What is your grail knife?

[JShirley]

Might be somewhere in here (shrug). It may be difficult from a picture to understand just how good most of these handles feel.



I carried the little Daily Kiri on the end today, actually.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

Grail knife? The next one. Long-term grail would probably be a Burt Foster full dress bowie. The first custom knife I owned was a field utility knife he made for me, and it eventually got sold probably ten years ago. I've always regretted letting that go, and one day I'd like to own another. I paid $450 for that knife. Not sure I can get a Burt Foster for under $800 now, though!

 

[Brian Williams]

For me a grail knife...
A USMC marked Camillus WWII MK1 fighter
A CR small Sebenza
A Fuad Accawi forged AUK

Baring that a ground one.

bottom of the list is a Fallkniven F1

 

[mdauben]

ZT 0566 Hinderer design was my first grail knife, next is the Spyderco SpydieChef. I'm not as adventurous as some of you, but those appeal to me.View attachment 951747

A lot of the early ZT knives didn't appeal to me, because I thought they looked kind of crude and clunky. Lately, though, I've been eyeing up the Hinderer or Sinkevich designs as my next knife purchase. I've had my curser hovering of the "buy" button of one or the other a number of times recently. I just need to pick one and commit, I guess!

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Sinkevich designs

I've got a ZT0462 and a 0456. I really like Sinkevich designs a lot. There's a few more I may try and pick up.

 

[SharpDog]

Oh My (drools on keyboard) ...
Gaétan Beauchamp Cave Bear Tooth Hunter:




https://agrussell.com/knife/Gaetan-Beauchamp-Cave-Bear-Tooth-Hunter--GB-914MN-CB

 

[hso]

A real Bob Loveless drop point is pretty close to the fixed grail knife.




This double action Johnny Stout would serve for a grail knife folder.



For a switchblade...I've been looking for a vintage Grizzly at an affordable price for many years. King of American switchblades.

 

[herrwalther]

I have been keeping my eye out for a Dozier Thorn for years. If I knew Kabar was going to suddenly stop making them I would have gotten one years ago. Very sleek style dress folding knife.

https://forthenrycustomknives.com/shop/bob-dozier/bob-dozier-thorn-framelock/

 

[hso]

Dozier Thorn

Does the Arrow scratch the itch?
https://agrussell.com/knife/Ontario-Bob-Dozier-Arrow-Folder-satin--ONT-9100

 

[ms6852]

My favorite knife is still the one my wife bought me at a gun show 37 years ago. Got a lot of use in the jungles in Panama and throughout my career in the military. Its a Carl Schlieper German Eye Survival Knife. It is cryo tempered 440 steel thus the "ICE" markings on the blade. One of these days I will get around to polishing the steel again. I have the whetstones for it. I carry the upgraded buck knife with finger grooves, nickel bolsters and SV30 steel, also a gift from my wife.

 

[herrwalther]

Does the Arrow scratch the itch?

Almost. I have enough knives with G10 grips. They are great on work horses but smooth titanium is a better overall and dressier look.

 

[hso]

smooth titanium

I thought the Ti Thorns were only made by Bob Dozier and that the KaBar Thorn was Al. Bob will make anything you pay him to make .

 

[herrwalther]

Bob will make anything you pay him to make .

Which is why it is a grail knife thread. Titanium handle ones sell for 500+ from what I can find. The Aluminum Kabar one would be fine as well, certainly cheaper. I could be really spry and get the Arrow you showed me and make my own grips at some point.

 

[Gordon]

I just bought a Carl Schlieper NOS Ranger Boot knife from the late 70s for $80 on Ebay . They have three left now It is the 440C with ebony handles on the full length tang which appears very rugged clone of the Russel Sting . I got it to match my Alfonso of Hollywood IWB holstered Browning HP for a little Retro look .

 

[Bazoo]

Loveless drop point hunter is my grail knife. Maybe a custom buck 192 could help me cope. I have a standard production 192 that is my current favorite. It's nearly perfect for size, weight, balance, and feel.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

Randall.

None finer.

 

[SharpDog]

Randall.

None finer.

I just ordered this one:

 

[Barnfixer]

A real Bob Loveless drop point for me but that will never happen. My Bark River will have to do.

 

[DustyGmt]

I don't think my knives are grail knives but they were common to me - I do appreciate that people liked them and wanted them.

View attachment 945238
View attachment 945240

That's a helluva blade. I've never heard of Don Llewelyn, I will have to check out some of his stuff. Some of these guys have everything sold before they even have it made. Even some of the regular production knives sell instantly and then go $$$$ on the secondary market. It used to be like pulling teeth just to pry an XM out of someone's hands.

I met Allen Mathews the other day by pure happenstance, we were working on the same job, lol. If you check out his stuff on AllenMatthews@Instagram it's pretty incredible stuff. His Damascus patterns are off the chain. He sells $5K-$12K full custom fixed blades. He showed me some of his stuff, pretty cool. Doesn't even carry a pocket knife, lol.

 

[hso]

I've never heard of Don Llewelyn,

Easy, just PM Valkman and say howdy. He's retired from making knives though.

 

[FL-NC]

For me, either an original Case V42 or original VN SOG bowie.

 

[greyling22]

Holt Spectre
Shirogorov hation zero

 

[DustyGmt]

One of the many movies that Jeff Imada could be seen manipulating these fascinated me and that was the beginning of my knife fascination. Was happy to get this back in the day and so the similar era skeletonized version would be it's mate.

View attachment 945885

Check out the Matt Cook Fat lady's. If you called him he might have one. It looks like you like the traditional handmade fillipino style balisongs and his are beautiful....

 

[borrowedtime69]

I got one lve been dying for for 25+ years, the Gerber Utility or Coffin Handle Bowie. I love this knife!

Now I want a Cold Steel Laredo Bowie.. but dang are they expensive!

 

[theotherwaldo]

I got one lve been dying for for 25+ years, the Gerber Utility or Coffin Handle Bowie. I love this knife!

Now I want a Cold Steel Laredo Bowie.. but dang are they expensive!

You can reserve one from Atlanta Cutlery for $229.95... .
https://www.atlantacutlery.com/laredo-bowie