Lot 5: Engraved Frontier Belt Knife by: Heinz Ahlers and Paul Young

This knife is a collaboration by Heinz Ahlers and Paul Young. The 6 1/2-inch blade was forged at Woodbury in the style of “hammer close to the finish product”. The 1084 carbon steel has been left in its tempered blue color. The blue contrasts nicely with the copper bolster and rivets. Copper was used by native Americans who obtained pure copper ore from deposits on the Keweenaw Peninsula of Upper Michigan. This knife honors that tradition. The bolsters and rivets are also nicely engraved. The floral-patterned eight-pointed star sets off the bone grip scales. This is a fancy yet functional belt knife.