The Alan Davis custom knife picture thread

[JR88FAN]

It's amazing to go through this thread again and just see the progression of Alan's work.

It's just become so technically perfect, and I love how he continues to put together interesting designs and styles.

It's really the way custom knife making should be, not sure when it turned into make one knife, hype it up, and then make the same knife over and over...
That just seems like how production knives work.

In terms of customs, maybe that's the dividing line between making knives as a way to make a living or making knives with passion and love as a way to make a living...

Sorry to get off topic Dennis, just my observations of Alan through his wonderful work.

 

[d.r.h.]

It's amazing to go through this thread again and just see the progression of Alan's work.

It's really the way custom knife making should be, not sure when it turned into make one knife, hype it up, and then make the same knife over and over...

Alex ....

Exactly why I love Alan's work so much. Each and every piece is pretty much a true one-of-a-kind creation. I just don't think I will tire of collecting (as well as carrying and using!) his knives .... as I continue to work my way to 100!

 

[viper89]

My most recent acquisition from Alan. This makes it #4. His work is truly one of the best out there.

I think I need to make group photo soon.

 

[d.r.h.]

I think I need to make group photo soon.

Most definitely! Love seeing Alan's made-to-order pieces. Alright .... love seeing everything he makes, okay!

 

[viper89]

Here is my collection so far. Sorry for the poor quality photos. The lighting is not doing them much justice (nor is my camera on my phone).

 

[d.r.h.]

Very nice!!! Very nice indeed!

 

[d.r.h.]

Whoa baby.... always a knife day with a new Davis arrives! This little sweetie features some really nice Blacksite carbon fiber scales, a nitre-blued, 2.3125" Rob Calcinore Damascus blade, and really outstanding filework and anodizing on the back spacer ... which extends to form a bottle opener at the tail end of the knife! A nifty multi-purpose gent's folder indeed! I am not a huge lover of carbon fiber, but this Blacksite is really nice and complements the overall look of the knife very well. I was going to say that Alan did a super job on this one .... but all of his knives are super!!!

And .... putting her to good use!

 

[d.r.h.]

This one is a little departure from the norm from me .... but, I decided I wanted to add one of Alan's fixed blades to the collection. Didn't want something very big, as I wanted to keep it sheathed to my belt when I was doing yard work. Normally, I carried a folder, but often times my pockets would get filled with other things I needed. A small fixed blade would be a solution to a sometimes problem. Thanks to a great BF member, I got a good deal on a never used small hunter Alan sold to him back in May. It's got Koa scales over blue liners. The blade stock is 3/16" 1084 and the blade length is just under 3 inches (2.875). It's the perfect size for anything I might need it to do outside.

While I am excited to have this one in the collection ... I am not nearly as excited as I will be very soon! I have got a very special one coming from Alan that I have been dreaming about for the past two years!!!! Stay tuned!

 

[d.r.h.]

Back in early 2013, I bought a nice block of redwood burl just because I liked it. I had no idea what I would do with it. Then the light bulb lit up in my head. In September of '13, I sent it to Alan and asked him to put me back on his books and make me something out of this redwood. I told him that I didn't want to know anything about it and to fit me in whenever he got an idea for something special. I was in no hurry. The only thing I told him was that I wanted him to keep the blade between 3 and 3.25 inches, it needed to have a clip and that I thought golds might go well with the redwood. Everything else I was leaving up to him. Regardless of what he made for me, I knew I would love it. Well, Christmas came early when Alan told me on Sunday night that it was ready. My 2-year wait was over .... the knife arrived today. To say I love this one would be a huge understatement. This beauty features my redwood burl mated to a 3" Del Ealy Damascus blade in his fish pattern and Doug Ponzio Damascus bolsters. Alan also used Del's Damascus for the clip and back spacer. Pictures (at least mine) don't do this beauty justice!

Thanks Alan ..... this is number 48 in the collection and a very special one it is!

 

[d.r.h.]

(Update 3/11/2019: This beauty has a new home)

Another beauty of a knife arrived from Alan today. It is a really stunning flipper with a handle shape different from any of my others. It fits my hand exceptionally well with its thick, nicely textured Mammoth bark scales. The 3.25" blade is some of Rob Thomas' stainless, typhoon pattern Damascus. M3 metal composite bolsters and Roman knot file worked back spacer, which has been double anodized, complement the knife really well. Alan originally made this knife clip-less, but due to its size, asked if he could add a clip to this one for me. Perfect ... just perfect!

 

[d.r.h.]

Gotta tell you ... was REALLY excited to receive this new Davis. This is the first one I've seen where Alan used some crosscut Mammoth ivory. I've had other knives before with crosscut sections of ivory and loved the look. Now I've added one to my Davis collection. With almost perfectly matched front and back scales ... the coloring and pattern of the ivory is outstanding and matches up superbly with the other components Alan chose for the knife. The bolsters are some mosaic Damascus from Robert Eggerling. The just under 3" blade is Rob Thomas' reptilian pattern stainless Damascus. Alan's great filework on the back spacer rounds out the package for an outstanding gent's folder. Like always, Alan, you dun good!!!

 

[d.r.h.]

(Update 4/12/17: This one has a new "caretaker"!)

Lightning does strike twice! I was able to score a second knife from Alan with beautiful crosscut Mammoth scales! As nice as the one above is ... this new one is a real looker!!! In addition to some very vibrant scales, Alan fitted the knife with timascus bolsters and a 2.875" clip point Damascus blade from Rob Calcinore that Alan blued. Everything about it is eye popping.

 

[d.r.h.]

(Update: This one has been gifted.)

I can't believe it has been almost 2 months since I've been able to add a new Davis to the collection. This one is another special one (to me, at least), in that it is the first front flipper that Alan has built. It is a small mini-linerlock, outfitted with curly koa scales and sporting a 2.25" Rob Calcinore Damascus blade. I really like front opening tabs on small knives. I don't open this one as a flipper, but as I do the other front tab openers (mainly by Phil Tham) that I have ... by starting to open it with my thumb, then finish off opening it with my pointer finger. I find that with my large hands, opening a small knife that has a thumb stud requires dexterity that I no longer have! These small ones with front opening tabs are perfect.

 

[d.r.h.]

Here's the latest Davis! A beautiful gent's folder with 3" blade (Chad Nichols Iguana pattern Damascus) with a really nice swedge. Bolsters are M3 composite and scales are box elder. Alan used a brass spacer to separate the bolsters and scales (love it when he does this!!). He also double anodized that back spacer and file-worked liners. After having missed the two previous knives Alan listed, was super stoked to snag this one .... number 53!

 

[d.r.h.]

Boy, oh boy did I luck into acquiring a BEAUTIFUL new Davis!!! Sort of makes me feel a little better after having been too slow on the draw to snag a couple of others that really caught my eye! This one sports a hair over 3 inch Chad Nichols Damascus blade (Iguana pattern), Tony Metsala mosaic Damascus bolsters, and outrageously beautiful blue/black/tan Mammoth bark scales. Alan did a really neat pattern on the fileworked back spacer (with integral lanyard holder) as well as made a hand carved, sort of mushroom shaped, thumb stud. Here she is:

 

[Mutt]

I finally got That email....the one that says your knife is done here are the pics. I never sent a payment faster. If anybody needs me, I'll be the guy waiting by the mailbox.

 

[d.r.h.]

SWEET!!!!! Love everything about it ... especially the nicely matched stag!

 

[d.r.h.]

Here's a beautiful Davis folder that just arrived today! This trailing point gent's folder features a fantastic color combination. The scales are Mammoth bark. Bolsters are copper that Alan textured, buffed and sanded, gold plated, then sanded and buffed again. Really gives it a nice antique look and sets off the colors in the bark very nicely. The thumb stud is also copper, that Alan hand carved and then gold plated and added an inset blue topaz. Back spacer is highly polished carbon fiber with alternating citrine and blue topaz gem stones. This knife fits my comfort zone perfectly, with its 3.125" blade from Doug Ponzio stainless Damascus.

 

[bellero]

My two favorite hunting knives, I always have one of these two strapped to my belt when comes hunting season.

 

[d.r.h.]

Here's my latest Davis with some killer Mammoth bark scales! Blade is Del Ealy's Dragon pattern Damascus and measures 2.875" with a nice swedge. Bolsters and thumb stud are Mike Sakmar's Mokume (which I am terrible at photographing!). Back spacer features some of Alan's double anodizing and looks great with the scales. This one will be in my pocket for the foreseeable future!!!