LL-BB Flipper with Mammoth Ivory, San Mai Damascus, and Meteorite (Ceramic IKBS)

Product Description for LL-BB Flipper with Mammoth Ivory, San Mai Damascus, and Meteorite (Ceramic IKBS)

Maker: George Muller (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 101749
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 3.60 in.
Cutting edge length: 3.50 in.
Total length: 8.30 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.06 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.14 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.13 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.06 in.
Item weight: 6.00 oz.
Shipment weight: 14.8 oz.
Blade: San mai damascus blade with an SG2 powdered metallurgical stainless steel core (Hrc 63-64)
Bolster: Sikhote-Alin meteorite
Handle: Mammoth ivory
Sheath: Zipper pouch
Style: Linerlock flipper with ceramic IKBS
Description: South African knifemaker George Muller makes an exceptionally dramatic knife -- and at a price that would never be found from a US maker. Visiting with Muller during my trips to South Africa is always a highlight. The colors, textures and style all work perfectly together. The combination of ancient mammoth ivory, stainless damascus, and meteorite immediately captures the eye and inspires the imagination.
The blade is formed from stainless damascus san mai. A central bar of Takefu SG2 powdered metallurgical stainless steel is surrounded by alternating layers of stainless steel and nickel. At Hrc 63-64, this folder has among the best edge holding of any George Muller knife ever made. The resulting damascus is high contrast and immediately captivating. The flats are jewel polished. The blade is hand hollow ground for an easy to maintain edge.
The blade has smooth action and is easily opened with one hand using the ambidextrous flipper toggle. It uses the IKBS (Ikoma Korth Bearing System) pivot system. This mechanism, which was originally designed to fit balisong knives, uses ball bearings to create exceptional action with no blade play. This special folder is made with ceramic ball bearings. Generally IKBS bearings are made either from tool steel or from stainless steel. Stainless steel can wear away, resulting in uneven action over time. Tool steel bearings can oxidize making the action rough. Ceramic bearings are the best of all worlds -- extremely hard and wear resistant, they are also inert and will not oxidize.
Handle scales are formed from ancient woolly mammoth ivory. The colors in the ivory develop as minerals in surrounding soil move into the ivory across thousands of years. The scales are dovetailed to Sikhote-Alin meteorite bolsters. The Sikhote-Alin meteorite fell on the Sikhote-Alin Mountains in southeastern Russia in 1947. Measurements of the potassium and argon content of this meteorite suggest it is 1.7 x 109 years. Such an age is vastly different from all the ages previously measured for iron meteorites. This meteorite fall has a distinctive pattern known as the Widmanstatten pattern, which is one of the richest and most distinct patterns found in meteorites. The crystalline patterns can only form in the vacuum of space. The large metallic crystals require millions of years of cooling to form from a molten planetary core fragment. It has been estimated that it took about 1000 years for these molten pieces of planetary core to cool by just 1 degree Celsius!
Hand fileworked, anodized titanium liners surround a stainless damascus backspacer. George Muller's signature is on the inside of the backspacer. The stainless damascus pocket clip is mounted for tip up, right-handed carry.
Excellent work throughout!


Availability: Not currently available