Custom Knives And Sabers. Beginning Of The Collection

Learning general knife terms is an important step for an introduction to custom knives.

You have accumulated a sufficient amount of money and now you are ready to take the plunge – to start exploring the world of custom knives. When choosing an expensive custom knife, we suggest that first understand the most elementary notions.

What is a knife and what are its parts

Knives are a widely used tool that we often take for granted. We expect them to perform and cut with ease, but we rarely give our knives more attention than they deserve it. In order to skillfully use and understand your knife, it is important to know its design and be able to identify the various parts of the knife. First, the knife is easy to distinguish into two main parts: the handle and the blade. Moreover, each of these two parts has its own parts. The image and description below will help you better understand the components of your knife.

Anatomy of full tang knife

Bolster. The bolster is the strip that connects the blade of the knife to the handle. The bolster provides balance for the knife and helps to protect the hand from colliding with the knife blade.

Butt. The butt is the end of the knife handle.

Edge. The edge is the sharpened and cutting part of the blade. It passes from the point to the heel of the knife.

Heel. The heel is the back of the edge, opposite the point.

Point. The point is the part of the knife where the edge and spine converge. The point is often used for pricking.

Rivets. The rivets are metal pins used to connect the scales to the tang to form the handle.

Scales. The part of the knife that forms the handle is called the scale. For the manufacture of scales, synthetic material or wood is mainly used. Two scales are usually attached to the tang with rivets.

Spine. The top of a knife blade is called the spine and is opposite the knife-edge.

Tang. The tang is the part of the blade that goes into the handle of the knife. The handle is attached to the blade to this surface.

Tip. The tip is the front of the knife and includes the knifepoint. The tip is usually used for detailed or delicate cutting.

Custom knives are expensive but worth it

Now that you have an idea about the structure of the knife, you can further study the issues of collecting knives. Have you ever wondered why a custom knife costs tens or hundreds of times more than a serial one? The answer is very simple – the difference in time that the knife maker spends on making a unique knife. The second component that affects the price of a custom knife is rare and expensive materials, high-quality steel. You can get more information about custom knives in specialized magazines (Knives Illustrated, Blade Gallery), on thematic websites (Noblie Art Knife Gallery, Caleb Royer – knife photographer, European Blades Mag). As well as – at a personal meeting with masters and connoisseurs of blades at a Blade Show (Blade Show Atlanta, Blade Show Texas, Art Knife Invitational).

Sabers, swords – the next level in collecting edged weapons

The words “sword” and “saber” are sometimes used equivalent, but the blades are different in design and purpose. Swords are generally straight and often have pointed edges on both sides. Sabers or sabers are curved weapons that have convex outer edges designed for slashing. Apart from these two general categories, swords are described in European countries as rapiers, broadswords, and claymores; in Japan as tachi and katana. The best swords were and still are those made from hardened steel. One such type of steel is known as Damascus steel, which is a blade forged from laminated layers of metal that are stacked on top of each other, folded when heated, or both. Sometimes these blades have 100 layers, as well as a super hard layer of Wootz in the center, so that the part of the sword that is sharpened to a deadly edge is also strong enough to withstand repeated blows. A distinctive feature of Damascus steel is the mottling on its surface, the evidence of all those layers that appear when the blade is polished. This dendritic structure, as it is called, can resemble wood grain, leopard prints, water, landscapes, and the types of moiré patterns commonly found on silk. 

Sword parts

In addition to blades, swords also have guards and metal coverings, sometimes called baskets, which protect the hand gripping the handle or hilt of the sword. At the end of the hilt is a pommel, which is usually wider than the hilt to prevent the sword from slipping out of the user’s hands. The pommel can also be used as a weapon in close range fight.

Custom ceremonial swords

While some swords collected today did see combat, such as discarded Japanese katana brought to the United States by soldiers returning home at the end of World War II, many other swords were made for ceremonial purposes. These presentation swords are often engraved with the name of the soldier or officer being awarded, as well as the date of the ceremony.

Custom modern swords

Occasionally, some modern knife makers make custom sabers and collectible swords. Custom modern swords and sabers are a special kind of craft that is much rarer than custom knives.  We advise to visit one of the nearby blade exhibitions to be acquainted with such bladed weapons. Undoubtedly, you will be surprised to know the price of a custom sword. However, at the same time, you will be in awe of the craftsmanship and beauty of the collectible saber.