Upswept Skinner with Sneezewood

Product Description for Upswept Skinner with Sneezewood

Maker: Stuart Smith, J.S. (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 99632
Blade length: 6.10 in.
Cutting edge length: 5.75 in.
Total length: 11.00 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.17 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.24 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.22 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.06 in.
Item weight: 8.40 oz.
Shipment weight: 12.4 oz.
Blade: Distal tapered damascus blade hand forged from carbon steels
Bolster: Phosphor bronze
Handle: Presentation grade curly sneezewood
Sheath: Hand tooled leather sheath
Description: Getting to meet bladesmith Stuart Smith was a real highlight of my recent trip to South Africa. Smith began making knives in 2000 after he took a class with Mastersmith Kevin Harvey. Stuart was immediately hooked and quite his job working as a salesman by 2004. Only a few years after that, in 2009, Stuart began teaching classes of his own. Among his many students is Neels van den Berg. Stuart has been very active over the years in the Southern African Bladesmiths Association (SABA) and the Knifemakers Guild of Southern Africa (KGSA).
Stuart forged the upswept skinner blade from carbon steels, ensuring a keen, long lasting edge. The high contrast pattern shows tremendous control at the forge. The blade is distal tapered, ensuring perfect balance.
The handle begins with a contoured phosphor bronze guard. It is meticulously fit to both blade and handle -- joints between materials are virtually impossible to detect. Thinner black fiber and bronze spacers assist the natural handle to adjust to temperature and humidity changes. The handle is formed from a solid piece of sneezewood (Ptaeroxylon obliquum). This dense, resinous wood holds up to the hardest conditions. The presentation grade piece has a dramatic curled figure. A mixture of hand rubbed tung oil and Danish oil provides a silky smooth, timeless finish. A central hand domed phosphor bronze pin completes the handle.
The knife is accompanied by a hand tooled leather sheath.
Exceptional work throughout!


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