Movie Star Knife

There has been much talk of nostalgic or famous knives in recent issues of Magnum soi thought I’d take the opportunity to show (off) a knife given to me by a good friend who bought it on an American sale some years ago.

Interestingly, the knife was documented as having been specially made for a film on Bowie knives – and that’s all that was known about it.

When I took the knife home I noted that it’s overall length was 14½-inches and the clip point blade was nine inches long and almost two inches wide and, I thought, etched with a Damascus pattern. The wrap-around handle made from what I thought was plastic, bears the head and shoulders of an eagle. The pommel is made from a silver-coloured metal and the hilt is made from what I guessed to be a metal alloy.

However I was wrong! When I showed the knife to the late Spike Dauberman, a Port Elizabeth knife maker of long standing, he took one look and without hesitation told me the blade was true Damascus steel made from motorbike chain! Spike also assured me the handle was real carved stag horn and the pommel and hilt were made from genuine silver.

So, what I thought was a film studio prop, turned out to be a work of art. Heck, I may be just a plain ole mountain man but my knife is a real one-of-a-kind movie star. – Robin Barkes