Description
Pearl shell is the reason to buy this folder. Cut from real shell and bedded against a brass spacer, no two scales carry the same fire, and the color shifts as you turn it under a light.
| Overall length | 7.5 inches |
| Blade length | 3.5 inches |
| Handle length | 4 inches |
| Steel | 1095 + 15N20 Damascus |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC, oil tempered |
| Handle | Pearl Shell with Brass Spacer |
| Included | Hand-stitched leather sheath |
What pearl shell is really like
It is beautiful and it is brittle. Shell is a natural material with its own grain and inclusions, and while it takes a polish nothing synthetic can match, it will chip if you drop the knife onto concrete. Treat this as a dress folder rather than a jobsite tool and it will outlive you. Treat it like a beater and you will crack a scale.
Built for: pocket carry on days when the knife is part of the outfit. Cutting tape, trimming a cigar, opening mail, slicing an apple at a desk. It is a gift knife in the honest sense: something a person keeps rather than uses up.
Care: keep the shell away from acetone, alcohol gel and harsh solvents, all of which dull the surface permanently. Wipe the Damascus blade after every use and put a trace of oil on the pivot twice a year. Never soak the whole knife. How to clean a pocket knife walks through the pivot without taking it apart.
The brass spacer
Brass sits between the shell and the liner, and it does two jobs. It gives the shell a bearing surface so the scale is not clamped straight against steel, and it gives you a visual break between the pale shell and the dark etched blade. Expect it to warm to a deeper gold over a few years of handling.
Who should look elsewhere
Anyone who needs a knife for hard outdoor work. Shell and brass are the wrong materials for that and this is the wrong size for it. Look at a heavy fixed blade hunting knife if the job involves game or wood. If you are still deciding what shape of carry knife you want, start with how to choose an EDC knife.
FAQs
Will my scales look like the photos? The pattern will differ. Shell is graded and matched by hand, but the fire and banding are unique to each piece.
Does the shell yellow over time? Not on its own. It can pick up staining from skin oils and pocket lint, which comes off with a soft damp cloth.
Can it be carried clipped? It ships with a leather sheath rather than a pocket clip, which suits the material better than the abrasion a clip and a pocket seam would create.
Model: BMK-687
Harold Ortiz –
This pocket knife has quickly become my favorite piece in the collection. Scales feel great in hand and don’t feel slippery at all. So worth it.
Samantha Gray –
This blade came razor sharp right out of the box. Scales feel great in hand and don’t feel slippery at all. If you’re on the fence just get it. You won’t regret it.
Ronald Jimenez –
Genuinely extremely happy with how this turned out. Opens smooth every time with just a flick of the thumb. Detent is snappy without being stiff to open. Worth every penny.
Alejandro Scott –
This blade came razor sharp right out of the box. Lockup is rock solid with no wiggle in any direction. Highly recommend this one.
Wayne Martinez –
Can’t stop showing this off to everyone who comes over. Deployment is fast and confident every single time. Detent is snappy without being stiff to open. Fits great in the pocket without feeling bulky. Can’t recommend this enough.
Travis Roberts –
Got this for Father’s Day and now I want one for myself too. Already planning my next pickup from this maker.
Brandon Ross –
Got this as my brother and it exceeded what I expected. Proud to support American made goods out of Memphis with this purchase. Black Mamba Knives keeps setting the bar higher with each order.
Brandon Ruiz –
Superb quality for the price point. Pocket clip is sturdy and holds it right in place all day. Proud to support American made goods out of Memphis with this purchase. This one’s a keeper for sure.