Familiar with Santa Fe Stoneworks?

JDRanger

JDRanger

Joined
Aug 14, 2017
Messages
399
i was wondering if any of you had any opinions or experiences with Santa Fe Stoneworks knives.

They are priced from $70.00 to as much as $350.00. Many are designed by Ken Onion.

I had never heard of them but see a full line of them listed on a major online retailer (they show up when I’m looking at Zero Tolerance)

Mostly out of curiosity - I’d like to learn more about them and how they measure up to better known companies who sell knives in their price range.

Also wondering why the brand seems to be off the radar screen.

Thanks
 
As far as i know, Santa Fe just rehandles kershaw leeks and the such. Or they add an inlay or onlay. Just beware...if you buy a onlay leek, the onlay is just on one side!
 
Thanks - that makes sense. Not sure that paying $395 for a dressed up Kershaw is a wise buying decision but what do I know?
 
I suspect New Mexico has a pretty good captive and tourist audience for those knives. Combine that with the folks who have to have ever Leek etc. ever made they're set for life.

You probably don't see much of them here because they are in a weird niche in between full on tactical modern folders and full on traditional slip joints. Those really seem to be the main teams on BF.
 
Overpriced pocket jewelry IMO. I just don't see the point of expensive, elegant looking handle materials on a (relatively) inexpensive assisted opening knife. Seems counterintuitive. Kinda like spending $200 on a sweater for your dog. To each their own.
 
I've handle a few of them before at shops. The work they do is good enough quality IMO but it doesn't justify their prices. Way overpriced.
 
For what it's worth, they've been around since the 80's at least, and have worked with many major brands. In the 90's, gemstone rehandled knives where a big thing. Santa Fe, Yellowhorse, and Prather were the big semi-commercial guys back then, and probably still are. I can't speak to quality now, but I think they did their best work design wise for Spyderco over the years.
 
They are art knives for collecting. You are paying for the inlaid stones/gems and the work. They aren't really for using... The confusion comes from that fact that they use metal handled knives as they are set up to be worked on. They didn't intend to make fancy assisted knives, rather the Kershaws they do gussy up simply had metal handles.

I have a knife I got as a gift, I think it's pretty nice but I do not use it.
 
I’ve been eyeing up their Leeks for a while. Makes the Leek look like a nice gentlemen’s knife to wear to the office or with a suit.

I just can’t justify spending $120 on a Leek.
 
I also have one that my sister got me for 1 year of sobriety. Mine is Mammoth Tusk on a Kershaw Leek. It really is beautiful. The knife is polished and tuned so it works as good as it looks. But I can't really bring myself to use it. It is the only knife I have that I consider to be a collector's piece and not a user. That said, it is certainly usable.
 
DB_Cruiser said:
I also have one that my sister got me for 1 year of sobriety. Mine is Mammoth Tusk on a Kershaw Leek. It really is beautiful. The knife is polished and tuned so it works as good as it looks. But I can't really bring myself to use it. It is the only knife I have that I consider to be a collector's piece and not a user. That said, it is certainly usable.
Click to expand...
They are beautiful collector knives or make a great desk knife, not for hard use. The stone can chip & break..It’s all what you are after in your knives.
 
tltt said:
For what it's worth, they've been around since the 80's at least, and have worked with many major brands. In the 90's, gemstone rehandled knives where a big thing. Santa Fe, Yellowhorse, and Prather were the big semi-commercial guys back then, and probably still are. I can't speak to quality now, but I think they did their best work design wise for Spyderco over the years.
Click to expand...
I used to see their stone and wood inlay work on Camillus traditional knives pretty often back in the '80s and '90s. Depending on the materials, the prices weren't even too bad for a souvenir or gift knife.
 
View attachment 1207783 View attachment 1207784 Here is an “old” (hard) cheese plane with the Santa Fe Stoneworks treatment. “Young” (soft) cheese planes have shorter paddle so they don’t drag on the wetter surface. I got the plane at a thrift store (NIB) for a couple bucks. You can tell by the instructions that these tools take a little TLC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top