tried this
before.

One thing that can be handy for handling a large knife when no lanyard
hole is sunk into the back end of your handle and you would like the extra
security at the moment is to wrap the handle when needed with cord. 

I attached a video below to show you what I mean.

Also If you have followed my blog now for awhile you know I used to post updates
every year of our Veg Garden.
Here  are some  pictures.

Here is a video of the early stages before any plants..hopefully the
season is good.

Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

A Custom Nessmuk Knife

The Nessmuk below was completed recenelty for a custom order
and thought I would share some pictures.

Blade is high aged  and has a very nice patina, and the handle is
Black ebony with 2 large steel pins.  The spine has also been
beefed up to 3/16" thickness.

The sheath is hand stitched and was done to a very rich dark
brown color. 



I also posted a new video, one of my personal knives.

If you would like to subscribe to my youtube
channel  I posted the link below.

Thank you

Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com/

The Big Knife..Handling and Carry options.Part1

I wrote and article awhile back about large knives in early America
since then and for a long while I have been thinking about
writing another on large knives and ways to carry them, and work with
them.

Carrying a large knife is very common for me as it was many years
ago for so many.  My one main large knife carry is still my old original
Hudson bay style camp knife.  It has been around for years now
and I have not been easy on it but it is still a great knife.  Every
ding I put in the handle and  each section of new patina
is just added to the history and character of the knife.  When
I need it or want to carry it I grab it and know it is comfortable
in my hands and I can count on it.

My Personal original Hudson bay..keeps on going.

One of the main questions I will get asked about large knives is
"What is the best way to carry the knife or what do you recommend?"

For most new knife users I will either go with the high ride set up
and if this isn't settling well I will mention the standard fold over
with a belt loop.  Both will work great it is just a matter of what
someone likes and if your new to knives you may not have an idea
of this yet.

If your a long time knife user more often than not you will know exactly
how you like to wear your knife.

Keep in mind  as well a large sized knife can be used for many daily
tasks especially around camp, everything from the cook pot to
fire making and even defense.

Part 2 Coming soon.

The original  large knives article can be viewed here
Large Knives Were Common in Early America


Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://ww.mlknives.com/

Country Butcher knife..Past Work

Here is a knife from past work.

This was a wide bladed knife at about 2" wide with a patina
aged finish, handle being antiqued hard ash wood with steel pins.
Blade being about 8 inches long.

The knife was fashioned after some of the butcher style
knives that worked and served well for many years in this country
and had a solid tang that drifted back into the handle about more than
half way.

Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

Custom Long Bowie Knife

This was a recently completed custom order bowie knife.

The blade being at about 12 inches with a forged steel guard.
The handle is aged black walnut with a steel but cap.  The tang
runs through the length of the handle and is peened over the
cap.

The sheath was hand stitched and hand tooled with acorn and
oak leaves.

I also posted a new video recently.  This was unreleased
video of the trail Fighter.

Thank you, you all have a great Easter.

Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

Vintage style hunting trail skinning knife...Past work

A mid week update..

The knife below is from my past work collection
of photos.
This piece has beautiful vintage style, with a patina aged
blade and file work on the spine. 
If I remember right the blade was about 4 inches long.
and perfect for many uses such as hunting and skinning,
general woods use.

Handle is dark curly maple, oiled by hand with steel pins.

The sheath was stitched by hand.

Thank you

Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com

Hard Using White Oak and some kepharts

Handle material selection on a custom knife can sometimes
be hard for someone to choose, especially if it's your first
custom or your not familiar with certain hardwoods, or
all you have is plastic handled knives.

If you love traditional knives, guns, bows or you just
love traditional style work there are many hard woods
to pick from, Tiger Maple is one of my favorites and
holds up well, as well as black walnut.  If you had
watched some of my videos you have seen my
old Hudson bay camp knives that I made years ago
and it has a black walnut handle and is still going
strong.  Hickory is very durable as well as Ash wood
and red oak, the list goes on.

Stag is very nice and another topic all together
this post is focused on wood.

Sometimes White oak gets over looked or
forgotten about. 



This wood is very durable
and dense as well and has been used for many
years in furniture building, construction
of large ships, timber frame buildings and more.

Below is one of my Bush hunting and survival knives
(Model 257)...with an extended 5 inch blade,
antiqued white oak handle.

Kephart group shot, Top knife is tiger maple,
center kephart, green canvas micarta and the last
kephart is antiqued black walnut.

Thank you
Matt
ML Knives
http://www.mlknives.com