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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 Dennis Hibar on January 21, 2017 at 4:28: (Note: This knife has a new home!)

Last Saturday, I mentioned my fleece comfy pajama pants (probably the greatest invention since duct tape!!). When I am in the house, that’s what I will be wearing! And … clipped to the pocket of those comfy pants is my Alan Davis daily use folder. I bought this one from another Davis collector in 2013. He picked it up directly from Alan in 2010 and it became one of his every day users. Since I’ve owned it, it has literally been used every single day cutting anything from rope and twine … to packaging and boxes … to plants and twigs …. and anything else that needs cutting around the house. It is one of Alan’s smaller mini-linerlock folders featuring a 2.5" Alabama Damascus blade and jigged amber bone scales. I originally bought it because I wanted to carry a Davis when I went to visit my daughter in Akron, Ohio …. and that blasted city as a blade length law (2.5”), so I needed a smaller folder at the time! Once I got it, I realized what a joy it was to carry around the house. I just took these pictures, so the knife reflects nearly 7 years of daily use (by myself and the previous owner). Oh ... I do have another mini-linerlock around-the-house user that really "bites" ... but will share that one another day!!!

Comment by Dennis Hibar on January 14, 2017 at 16:21: You know Jan .... some women folk I know tend to accessorize with purses, jewelry and the like. I tend to do something similar ... but with pocket knives!!! Unless I am sitting around in the house with my fleece comfy pants on, I normally carry 5 knives with me! One of my Davis' is normally in my front pocket, a Spyderco Centofante Memory in my back pocket, another custom (most often a Davis) in a belt pouch, and GEC 18 Coyote in my coin pocket, and a serrated Spyderco hawkbill ladybug on my keychain! Some are for using (depending on the task) and others are for showing and talking about. Oh ... when I am lounging around the house in my comfy pants .... there is always a small jigged bone Davis in my pocket! With the exception of a few very special Davis knives ... they all get carried. Actually, the first thing I normally do when I get a new one is to put my own edge on the knife. I tend to be very particular about the edges on my knives.

Comment by Jan Carter on January 14, 2017 at 16:02: One of the things I love about this discussion Dennis is that you actually carry/use these knives. I know that makes Mr Davis proud. I have never met a custom maker that thought he was building eye candy and the purpose of it being a knife did not matter

Comment by John Bamford on January 14, 2017 at 12:00: A really nice knife again , that Koa is beautiful but I think the bolsters really make the knife .

Comment by Dennis Hibar on January 14, 2017 at 4:35: This one was in my pocket yesterday, so thought I would feature it today! It is a great, smaller size EDC Davis that is always a joy to handle ... and begs to be used. Scales are nicely figured curly koa, bolsters are blue twill carbon fiber, and the blade is a perfectly sized (for me) 3.125” Elmax clip point. Like all of Alan’s knives, action is perfect and build quality is first rate.

Comment by Dennis Hibar on January 7, 2017 at 4:28: Here’s a Davis that I bought, well, because I didn’t have anything dressed in this wood! When I first saw it, I immediately thought a light colored Koa. Right region …. wrong wood! The scales are Hawaiian mango. Blade is nicely sized at 3.125” and made from Alabama Damascus. Alan added some vine filework to the spine and a Damascus back spacer to give it a touch of class!

KnifeMaker Comment by Andy Larrison on January 6, 2017 at 6:19: Wow, those are some amazing looking knives Dennis!

Comment by Dennis Hibar on January 6, 2017 at 3:58: Have at it Rick! I love drooling over Alan's knives! Tomorrow I'll be posting another nice one outfitted in wood!

Comment by Rick Propas on January 6, 2017 at 0:04: Dennis, thanks for starting this. I am nowhere near you in terms of collecting the knives of Alan Davis but I admire his work greatly and have a handful of examples. Let me know if it would be appropriate to show off my Davis knives here and if so how to do it. I am new to iKnife