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

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

Maker: George Muller (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 102377
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 3.60 in.
Cutting edge length: 3.50 in.
Total length: 8.40 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.07 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.14 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.13 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.03 in.
Item weight: 6.40 oz.
Shipment weight: 14.4 oz.
Blade: Damasteel stainless damascus
Bolster: Gibeon meteorite
Handle: Mammoth ivory
Sheath: Zipper pouch and storage box
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 Gibeon meteorite immediately captures the eye and inspires the imagination.
The hollow ground blade is formed from damascus forged by Damasteel in Sweden. The blade has smooth, drop shut 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 Gibeon meteorite bolsters. The Gibeon meteorite landed in Great Namaqualand, Namibia, Africa. It radio carbon dates to over 4 billion years ago. Gibeon fragments are spread over one of the largest strewn fields in the world, measuring 70 miles wide by 230 miles long and have 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 Damasteel backspacers. 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!


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