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Custom Knives by Alan Davis

Thought I would start a blog here to showcase the work of my favorite knifemaker. I stumbled across Alan Davis, a knifemaker from Boerne, Texas, in late 2012. I was blown away by his knife designs. Even more astounding was the fact that they were virtually all one of a kind creations. Alan didn't just make one or two patterns and then just outfit them with different materials. Each and every one was pretty much different. While he did have a few designs that people seemed to like and ask for, even those were made a little differently to make them unique. Alan works with all types of handle and blade material ... but does prefer Damascus blades. I currently own 67 of his knives (mainly his linerlock folders, do have a few frame locks, slip joints and fixed blades) and jokingly told Alan that I would love to have owned 100 of his knives before I die. Wasn't sure that would happen (while I sell many of his knives, I have been known to give a some away to close friends, so that they understand why I keep praising Alan's work!) ... but, that milestone was reached on April 19th, 2021, when I hit that 100 goal. He is the only maker who I would have no problem asking to make a knife for me and leaving everything (material/design) up to him ... and be confident that I would be thrilled with the results! I have done this twice .... and thrilled both times!

To start things off, here is one of my favorites that I picked up in 2014 (though I have so many I love, that picking favorites is a very difficult task!). It is a beautiful linerlock folder with amber Sambar stag scales and M3 composite bolsters. The blade measures 3.375" and is made from Damascus by Zoe Crist (in his Blackhawk pattern). Pocket clip is also Zoe's Damascus. Backspacer and liners are nuggetized and anodized a sort of plum color. All in all, a beautiful knife that feels super nice in the hand and is not too large or heavy to carry around clipped to your pocket all day. Hope you like it.

Stay tuned ....

Tags: Alan, David, Knives

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Comment by Rick Propas on November 13, 2019 at 8:26: Love the matching blade and bolsters.

Comment by Dennis Hibar on November 12, 2019 at 19:30: Here’s an outstanding new Alan Davis gent’s folder with Mammoth bark scales and Steve Standish (Standish Steel Works) Damascus blade (2.75") and bolsters made from 1095/1075/15n20. As always ... Alan dun good!!!

Comment by Rick Propas on October 9, 2019 at 10:47: Very nice, Dennis. I may be paring down my own collection of Alan's knives. Would you be interested in a list and/or images? If so ping me at rickpropas@comcast.net.

Comment by Dennis Hibar on October 9, 2019 at 5:13: Here's a new Davis to add to the collection. Dressed in some very nice snakewood, this one has 3" Burke multi-bar (2) Damascus blade.

Comment by Dennis Hibar on May 19, 2019 at 4:15: Thanks Rick. Alan keeps turning out the beauties!

Comment by Rick Propas on May 18, 2019 at 19:07: Dennis, well played. Another stunner from Alan. My Alan Davis knife lust is awakened like the skin of a dragon.

Comment by Dennis Hibar on May 18, 2019 at 11:09: I was lucky enough to be able to pick up another knife that Alan made using Bertie Reitveld's "Dragon Skin" Damascus. (Beautiful stuff ... but oh so difficult to photograph. Have to use heavily filtered lighting to prevent reflections in the blade.) This one is just a hair smaller and and narrower, with a 3" blade. It is also a front tab opener, rather than employing a thumb stud. The bolsters on this one are Timascus ... which goes great with the heat anodized Dragon Skin. Alan put a lot of different colors into the carved and file-worked back spacer.

Comment by Dennis Hibar on February 17, 2019 at 16:22: It's been almost 5 months since I last acquired a new Davis. Mainly, because Alan had some serious medical problems. Fortunately, he has now recovered and is back making knives!! This beauty arrived yesterday. It's another gent's size folder with a 3.125" blade made from Bertie Rietveld's Dragon Skin Damascus which Alan heat colored. Bolsters are also Dragon Skin (etched). The Mammoth bark scales have nice color front and back. Double anodized / file-worked back spacer and brass thumb stud with and inset blue diamond complement the knife very nicely.

Comment by Dennis Hibar on September 25, 2018 at 9:09: Alan is on a roll with stag folders! Here's my latest. First, the stag is absolutely phenomenal. More importantly, I like adding new things or firsts to the collection. The bolsters on this one fit that bill. Alan is always trying new things and he made the bolsters by fusing sterling silver to copper. A really nice rustic kind of look to it. Scales are some superb natural amber Sambar stag with great character. The slabs are a little oversized and fit my hand very well. The 3.125" blade is some of Vegas Forge's stainless Damascus in their sharkstooth pattern. Overall, just a great looking knife that will spend a lot of time in my hand.

Comment by Dennis Hibar on September 2, 2018 at 14:29: Thanks Rick and Jan. I really like this one. Gotta say something, and it is nothing that will surprise or offend Alan. While I consider myself to be somewhat of a hack when it comes to photography .... Alan just plain stinks!!! I am certainly glad his knifemaking skills don't mirror his photography skills! I view this as a plus. When I see him post a pic of a new knife (having owned so many of his pieces), I kind of know what it will look like in the flesh, so to speak, rather than what the photo depicts. That gives me a little edge when it comes to snagging a piece! I don't have to think as much as other might. When I saw his posted pics of this one, I knew immediately that it would look fantastic in person, despite Alan's somewhat underexposed and washed out pics. For this, I thank him ... because the knife now resides in my collection! One more thing ... I don't care for many of Markus Balbach's Damascus patterns ... but his herringbone is out of this world. It has a chatoyancy that photographs just can't capture. Beautiful stuff.