Damascus Quillion Dagger with Fluted Purple Gidgee - Mastersmith Test Knife

Product Description for Damascus Quillion Dagger with Fluted Purple Gidgee - Mastersmith Test Knife

Maker: Andrew Blomfield, M.S. (click to see more by this maker)
Price: $5,000.00
Item num: 112692
** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind **
Blade length: 11.50 in.
Cutting edge length: 10.80 in.
Total length: 17.70 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.13 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.31 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.25 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.11 in.
Item weight: 17.40 oz.
Shipment weight: 27.8 oz.
Blade: Ladder pattern damascus forged from 1084 and 15N20 carbon steels
Bolster: Engraved and 24k gold inlayed hot blued steel
Handle: Exceptionally rare purple gidgee wrapped with twisted gold wire
Description: This dramatic dagger is the work of Andrew Blomfield. Andrew hails from New South Wales, Australia and became an American Bladesmith Society Journeyman Smith in June 2022. He was inducted as a mastersmith in 2025. I was tremendously excited when I was introduced to his work by fellow countryman Bruce Barnett. Blomfield brings a level of skill that is extremely rare, as shown in this sole-authorship dagger.
This exquisite dagger was made by Blomfield for his mastersmith test at the 2025 Blade Show. When a journeyman smith tests to become a master smith, five knives are created that will be judged for fit, finish and artistry. The maker often spends many times longer creating these knives than for other knives in their career, realizing that they will be under such scrutiny. These five knives are generally considered to be the most collectible knives of a maker's career. Looking at this incredible knife, it's not surprising that he easily passed!
The 11-1/2 inch blade was forged from Andrew's own blackened ladder pattern damascus, combining 1084 and 15N20 carbon steels. The complex pattern is extremely engaging and complements the dagger shape perfectly. The flat ground bevels are perfectly symmetrical. Daggers are among the hardest knives to grind -- any flaw in symmetry becomes immediately noticeable. Andrew's touchmark is on the ricasso. Because the blade is forged from carbon steel, we recommend using camellia oil to protect the blade and natural wood handle.
The handle is purple gidgee, fluted and set with twisted gold wire. The sculpted handle feels exceptional and offers excellent grip. Purple gidgee (Acacia cambagei) is an extremely rare wood only available in small quantities from inland desert regions of Australia, rarely found for sale. This specific type of gidgee is initially green, but once cut it changes to brown during the drying process. When the brown heartwood is exposed to light and air, it slowly turns a crimson purple tone as it oxidizes. This wood is substantially more difficult to obtain than even rare materials such as ancient walrus ivory. The handle is surrounded by hot blued mild steel fittings that are hand engraved and inlaid with 24k gold. The pommel can be twisted which allows the knife to be disassembled if cleaning and maintenance are needed. Take-down construction requires tighter tolerances and shows Andrew's focus on the small details.
Exceptional work throughout!


Availability: In stock. Usually ships in 1-2 business days