Damascus Seax Knife, Camel Bone Handle and Carved Sheath

Pick it up and the sheath gets your attention before the blade does. Then the handle, camel bone, cool and smooth and a shade heavier than wood. The blade is 8 inches of Damascus over a high carbon core, straight along the edge, the spine dropping at an angle to the point. The carving is where most of the hours went.

Specification

The blade

The steel is Damascus with a high carbon core. Layers are forged together and twisted, then etched so the lines lift apart. The pattern is decoration. The core underneath cuts. The bevel is etched to the edge, where the working steel starts. The shape is a broken back seax, straight along the edge, the spine breaking down at a sharp angle into the point. That long flat edge suits push cuts and slicing on a board. Carbon steel darkens to grey with use, and spots if it is left wet.

The handle

Camel bone is dense and takes a polish wood cannot. It stays cool in a warm room. The tang is hidden, so the steel runs inside the bone rather than showing as scales at the sides, and nothing breaks up the grip. A brass ferrule closes the front and a brass cap the butt, so grit has no way in at either end. The handle is 5 inches, enough for a full hand and to choke up near the ferrule for close work.

The leather sheath

Vegetable tanned leather, cut to this blade's own outline and stitched by hand, with a welt in the seam keeping the thread clear of the edge. The face is hand carved, not stamped. The hide is damped, the lines cut with a swivel knife, then each cut beveled and shaded so the work stands off the surface. Two loops along the top edge hang it flat on a belt rather than down a leg.

Who it suits

A stamped sheath is pressed in a few passes. This one is cut line by line, over hours. That is the difference in price.

• People who look at the sheath first
• Buyers who want leather to match steel
• Anyone giving a gift that should look handmade
• Owners who keep a piece out and use it

What comes in the box

• The 8 inch Damascus seax
• The hand carved leather sheath
• A care card
• An engraving proof if you order one

Every piece is different

Every blade is forged and etched on its own, so the twist never lands twice the same. Camel bone carries its own marks and colour, some near white, some closer to cream. The carving is freehand, so no two faces sit the same. Yours will not match the photographs. That is handwork.

Looking after it

Wipe the blade dry and leave a film of oil on it before it goes away. The carved sheath wants a wipe and, once or twice a year, a little conditioner on a cloth. Never store the blade in the sheath for months, because leather holds damp against steel and that is where pitting starts. Sharpen on a stone, then strop it. There is more on our care and sharpening page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per blade and you add it on this page. Around 30 characters fits, so a name and a date. We send a proof image before the laser runs, so nothing goes onto the steel unseen. It adds 3 to 5 business days. Orders of 10 or more are engraved free. The engraving page covers the rest.

Questions buyers ask

Why does a carved sheath cost more than a stamped one? A stamp presses a design in a few passes. This one is cut by hand. You pay for the hours.

Will the carving flatten with wear? It softens where it rubs. Conditioner keeps it standing up.

What is a seax? A single edged blade shape from old northern Europe. The edge is straight, and on a broken back the spine drops at an angle to the point.

Will it rust? It can. Carbon steel darkens with use and spots if left damp. Dry it, oil it.

Can I carry it on my belt? Laws on carrying a fixed blade differ by state, city and country, so check your local rules before you carry it, and we cannot advise on that.

When will it get here? Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days. Engraving adds a few days.

For the same pattern on wood, the Damascus Seax Knife in olive wood runs a raindrop instead of a twist. The plainer one is the walnut handled seax in carbon steel. The shape sits in seax knives, the etched blades under Damascus steel, and the rest in historical blades.