Community Designed AH Hunting Knife

[UNTAMED KNIVES]

Hwzt all.

Have been kicking around the idea of a hunting knife that I will make especially for those of us here on AH, an AH Knife if you will.

I want it to be $400 at most and it will include free worldwide shipping (buyers to sort out their import duties only, if applicable).

At that price point I can either do a good quality stainless steel or high carbon, but unfortunately Damascus will be out of reach.

The handle would ideally be a good hardwood from here in Zimbabwe, and can either be full tang or hidden tang.

Sheath would be kydex, but could always offer a hand stitched leather sheath on a case by case basis. I’m a decent leather worker but I’m not the fastest!

So, what say you? What knife would you want to see be the AH Knife?

Some considerations:
Blade size, shape and steel
Handle size, shape and wood/material
Guard/bolsters
Lanyard tubes, pins, etc.

Let’s make this a community design that can be put to actual work!

 

[UNTAMED KNIVES]

To give some ideas, here are some hunting knives I have done in the past.

 

[Boela]

That will be a real nice to have!

Personally, I would like a knife with the blade shape of No3, combined with handle shape of No5.
Hilt: Same wood as No3, with a brass bolster.

 

[BeeMaa]

The designs are beautiful and I encourage everyone to give some input to this most generous offer.

I prefer a smaller knife, maybe 3-3.5” blade length with proportionate handle that affords a full one hand grip. The handle on the bottom knife is very nice, but I’d like a shorter blade.

Every time I’ve pulled my knife out on safari was to cut something on the plate in front of me. If I’m using it to defend my life, I’ve most likely made some poor decisions that I’ll be paying for.

 

[migrabill]

Could you do out AH "Handle" on the blade?

 

[cwickgo9]

I've always been a fan of this shape, about a 4" blade, "slight" swell in the handle, with both ends of the handle formed to keep the hand from sliding off or onto the blade.

 

[TSIBINDI]

...Number four, 3 1/2" blade, 8" o/a.

I agree with BeeMaa regarding the usual use of a sheath knife.

 

[coreydb]

I LOVE THIS INITIATIVE! I like the idea of a special AH knife and will buy one. If the pictures are the choices from which we can select, I like No. 3 blade with the No. 5 hilt, and handle in Zimbabwean wood. The blade length should be no less than 3 inches; no more than 4 to 4.25 inches. Since most of the members here hunt in their own countries as well as across Africa, the blade length should be adequate when they have to field dress and skin their kill themselves. The sheath can be selective based on the individual.

 

[BeeMaa]

I found this Benchmade Hunt Flyway (trout and bird knife style) that fits the minimalist design I enjoy in a fixed blade. Blade length is 2.7”.

Full disclosure - this is not my knife, just a picture I found on the internet.

 

[UNTAMED KNIVES]

That will be a real nice to have!

Personally, I would like a knife with the blade shape of No3, combined with handle shape of No5.
Hilt: Same wood as No3, with a brass bolster.

Thanks for the input!

The designs are beautiful and I encourage everyone to give some input to this most generous offer.

I prefer a smaller knife, maybe 3-3.5” blade length with proportionate handle that affords a full one hand grip. The handle on the bottom knife is very nice, but I’d like a shorter blade.

Every time I’ve pulled my knife out on safari was to cut something on the plate in front of me. If I’m using it to defend my life, I’ve most likely made some poor decisions that I’ll be paying for.

Ok cool, thanks for the feedback!

I know what you’re saying, I always tend to favor a blade of between 3.5 and 4”.

So like this, just not in Damascus for price reasons!

 

[Rare Breed]

I found this Benchmade Hunt Flyway (trout and bird knife style) that fits the minimalist design I enjoy in a fixed blade. Blade length is 2.7”.

Full disclosure - this is not my knife, just a picture I found on the internet.

View attachment 760801

At the risk of sounding like I live out of a hovel, could we have our AH logo on the blade on one side and yours on the other

 

[UNTAMED KNIVES]

I LOVE THIS INITIATIVE! I like the idea of a special AH knife and will buy one. If the pictures are the choices from which we can select, I like No. 3 blade with the No. 5 hilt, and handle in Zimbabwean wood. The blade length should be no less than 3 inches; no more than 4 to 4.25 inches. Since most of the members here hunt in their own countries as well as across Africa, the blade length should be adequate when they have to field dress and skin their kill themselves. The sheath can be selective based on the individual.

Thank you sir!

The pictures are merely to aid in some ideas, in no way a fixed selection. Would actually like to see what everyone would want to see on their own knife, and make something that everyone one will like and be able to use in the field, no matter where in the world

 

[Rare Breed]

I don’t need another knife but would buy this if logo

 

[UNTAMED KNIVES]

At the risk of sounding like I live out of a hovel, could we have our AH logo on the blade on one side and yours on the other

So long as we get @AfricaHunting.com to agree I personally would love that, but the AH logo is his baby!

 

[Rare Breed]

@skydiver386 can this be done knowing you used it for the hats

 

[pilar]

3-3 1/2 inch full tang , I don’t usually need anything more, climbing in to trucks or boats
Anything more gets very uncomfortable and in the way. I personally prefer a carbon steel, that I acid etch or patina naturally with use .

 

[UNTAMED KNIVES]

I've always been a fan of this shape, about a 4" blade, "slight" swell in the handle, with both ends of the handle formed to keep the hand from sliding off or onto the blade.
View attachment 760798

That’s great design. I’m sure you can tell from my own knives I’m a sucker for a good drop point. When I sit down to collate all the info and start designing, I know the fist version I draw will always be a drop point

I found this Benchmade Hunt Flyway (trout and bird knife style) that fits the minimalist design I enjoy in a fixed blade. Blade length is 2.7”.

Full disclosure - this is not my knife, just a picture I found on the internet.

View attachment 760801

A bird and trout has been on my to do list for a long time coming. If I were to make an “All Africa” set, I would definitely include on in it

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Hi Ross,

I carry a thin, 3.5" blade high quality folding pocket knife daily. I recently learned that although 3.5" is the legal length in my state of residence, some local jurisdictions only allow a 3" long blade.

If I were to order a folding knife, I would stick to a 3" blade. That's long enough for what I use a pocket knife for, and to my knowledge legal in most places... At least for now!

 

[coreydb]

I like the idea of an "Africa set" of knives as well, but maybe as a special order? That, or offer a separate small animal/game bird knife. Ross would have a wait list for years.....like Rigby

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

So long as we get @AfricaHunting.com to agree I personally would love that, but the AH logo is his baby!

100% for anyone wanting the AH logo on their blade!