The Vintage Bowie Knife and some Leather Work

The Bowie knife posted below was a recent custom order that left my
shop, and the blade measured out at about 8 inches long with a slow
tapered forward swedge/clip.

The tang was hidden and runs through the entire length of the
aged black walnut handle and was preened over a solid steel
but cap.  The hatching on the handle was done by hand as well.

The guard is of steel as well and was forged and hand fitted.

The sheath was hand stitched and antiqued.

New Leather work was added to the "Available Leather Pieces Page"
All of my leather tooling and hand carved line work is done
one at a time and by hand.
Here is a close up of the current available piece.

Thank you

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

The Large Knife and Some thoughts On Carry

For some A large knife is something you wouldn't carry in
the woods, only something you would use maybe in your kitchen.

Well...I am going to give some of my thoughts and opinions
on larger knives.

Large knives have been carried for many years, and once you
get used to carrying one or become proficient with one you
may want to consider having, packing or carrying at least
one larger knife that has a bit of heft to it.

If your worried about carrying a large knife because of weight
or just don't want something with say an 8 inch blade or
so weighing you down, there is more than one way to carry
a big blade with almost any kind of sheath.

A simple way is to tuck the knife in its sheath at a semi cant
in the back or front of your belt.  Better yet if you have a high
ride sheath you can angle the knife and cross draw it as well.

Another simple way is to carry a large knife in your pack,
or attached to your pack if you carry one.
For years I have lashed my larger Hudson bay camp knife
to one of my side bags and carried it without an issue.
Still do carry it this way at times.

Camp tools such as a large knife can be handy as well for
helping with making kindling, making stakes for a shelter,
de-limbing larger branches with ease, you can also thump
the blade of you large knife in a stump and use it to debark
a branch or larger sized branches or to make some smaller
sized tinder for fire.

Batoning can be easier with a big knife, if needed and yes
a big knife is great in the kitchen, no doubt about that.

One other thought, a large blade can also be your
best friend when you might come across a last resort
situation.  It will never run out of ammo and if your
large knife has some heft to it can be used more than
one way than blade end.

The Knife below was a recent custom with an antiqued
elk stag handle, 9 inch pattern and patina aged blade.
Pins are brass over brass washers and this has been
set up with an aged hand stitched high ride sheath.

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

Horizontal Carry Kephart Knife

If you have been on my sheaths page on the website
you know I make some different style horizontal carry
knife sheaths.  The Horizontal carry below has 2 loops
that go around the sheath and be carried for right
or left hand draw.

Below was a custom order kephart knife with a tiger maple
handle.  Blade has both pattern aged and patina finish
with file work on the spine.

Custom Spear Point Knife

Recent custom knife work, of a beautiful spear point.

This knife was special ordered with a beefed up 3/16" spine
stag and (white liners).

The blade is pattern and patina aged and is about 5 inches
long with some nice file work.

Sheath was hand stitched.

I have a good collection of photos I have taken on hikes and woods
journeys here is another one.

Also If you would like to know or get a heads up when new knives are available
for sale in one of the available knife galleries It will not only be posted on the website
but will post it on twitter.   Will also post info and sneak peaks of in works photos
available leather pieces and more as I can.  The picture below will bring you to
the page.

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

The Natural Sheath and aged Nessmuk

A recent custom order Nessmuk posted below.

This is one of my custom Nessmuks with a 3 pin antiqued stag handle
with pattern and patina aged blade.

Also requested was a natural colored (pancake style) sheath.
The only thing put on the sheath was a nice light coating of
my oil and beeswax mixture.  This sheath will age and patina
with naturally.

This knife if also posted on the NEW Updated PAST WORK 
EXTENDED Page.  You can see the new page by clicking
the link above and I will also post the link below.

Another Photo from a collection of pictures taken on back woods journeys.

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

PAST WORK EXTENDED

Long frontier Knife Rawhide custom sheath

A long knife custom is this weeks post.

This knife not only has a nice frontier style but will handle many hard
working tasks.

The Patina aged  blade on this is about 9 inches long and just about 2"
wide at the widest point.  Spine is .25 thick

The handle is smoothed and antiqued elk stag with some custom carving
just before the aged brain tan leather wrapping at the forward portion.

The tang runs through the handle of the knife and is peened over a
hefty piece of .25 thick carbon steel.

The sheath was entirely stitched and aged by hand.  The outer portion
is aged deer skin rawhide with a hard core veg tan liner.  The vintage
trade beads were hung with rawhide.  This sheath was set up for a
left handed high ride set up and cross draw.

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