Handmade Elkhorn Hunter Bowie Knife

The Elkhorn Hunter

The blade is hammered along its full length, then acid-washed, so the peen marks come up dark against the polished steel and no two blades carry the same pattern. It's 12Cr stainless, hardened and hand-finished — a 7-inch clip point with enough belly for skinning and enough spine for camp work.

The handle is a real stag antler crown, left with its natural burr at the butt so it sits in the hand the way nothing machined ever does. It's fitted to a polished black bolster with brass spacers. Antler is a material you can't order to spec: the colour, the texture, the crown on the end — all of it comes off the animal that way, and that is the point.

The sheath is where this piece stops looking like anything else. Hair-on cowhide, white with black speckling, hand-stitched in contrast thread with a brass-studded retention strap. It's leatherwork nobody expects to see on a working knife, and it's the reason this one gets picked up first.

It arrives in a wooden presentation box with red velvet lining, cut to hold the knife and sheath separately — so it can be given as it is, without wrapping.

Specifications

• Blade material: 12Cr stainless steel, hammered and acid-washed
• Blade length: Approx. 7 inches
• Handle: Natural stag antler crown, black bolster with brass spacers
• Handle length: Approx. 5 inches
• Overall length: Approx. 12 inches
• Sheath: Hair-on cowhide leather, hand-stitched, studded retention strap
• Presentation box: Solid wood, red velvet lining
• Best for: Hunting, skinning, camp work, collectors, gifts

Caring for the steel

12Cr is stainless, but stainless means rust-resistant, not rust-proof. Wipe the blade dry after any contact with moisture or with game, and give it a thin coat of light oil (mineral oil, camellia oil, or 3-in-1) two or three times a year — more often in a damp house or near the coast.

The acid-wash finish darkens slowly with use. That's the finish doing its job, not wear, and it can't be polished back out without losing the pattern. Most owners come to prefer it.

The sheath needs more care than most. Hair-on leather holds moisture in the hair, and moisture held against steel is the fastest way to spot a blade. Never put the knife away wet, and never store it sheathed for long periods in a damp place. If the sheath gets wet, let both dry apart before putting them back together. Don't brush the hair hard, and keep the leather out of direct heat.

Antler is bone and behaves like bone. Keep it away from radiators and out of standing water. If it ever looks dry, a little clear wax brings it back.

Never put any part of this in a dishwasher.