Description
The engraving on this one is cut into the steel, not pressed onto it. Scrollwork runs across the bolster, up the ricasso and over the pommel cap, with a rosewood grip left plain between them so there is somewhere for the hand to rest.
| Overall length | 12 inches |
| Blade length | 7 inches |
| Handle length | 5 inches |
| Steel | Hand-forged high-carbon steel |
| Handle | Stainless Steel with Hand Engraved |
| Included | Hand-stitched leather sheath |
Intended for: the person who wants a working shape they will mostly look at. Twelve inches overall with a seven inch blade is genuine camp size, but the finish on this one asks to be kept off rock and bone.
Hand engraving, up close
Cut engraving leaves tool marks. Under a loupe you can see where each line was chased and where the graver lifted, and the pattern is very slightly asymmetrical from side to side because a person did it rather than a die. That is the difference worth paying for. Stamped decoration is uniform and shallow; this is neither. Read hand-forged versus factory made for what else changes when a person is doing the work.
Rosewood and how it wears
Rosewood is dense, oily and stable, which is why it has been used on tool handles for two centuries. It darkens with skin contact and takes on a low shine at the points where your fingers land. It will not swell and shrink through a wet season the way an open-grain wood does. If it ever looks dry, a drop of oil rubbed in with a fingertip is the entire treatment.
A seven inch blade on a twelve inch knife
That ratio puts the balance well forward. Chopping and heavy draw cuts feel natural. Anything requiring a light touch near the tip does not, because your hand is a long way from the working end. If you want the same reach with fittings built for abuse rather than admiration, the Yuma Style bowie is the plainer alternative.
Keeping the finish: Hand-forged high-carbon steel with a bright polish is the least forgiving combination we make. Skin oil left overnight will mark it. Dry the blade, oil it thinly, and keep the engraved areas free of standing moisture, since the recesses hold water longer than the flats. Surface rust, if it starts, comes off before it becomes damage; our note on removing rust from a knife covers the method.
What people ask
Is the engraving on both sides? Yes. The bolster, ricasso and pommel are all worked, front and back.
Can I actually use it? It is a real knife with a real edge and it will do camp work. Understand that use will put marks on the polish, and that the engraved sections are harder to clean than a plain blade.
Does it come with anything? A hand-stitched leather sheath, formed to this blade rather than cut to a generic pattern.
Model: BMK-665
Christine Thomas –
This knife is really solid. No question about it. Blade geometry makes it glide through cuts with barely any effort. Weight and balance make it feel like a real working knife not some cheap import. Already planning my next pickup from this company.
Benjamin Turner –
Can’t stop showing this off to everyone who comes over. Sheath snaps shut securely and doesn’t feel flimsy at all. Would not hesitate to order again.
Chloe Edwards –
This exceeded what I pictured in my head before ordering. Even the small details in the damascus pattern are crisp and clean. If you’re on the fence just get it. You won’t regret it. Black Mamba Knives has earned a repeat customer with this one.
Carol White –
My husband was speechless when I showed them this knife. Blade holds a razor edge right out of the box. Happy customer here, through and through.
Sarah Coleman –
This knife has already earned a permanent spot in my collection. Steel has a gorgeous pattern that looks different in every light. Edge retention has been great even after regular use in the field. This is my third order from Black Mamba Knives and they never disappoint. Already telling my friends to check this out.
Emma Allen –
Did not expect this level of quality for the price. Took it out camping right away and it handled everything I threw at it. This is exactly why I keep coming back to this shop.