Description
Ten inches of Damascus is a lot of knife. The Ranger is a fighting bowie from the Steve Layton bench, and the length is the whole point: reach for clearing, and enough forward mass to chop without swinging twice.
| Overall length | 15 inches |
| Blade length | 10 inches |
| Handle length | 5 inches |
| Handle | G10 |
| Steel | 1095 + 15N20 Damascus, 352 layers |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC, oil tempered |
| Weight | 15 oz |
| Included | Hand-stitched leather sheath |
Built for: clearing brush, splitting kindling, and anyone who would rather pack one large blade than a hatchet plus a knife. The clip point keeps a fine enough tip for cutting cord and opening boxes, so it is not purely a chopper.
What fifteen ounces feels like
That weight sits ahead of your hand. It is exactly what drives the edge into wood, and it is also what makes the knife tiring once you switch to fiddly work. Choke up behind the guard and the balance shifts enough for controlled cuts. Carry it on a belt all day and you will notice it by mid-afternoon. Full tang versus partial tang covers the construction that lets a blade this long take that abuse.
G10 in the hand
G10 is layered fiberglass set in resin. It will not swell, shrink, crack in dry heat, or soak up water and blood the way natural handle material does. It also never develops character. A G10 scale looks the same in a decade as it does the day it arrives. Grip actually improves when your hands are wet, which is why it beats polished wood on a working blade.
Care: both steels in this billet are carbon steels, so the blade will rust if you put it away damp. Dry it, oil the flats, and pay attention to the seam right in front of the guard where moisture hides. The handle needs nothing beyond soap and water. Store the blade outside the leather rather than in it.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want something to carry every day, if blade length limits where you live are a concern, or if most of your cutting is small and precise. A two-ounce Damascus neck knife does that job better for a fraction of the money. If you are cross-shopping big fixed blades, the military knife buying guide is the place to start.
FAQs
How sharp is it out of the box? Shaving sharp. For the first months of light use you will be stropping it, not sharpening it.
Can I baton with it? Within reason, yes. A full-tang carbon steel blade this long handles seasoned wood. Leave knots and frozen rounds alone.
Is this a limited run? It belongs to the Steve Layton series, made in small batches rather than continuous production.
Model: SL-022
Xavier Robinson –
Everyone who’s seen this knife has asked where I got it. Blade geometry makes it glide through cuts with barely any effort. This is the kind of purchase that makes online shopping worth it.
Amy Turner –
The moment I saw this in person I knew it was a keeper. This one’s a keeper for sure. This is my third order from Black Mamba Knives and they never disappoint.
Barbara Foster –
Best knife I’ve ever owned. Hands down. Handle feels amazing and the balance is perfect. Fit and finish is museum quality. You can tell real craftsmen made this by hand. Beyond happy with how this turned out.
Henry Fox –
Ordered late at night on a whim and woke up glad I did. Every piece of the fit and finish looks hand checked before it shipped. Zero complaints from me on this purchase.
Cynthia Bryant –
Can’t stop showing this off to everyone who comes over. Even the small details in the damascus pattern are crisp and clean. This is going straight into my daily rotation.
Wyatt Gutierrez –
This is hands down one of the best knives I’ve bought online. This has quickly replaced my old go to knife for field dressing. Highly recommend this one.
James Fox –
This knife is nice but not quite perfect. Balance is good, just wish the handle had a bit more grip texture. Good product. Just not quite perfect.
Joseph Price –
Honestly one of my better purchases in a while. Steel has a gorgeous pattern that looks different in every light. Fit and finish is museum quality. You can tell real craftsmen made this by hand. Took it out camping right away and it handled everything I threw at it. Will definitely order again for another one.
Megan Wright –
Showed up right on time and looked even better than the photos. This is the kind of purchase that makes online shopping worth it.
Cody King –
This knife punches way above its price point. Weight and balance make it feel like a real working knife not some cheap import. No hesitation recommending this to anyone looking.
Todd Gonzalez –
Set my expectations low going in and this blew right past them. Handle has a great grip even with wet or gloved hands. I keep coming back to Black Mamba Knives because it’s always this good. This is my new favorite in the collection.