{"product_id":"sodbuster-folding-knife-black-ebony","title":"Sodbuster Folding Knife, Hand Forged with Black Ebony Handle","description":"\u003cp\u003eMost folders here have metal capping both ends of the handle. This one has none. It is a slab of black ebony either side of the spring, two brass pins, and 3.5 inches of 1095 high carbon steel folded between them. In a pocket it is a long flat shape with nothing to catch. Closed it is 4.5 inches. Not much to describe, and that is the point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eClosed length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOpen length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8 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\u003eHand rubbed satin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade shape\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eClip point\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLock\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSlip joint, no lock\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOpening\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCrescent nail nick\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlack ebony, no bolsters, two brass pins and a brass lanyard hole\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePouch\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStamped basket weave leather slip pouch\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\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe blade\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1095 high carbon, finished in hand rubbed satin. Hand rubbed means the flats are worked with abrasive until every scratch lies one way, so the blade reads as working grey, not a mirror. The shape is a clip point. The last stretch of spine is cut away in a shallow sweep, dropping the tip and making it finer, and a fine tip gets under a knot or a staple. Three and a half inches with no lock behind it. Respect the spring. Carbon steel darkens to grey and spots if put away wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe lock and the opening\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no lock on a sodbuster and there never has been. A flat spring runs the length of the back and bears on the tang, holding the blade open at one end of the swing and shut at the other, and it gives when you push the spine hard enough. That is the whole mechanism. Two pieces of steel and a pivot. Opening is a crescent nail nick cut in the flat, deep enough to catch a thumbnail without looking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlack ebony is about as dense as a wood gets, dark brown to black with the odd lighter streak. There are no bolsters. Nothing caps the ends, so the wood runs the full length of the frame and the only metal outside is two brass pins and the brass lanyard hole at the tail. Leaving bolsters off takes weight from the front and removes the seam where wood meets metal, the seam that opens first on an old knife. Closed it lies flat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe leather pouch\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVegetable tanned leather, hand stitched, basket weave beaten into the damp hide. A flat sleeve with two sewn sides and one open end, and the shut knife goes in and comes out the same way. No flap, no press stud, no strap, nothing for a belt, which is why it is a pouch here and not a sheath. With no bolsters it keeps bare wood off what is loose in a bag.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStand it beside the others and it looks unfinished. It is not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone wanting a blade and a handle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFarmers, growers and knife losers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers who dislike bright metal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople wanting a longer slip joint\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe black ebony sodbuster\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe stamped basket weave slip pouch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree sharpening for life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eEvery piece is different\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEbony comes off a log with a pale outer band, so one pair of scales is black and the next has a grey streak across it. The satin is rubbed by hand and the scratch lines never sit at the same angle twice. Yours will not be the knife in the picture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEbony carries oil of its own, but it dries in a hot car or on a windowsill, and dry ebony cracks along the grain. A rub of oil now and then keeps that at bay. The steel is plain carbon, so wipe it after use and after fruit. Grit washes out of the joint under a tap, then dry it and oil the pivot. See the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/knife-care-sharpening\"\u003ecare and sharpening page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003ePut a name on it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaser engraving is 20 dollars per blade, added at checkout. Around 30 characters go on. There is plenty of clear satin, so a name and a date fit without crowding the nick. A proof image goes out first and nothing is cut until you say so, adding 3 to 5 business days. From 10 blades it costs nothing. The \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/engraving\"\u003eengraving page\u003c\/a\u003e has the detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy are there no bolsters?\u003c\/strong\u003e A sodbuster leaves them off. Less metal and one less joint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat do bolsters do?\u003c\/strong\u003e They cap the scale ends and take knocks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it lock open?\u003c\/strong\u003e No. The back spring holds both ends of the swing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it rust?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, if left wet. Dry it, oil it. The grey can stay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAm I able to carry this one?\u003c\/strong\u003e Laws differ by state, city and country, so check your local rules, and we cannot advise on that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the delivery time?\u003c\/strong\u003e Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBrass ends and a half stop is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hand-forged-slip-joint-folding-knife-olive-wood\"\u003eolive wood slip joint\u003c\/a\u003e. Pattern, clip and lock is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-folding-knife-green-micarta-clip\"\u003egreen micarta folder\u003c\/a\u003e. It sits in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/folding-knives\"\u003efolding knives\u003c\/a\u003e, its steel under \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/high-carbon-1095\"\u003e1095 high carbon steel\u003c\/a\u003e, plain shapes in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/pocket-knives\"\u003epocket knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44146090377334,"sku":"VEF-FLD-HC-2209","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/folding-18-carbon-sodbuster-ebony_1d3ebc05-733f-40cf-80dd-87adeb2d3c58.jpg?v=1788859846","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/sodbuster-folding-knife-black-ebony","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}