Crazy Crow Belduque

[Alden]

Interesting! Let me ask you a question Rifleman, anyone else...

Eight of a knife you've wanted are on Amazon.com. There are two from each of Solingen, Sheffield, Toledo, and Wazirabad. One from each country's city is being offered by Track Of The Wolf and, similarly, the other four via Crazy Crow. You are going to buy one.

All other things appearing equal, be honest, which one are you choosing and through whom?

 

[LaBonte]

Those German blades, IMHO they have very good steel and can be made into very good knives.

That is a faulty conclusion. Just being German made does not guarantee high quality. No different than any other product from anywhere. Depending on company and what they want to produce it may be very high quality or very low. Same with Sheffield English, high or low. Or Spanish legendary high quality to El Cheapo low.

FWIW - I have handled up a bunch of the German Solingen blades offered by Crazy Crow and other vendors and in over 40 years as a pro knifemaker I have yet to find one that is anything but good - perhaps not on the level of a custom knife by a very good maker, but right up there quality wise with the best of the big commercial makers such as Gerber.

 

[colmoultrie]

Agreed. German makers know that they cannot compete on price with other countries, given high labor costs and generous benefits, so there is an emphasis on quality to maintain market share. Of course, there is always an exception to every rule, but in most cases, I'd say that German-made is a better indication of quality than made in Pakistan.

 

[Ron LaClair]

That's my knife, I bought it from Joe a few years ago and had Chuck Burrows make the sheath.

Here's a picture of the front of the sheath.

 

[lonehunter]

Cool knife, is the grip pewter and bone?

 

[lonehunter]

Cool knife! What time period is that from?
Nice sheath also, I think its my favorite yet!

 

[Ron LaClair]

I first saw the knife on Joes table at the Living History show in Kalamazoo Michigan. I really liked it but it was very pricey.. :shocked2: That was on Saturday. That night at the motel I couldn't sleep thinking about that darn knife :shake: The next morning I made a bee-line to Joes booth and bought it.I guess I must be knife crazy :youcrazy: .... :idunno:

When I sent the knife to Chuck to have a sheath made, he did some research and made the proper sheath with a Spanish influence.

 

[Wes/Tex]

That set is prudier'en a speckled puppy under a red wagon! (Texan for really nice!) :wink: :haha:

 

[LaBonte]

Cool knife! What time period is that from?
Nice sheath also, I think its my favorite yet!

Both Ron's belduque by Joe D and the original, the blade of which is 12" long, would date to between about 1750 to the mid 1800's or a bit later.

The sheath deco is based on the style of appliqué braiding popular in the Spanish Colonial and later Mexican influenced west. One place this type of flat braid is still seen at times is the skirt seam behind the cantle of a saddle. Also Jim Gordon's museum in New Mexico has a courier bag that is decorated with appliqué braiding. SW gear is also often decorated with tacks or harness spots, thus the spots....