Gentlemen,

When you go hunting or for that matter, any outdoor activity, it is always a good idea to have a worthile knife on your belt for lifes unexpected surprises.

Here is one of Mike Starling's knives, a forged to shape, filed and sanded to finish, 1095 carbon steel bladed field grade hunter/utility knife. The blade is about 4 1/2" long, quite thick and runs the full length of the handle. Black micarta scales with red liners and yellow brass fittings. I originally thought the handle shape somewhat odd, but never judge a book by its cover, in the hand it feels wonderful.

I apologize for the poor quality of the pic, but it has been very cold here (currently -38F) so I can't get out into real light to take a photo. Needless to say, the pic does not do justice to the knife.

I think the quality of this blade is excellent, and you owe it to yourself, if going out on a hunt and you need a blade, or are thinking of picking up a handmade, you may want to give him a call. Check out his website www.mstarling.com and look at his wares. He knows what he is doing from the example I have.

"He knows what he is doing"

Boy You Can Say That Again. Beautiful and Tasteful.

I agree and more! I met Mike a few days ago. We had lunch and he drove down to the house to watch some of my video's of hog hunts I have made. He had some knives and they were absoluteley breath taking. The way they fit your hand and quality and style in which he makes them is hard to describe. After spending the biggest part of the day with him I could tell he knew his knives and knife making and plus was a super person to get to know and talk to. I feel very fortunate and lucky to have spent this time with him. He is a good person that makes an excellent knife.

That is a fine looking knife!

Is that a hollow ground blade?

Roger's knife is a hollow ground, field grade knife. Fittings and pins are brass. Handle skins are linen micarta. He'll put it to real use in the field.

I make hollow and flat ground blades in materials many materials from 1084, CPM 10V, ATS-34, 440V, to BG42 and CruWear as well as Damascus steels of various patterns. Higher grade knives usually have nickel silver or bronze fittings and mosaic pins. Handles are sometimes in wood if the buyer wants it. Here is a high end hunter of roughly the same dimensions as Roger's blade:



This one is flat ground (as that show the pattern best) with bronze fittings, mosaic pins, and gresentation grade desert iron wood skins.

Less expensive knives are available in guardless designs as well.

Nitroman..

I know it has been a while, , and chances are you are no longer connected to this topic, But I would like to see the back of the seath in the photo listed here.

I make a sheath just like this, but I dont have a good design yet for the back side, I would like to get some ideas.

if you could I would like to see a photo of the back

DaKotah,

I received this knife just a couple weeks ago while here at school. I kept it for a few days to take pix and drool. Before I cut myself, I rewaxed the blade and mailed it to my wife at home for safekeeping. Spring break is coming up, and unlike the kids here, I will be going home to Bethel and not somewhere real warm. I will take some photos of the sheath and post them.

from what I can tell....my sheath looks just like yours from the front.

My problem comes with the sides and back.
..

Im never sure how to make the belt loop end, and I never know how to cut the mouth opening at the top...

Mike-

That knife is gorgeous!!!! If that knife doesn't give a guy a woody he best reach for his drugs, lol.

Mike, how much for a knife like that one in the picture?


Thanks in advance.

These sort of pieces are almost always priced on how they actually come out ... damascus patterns are not always as predictable as one would like to think. I try to make it as predicable as possible, even going to the extend of starting with quite a thick piece of damascus and surface grinding material off the sides until I the pattern is centered.

That particular blade was more than $600.

Sounds high, but the starting material is quite expensive ... like $25/inch and this blade has a full tang. Fortunately, like a fine rifle these things become prized and get passed to family members ;> Makes me very happy when one gets a good home.

Thank you for the kind words. 'Tis wise to remember that a good knife doesn't have to be that pretty to be a joy in the field.