Elk Track Knives

by **redtop** » 11 19, 2014 • [Post 1]

Ever since I set Paul up with one of my knives he's been encouraging me to show some of my knives here for sale in the elk forum. I started making knives about 7 or 8 years ago because after 40 years of elk hunting had never found what I considered the perfect knife for us elk hunters. I've taken apart elk in the field with everything from a small pocket knife to an 8" boning knife to a hatchet ( not pretty). I tried hard stainless cpm steels, D2 tool steel and carbon steels and decided that for me a well treated carbon steel is the best for a field knife. Sure s30v will get razor sharp but can you sharpen it up in the field after 4 elk in a coupe of day? No. D2 never gets quite as sharp but will keep it's toothy edge but is again hard to sharpen, Carbon steels however get wicked sharp and you CAN rework the edge with just a few strokes on a stone or diamond steel. I've found a 3 1/4 drop point blade to be the perfect knife for my western hunting. These are the current blade profiles that I've designed.

: 005 (640x480).jpg (178.99 KiB) Viewed 37030 times

These blades are all made with 52100 carbon steel. The steel is not cut from a flat sheet but forged from a 3" bar. Forging gets the steel grain structure nice and even allowing a better edge with better edge retention and strength. I also offer the same blades in 1095 steel which is not forged. Also I make a few Damascus knives with Damsacus blades made by Two Finger Knife in Idaho Falls, Id.
Here a few of the knives I have available.
Prices vary with steel choices, handle material, and solid pins or mosaic.
The knives in the picture top to bottom are:
#241 Western Hunter Drop point, 52100 steel, Stabilized buckeye burl, silver mosaic pins. $200
#250 Western Hunter Drop Point, 52100 steel, Stabilized Spalted Tamarind, silver pins. $195
#243 Elk Guide, 52100 steel, Ironwood, brass mosaic pins, $200
#251 Damascus Hunter with Stabilized red Pine cone, silver pins. $225
These are wholesale prices to Elknut forum members, please add $10 for shipping.
All knives include a handmade pouch style sheath of 9 oz, American tanned and oiled shoulder leather.
Thanks for looking. If anyone here is interested in a quality handmade knife please Pm me and I'd be happy to get you what you are looking for.

by **LckyTylr** » 11 19, 2014 • [Post 2]

Wow, those are Beautiful!

If I wasn't so terrible with losing shiny things in the field, I'd have one of these at the top of my buy-it-for-me Christmas List.

by **Ridgernr** » 11 19, 2014 • [Post 3]

Looks like something I would love to have , What about something in a blaze orange handle?
You do great work , there RT

by **redtop** » 11 19, 2014 • [Post 4]

Unfortunately I got cleaned out of all my blaze orange handled knives this hunting season. I agree that is a good choice for a field knife. That's what I use. I'll be getting some more of those made up when I have some time. When I do I'll post here.
One more thing about my knives. I like a fairly large rectangular shape on the handle for control. Too many "hunting" knives have handles that are way to round or soft in profile. When your hand is covered in blood or it's cold and you have gloves you don't have any control of the blade angle. Thanks for looking.

by **pointysticks** » 11 19, 2014 • [Post 5]

Any pics of an older knife with a beautiful patina on the blade?

I'm a new fan of carbon steel. Your description of s30v and D2 are spot on. Haha. My bro and I dismantled an elk with those two steels. My KOA knife barely survived me. I had to send it to a guy for sharpening. My brother didn't even bother. Funny.

by **pointysticks** » 11 19, 2014 • [Post 6]

What does your sheath look like?

by **ElkNut1** » 11 19, 2014 • [Post 7]

Cliff, absolutely Awesome!! It's the best Knife/Sheath combo I own. I'm sure Norm can elaborate on it better but this is my opinion after having it. I've never had a knife lock into the sheath like this one does, it's a pretty slick design!

ElkNut1

by **pointysticks** » 11 19, 2014 • [Post 8]

I have a unhealthy knife thing going.

by **zpd307** » 11 19, 2014 • [Post 9]

those are beautiful knives! too bad my wife got me a new elk knife for our 10 year anni this year....

by **redtop** » 11 20, 2014 • [Post 10]

Here are a few sheaths including a left hand sheath on the left.

: sheath 003 (640x480).jpg (192.36 KiB) Viewed 36963 times

by **pointysticks** » 11 20, 2014 • [Post 11]

okay, color me interested.

so to be perfectly clear. 52100 is a high carbon steel? it will readily rust? it will patina?

i am 95% sure my current favorite knife is 1095 steel. which steel gets sharper in the hands of a marginal knife sharpener? my jedi skills with sharpening are mediocre at best.

i want:
high carbon steel
easily sharpened.

thanks!! that sheath looks great!! what are the overall knife dimensions?

by **redtop** » 11 20, 2014 • [Post 12]

Yes the 52100 is a high carbon steel it is not a stainless steel. Will rust in a salty environment. It takes on a a nice patina which can be forced with apple cider vinegar. It is easy to sharpen and because it's forged will take an exceptional edge. Overall length is about 8 inches. They do vary a bit but not much.

by **redtop** » 11 20, 2014 • [Post 13]

Here are a few more knives I have available. These are in 1095 steel. Two with ironwood handles and one in spalted Tamarind. Also a couple of my working knives in 52100 so you can see the patina from use and abuse.

: more knives 002 (640x480).jpg (221.78 KiB) Viewed 36924 times

by **ElkNut1** » 11 21, 2014 • [Post 14]

Yes, those are not only awesome looking knives they are awesome to use! Here's the one I have, it's just under 8" long & the sheath is just under 8-1/2" long. The knife weighs in at 6oz & the sheath is 3oz. - It's a very lightweight setup & is one heck of a knife!

ElkNut1

by **wawhitey** » 11 21, 2014 • [Post 15]

I love that pinecone handle on the damascus blade, thats just flat out awesome looking. how are the damascus blades as far as edge retention and ease of sharpening? is the damascus high carbon or.....?

by **redtop** » 11 22, 2014 • [Post 16]

Damascus steel can be great or it can be junk. Damascus is not a type of steel but a method of folding layers of steel. It all depends on what those layers are made of. The Damascus I use is made by Two finger Knife in Idaho Falls, Id. It's a really good high carbon steel. It takes a great edge and is very easy to sharpen. I would say for edge retention though it's not quite up there with 52100 but it''s good enough and the Damascus sure is pleasing to the eye.

by **csbruno1** » 05 15, 2015 • [Post 17]

Love your knives. My wife bought me one for Christmas. It worked well on our California pigs.

by **GobbleFarmer** » 05 15, 2015 • [Post 18]

Hey redtop, do you have any knives under $100? They look awesome but too pricey for me.

by **redtop** » 05 19, 2015 • [Post 19]

Gobbler. Sorry but I do not have any under $100.

by **GobbleFarmer** » 05 19, 2015 • [Post 20]

That's OK.

I have tried making knives before, and I know how much time and work goes into such a small piece of metal. And you seem to have perfected it with great craftsmanship and quality!

Do you have a website that I could browse through anyway? Thanks.

by **ElkNut1** » 05 21, 2015 • [Post 21]

As you can see from upper photos I have one of his knives & they are very sweet! Well worth the money!

ElkNut1

by **csbruno1** » 05 27, 2015 • [Post 22]

Just received my Norm Larson Spalted Tamarind knife. It is by far the nicest knife I have ever owned. It feels well balanced in my hand and looks like a million bucks. The sheath that comes with the knife is first rate. The knife locks firmly inside and I am not concerned that it may slide out. I cannot wait to put it to use. This may be my first Norm Larson blade, but I doubt it will be my last.

Norm it was a pleasure doing business with you. I cannot wait to show this bad boy off!

Chris

by **redtop** » 05 29, 2015 • [Post 23]

Thanks Chris, glad you like the knife and I hope it becomes your lucky hunting knife.
Hunting season is just months away so here are a few more knives that I have available. I have a half dozen or so of the orange G-10 handled knives.

by **Pop-r** » 05 29, 2015 • [Post 24]

Gear topic.

by **msteele711** » 07 30, 2015 • [Post 25]

Thank you Norm for the G-10. Top quality, great looking knife. I wanted the orange handle to keep an eye on a valuable tool when in the field. I owe you a PIC next time I use it. My buddy who has hunted for 30 years swears by your knives. He gave me a #253 Norm Larson knife for my birthday this year and that one might be too nice to use! LOL

Can't wait to test them both out!

Thanks again

Mike

by **nrocchio** » 07 31, 2015 • [Post 26]

Wow! those look amazing. My grandpa used to make knives, so I really appreciate how much time goes into quality work like yours. I just had to replace the shocks on my jeep for this hunting season, but wish I would have let it toss me around another month or two and spent the money on your knives haha.

by **redtop** » 08 10, 2015 • [Post 27]

First off I want to thank Paul for allowing me to sell my knives on this forum. Second off I want to thank all the Elknuts who have purchased one (or two or three!). I was pretty much cleaned out of knives in the last month with the approach of hunting season so I got busy and made up another batch. Here are a few that as of today are available. Thanks for looking. If you are interested in purchasing one or you want more info on a specific knife please send me a pm.

by **Csrbowhunter** » 08 13, 2015 • [Post 28]

I just got one of norms knifes, western hunter. Looks really nice! Can't wait to try it out this year on a deer. Not going out west this year but I'll give some feedback after I use it.

by **ElkNut1** » 08 14, 2015 • [Post 29]

Norm, you are welcome sir! You make one helluva sweet knife there, can't wait to put it through a few elk this year! (grin)

ElkNut1

by **csbruno1** » 08 20, 2015 • [Post 30]

Norm's knives are fantastic and it is a pleasure doing business with him. I own a few now and the pictures do not do them justice. I just need more animals to gut and skin.

by **redtop** » 08 21, 2015 • [Post 31]

Thanks Chris for the good words. Taking photos of knives is harder for me than making knives.
Here is a new pattern. One of a kind so far. I'm calling it the "Mule Deer". High carbon Damsacus. This one has a walnut burl handle. Price is $210. Plus $6 for priority shipping.
I think it's a great size for deer or sheep, or elk!

by **Mike_Parson** » 08 21, 2015 • [Post 32]

That "mule deer" knife is absolutly beautiful. maybe by the time i save up for seomthing like that you will have a few more in stock. defenatly got one of your knives on my Christmas list.

by **mshunter** » 10 20, 2015 • [Post 33]

I just received one of Norm's knives , actually it is the third knife from the left in the above picture. I'm normally not the type person that makes any public comment about something I have bought , however I have got to say , this blade and sheath is as sweet as any I have ever seen !! I don't know which I am more impressed with , the knife or the sheath ! They both scream quality ! I think it has already been said but the pictures truly do not reflect the quality here. I just ordered the "Mule Deer " today for my son as a Christmas present . If anyone is on the fence about buying one of these , don't be , I can't imagine anyone not being happy with one of these knives. Norm is a pleasure to do business with and is very accommodating to whatever you want done .

Thanks again Norm

by **redtop** » 10 24, 2015 • [Post 34]

Thanks Ricky and welcome to the forum. Here are a few knives I finished up this week. If you have big hands my "elk guide" is the knife for you.

by **wawhitey** » 10 25, 2015 • [Post 35]

Got any in the works with the red pinecone handle?

by **redtop** » 10 25, 2015 • [Post 36]

Whitey I don't have any pine cones currently in the works. I got pretty cleaned out this fall and I'm still recovering. Stay tuned though

by **Rangerz** » 10 25, 2015 • [Post 37]

redtop wrote:Thanks Ricky and welcome to the forum. Here are a few knives I finished up this week. If you have big hands my "elk guide" is the knife for you.

What kind of handle is on that Western Hunter on he far left?

Thanks. Chris

by **redtop** » 10 25, 2015 • [Post 38]

Chris that's Stabilized spalted maple.

by **redtop** » 12 11, 2015 • [Post 39]

Now thru Christmas eve I'll take 10% of any knife for you Elknuts. They make great gifts for your favorite hunter ( or yourself

) I'll get a picture up soon of some more knives I have but the four in the picture above are still available.

by **Rangerz** » 01 05, 2016 • [Post 40]

Just picked up one of these. I got the Western Hunter Pic'd on the left.

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Pics don't do these knifes justice. Gorgeous knife and can't wait to put it to use.

by **ElkNut1** » 01 05, 2016 • [Post 41]

Chris, I agree 100%. Photos do not do Norm's knife justice, they are a fantastic work of art. Easy to resharpen. It's my sons & I goto knife these days! If any are on the fence about picking one up it will be the best money you've spent on a superior item! I give it 10 stars!

ElkNut1