Description
Take the plain VG10 folder, cut a strip of turquoise into the handle and hand-engrave the copper bolster with scrollwork. Same blade, considerably more handle.
| Overall length | 7 inches |
| Blade length | 3 inches |
| Handle length | 4 inches |
| Steel | VG10 stainless steel |
| Handle | Rose Wood Turquoise & Copper Engraved Bolster |
| Included | Hand-stitched leather sheath |
Bought as: a gift, most of the time. It photographs well, it reads as southwestern rather than tactical, and the engraving is the sort of detail people notice without being told to look.
The engraving is cut, not stamped
The floral pattern on the copper bolster is chased in by hand with a graver. You can see it in the way the scroll lines vary in depth and the background stipple sits unevenly between them. A stamped or cast bolster repeats exactly; this one does not, which is why the pattern on your knife will not line up with the photograph. Hand forged versus factory covers what that distinction is worth.
Turquoise as an inlay
The blue band across the handle is stabilized turquoise, ground flat and set between the rosewood and the bolster. Stabilizing means resin has been drawn into the stone under pressure, which is standard for anything turquoise that has to survive being handled. It is what stops the veining from crumbling at the edges. For turquoise on a full-size fixed blade, see the turquoise inlaid Damascus bowie.
A working blade under the decoration
None of the handle work changes what the blade is. Three inches of VG10 stainless, mirror finished, marked on the flat. It sharpens like the plain version and resists rust like the plain version. Keep it keen with a rod rather than a stone most of the time; honing versus sharpening explains why those are different jobs.
Copper as an engraving ground
Copper is chosen for the bolster partly because it cuts cleanly under a graver. Harder metals chip at the edge of a scroll line and need annealing between passes; copper takes a smooth, bright cut in one go, which is why so much traditional knife engraving is done on copper and brass rather than steel. It also means the cut lines catch light differently from the darkened background as the metal patinas.
Care: avoid ultrasonic cleaners and solvents. Both will attack the resin in the stabilized turquoise, and neither is needed on a folder. A damp cloth for the handle, light machine oil worked into the joint, and a polish on the copper if you want the engraving to stand out again once it has darkened.
FAQs
Will my scrollwork match the photo? No. It is cut by hand, so the layout is close but the individual lines differ on every knife.
Is the turquoise natural stone? It is natural turquoise that has been stabilized with resin so it survives handling. That is standard practice for inlay.
Can the engraved bolster be re-polished? Yes. Use a soft cloth and metal polish, and let it sit in the recesses rather than scrubbing them out.
Model: BMK-719
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