BMK-111 PERSIAN YUMA Knife 9″ Long 4.5″Blade” 10.5oz Hunting Fixed Blade knife Damascus Steel Real turquoise Stag Handle Knife Black mamba Hand Made World Class knives USA Made

7 reviews for BMK-111 PERSIAN YUMA Knife 9″ Long 4.5″Blade” 10.5oz Hunting Fixed Blade knife Damascus Steel Real turquoise Stag Handle Knife Black mamba Hand Made World Class knives USA Made

1. 

   TONY SUITES / SENIOR WRITER BACKWOODS BIKER (store manager) – March 2, 2018

   Beastly Beautiful…
   What do you get when you cross a jeweler with a bladesmith? You get Black Mamba Knives, and some of the finest work you’ll ever see in the art of knife making. Their name came across my desk while we were deciding who to invite to the 2018 Gear Review Expeditions. Having never seen their work, I took a look at their website, and then reached out. I’ll tell you up front, I’m glad we did. The first thing that grabs you is the beauty of the knives that Mark Kovalsky, owner of Black Mamba, makes. But it’s no wonder they are so attractive. As Kovalsky puts it, I’m a Jeweler by trade, and own a custom jewelry shop. Now it makes sense!
   His take on using Damascus is tried and true, which is evident in his version of the iconic Ka-Bar you see here. Forged in his shop in northern Illinois, the Ka-Bar is Damascus made from 1095 High Carbon and 15n20. it comes in at a rock solid rating of 58-60 HRC. The Handle is made of over 150-200 stacked separate pieces of leather and epoxied together. Then machined to put the grooves in the handle. The tang is full and threaded at the end so the end cap can be screwed on with no movement and epoxied in place so it will not loosen or come off. I asked how he arrived at taking on the Ka-Bar design, and this is what he had to say: “I was making a knife for a disabled marine who lost his knife in the field when he was shot in Iraq. He introduced me to another marine who he met in Iraq and the second Marine told me about a man in the company that he served with that saved his life in Iraq and he said to me I want a special gift to give him. I said to him what about the original military knife a KA-BAR. He said, ‘so tell me more’. I told him I would make a KA-Bar by hand, using a very nice Damascus pattern, and he said ‘I have never seen a KA-bar in Damascus’. Thus came the first creation of the KA-BAR in Damascus.”
   But are they more than just eye-candy? You betcha they are! Unlike most of our Bench Tests, we put this Ka-Bar through some pretty rugged tests that are normally reserved for our Field Tests Reviews. I knew marking was wanting to know how his work stood up. The end result was that I came away feeling very confident about the knife’s performance in real-world situations. And if I’m being honest, when I first unboxed the knife the weight on it concerned me…it is light and nimble in the hand. But once I started working with the knife, I fell in love with everything about it. The stacked leather on the full tang handle is very solid, which I attribute to his attention to the assembly using the threaded stud at the end of the tang. Rocky was a bit concerned that it wouldn’t hold up when using it to strike and smash. I think I just heard Mark cringe! Don’t worry Mark, it’s as solid now as the day it left your shop. I would recommend this knife in a heartbeat…especially for bikers and military personnel.
   The second knife Kovalsky submitted reminds me a lot of a modified Tracker…with a Jewelers twist. I asked Mark to give me the history of this guy. “The Persian Yuma. It was just a thought of making something colorful. When it was completed to me it looked like Arizona where my cousin lives so it became Yuma ie Yuma Arizona and then a friend said that most Persian made knives had jeweled handles or spacers and it reminded him of Persian knives so it became the Persian Yuma. I have made this style in lapiz and jade. I also want to try this with lab created opal spacers which are very colorful . Blade is over 325 layers of 1095 High carbon and 15n20 steels with an 58-60 HRC. The handle is natural Stag, polished at the end to fit flat against the end cap, with turquoise spacers. The turquoise spacers are in disk form for structure and strength and the steel around it is built like a cage…the turquoise is notched so the cage lays flat inside it. The tang is full and threaded at the end so the end cap threads on to it and then epoxied in place like this I get a tight fit with no movement and the epoxy keeps it in place for ever. “
   Although different in many obvious ways from the Ka-Bar, what they both have in common is quality, durability, and superb craftsmanship. The attention to even the smallest of details is evident from the point down to the pummel. In my hand the knife was well balanced with a comfortable and stable grip, giving me a confidence with this knife that it wouldn’t fatigue my hand by the end of the day.
   We performed the same exact tasks with the Yuma as we did the Ka-Bar…and the results were the same. Feather sticks were tight and curled, notching was very easy, and the knife stood up to some heavy battoning well. When I came back to the bench I thought it would be interesting to how the edge held up. The paper test proved my suspicions…the blade cut smooth with no rips, tears or jagged edges. Feeling down the cutting edge I could find no inclusions or burrs.
   Although I prefer larger knives when in the bush, the style and performance of the Yuma with its 4 1/2 inch blade wouldn’t deter me from putting on my side. It is as rugged as the Ka-Bar, and performed just as well. Oh, and did I mention how good this thing looks. And by the way, take a look at the sheath these come with. As beautiful and functional as the blades that rests in them.
   The Beauty of these 2 Beasts are only out-shined by their performance under tests!
   Out Of The Box: 1 Ka-Bar with custom Sheath. 1 Yuma Persian with custom Sheath.
   The Design: Ka-Bar: It’s a no brainier. If you know the classic Ka-Bar, you’ll get the design of Kovalsky’s knife. Yuma: As mentioned above, I believe the bones of the Yuma were inspired by the classic Tracker design.
   Features As Reviewed: Both knives are made of fine Damascus, are both full-tanged, and both come with a custom leather sheath. Other than shape and size, the difference up front on these two are their handles. One is a stacked leather system, and the other is stag with real turquoise spaces.
   Price Point as Tested: Ka-Bar is $299 with Sheath / Yuma is $299 with Sheath (Knives of this quality regularly go for between $650-$1200)

   Conclusion: The people I can see being interested in owning this knife range from serious collectors to military, to hunters and outdoors man. They’re both great as an EDC knife and would perform well in any situation where they are deployed. I’m particularly fond of the Ka-Bar because of its size and weight. I prefer the scout carry, especially when I’m on the scooter. This knife would do well for any Biker who carries knife out in the bush. It can perform tasks such as chopping, splitting, feathering, and processing game. The Yuma, it’s the Ka-Bars little brother, and the same can be said of it as well.
   Contact Black Mamba for more info and to order today. Lead time is about 6 weeks on all his knives. PS: I look for the price of all his knives to go up once our articles and videos become available in the late fall after our return.
   Ride Free…Live Free

   http://en.calameo.com/read/005428024b70a8adf07fd

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Ken Martin (verified owner) – June 10, 2018

   I have just purchased my fourth BMK knife- one KaBar and three Persian Yumas. I’ve got to say, these knives are pure works of art. The Damascus blades are outstanding and Mark also puts a lot of effort in the scales. I have been a collector for 42 years and own 954 knives. I will be buying more of these as they enhance my collection. I have read some other reviews and understand they are as functional as they are great looking. I am a big fan of Damascus blades and I can say these are second to none. Mark has hit the “Mark” when it comes to making a great knife. If you want a great knife and great service from Mark, you gotta get a BMK knife-you will not be disappointed.

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   frank ceballos (verified owner) – June 23, 2018

   I have it to him last night and he absolutely loved it! Thank you again for everything, I’ll make sure to write a review for y’all

4. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   R. Garcia – October 17, 2018

   This is More than “just a knife”. This knife is a piece art that has amazing function! I own many mamba knives and have never been disappointed in any of them . Mark is a master craftsmen and takes pride in his Work and has always been a man of his word .. purchase one you will not be disappointed.

5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Ricky Daudelin (store manager) – June 17, 2020

   A Rugged and beautiful knife! I’ve reviewed and tested a lot of different knives, but I have never seen a Damascus knife like this…….

   watch this knife full review on my you tube Chanel
   https://youtu.be/RUWEEDFtlVo

   A couple months ago I searched Damascus knifes on the web and Black Mamba popped up, so I clicked on it. The knives in the Black Mamba’s web site Immediately caught my eye. I couldn’t believe the Consistent beauty I was seeing, From folding knives to fixed blade knives. I knew I had to see one of their products in person.

   Well a couple weeks ago I received my first Black Mamba knife in the mail. I want to start with the packaging…. I was pleasantly pleased with the box my knife came in. From the awesome Black Mamba logo to how the box opened. I opened the box to see the Persian Yuma knife and the sheath placed perfectly inside. I picked up knife and pulled It out of the plastic. The blade had a little oil / lubricant on it for protection. I couldn’t believe my eyes when the knife was in my hands. The detail, so much detail and thought was put into this knife. The Damascus blade was flawless and sharp out of the box. Over 352 Layers of 15N20 & 1095 Damascus Mixture of steel and high Carbon Steel. Oh my! Definitely hand forged. The handle, a Stag antler with a damascus steel bolster and turquoise spacers, felt like home in my hand. Again so much detail and thought was put into this. The weight of the knife seemed just right, not too heavy and not too lite….. perfect. The sheath the knife comes with is great as well, very thick and durable.

   This past couple of weeks I put this knife to the test. I wanted to see if the quality would match the beauty of the knife. From feathering hard wood , using it on a ferro rod, to cutting thick rope. I was not disappointed, The blade held its edge well and cut like a dream. The spine on the blade was edged right to use it on a ferro rod to start a fire. I live in New England, not much of a hunter but I’m a huge outdoors enthusiast, from hiking to camping. This knife is perfect for those things. I’m sure it would hold up just fine through any hunting tasks as well.

   I would recommend a Black Mamba to any knife lover out there. This Persian Yuma knife sells for 299$ on their website, I can tell you it’s probably worth a lot more than that! It’s a rugged and beautiful knife for sure! I would love to try out one of their folding knives next.

   Thank you Black Mamba for this amazing knife!!

   Ricky from ShoeMonster Tech

6. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   james Allen (store manager) – September 7, 2020

   I love good art and when I discovered black mamba knives, I was very impressed. Beautiful and very accurate craftsmanship.”
   “Mark is a man who, when you meet him, his aura is as if you’ve always known him. You will not be disappointed. Love him and the company.”
   “Also, Mark always wants you to be satisfied. If not he always makes it right. His knowledge and ability are very impressive”
   James Allen

7. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   JOHNNY SALAZAR (verified owner) – May 12, 2021

   An exquisite work of art is a pleasure to see and to hold in your hands is to feel an unequaled taste. My respects for Black Mamba. Knives.