Blacklip and Meteorite

Product Description for Blacklip and Meteorite

Maker: Rick Dunkerley, M.S. (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 99136
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 2.50 in.
Cutting edge length: 2.25 in.
Total length: 6.30 in.
Blade height (at heel): 0.52 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.07 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.07 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.03 in.
Item weight: 2.20 oz.
Shipment weight: 2.8 oz.
Blade: Twist pattern damascus forged from 1080 and 15N20 carbon steels
Bolster: Gibeon meteorite
Handle: Textured and polished blacklip mother of pearl
Style: Folding liner lock
Description: Mastersmith Rick Dunkerley is one of the makers that formed the 'Montana Mafia'. His knives are immediately identifiable. From artistry of design to skill of implementation, Rick's knives always command my attention. Rick creates folders with some of the smoothest action to be found. The blade is easily opened using ambidextrous 18k gold dots inlaid into both sides of the blade.
The twist pattern damascus blade was forged by Dunkerley from 1080 and 15N20 carbon steels. An upswept boot grind nicely shows off the twisted pattern. Rick engraved the ricasso in a running wheat pattern. Silky-smooth action with a perfectly centered blade.
Presentation grade blacklip mother of pearl scales are set on heat colored 15N20 carbon steel liners using hand fileworked and heat colored screws. The end of the scales is hand stippled. The scales are dovetailed to Gibeon meteorite bolsters for a perfect fit. Each bolster has running wheat engraving that continues into the blade when closed. The Gibeon meteorite landed in Great Namaqualand, Namibia, Africa. It radio carbon dates to over 4 billion years ago. Gibeon fragments are spread over one of the largest strewn fields in the world, measuring 70 miles wide by 230 miles long and have a distinctive pattern known as the Widmanstatten pattern, which is one of the richest and most distinct patterns found in meteorites. The crystalline patterns can only form in the vacuum of space. The large metallic crystals require millions of years of cooling to form from a molten planetary core fragment. It has been estimated that it took about 1000 years for these molten pieces of planetary core to cool by just 1 degree Celsius! Like the bolsters and blade, the backbar is engraved with a running wheat pattern - both inside and out.
Mastersmith Rick Dunkerley has a tremendous level of precision and as you would expect, the fit and finish is exceptional!


Availability: Not currently available