Learn About Russian Knives & Alaskan Knives
We offer some of the best Alaskan custom knife makers works, practical knives for the outdoors, ulu knives, souvenir knives with scrimshaw handles, and other local Alaskan knife works. A number create custom hand-crafted ulu style knives working in antler and bone: these native and non-native Alaska-based craftsmen and women produce both working ulu knives as well as collectable one-of-a-kind hand crafted collectible ulu blades. Plus, we also represent other well-known made in America custom knife workers, as well as offering a huge selection of some of the least-known but finest blades in the world, the unique selection and styles of hand-made knives from Russia.
Using Alabama damascus, or billets of the best damascus steel from the likes of renowned forgers such as Mike Norris, Chad Nichols, Larry Donnelly or Robert Eggerling, we feature custom knife makers like Steve Nolte from Arkansas and Chester Deubel from Arizona who are are renowned for making one-of-a-kind knives, many exclusive to our store, featuring fossil Alaskan walrus ivory or Alaskan wooly mammoth handle creations, with free-form and mosaic damascus blades that are literal works of art in steel. Theses are state of the art knife makers, and we are proud to represent their knife works in our store and on our website.
With a history in Russia of making steel and armaments for centuries, there are places in Russia that are centers for knife-making, with a continuous history of turning the finest hand-forged knives for over 100 years. Village custom knife making centers such as Vorsma and Pavlovo which have been metal-working craft centers since the late 1500s; or one of the most famous, Zlatoust, founded as a city in the Ural mountains close to deposits of iron ore for ironworks, that is famous for making armaments, swords, and knifes since the 1700's. In 1862 at the London worldwide exhibition, one of Vorsma's master bladesmiths was awarded the highest medal for "excellent steel knife goods".
We directly import from individual knife-makers from these and other metalworking centers in Russia, and the workmanship, quality and value for the price is unsurpassed. Some of the very best hand-forged damascus and other carbon steel blades are now being produced in Russia, far surpassing the common poor-quality steels being imported and offered from Pakistan and other Asian countries. In all of Europe, the Russian knife makers are just now becoming known as some of the absolute best for quality of hand-forged steel and workmanship. We have the pleasure of featuring custom knife-makers such as Alexandar Cheburkov, recently referred to as the "European William Henry" for the highest quality custom folding knives he has been creating one at a time in his Russian workshop.
Native Alaskans designed the ulu style utility blade knives over 2,000 years ago, and these first-nations craftsman and women are still making and using them today. Featured in our store and on our website, we have many varieties of ulu knives, from simple stainless steel sets for today's chef, complete with with cutting boards, made in Anchorage Alaska for under $20, to first-nation Alaska native made ulu knives from Alaska bush villages, handles made from antler, bone, or even fossil walrus or Alaska wooly-mammoth ivory, true one-of-a-kind collectors pieces, from $60 to upwards of $500.
Custom knives are being sought as collectables or even as investments, but most are sought after just for fun. They mainly fall into two categories: fixed blades and folders. Most are offered as utility tools such as hunting knives, pocket knives, camping and outdoor knives, and even tactical weapons.
Whether you are a knife collector, investor in knife art, camper, hunter, or fisherman, or just buy an occasional blade or knife for others as a gift, our knife selection offers something for every shopper in a wide variety of styles and prices, from under $100 custom-made hunting knife styles, souvenir folders from $29, a huge selection of Alaskan native ulu styles, to unique one-of-a-kind works of art from the finest bladesmiths in the US and Russia, made from rare materials and with hand-forged blades, some valued at over $2,000. All feature superb craftsmanship, and are both functional tools and serious works of art. Whether for a collector who wants the finest, or a hunter or fisherman that needs quality from a working knife, a gift for a loved one who appreciates the best, please check the selection offered by the Russian American Company.
