Rosethorn Handmade Damascus Push Dagger with Rosewood Handle, Brass Pins & Leather Sheath | Collector EDC Knife | BMK-1196

Description

Rosewood was the obvious choice here and we still argue about whether it was the right one, because a piece of figured rosewood this loud will pull attention away from a forged blade. On the Rosethorn it works. The flame in the scales runs diagonally across the crossbar, the brass pins pick up the warm end of it, and the acid-etched Damascus above stays cool and gray by contrast. Warm handle, cold steel. That was the whole idea.

What a push dagger actually is

A short symmetrical blade fixed at a right angle to a T-shaped grip. Your fingers close around the crossbar, the blade exits between the middle and ring fingers, and the line of force runs straight back up the forearm. It is a very old European and American pattern that a lot of people meet for the first time as a collector piece. If the distinction between a dagger and an ordinary knife is new to you, we set it out plainly in our piece on what separates a dagger from a knife.

The blade

Hand-forged Damascus, etched to bring the layers up in relief, ground with a shallow fuller down each flat and sharpened on both sides by hand at the bench. The ricasso is fileworked. Weight sits close to the hand rather than out at the point, which is what makes a knife this short feel quick rather than nose-heavy.

The handle

Rosewood is dense, oily and close-grained, which is exactly why it has been used for tool handles for two centuries. It resists moisture better than most furniture timbers, it does not swell and shrink dramatically with the seasons, and it burnishes rather than scratches. Three brass pins pass through the full tang. Over time brass dulls to a soft honey color and the rosewood darkens with handling — the two move in the same direction.

The sheath

Tan leather, molded to this blade, hand stitched, closed with a strap and a brass snap and hung on a fixed belt loop. Tan hide shows its history faster than black does; expect it to darken unevenly around the snap and the mouth. That is the material behaving normally.

Care that actually matters

Two rules cover almost everything. Do not put this knife away damp, and do not leave it sheathed for months at a stretch. Carbon steel and vegetable-tanned leather are a poor long-term pairing because the leather holds moisture and a trace of tanning acid against the steel. A dry cloth and a thin smear of oil after handling is enough. If a spot of orange does appear, it lifts easily — our guide to caring for and sharpening Damascus covers the fix and how to avoid a repeat. Feed the rosewood once or twice a year with a little oil or paste wax.

Legal check first

This pattern is restricted or banned in a number of US jurisdictions and in most of Europe, more tightly than a comparable fixed blade would be. Laws differ by state, by city and sometimes by county, and they get amended. Please confirm the position where you live before ordering; that check is the buyer’s to make.

Questions people ask

Is real Damascus worth the money over a plain blade? For cutting alone, no. For a piece you will keep and look at, the pattern is the point, and it is structural rather than printed on.

Does the wood need sealing? No. It is sanded and burnished, not coated. Oil it occasionally and it will look better in five years than it does today.

Is the sheath included? Yes, and it is made for this knife specifically, not pulled from a bin of blanks.

What if I want something plainer? The Ravenpoint in ebony is the same architecture with all the color taken out of it.

Made in Memphis

Forged, ground, fitted, sharpened and boxed in Tennessee. Guaranteed for as long as you own it against any flaw in the materials or the making. Mark the order as a present and it will arrive ready to hand over, and if it turns out not to be what you hoped for, we would far rather have it back than have you keep it.

Model: BMK-1196