Musk Ox CLI

The CLI, or Composite Laminated Integral is a Laminated steel blade with the core steel only in the blade.  The pattern of the exposed core literally shows every hammer blow required to bring the blade to the shape you see here.  Each movement of the steel distorts that core, and leaves that distortion forever in the pattern.  The blade also displays a superb version of the "white line" effect of my laminated steel.  There is literally not a straight line anywhere on the knife.  It is one continuous curve, in and out all the way around the piece.  The exceptionally long clip, and the very narrow "neck" between the handle and the blade give the blade a very lively and fast feel in the hand.  Considering how large the knife is, it almost floats on its own when you hold it.  

The handle is some beautiful Musk Ox horn with small domed nickel silver pins.  Musk Ox is one of those curiosities of nature, because a musk ox wouldn't make anyone's Top 10 list of most beautiful animals, but hidden beneath all that hair and stink is some of the most beautiful horn anywhere on earth!  It is actually translucent, so the light bounces off the patterns inside the horn, giving it a depth that very few materials can match.

The sheath as well, is a bit of a first.  The tooling is clean and the leather work is solid, but I wanted a little something extra to tie the whole package together.  So I forge welded a piece of laminated steel onto a section of 416 stainless bar stock, then carved it into a very unique arrowhead-shaped frog stud. 

The blade of this knife is over 11" long, and the knife is 16.5" overall.