Handmade Knives

Dale Matson

Click On Photographs To Enlarge

Faria Knife

Speaking on behalf of many men, we can never have enough knives or flashlights. I think this is something that attracts males from birth. When we were young and not strong enough to open a folding knife with our fingers, we used to clamp our teeth in the blade groove and pull it open. You can imagine how many wound up cutting their lips with this method!

Knives generally come in two forms. The first is the folding knife with one or more blades. The Swiss Army Knife has been the standard for multi-blade knives but the Leatherman has made quite a dent in this market.

The second form is a sheath knife used in hunting, survival and combat. The Bowie Knife is the king of this realm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowie_knife

The Rambo Knife is more modern but of similar design. Both knives are a bit too much for me both in size and weight.

Lately the “Neck Knife” has become more popular especially with trail-through hikers. https://talonknife.com/carrying-a-neck-knife/

Anyway, I’ve bought lots of knives over the years and liked the Buck sheath knives and the Kershaw and Benchmade folding knives. For backpacking, I have found that smaller is better.

I was visiting my good friend Joe Faria the other day and he showed me some knives his son Joseph had made. I couldn’t believe how beautiful the knives were and a couple of weeks later was able to talk him out of one of his smaller knives. We did a little bartering and I traded a down coat and camp stove for the knife. I think both of us were pleased. However, Joe senior tried on the down coat and I believe Joseph may only have a camp stove to show for his bartering. They have a cabin up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where the temperatures drop into the teens.

These knives are Sharp. Joseph showed me as he shaved a piece of newspaper. He had previously fashioned a small Kydex holster for the knife and made me an additional belt holster while I chatted with Joe senior. Kydex is a modern and amazing material also used for gun holsters. The material allows for a tight fit for either a handgun or a knife and I believe has advantages over leather for holsters. The knife "feels good-in-the-hand".

Joseph gave me this information on the materials he used for this knife.

“Steel: 1080 with custom finish. Handle material: Green G10 liner, Alumilite custom pour with purple and white blend in the front, stabilized burl out back with gray Alumilite between blue G10 in the mid-section & Custom Kydex sheath for it to call home.” Joseph attached a braided cord to the handle that can be used in an emergency. For me, this will be my EDC Knife.

         I must say that the knife has been on the coffee table next to my laptop computer for several days now. It is beautiful, functional and a work of art. His last name is on all of his blades. Thanks Joseph!

         Joseph can be contacted here: mailto:josephfariamba@gmail.com

       

Joseph