The knife is perhaps the human’s oldest tool. First made by knapping stone to make a sharp edge and progressing through history with the development of the different metallurgic processes that where learned. If you look at what we have today for the new exotic steels, what could be available for blades in another 50 years?
For knife handles, we still have beautiful custom knives with handles made from wood, horn and other natural materials as you may have found in ancient times. But we also have the newer synthetic materials that give the knife a sense of the modern.
There was a time that your only choice for blade steel was the high carbon steels which, as is today, require more maintenance to keep them clean. Not too long ago the use of stainless came into play which gave outdoorsman a blade steel that could hold up better in wet environments and require less maintenance.
There are lots of great knife manufacturers to choose from that make some really dependable knives. If you want a fixed blade or folding blade, you are sure to find one or more that fit your needs. If you want a custom made knife, we are fortunate that that there are craftsmen that have kept the trade going by making many styles of knifes.
Whatever your taste in knives may be, you can be sure that you will always find something new to keep your interest going. As the years go by we will be blessed with many new styles and materials to keep us happy.
