Joe Pardue Custom Knives
By Sean O'Hara
My barber is a retired machinist who loves to talk tools — this is largely why I go to him. A few weeks ago we were chatting about how some of the most breathtaking knives aren’t made by large companies or factories at all but by a skilled craftsman, one at a time.
He then added, “Like Joe Pardue custom knives over in Sanger, Texas.” I was embarrassed my barber knew about this and I didn’t, especially since Joe turns out his knives about 30 minutes north of the Toolmonger shop.
A blade like this Fluted Mammoth Liner Lock is a thing of beauty, and it shows off the artful hand of the craftsman who made it. It features a fileworked backstrap, fluted bolsters, fileworked anodized titanium liners, fileworked screws –- are you getting all the filework here? -– a ladder-pattern Damascus blade and bolsters, fluted mammoth ivory handles, and a thumb stud with mammoth ivory inlay.
Sadly, it’s out of our budget at around $700, but we can appreciate the concept. You’re not buying a knife — you’re buying functional art.
Joe Pardue Knives [Website]
October 24th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
It’s in Spurger Texas.
Michael
October 24th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Customs are the way to fly (if you can afford them) - go over to bladeforums.com, or knifeart.com (for a dealer)
Not a pardue, but a Have a Jeff Hall, and a Sunderland (as well as a few others that are not as ‘fancy’)
http://www.thegallos.com/Knife.jpg
http://www.thegallos.com/hall.jpg
October 24th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Nice catch Michael, at least I don’t have to wonder why I hadn’t heard of them..and of course it’s in big block letters at the top of the page so I look like a right nit-witt.
Now if I was just wrong about the price and they actually cost $50 I’d be in business.
October 25th, 2008 at 10:39 am
I have one of the knives he designed for Benchmade (www.BenchMade.com). One of my favorite every-day knives.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Definitely Knife pr0n.
October 25th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Here’s some more tool pron.
http://www.missvalley.com/guymcconnell/tools.htm
http://www.brentbaileyforge.com/tools/damascustools/index.html
October 26th, 2008 at 2:15 am
Looks awesome
October 26th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Like KG2V said, if you can afford one. Although I doubt seriously anyone would gut a buck with a $700 damascus blade.
October 31st, 2008 at 11:30 am
[...] Joe Pardue Custom Knives A few weeks ago we were chatting about how some of the most breathtaking knives aren’t made by large companies or factories, but by a skilled craftsman, one at a time — Joe Pardue is one such knife-maker. His work integrates function and art in a stunning package. [...]
April 7th, 2009 at 8:39 am
Had a knife made outside of fort hood tx just before deployment to desert storm. It was custom made, and this person also had a knife he called the persian version, a K-bar style….There was a paladin embossed on the side…does anyone have any info on this guy?? He smoked Kool cigarettes and said he was a door gunner on a huey in Vietnam.