Description
Steve Layton draws these patterns; we forge them. The Ranger Large is the biggest of his dagger designs that we produce, a six-inch symmetrical blade on a five-inch grip, and fifteen ounces of it. That mass is the point of the design and also the main reason some buyers should choose something else.
| Overall length | 11 inches |
| Blade length | 6 inches |
| Handle length | 5 inches |
| Handle | Reddish brown hardwood scales with a polished steel bolster and butt cap |
| Steel | 1095 + 15N20 Damascus, 352 layers |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC, oil tempered |
| Weight | 15 oz |
| Included | Hand-stitched leather sheath |
Built for: collectors of military-pattern blades, and anyone who wants a display piece with real heat treatment behind it. A dagger is a thrusting shape. Two symmetrical edges meeting at a centered point make it excellent at penetration and mediocre at nearly everything a hunter actually does. You cannot lay a spine on a cutting board, you cannot baton it, and skinning with a double edge means the second edge is always somewhere you did not plan for.
Who should skip this one
If you are shopping for a working field knife, this is the wrong purchase and we would rather say so now. Buy a single-edged drop point instead. This is a dagger in the historical sense, and it earns its place on a rack or among service-pattern reproductions. Read knife vs dagger if the distinction is new to you.
What fifteen ounces feels like
Heavy. Held at the guard the balance falls slightly forward, which is what a thrusting blade wants and what makes it tiring to hold point-up for any length of time. On a belt you will notice it. In a display stand you will not, and the extra stock in the tang is why the piece feels solid rather than hollow.
Keeping it right
Two edges means twice the surface to dry, and the center ridge traps water if you rinse it under a tap. Take a cloth down both faces, then along the ricasso where blade meets guard. That seam is where corrosion starts on every dagger we have seen come back to us. A pass of oil once a month is enough in a heated house and more often if you live somewhere humid. Use the leather for carrying, not for storing. Sharpening a symmetrical dagger takes patience because there are four bevels to match rather than two, and a guided rig helps here more than it does on an ordinary knife.
FAQs
Is this an authorized military reproduction? No. It borrows the visual language of service daggers. There are no unit markings, no issue stamps, and no claim of historical provenance.
How does it compare with the kukri in the same series? Completely different job. The Leatherneck USMC kukri is a chopper with a forward-weighted curve, while this is a point-first design with no chopping ability whatsoever.
Does the pattern run all the way through? Yes. The layers are forge-welded through the full thickness, so sharpening exposes fresh pattern rather than wearing it away.
Model: SL-027B
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