We are proud to announce David Roeder as our newest participating knife maker. He has been making quality, forged knives since 1996. All his work is 100% sole-authorship. Mr. Roeder will also be featured in our "Featured Makers" Section soon, so check back to learn more about him and his very unique work Working directly with Mr. Roeder allows us to bring our clients his work at his prices.
David Roeder is exactly the type of knifemaker that we at KMD are on the search for when looking for knives to add to our inventory. That is to say that Mr. Roeder keeps performance and function in mind at all times while forging out a knife that will be both highly attractive and collectible as well.
As far as function is concerned, this knife is in the form of a time-tested, proven design - the drop-point hunter. Using 1095 carbon steel has several advantages. It is tough and produces a fine blade that won't snap under pressure or shatter due to shock. Forged and heat treated properly, 1095 comes out with an edge that can take a world of abuse. This edge holds well and can be sharpened with ease. While carbon steels require a little more care to prevent corrosion, these properties above far outweigh a stainless steel such as 440. The high chromium content in a steel like 440 produces a blade that will resist corrosion (better, not completely) and is easy to put a mirror finish on, however, this type of steel also produces an edge that is quite difficult to sharpen and will shatter / snap quite easily as compared to carbon steel. We prefer a knife that will do the job when the time comes.
We've mentioned before that collectible knives and knives by a knifemaker who is really going to make a name for himself, have to have some kind of uniqueness to them - a trademark if you will. Many knifemakers make beautiful knives, but on a table with the knives of say 50 different makers, their work becomes lost. A test I often use is, "If there were 100 knives in front of me, would I be able to immediately identify the maker of this knife." In David's case, he passes the test with flying colors.
David's work is truly unique. His talent allows him to produce knives that can be listed under both the "collectible" and "performance" categories. On this knife, he's done a wonderful job of acid etching to bring out the grain pattern in the steel as well as the "snake skin / scales" design on the spine and tang of the blade. The selection of materials is great as they really work well with each other. The handle is a really super piece of deer antler. It is shaped around it's original form, keeping with the grain as not to reduce it's natural structural integrity and it feels excellent in the hand. The natural patterns in the antler go excellent with those in the blade. The knife is also superbly balanced, the center being right in the finger groove. The brass bolster is a nice off-set, seperating the two very different materials and bringing everything together to form a "complete package."
Overall, this is a knife is a great piece. A tough, rugged, time-tested design, made using quality materials and an array of talents. The result - a high-performance yet highly collectible knife that would make a superb addition to any collection or camping trip! It's getting harder and harder to find a knife that fills the boots of both categories so well, and at such a favorable price.
