Integral Keyhole Hunter with Spalted Beechwood

Product Description for Integral Keyhole Hunter with Spalted Beechwood

Maker: Henning Wilkinson (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 99824
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 5.90 in.
Cutting edge length: 5.40 in.
Total length: 11.00 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.65 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.23 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.15 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.05 in.
Item weight: 9.80 oz.
Shipment weight: 20 oz.
Blade: Hand forged 52100 carbon steel
Bolster: Integral 52100 carbon steel
Handle: Spalted beechwood
Sheath: Hand stitched pouch style leather sheath
Description: I was very excited to finally meet Henning Wilkinson on my recent trip to South Africa. I had been watching his work develop for a bit over a year and there are few bladesmiths that combine such a great sense of design along with fit and finish.
This Keyhole Hunter was forged to shape from 52100 carbon steel. Many knifemakers (including the likes of Bill Burke, Ed Fowler, Bob Kramer, and more) and knife users consider 52100 to be among the best, if not the best steel used in modern knifemaking. 52100 takes a super-sharp, long lasting edge. It has tremendous resilience and strength. The left ricasso is inlaid with Wilkinson's mark, a stylized cross created from 9k gold. The spine is beautifully rounded for comfort when choking up on the blade.
The integral guard moves into an extended keyhole. All fitting was done by hand, showing a tremendous amount of skill and precision. The handle is made from spalted beechwood (Fagus grandifolia). Creating a keyhole hunter using light toned woods is particularly difficult because it is much harder to hide small errors in fit. The medium-light toned has dramatic black spalting lines.
Everything on this knife was meticulously hand fitted to perfection. It is accompanied by a hand stitched pouch style leather sheath.
Absolutely exceptional!


Availability: Not currently available