Bruce Crawley Drop Point Hunter - Mine !!

[Jason Cutter]

I thought I'd share this beautiful knife with you guys. It has pride of place in my collection. I consider it one of the finest hunting knives I've handled and was made by Melbourne knifemaker Bruce Crawley. I got it about 3 years ago when unfortunately, Bruce was not in the best of health. Bruce was one of Australia's premier knifemakers and he has displayed at shows all over the world till a couple of years ago.

Specs - 3.5inch blade immaculately hollowground ATS-34, with satin hand rubbed finish. Stainless bolsters, dovetailed into slabs of a beautiful timber which I am not sure of - its either Ironwood or Mallee Root Burl. Full tapered tang. There are more thinly tapered tangs, but this one is done perfectly. The sheath is also made by Bruce and is hand tooled. It fits the knife superbly and when drawing the knife or returning it to the sheath it makes a lovely popping sound that indicates a precise yet smooth fit. I am very taken by the sheer crispness and cleanness of the lines.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

Those bolsters are so perfectly done they make the knife look like an integral. Excellent workmanship.

 

[Peter Del Raso]

Hi Keith and Jazza ( you know its going to stick Doc). I'm very happy to see one of Bruce's knives here. He is one of the best makers Australia has produced. Bruce took me under his wing when I first started and showed me how a knife should be made and have never looked back. Thats 10 or 11 years ago now.

Bruce and I travelled to the States in 1999 for two shows. We both had very good sales for complete unknowns and we both won awards. Bruce spent most of his time explaining methods to half of the makers we met. I owe Bruce for a lot of the success I now have and repay it by passing on tips, both mine and his, to the next new maker. If we ever get a hall of fame down under, you can bet your last dollar Bruce will be in there.