History
by Jefferson Spivey
One hot day during my Ocean-to-Ocean horseback journey, just after crossing a swiftly flowing stream, no deeper than my knees in the saddle, my horse and I came out of the water in a dense patch of thorny underbrush. While hacking my way out, I tore the skin of my knuckles to the bone. It was not life threatening, but very painful and that night, with my swollen hand throbbing, I visualized a knife that could have prevented the pain. In the same year, the knife I had sketched in my logbook became a reality.
I used my knife for just about everything. I ate with it, dug fire pits, built windbreaks, cut rope and leather straps, sliced bread, bacon, elk steaks and stirred the stew. I drilled holes in leather belts, scraped mud from my boots and many other small tasks. There are times when one has to do things with a knife that they would not ordinarily do. Once while crossing a fence, instead of cutting the wires, I pried staples from a corner post so that I could lower the fence and cross with my horse. That of course is not something most people would have to do, unless they are traveling on horseback.
I returned to the workshop one afternoon with a wooden Coke crate stacked with recently tempered Sabertooth knife blades. I had already ground the blades but there was still a lot of work to be done. One of the blades was cosmetically damaged; the bloodline (thermal-break) on half the blade had been ground too deep. Subsequently, it presented an ideal opportunity to test the temper of the steel without destroying a good blade.
I placed the blade flat on its side, bridging two cinder blocks with space beneath it. Then, using a two-pound hammer, I hit it so hard that it rang out and leaped skyward. I ducked and it hit the gravel driveway behind me. As I examined the blade, I thought to myself, it’s not too hard or it would have broken. Also, it’s not too soft or it would be bent, it was still perfectly straight. Then, it was time to test the sawtooth spine. After fitting the blade with walnut handles, I found a 1-½ inch iron pipe in my junk box and clamped it in a vise. I leaned the sawtooth slightly to start the cut and then straightened it up and sawed more than halfway through the pipe. I hit the blade on the workbench to free any loose shavings and then I drew the sawtooth spine across the palm of my hand.
The spine of bi-angular teeth were still sharp, no damage had been done. The flawed blade contained the perfect temper. I wanted all future Sabertooth knives to be the same.
The new Trademark Sabertooth is strictly utilitarian, a tool that anyone can use. Though modern technology will play a role in the future of the Sabertooth, the basic design will remain the same. It will simply be a continuation of a survival tool that went from inception to reality 45 years ago in the American wilderness.
Now anyone can own a piece of this unique American history. The Sabertooth is a hatchet, saw and knife. It is perfectly suited for backwoods survival. It’s the right tool for hunters, campers, mountain bikers, backpackers, fossil-digging archaeologists, and especially for the military. Made with steel used for tank armor, you can be sure the Sabertooth is tough. The knives are Individually serialized and fitted with high-impact handles includes custom leather sheath with security strap. Go to the KNIVES page to order.
The Sabertooth Knife first appeared in publication by GUN WORLD, October 1969.
Thereafter it appeared in other publicatoins seen below.
Photos scroll with arrows below , click to open in larger view.
