Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades forged Flournoy hunter

The majority of posts here seem to be on stock removal knives. I'm curious if anybody is a fan of forged blades. Here's one from Joe Flournoy that is one of my favorites, mainly due to the balance, blade pattern, and pretty temper line.

The handle is oosic, silver guard and fittings, 52100 on the steel I think.

It strikes me as an ideal using knife, maybe not the handle material, but I always reach for my less expensive knives for gutting and skinning. I always tell myself to grab it and use it, but it ends up sitting in the safe.

Hi Copenhagen,that is a very nice knife.I like forged blades and like knives like the one you posted.52100,W2,5160,1095,L6,O1 all are very nice steels for forging.Flournoy is a mastersmith in the ABS.He has won a few awards for his fighter style forged blades.
You should use it and enjoy it ,but hard to do with a very nice knife like that.The forged high carbon blades usually take on a beautiful patina with use

thanks Raj, you are right. It's stupid not to use a gun or a knife--about the only good reason is if using it will lesson the collector value, and that's all you care about. I always end up appreciating things more through use, and that's the only way to find out if they are worthy of appreciation. That really sunk in when Brad posted Mark D's great guns with all the character marks.

I have a hand forged knife that I use regularly.. I love it for all kinds of work.

Forged knives are a lot like fine custom rifles. You can't afford as many of them but appreciate them for more than just their function.
I have a nice hand forged that I plan to use but just haven't had the chance to hunt it yet.

Your knife is beautiful (though I don't care for oosic). I hope other owners of forged knives will grace us with pictures as you have. Thanks................DJ

Hi Copenhagen,you will lose collector value and NIB price if you do use the knife.But if ever you decide that you are going to use and enjoy a knife,and not worry about getting the best price for it,then,there are few things better than using a finely made tool,be it a gun or a knife.
Many people are turned off by Oosic,due to its origin.But good Oosic makes for a fine looking knife handle.Usually they come with many cracks or fissures.Yours seems solid,one of the better pieces of Oosic that I have seen.Using a mineral oil coating once or twice a year,helps reduce chances of shrinkage or cracking.
52100 is a fine steel and takes and holds a great edge when heat treated properly(which should be the case for yours as Flournoy is a mastersmith and has had a lot of experience).

I can't imagine why? It just reminds me of all the Canadian jokes about Moosec*ck <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

And thanks for the advice about the mineral oil!

Cope

I'm a real fan of forged-steel blades. I owned quite a few Randall's (all Randall's feature forged blades), and I love them. They don't come with much of an edge from the factory, but sharpen them properly and they'll keep up with anything. For example, my Randall 'Pathfinder' was used to skin a big slivertip grizzly I shot in B.C., and after we were finished, it was STILL sharp, and good enough to keep on working.

Some of the custom knifemakers I've visited with who fashion knives via stock-removal state flat-out that they'd rather produce forged blades, and once the equipment is within their reach, they intend to do just that.

That knife of yours is a real beauty, and perfectly designed for almost every purpose, although personally I prefer Micarta for a handle. That man has an eye for line!
The sheath looks to be very well-made as well.........
AD

Thanks AD! I really like micarta too, great for use and abuse. The sheath is made by Kenny Rowe. His sheath work is the best I've seen.

Cope

hey cope,

nice looking knife, and i agree that you should carry it.... collectors will value it less... a son or friend who gets it after you pass on will value it more....

what is oosic???

Thanks johnw. Oosic is the penis bone from a walrus. Who knows where my handle has been...shudder.

It's a knife I picked up browsing knifeart.com. It's probably not a handle material i would have selected had I ordered the knife from Mr. Flournoy, but then maybe the lines or balance would have changed. The best part of this knife it that it balances on your index finger and has a nice heft to it. It reminds me of a nice balancing gun.

Hey AD, have you ever talked to Jerry Fisk? He's my favorite forged blade maker, and a real character. He pounds out some pretty amazing damascus.

well...


ohhhh..kay, then, and on to the next subject....

still a nice looking knife..... sorta.....

Hi Copenhagen,if you have some of Jerry Fisk's damascus knives,please do post some pictures.Fisk is a very good maker.

Here's a couple raj











tomahawk is obviously not damascus, but it's kind of fun anyhow...

cope

Sweetness! Thanks much for the Pics!......................DJ

Copenhagen,those are very nice knives.The first looks like a Fisk sendero hunter with sheephorn.Hope I am correct.Is that the Fisk wolfstooth damascus pattern on the steel?.
What isa the second knife called.The sambar stag handle is great.Like the shape of this one also.I have not seen much of Fisk made tomahawks.I don't think Jerry Fisk makes too many tomahawks.Very good collection you have there.Appreciate you posting those pictures.

Thanks Raj and Dj, yep Sendero has sheep horn and wolfstooth, that and the axe I ordered from Fisk. I purchased the spearpoint bowie off of Knife Art and I can't recall what that damascus pattern is called. The tomahawk is at the bottom of the field grade pieces part of Fisk's webpage--it was something like $350 when I bought it...
Fisk Knives