{"product_id":"hand-forged-skinning-knife-water-buffalo-horn","title":"Hand Forged Skinning Knife, Water Buffalo Horn Handle","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe shape is the plain skinner, a wide belly sweeping to a rounded tip, which keeps the edge in contact along a pulling stroke. The blade runs 4 inches, forged from 1095 high carbon. The handle is water buffalo horn, glossy black with faint grey streaks, and that gloss is buffed into it rather than sprayed on. There is no lacquer on this knife anywhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1095 high carbon\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDark forged spine, wide bright bevel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade shape\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSkinner, wide sweeping belly to a rounded tip\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull tang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater buffalo horn, glossy black with faint grey streaks, three brass pins, lanyard hole\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStamped basket weave leather belt sheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEngraving\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 dollars per blade\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMade in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForged and finished by hand in High Point, North Carolina.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarranty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifetime warranty against defects, free sharpening for life.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe blade\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e1095 has carbon in it and not much else, which is why it sharpens easily and why it will not sit in a damp sheath without complaining. The forge scale stays on the spine, dark and slightly uneven, and the bevel is ground wide and bright below it. The belly is the working part. Ground shallow through that curve, it holds the cut as your hand travels, where a straight edge would lose contact. Expect the bright side to go grey within a season, and expect orange spotting if it goes away wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater buffalo horn is dense stuff. Sanded up through the grits and taken to a buffing wheel it comes out deep black, and nothing on the surface is doing that, no lacquer and no film to chip later. Faint grey streaks run through it, part of the material. The tang is full, three brass pins pass through the scales, and there is a lanyard hole at the butt. The 4.5 inch grip fills a wet hand without crowding your fingers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe leather sheath\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eVegetable tanned leather, stamped over the face in basket weave, then wet moulded to this blade so the knife drops in and holds. A welt sits between the panels along the stitch line so the edge never lies against thread, which is the difference between a sheath that lasts and one that opens up. All the stitching is hand done. The belt loop takes a working belt and sits flat.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBuyers who want shine without a coating. Horn does that on its own, if you treat it like the natural material it is.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone who likes black horn against a dark forged spine\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOwners who want a steel that touches up quickly\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers after a working belt knife at a sensible price\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople who store gear indoors, not in a hot truck\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe skinner, sharpened\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe basket weave belt sheath\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEngraving details\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEvery piece is different\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHorn is grown material, so one handle comes out nearly solid black and the next carries pale grey streaking through the middle. The forging leaves its own scale along each spine. We do not sort or match them, so the one in the photograph is not the one you get.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWipe the steel dry, put a light oil on it, and never leave it in a wet sheath overnight. The horn wants a dry cloth, though a little oil once a year does no harm. The honest warning: horn does not enjoy heat, and a glovebox in July is the worst place to leave it. Stone the edge, strop it, and sharpening here is free for life. Longer version on the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/knife-care-sharpening\"\u003eknife care and sharpening page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003ePut a name on it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eEngraving runs 20 dollars a blade, added to the order here. Around 30 characters is the practical limit, which covers most names and a year. We send a proof image and wait for your reply before the laser runs. Engraved orders ship 3 to 5 business days later. At 10 or more we stop charging. The \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/engraving\"\u003eengraving page\u003c\/a\u003e covers the rest.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the handle finished with anything?\u003c\/strong\u003e No. The shine comes off the buffing wheel. Nothing is sprayed on, so there is no coating to wear through.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat happens if I leave it in a hot car?\u003c\/strong\u003e Horn dries out in heat and can shrink or crack. Keep it out of hot cars and off sunny windowsills.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs there a pattern in the steel?\u003c\/strong\u003e No. This is plain 1095, not Damascus, so nothing shows on the flat but forge finish and grind.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow do I stop it rusting?\u003c\/strong\u003e Dry it every time and oil it before storage. Left damp it will spot, like any carbon steel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow long does shipping take?\u003c\/strong\u003e Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I put it in a dishwasher?\u003c\/strong\u003e Please do not. It would take the shine off the horn and rust the blade in one go.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe same steel under wood is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hand-forged-skinning-knife-walnut\"\u003ehand forged skinning knife on walnut\u003c\/a\u003e, and for a blade with some history the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/rasp-steel-skinner-knife-rosewood\"\u003erasp steel skinner on rosewood\u003c\/a\u003e was a farrier rasp first. More of the curve in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/skinner-knives\"\u003eskinner knives\u003c\/a\u003e, the same steel in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/high-carbon-1095\"\u003e1095 high carbon steel\u003c\/a\u003e, and the whole range in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/all-knives\"\u003eevery knife we make\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44146186387574,"sku":"VEF-SKN-HC-2310","price":145.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/skinner-23-carbon-buffalo-horn_7fd6fe26-db6d-4242-a460-d0ea9eff60b1.jpg?v=1788861316","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/hand-forged-skinning-knife-water-buffalo-horn","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}