'DarkMai' Copper Damascus Slipjoint / Hand-forged folding knife with Copper Liners & Maple Burl Scales / UK Legal Pocket Knife

Hand-forged folding knife / Heavy Duty Slipjoint / Baker Forge & Tool 'DarkMai' Copper Damascus Blade / Copper Liners & Maple Burl Scales / UK Legal Pocket Knife 

This knife is a UK legal folding knife that is part of my new range of folders that feature a type of slipjoint mechanism called a 'cran force' or forced notch slipjoint. Whilst still inspired by Anglo-Saxon and Viking age folding knives, these folders are a fusion of the historial designs and traditional slipjoint patterns. I wanted to create a UK legal folding knife that was still strong enough to safely use for heavier duty tasks like bushcrafting and woodworking.

This particular blade is forged from a piece of beautiful DarkMai copper damascus from Baker Forge & Tool in the United States. The handle is constructed from copper liners & stabilized maple burl scales. The wood has been stabilized to increase durability and water resistance. The stainless steel pins have been peined into countersunk holes so as to mechanically affix the scales to the liners. 


Blade Material:  Baker Forge & Tool 'DarkMai' Copper Damascus
Handle Material: Stabilized Quilted Maple Burl and Copper Liners
Blade Length:  75mm
Blade Thickness: 3mm
Handle Length: 100mm
Total knife length: 170mm

All my knives are forged by hand using traditional bladesmithing methods at Willslock Forge in Staffordshire, England. Each knife has been forged from high carbon steel. I usually use either 1080, 01 or 1095, and sometimes antique historical steels such as crucible steel or shear steel.

I usually forge as close to finish as possible, creating the knife shape and setting the bevels on the anvil. For all of my historical work, my aim is to make my knives with minimal use of power tools, and I take a lot of inspiration from historical knifemaking and smithing techniques.

The handles are all carved by hand and made from locally sourced wood, bone and antler - I avoid using any plastics, resins or synthetic materials.  Wherever I can, I try to repurpose salvaged and upcycled materials in order to create beautiful new knives and tools.  I usually leave a brut de forge, or forge finish, on most of my blades because I like that the hammer marks tell the story of the knife's creation on the anvil, and the forge finish differentiates the knife from all the mass-produced, factory made knives out there.