I selected classic materials for a Samic-inspired hunting knife; reindeer antler and hide matched with a large blade. I entered the knife in the Ludvika Show in 2019 and took home a second prize in the “Half Horn” class.

I was fortunate to be presented with the opportunity to buy a special forged blade made by Mattias Styrfors and Johnny Walker. The unique pattern, a spider in two sizes forged into two other patterns, became the inspiration for the knife titled the Spider. 

Since the blade is rather large the sheath had to be made from a high-quality piece of masur birch and reindeer horn. Locating suitable pieces of white reindeer horn that were also large enough to match the size of the blade–like the spider net that was made by a single piece of reindeer horn—proved quite challenging, simply because those dimensions are rare to find. 

Inside the handle through the spider holes you can see pieces of reindeer horn with engravings. On top of the sheath you see the belt shoving the initials, knife number and month/year of production.

The simple cream and brown color scheme complements the repeated engraving pattern and expresses a unique contrast to the exquisitely forged carbon steel knife blade. The untouched areas of the reindeer antler provide an almost startling contrast to the heavily engraved sections that are rich in detail.

The knife was selected to participate in the Swedish Ludvika Show hosted in 2018.

The intention for the delicate engraving was to combine small squares with a plait ribbon design; wide at the top and narrow at the bottom on both handle and sheath. The main challenges here focused on maintaining a uniform plait ribbon as the design narrowed, while the small squares required focus as the top of the knife has a curved shape.

Combining the challenging patterns with natural horn demands a steady hand as you cannot make corrections or manipulate the firm material to better match your design. Instead you must observe the materials and then create your design for a perfect result.