Davy recently commissioned something special from Broc Knives of Banbridge, Northern Ireland. It wasn't just another knife, this one was a memorial piece dedicated to his mother, Ruby, who had unfortunately passed away a little before hand.
Davy asked that a vial of his mother's ashes be incorporated into the tang and enclosed by the micarta scales, this was done very sensitively by the maker and the resultant knife can be seen below.
Davy asked that a vial of his mother's ashes be incorporated into the tang and enclosed by the micarta scales, this was done very sensitively by the maker and the resultant knife can be seen below.
The knife came in a beautiful presentation box with a birth certificate and a certificate of authenticity, it carries a lifetime guarantee to the original owner.
And the knife itself, aside from the incredibly personal attachment it has for Davy is something rather beautiful in itself. The knife is made from O1 tool steel and the heat treatment is carried out in house at the Broc knives workshop, it comes clothed in a beautifully made 3mm thick leather sheath with removable dangler, both sheath and blade are stamped with the Broc logo.
The tang has a cut out to house the ashes and the handle is a micarta and fibre 4 layer composite, the outer being a lovely ivory bone colour, the handle is secured with epoxy and corby rivets and a brass lanyard hole. It's fit and finish is superb, beautiful contours and an incredibly ergonomic grip that defies the worry of hot spots with prolonged use. It is beautifully finished.
The plunge and the bevels are perfectly symmetrical and a testament to the skill of the maker, rarely if ever have I seen a grind as meticulously finished as this one, a remarkable feat of craftsmanship.
Although a knife is an incredibly personal item I believe that the sign of a well designed cutting tool is one that can be used comfortably by a multitude of users regardless of hand size or skill level and this blade proved itself to be just that. I started by carving a small jam spoon then moved on to the ubiquitous feather sticks
Davy also did this
The spine is perfectly square and throws great sparks of a Ferro rod
And the one thing we all use our knives for more than wood carving is food prep and this tool excels at this also
All in all this is a remarkable knife and one of the most perfectly finished knives I have ever handled, after 3 months of use it hasn't had to go near a stone as a strop takes care of edge reconditioning easily and brings it up to hair popping sharp again. The knife is a complete work of art and a delectable item to hold and use, the fact of its personal connection just makes it all the more heart warming to the owner. A magnificent blade, exemplary craftsmanship and a heart felt momento to always help Davy remember his mother and to have her close by.. a fitting tribute to a lovely lady from a true craftsman,
From Broc Knives we give you - Wee Ruby.