Description
The Ares is a dress folder first and a cutting tool second. Mokume bolsters, a tiger iron inlay and set stones give it more ornament than most pocket knives carry, and the forged blade underneath is the reason it reads as one design rather than decoration bolted onto a blank.
| Steel | 1095 + 15N20 Damascus, 352 layers |
| Handle | Tiger iron inlay with mokume gane bolsters |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC, oil tempered |
| Included | Hand-stitched leather sheath |
Built for: the buyer who wants a folder that looks like it belongs in a collection but still opens a box, trims a thread or breaks down a package without complaint. A pocket piece for people who notice materials.
What the layer count gets you
Two steels are stacked, forged together, cut, restacked and forged again until the count reaches the figure above. The 1095 is the hard, dark half. The 15N20 carries nickel and stays bright through the acid etch, which is why the pattern reads as light against dark instead of as a printed surface. It also means the edge is high-carbon the whole way through: the pattern is structural, not a coating. What 352 layers means walks through the folding math if you want it.
The trade-off with a dress folder
Ornament costs you something. Set stones and mokume are not materials you want to grind against a truck bed, and bolster work adds bulk a plain-scaled knife would not carry. For a knife you can forget about and treat badly, a titanium-handled pocket knife is the harder-wearing answer. The Ares is for the other kind of carry.
Keeping it right
Care: this blade is high-carbon, so it spots if you leave it wet. Dry it the moment you close it and put a thin film of oil on the flats every few weeks, more often in humid months or if it rides against your leg. Keep oil off the stone settings; a dry cotton cloth is enough there. Mokume darkens on its own over years, which is normal and not corrosion. Work a drop of light oil into the pivot twice a year to keep the action smooth.
FAQs
Will the stones come loose in a pocket? They are set, not surface-glued, and ordinary carry does not disturb them. Dropping the knife onto concrete is a different matter.
Is the mokume going to stay this color? No. Mokume is a mixed-metal laminate and it dulls and warms with handling. Most owners prefer it after a year.
Can I use it as a work knife? You can, and it will cut fine, but the finish picks up marks quickly. That is the cost of carrying a decorated knife hard. Choosing an EDC knife covers the plainer options.
Does it arrive sharp? Yes, with a working edge ready to cut.
Forged, finished and shipped from Memphis, Tennessee.
Model: Bmk-1010
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Communication after the order was placed was lacking. I was concerned that the order would not arrive by the holiday and I received no return communications to my inquiries.
I regards to the knife, there is no easy access to release the lock back. The user has to poke a finger down in the knife slot to push the lever…. not easily accessible. I’m wondering if there is a factory fix for this.