Ancient Artifact Batwing Fighter (1994 Collector Piece)

Product Description for Ancient Artifact Batwing Fighter (1994 Collector Piece)

Maker: Shane Taylor, M.S. (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 2544
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 3.25 in.
Total length: 7.50 in.
Blade height (at heel): 0.83 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.25 in.
Item weight: 3.70 oz.
Blade: Deeply etched cable Damascus blade
Bolster: Integral
Handle: Fossil mammoth ivory scales with mosaic pins
Description: Among the more collectable pieces that we have ever offered is the Ancient Artifact Batwing Fighter. The Batwing Fighter is one of the hallmark knives of Mastersmith Shane Taylor's career. It has elegant lines and is perfectly balanced in the hand. The slim profile means that it is easy to have close at hand and ready when needed.
Back in the early 1990s, Shane did a fair amount of scrimshaw. He began work on this batwing fighter in 1993 (before he was even an ABS apprentice -- he joined the ABS as an apprentice in 1994). When it was complete, he put it in his scrimshaw case for decorative scrimshaw to be added. Soon after he joined the ABS, he tapered off and then stopped doing scrim entirely. This piece was long forgotten in his scrim case and only discovered in the summer of 2003.
The cable Damascus blade was forged to shape and deeply etched. The integral bolster has a smooth transition into the ricasso. At the thickest point, the ricasso measures .4" thick! The blade and tang have been distal tapered and the thick ricasso area brings the balance point to be perfectly centered above the first and second fingers for optimal control.
This piece shows a much earlier time in Mastersmith Shane Taylor's career and his talent shines through in his early work equally as much as in his work today. This early example of the batwing fighter style shows the true promise of the pattern. New condition -- never used to cut.


Availability: Not currently available