Description
If you are buying for somebody who wears a hat because it is useful rather than because it is a look, this is an easy call. Lariat Rose is a cowboy bull cutter with a satin D2 blade, deep red rosewood scales, a solid brass bolster and a riveted brown leather sheath — handsome enough to open in front of people, plain enough that they will actually carry it instead of putting it in a drawer.
The shape has a job
Bull cutters came out of working cattle country, and the sheepsfoot outline is the whole reason. The spine runs straight and turns down in a short arc to meet a flat edge, so there is no functioning point. That gives you a knife you can press down on with your palm, draw across a strap, or lay flat on a board and use along its entire length. The notched choil behind the edge is where your index finger goes when you need control at close range. It is not a fighting shape and it was never meant to be. It is a shape for people who cut things all day.
D2 at a satin finish
D2 sits in an odd and useful place: a tool steel with enough chromium to shrug off ordinary moisture, but enough carbon and carbide to hold an edge through work that would round off a softer stainless in an afternoon. Cutting rope, cardboard, hide, and hay string is exactly the sort of abrasive duty it was formulated for. It rewards a diamond or ceramic sharpener over a soft stone, and it does not want to be sharpened often. The satin finish is hand-drawn along the length of the blade — bright, but with enough directional grain that fingerprints and light scratches disappear into it.
Rosewood, brass, and a red line
The scales are rosewood run through with dark streaks over a warm red-brown ground, contoured across the palm and rolled at every edge so nothing digs in. Between wood and steel sits a thin red fiber liner — a detail you notice from the side, a narrow bright stripe following the whole profile. Rosewood is dense and naturally oily, which is why it stays warm and stable rather than checking when the humidity swings. Up front, a solid brass bolster adds weight where you want it and will slowly go from bright yellow to a soft antique gold as it is handled. Stainless pins run through a full tang, and the butt is drilled and lined for a lanyard.
| Overall Length | 7.5 inches |
|---|---|
| Blade Length | 3.5 inches |
| Handle Length | 4 inches |
| Blade Steel | D2 tool steel |
| Blade Finish | Matte satin |
| Blade Style | Sheepsfoot bull cutter with notched choil |
| Handle Material | Rosewood with red fiber liners |
| Bolster | Solid brass |
| Fittings | Stainless pins, steel-lined lanyard hole |
| Tang | Full tang |
| Sheath | Handmade leather belt sheath with brass rivets (included) |
Model: BMK-1157
The sheath
Brown leather, shaped damp over this blade, stitched by hand and set with brass rivets at the throat, with a belt loop cut to carry the knife tight against the hip. Leather like this stiffens the first week and then breaks in to fit. Anyone shopping the same brief with a mirror finish and dark ebony instead should compare the Night Herder bull cutter.
Making it last
D2 is forgiving but not immune. A quick rinse and a towel after citrus, meat, or a soaking is all the routine it needs, and a light film of oil is worth putting on before a long spell in storage. Keep the knife out of the sheath when it is not being carried, since leather holds damp against steel. The rosewood will look better for a coat of furniture wax or mineral oil once or twice a year, and the brass can be left alone to age or brought back with a pass of polish, whichever you prefer. When the edge starts to slide instead of bite, take it to a stone at the angle it arrived at — our walkthrough on sharpening a knife on a whetstone covers the burr, the angle, and the stropping in order.
Ground, heat treated, fitted, and finished by hand in Memphis, Tennessee, one knife at a time.
Ruth Murphy –
This thing is a beast in the best way. Pommel and guard are solid, no wobble anywhere on the knife. Already planning my next pickup from this maker.
Walter Perez –
Showed up right on time and looked even better than the photos. Even the small details in the damascus pattern are crisp and clean. Pommel and guard are solid, no wobble anywhere on the knife. Handle has a great grip even with wet or gloved hands. Definitely bookmarking this shop for future orders.
Jennifer Jones –
Did not expect this level of quality for the price. Sheath snaps shut securely and doesn’t feel flimsy at all. Every piece of the fit and finish looks hand checked before it shipped. Telling everyone I know to check this maker out.
Elizabeth Sullivan –
This knife looks even better in person than in the listing photos. Even the small details in the damascus pattern are crisp and clean. Fit and finish is museum quality. You can tell real craftsmen made this by hand. Pommel and guard are solid, no wobble anywhere on the knife. Can’t say enough good things about this purchase. Nice to support a Memphis based knife maker, shipping was fast even internationally.
Richard Martin –
Impressively made quality for the price point. Came in a nice gift box which made it feel even more special. 10/10 would buy again.
Diego Foster –
This knife completely won me over the moment I picked it up. Handle feels amazing and the balance is perfect. Edge retention has been great even after regular use in the field. Took it out camping right away and it handled everything I threw at it. This company nailed it with this one.
Jerry Kelly –
Kept picking this knife up just to admire it after it arrived. Made in the USA right in Memphis, and it shipped worldwide without any long wait. Edge retention has been great even after regular use in the field. Telling everyone I know to check this seller out.
Margaret Green –
This knife has already earned a permanent spot in my collection. Fit and finish is museum quality. You can tell real craftsmen made this by hand. Steel has a gorgeous pattern that looks different in every light. This store clearly takes pride in their work.