Description
Rosewood on one end, pearl shell in the middle, copper between them. The Royal Pearl puts three materials on a five inch handle without any of them fighting for attention.
| Overall length | 10 inches |
| Blade length | 5 inches |
| Handle length | 5 inches |
| Steel | 1095 + 15N20 Damascus, 352 layers |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC, oil tempered |
| Handle | Rose Wood Pearl Shell | Copper Bolster |
| Included | Hand-stitched leather sheath |
Suited to: the buyer who wants a hunting knife that also survives being handed around a room. It works on game, but it is built to be looked at, and the handle materials tell you that before you pick it up.
What 352 layers actually means
The layer count is the number of alternating sheets of 1095 and 15N20 in the finished bar, arrived at by folding rather than stacking 352 pieces. More layers means finer, tighter banding rather than a stronger blade. At 352 the lines are close enough to read as flowing grain instead of stripes. We break the arithmetic down in what 352 layers means.
Pearl shell is not resin
The white panels are cut shell, which is why they shift color as you turn the handle under a light. Resin imitations look the same from one angle and dead from the next. Shell is harder than timber but more brittle, so it is set flush between wood and copper rather than left proud at an edge. Cut shell is graded, and these panels are chosen for even nacre with no chalky patching. For the same material on a skinner, see the pearl shell skinning knife.
Copper bolster, turquoise pins
The bolster is copper, so it will go from bright to warm brown over the first year unless you polish it. That is oxidation, not damage, and most owners let it happen. The pins through the scales are mosaic with turquoise centers, set flush and sanded back with the handle so nothing catches on a palm. At the other end of the size range, the compact Damascus neck knife uses one material and no bolster at all.
Ten inches, five of blade
Half blade and half handle is the classic hunting proportion, and it puts the balance point almost exactly at the bolster. That is what makes a knife this size feel lighter in the hand than it does on a scale.
Care: treat the shell like a watch crystal and the steel like a cast iron pan. Wipe the blade dry, oil it lightly every few weeks, and keep it out of the sheath in storage. Do not put the handle through a dishwasher or leave it on a sunny windowsill; heat cycles are what loosen shell inlay, not use.
FAQs
Does the pearl shell chip? Not in normal handling. It is set below the surrounding wood and copper, so an impact lands on those first.
Why has the copper darkened? Copper patinas on contact with skin and air. A minute with metal polish brings it back if you would rather have it bright.
Is it a user or a collector piece? Both work. The steel and the heat treat are the same as our plain hunting knives; only the handle is dressed up.
Model: BMK-700
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