Old Dominion Forge Knives

KNIVES

ALL Knives are hand forged in my shop from spring steel, hardened and tempered to hold an edge, yet sharpen easily. Each blade is draw-filed and polished, by hand, to produce a period-correct finish. Handles are of Wood, Antler, Horn, and Bone, and are assembled using hand-made copper rivets. Blades can be ordered satin polished, or they can be lightly aged.

SHEATHS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR ALL KNIVES

Sheaths can be made for any knife not already listed with one. These are available for a slight additional cost.

Currently for Sale

Small Scottish Knife with turned iron ferrule and pommel. Through tang and polished antler handle. File-work on back of blade. Aged finish, 6 3/8 inch blade, 10 3/4 inches overall. $350

Small Rifleman's Knife with guard. Crown antler handle and aged finish, 7 inch blade, 11 1/4 inches overall. $280

Small Pistol Grip Knife Aged finish, 6 1/2 inch blade, 4 1/4 inch handle with horn scales. $225

Southern Knife with American Chestnut handle. Aged finish, 7 1/4 inch blade, 4 1/2 inch handle with horn scales. $235

French Trade Knife Aged finish, 6 inch blade, 4 1/8 inch handle with horn scales. $225

Bag Knife with pewter bolster and crown antler handle. Blade measures 5 3/4 inches. Aged finish. $165

Knife with Iron Guard by Mike Beathe features an extended iron cross guard, antler handle and iron butt cap. Through tang is riveted over the butt cap. Blade is marked with Mike's touchmark and measures 7 inches. 12 inches overall. Aged finish. Sheath included. $295

Featured on the cover of the October 2009 issue of National Muzzleloading Rifle Association Magazine, Muzzle Blasts. Photo by Lon Brauer

Native Effigy Knife with Quilled Sheath Djuana Tucker and I collaborated on this fine knife/sheath combination based on an original that has been in a museum at Versailles since 1786. The knife is a basic French trade style with appropriate boxwood handle carved in close detail to the original. The blade measures 6 1/2 inches long with a 4 1/2 inch handle. The sheath is simply a work of art! It has 16 aged tin cones with cochineal dyed deer hair in them. The sheath is lined with deer rawhide and it is sewn with linen thread. The quills are dyed in cochineal and some are overdyed in walnut to darken the color to black. The 27"x 1 1/4" strap is done in quill netting, an extremely tedious and time-consuming process. To give you an idea of the time it takes to do this work, one row takes Djuana about an hour to do and is about 1/8" long. The quilled netting part of the strap measures about 7" on each side. The strap is pieced in the back and that part is sewn with real sinew. The exquisite quality of the work speaks for itself. This is a rare opportunity to own a museum quality reproduction of native art that has been featured in a national publication.

$3000.00

To see more of Djuana Tucker's quillwork, visit her website at: www.djuanasquillwork.com

Turned Handle knife with cherry finish handle, brass ferrule, and iron butt-cap. Through tang is riveted over butt-cap. Blade measures 7 1/2 inches. Aged finish. $275

Gentleman's Belt Knife This knife would be equally at home as either a belt knife, or table knife. Early style integral forged bolster with decorative "turning" on the bolster. Handle is polished bone with hardware in sterling silver. Blade measures 7 3/4 inches, handle 5 inches. Aged finish. $475

Lion Head Knife based on an original as seen in Madison Grant's The Knife in Homespun America, this knife features a handle cast in fine pewter. At least a couple examples of this type are known to exist, the one in Grant's book was found in Ohio with a history of Indian use. The lion motif distinguishes this knife as an early piece, most likely mid-late 18th century. I hand-carved the pattern for the handle, which is cast, polished and an aged finish applied. The 4 inch blade is also lightly aged. Handle length 3 3/4 inches. $225

Knife and Fork Set Adapted from the knife shown below. This set features the same hand-forged knife paired with a hand-forged and filed, high carbon steel fork. Set $400

Original

SOLD-Small French Forged Bolster Knife based on the original knife above. The original was found in upstate New York. 4 inch blade with forged intregal forged bolster. Cow horn scales and aged finish. 8 inches overall.

Recently Sold Knives

SOLD-Broken Sword Knife The idea behind this knife is that it was made from a hunting sword (or cuttoe) that had either been broken or intentionally shortened for service as a knife. There are several original examples of swords that have been converted to use as a knife. This piece features a hand forged 10 1/4 inch blade, 5 1/4 inch handle. The cow horn grip is carved in a spiral pattern. The shell guard is hand forged. It also features a iron butt cap, pommel cap and ferrule. Aged finish.

SOLD - Broken Sword Knife made as if cut down from a fine broken or discarded saber. Guard matches up as the center part of a standard 4-slot hilt with brass lion-head pommel showing hole from where the guard bow (now discarded) once attached. Grip is of dyed moose antler, simulating ivory. Entire piece shows considerable wear consistent with these type of re-worked knives. Blade measures 11 3/8 inches, grip 5 1/2 inches.

SOLD-Broken Sword Knife This knife is built as if it were made from a broken, or cut-down model 1742 hanger. The hanger could have been English, or American manufacture, utilizing spare parts. Everything on the knife is made as if it had been built using the original sword components. The guard appears as if cut down from the original heart shaped guard and the bow removed. The brass ball pommel has the hole where the tang of the guard connects filled crudely, as if it were plugged with lead-solder. The walnut handle shows wear consistent with a piece that was decommissioned from military service. The substantial blade is made as if the original sword blade were cut down and has a deep aged finish. The whole piece has been aged and is consistent with a piece that might have been put together by the local blacksmith. Blade length 10 3/4 inches, handle length 6 inches.

SOLD Sword Knife - Made to resemble a cut-down English hunting sword. Aged and fullered blade. Carved horn grip and iron mounts. 9 inch blade.

EARLY PLUG BAYONET copied from an original in Swords and Blades of the American Revolution, this bayonet was recently made for a customer. Features cast brass hardware, walnut handle and 12 inch aged blade with a 6 inch false edge.

Plug Bayonet Copy of an original recently made for a New York State historic site. 12 inch blade, brass hardware, walnut handle. Aged finish.

SOLD - Virginia Knife This knife is my concept of a common knife carried by a Virginia solder, carved in his spare time, during the American Revolution. The hedge handle is carved with the words "Virginia" on one side, and "For Liberty" on the other. The full tang is riveted over a small iron washer. Brass ferrule and aged finish. 8 1/4 inch blade, 4 7/8 inch handle.

SOLD - Antler Handle Belt Knife with slotted crown antler handle. 8 1/2 inch blade, 13 inches overall. Aged finish.

SOLD - Rifleman's Knife with iron guard and crown antler handle. 8 inch blade. Aged finish.

French Trade Knife Aged blade, horn scales.

SOLD - Early French Trade Knives with cast brass handles in the shape of a hunter and dog. These knives are based on several that have been found at early sites. The handle is a copy of one in the Museum of the Fur Trade. Blade features an integral forged bolster and measures 5 1/2 inches. Knife is 8 3/4 inches overall. Aged finish.

SOLD-Pistol Grip Butcher Knife with Forged Bolster This one pairs our popular pistol grip style with a forged bolster. These knives were very common in England and Europe and exported to the colonies. This is a "no frills" butcher knife, very typical of the "common quality" knives of the day. The scales are cut from pressed cow horn, still showing some rasp marks. Integral forged bolster, aged finish, 8 1/2 inch blade (cutting edge), 13 3/4 inches overall.

SOLD-Belt Knife with carved design work. Through tang is riveted over iron butt cap. Pewter bolster. 8 3/8 inch blade, 5 inch handle. Aged finish.

SOLD - Small Scottish Knife with polished antler handle and pewter bolster. Tang passes through the handle and is riveted over an iron butt cap. Back of blade features decorative file-work. Blade measures 6 1/8 inches, handle is 4 3/8 inches. Aged finish.

SOLD - Small Virginia Knife with American Chestnut handle. Chestnut was so common during colonial times that it is said one of every four trees in the South was a chestnut. Log wiped out by blight, the chestnut is by all regards, now extinct. The handle on this knife is made from reclaimed wood. Blade measures 6 3/4 inches, handle 4 1/2 inches. Brass ferrule and aged finish.

SOLD - Native Effigy Knife Copied from an original French trade knife that had been native carved with an effigy in the figure of a pig. Handle is of boxwood. Aged finish.

SOLD - Small Turned Handle Knife with walnut handle and pewter bolster. Tang passes through the handle and is riveted over an iron butt cap. Blade measures 6 inches, handle is 4 1/4 inches. Aged finish.

SOLD - Neck Knife with quilled sheath by Djuana Tucker. Knife features elephant ivory grips and blade with integral forged bolster. Cutting edge is approx. 3 inches and knife is 6 3/4 inches overall. The braintanned sheath features white quillwork.

SOLD - Virginia Knife This knife is my concept of a common knife from rural, colonial America. The hedge handle is shaped in the pistol grip style common for the period. Brass ferrule and aged finish. 7 1/2 inch blade, 4 5/8 inch handle.

SOLD-French Trade Knife with sheep's foot blade. The original trade knives this was patterned after date back to the 1500's, though the styles were continued in use for quite some time. Similar knives have been found in North America in areas of French influence. This knife features a 6 inch blade, brass ferrule, and boxwood handle, as was common on many of these trade knives. Handle has carved designs. The through tang is riveted over an iron butt cap. Aged finish.

SOLD-Horn Handle Longknife 9 inch blade, 5 inch cow horn handle. Iron butt cap and pewter bolster. Full length tang is rived over butt cap. Aged finish.

SOLD-Rifleman's Knife 9 1/2 inch blade, 5 inch handle. Forged iron guard, iron ferrule and butt cap. Full length tang is rived over butt cap. Polished antler handle. Aged finish.

SOLD-Knife with forged Bolster A slightly smaller version of our full-sized forged bolster knife, this one has a 7 3/4 inch blade (cutting edge). Integral forged bolster; half-length, full tang; crown antler handle; aged finish.

SOLD-Turned Handle Knife This knife was made for John Curry and recently traded on a new knife that I made for him. John has carried this knife for the last few years on many treks and has shown it at several seminars. The knife shows considerable use and has been left, just as John used it. The knife has a 9 1/4 inch blade and 5 inch, dark cherry handle. The through tang is riveted over an iron butt cap. All metal parts have a deep, aged finish.

SOLD-Belt Knife with cherry handle and iron guard. Tang passes through handle and is riveted over iron butt cap. 8 inch aged blade, 5 inch handle.

SOLD-Knife with forged Bolster This large knife has a 9 inch blade (cutting edge) and is 13 1/2 inches overall. Integral forged bolster; half-length, full tang; crown antler handle; aged finish.

SOLD-Knife with forged Bolster I don't make a lot of knives with forged-in bolsters; for a good reason, they are a lot of work. However, they make for a really neat knife. This one has a 8 1/4 inch blade (cutting edge) and is 13 1/4 inches overall. Integral forged bolster; half-length, full tang; crown antler handle; aged finish.

Sold - European Hunting Dirk with 7 5/8 inch blade. Very lightly aged iron hardware and polished stag handle. Sheath with belt loop, made to wear under belt or sash.

Sold - Small Dagger that I recently made for a customer. Iron mountings and English walnut burl handle.

SOLD-Small Belt Knife with 6 1/2 inch blade, 10 3/4 inch overall. Pewter bolster and Sterling silver butt cap with punch-design work. Tang passes through the elk antler handle and is riveted over cap. Aged finish.

SOLD-Belt Knife with octagon to round walnut handle, iron guard, ferrule and butt cap. Full tang passes through handle and is riveted over cap. Blade length 7 1/2 inches, 4 3/4 inch handle. Aged finish.

SOLD- Knife with forged Bolster This knife features what would have most likely been a high-quality European made blade re-handled here in the colonies. The aged steel blade features an integral forged bolster and an inset "wedding band" of pewter at the bolster, which is decorated with punched designs. Crown antler handle. The cutting edge measures 6 1/2 inches, 11 1/2 inches overall.

SOLD-Belt Knife with 6 1/4 inch slightly upswept, spear-point blade. 10 3/8 inch overall. Pewter bolster.

SOLD - Pistol Grip Butcher Knife Many times the pistol grip knives are thought to be French in origin, but the truth is they were quite popular in England and other European countries as well. This is a "no frills" butcher knife, very typical of the "common quality" knives of the day. The scales are cut from pressed from cow horn, still showing some rasp marks. Pewter bolster and 8 1/2 inch aged blade.

SOLD - Small European Hunting Dirk with polished bone handle, and iron ferrule and butt cap. Tang is full length and is riveted over butt cap. 5 5/8 inch, satin polished blade, 4 3/8 inch handle.

SOLD-Backwoods Knife with polished antler handle, pewter bolster and iron butt cap. 7 1/2" lightly aged blade. 5" handle. Full length tang passes through handle and is riveted over butt cap.

SOLD-18th Century Dagger. Tapering 8 3/8 inch, double-edged blade with well defined median ridge. Iron guard, ferrule, and butt cap. Tang is full length and is rived over butt cap. The round, dark cherry-wood has a hand-rubbed linseed oil finish. Handle measures 5 1/8 inches and flares to the cap with flattened sides. Aged finish.

SOLD-Pistol Grip Butcher Knife Many times the pistol grip knives are thought to be French in origin, but the truth is they were quite popular in England and other European countries as well. This is a "no frills" butcher knife, very typical of the "common quality" knives of the day. The scales are cut from pressed from cow horn, still showing some rasp marks. Pewter bolster and 8 3/8 inch aged blade.

SOLD-Rifleman's Knife - with hand-forged iron guard, crown antler handle, and through tang riveted over a sterling silver butt cap. Aged finish. 9 inch blade.

SOLD-Turned Handle Knife - This knife features a curly maple handle with very tight, exceptional grain, stained dark with a hand-rubbed, linseed oil finish. Pewter bolster and iron butt cap. Keeping with the English style, the 7 3/8 inch, aged blade has a very slight upsweep . 5 inch handle.

SOLD- Turned Handle Knife with osage orange handle, steel ferrule, aged blade and iron butt cap. Tang passes through handle and is riveted over cap. Aged finish.

SOLD-Small knife with green, bone handle. 6 1/2 inch blade. The handles of cutlery were often dyed various colors during the 18th and 19th centuries. Many recipes for dying bone, ivory and wood can be found in the period publication "A handmaid to the Arts". Verdigris green was a very popular color.

SOLD-Antler Handle Knife with face carving. Inspired by an original knife seen in Madison Grant's Knife in Homespun America, this knife features a folk carving of an 18th century judge on it's crown. Aged with a 6 inch blade, it has a curve that would be best suited to left handed use.

SOLD-Carved Antler Handle Knife - A variation on the knife above, this one features the face of a colonial man. 5 3/4 inch aged blade. This knife would best be suited to right handed use.

SOLD-Bag Knife - 5 3/8 inch blade, 9 3/4 inches overall. Aged finish.

SOLD -Bag Knife - 5 1/2 inch blade. Aged finish.

SOLD-Turned Handle Knife - This knife has a 5 inch stained, osage handle. Tang passes through handle and is riveted over a steel butt cap. Aged finish. 7 1/2 blade.

SOLD-Scottish Knife A style that was very popular in Scotland and Europe. Triangular shaped blade with the typical file-work on the top. This knife has a pewter bolster and stag elk handle. Blade length is 6", 9 7/8 inches overall. Aged finish.

Scottish Dirk - Scottish Dirk with fully carved, blackwood handle. Aged blade

SOLD Early Scottish Dirk. Aged blade and carved osage orange handle.

SOLD Rifleman's Knife with Iron Guard. 9 1/2" blade.

SOLD-European Hunting Knife recently made for a customer. Aged iron hardware, polished antler handle.

SOLD - Rifleman's Knife 8 5/8 inch blade, 13 3/4 inch over all. Forged iron guard, iron ferrule and butt cap. Full length tang is rived over butt cap. Polished antler handle. Aged finish.

SOLD-Rifleman's Knife with 8 inch blade and iron guard. Aged finish.

SOLDIERS

OTHER ITEMS FROM THE FORGE

FINE WOOD BOXES

Send email to Old Dominion Forge

Or, write to:

Old Dominion Forge, Kyle Willyard, Prop.

4186 N State Road 157

Bloomfield, IN 47424

812-875-8480