AKCT - Profile: J. Neilson

J. Neilson works from his homestead-style farm in the endless mountains of North-Eastern Pennsylvania. Here, he has been able to develop a longtime interest in knife making and leather craft into more than just a hobby.

All aspects of the knife making are done by J. using both forging and stock removal methods, including on site heat treating and Damascus making. The range of knife styles made include fixed blade knives, mostly bowies, daggers, hunter/skinner styles, everyday carry and historic replicas. As well as slip-joint and lock-back folders as well as swords. The Leather work uses a variety of leathers, both domestic and exotic with each sheath being designed for a specific knife using custom carving, tooling, inlays, etc. making for a much more complete set.

Winning a multitude of awards at some of the most prestigious US knife shows, J. Neilson produces a stunning range of knives with a beautiful balance of functionality and aesthetic beauty.

Blade - 5 1/2" "Whirlwind" mosaic Damascus with a matching guard of the same billet.

Handle - A-grade Desert Ironwood Burl with a fine silver spacer and stainless steel pin.

Won the award for "Best Hunter" at the 2008 Arkansas (AKA) Knife Show.

Blade - 4 1/2" One thousand layer "staggered ladder" pattern Damascus forged from 5160, 15N20, L6, 1084 & 1018 steels with forge-marked / etched flats.

Guard - Full knuckle guard, threaded pommel & finial - forged from "wagon wheel" wrought iron and have file worked accents.

Handle - A+ grade Sambar Stag with a throat of stabilized Mammoth leg bone with copper / black and red brass spacers.

Blade - 8" tile-mosaic Damascus steel.

Guard - Fullered oval guard is "jail-bar" wrought iron.

Handle - A-grade African Blackwood with wrought iron and black spacers to match the guard and finished off with a stainless steel pin.

Sheath - The tooled
leather blade sheath has black Shark-skin inlays.

Blade - 8 1/2" forged in "basket-weave" pattern mosaic Damascus.

Guard - Oval guard and threaded pommel are also mosaic Damascus

Handle - Desert Ironwood burl with a throat of nickle-silver and fullered black spacers.

Sheath - Tooled leather blade sheath inlaid with brown Stingray skin.

Blade - 8 1/2" forged from 52100/HC ball-bearing Damascus.

Guard - Faceted design in 1018 carbon steel with an antiqued finish.

Handle - A-grade Cocobolo wood, also faceted with a black spacer behind the guard and a stainless steel pin.

Sheath - Fully tooled leather sheath.

Blade - 10 1/2" forged from 1084 powder and inlaid with tiled mosaic Damascus featuring the state of Texas and the Lone Star.

Guard - Nickle-silver & brass mokume and back-bar (the mokume was made by Phillip Jones).

Handle - Exhibition-grade Desert Ironwood Burl with a stainless steel pin.

Blade - 9" forged from 5160 steel with a hand-rubbed finish, scalloped choil and top swedge.

Guard - Guard and threaded pommel are nickle-silver with file work accents.

Handle - Curly Maple with a throat of Hippo Ivory and a nickle-silver spacer. The handle is inlaid with silver wire with Bill Moran’s "dragon" motif on both sides.

Sheath - Tooled leather sheath has a "dragon" carving matching Bill's design.

Blade - 10" long with forged finished flats and One thousand layer Damascus in a "ladder" pattern.

Guard - S-guard and pommel are etched wrought iron with file worked accents. The pommel also has a Damascus finial (both the pommel and finial are threaded).

Handle - Desert Ironwood Burl with a double throat of Azurite/Malachite stone and black/nickle-silver spacers

Blade - 5 1/2" forged from 300+ layer Damascus in a "raindrop" pattern.

Guard - Contoured guard in lightly blued, low carbon steel.

Handle - Cocobolo wood with a throat of stabilized Buffalo horn,
a green spacer and finished off with a stainless steel pin.

Sheath - Tooled leather blade sheath is carved with "Maple Leaves".

Blade - 8 1/4" 300+ layer Damascus steel in a random pattern with a forged finish.

Guard - S-guard and pommel are both made from "wagon wheel" wrought iron.

Handle - Sambar Stag with a throat of Ancient Walrus Ivory, Onyx stone centre and black end spacers.

Sheath - Tooled, three window leather sheath with Python skin inlays.

Blade - 4 7/8" forged from 330 layers of high carbon Damascus steel

Guard - Fullered "button" guard made from "wagon wheel" wrought iron.

Handle - Stabilized Maple Burl wood with a red spacer and stainless steel pin.