Before I go any farther, let me say that I have never given kudos to custom hunting knife makers. There are many reasons, but let me just say that a knife shouldn’t be no more dangerous for you to use than to look at. I also think a lot of knife makers produce products for the Lilliputian market rather than for Gulliver and although the materials are sometimes glitzy they don’t wear well, can’t hold an edge or too hard to sharpen.
This past weekend we were in Las Vegas attending the Safari international Convention. I visited every booth and came away with two items: a knife I bid on in an auction and a custom hunting knife by Tinus Oelofse that I bought from him directly. I consider Tinus’s knife worth the trip alone.
Although Tinus makes knives utilizing a variety of materials, I prefer the Swedish Steel referred to as AEB-L he used in mine. Some of my chef knives are made of this wonderful material, here’s how a friend describes it:
” AEB-L (also called 13C26 ) steel was designed for razors, which need corrosion resistance, high hardness and very acute edges. Once you try a knife that is made with AEB-L you will see why it is coveted by knife enthusiasts and professionals. The knife will take a very keen edge just like the best carbon steels yet you don’t have to worry about rusting. You will also find much better sharpening properties since AEB-L is less prone to produce wire edges that are so common when you sharpen most high end Japanese kitchen knives. “
Although a young knife manufacturer, Tinus has a good understanding of marketing and presentation.
This will be one of the knives I will be taking on my next hunting trip…. and many more after.
BTW, Tinus Oelofse will be at the Blade Show ( everything from hunting to kitchen knives) in Atlanta June 8th -10th , 2012.