A new knife design by W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company and Tony Bose took Blade Magazine 2008 Knife Collaboration of the Year® honors at the 2008 Blade Show & Cutlery Fair held May 30-31 in Atlanta, Georgia. The award-winning pattern, an Arkansas Hunter (TB’12008), is the most recent achievement in a long-running relationship between Case and the renowned custom knifemaker from Indiana.

John Sullivan, Case’s Director of Marketing, accepted the award for Case. He says the new Arkansas Hunter “offers today’s knife enthusiast a unique pattern with a host of features and a quality that’s “as close to a custom knife as a manufacturer can produce, while preserving the classic style of a hand-crafted vintage folder.”

The new Arkansas Hunter will be available in limited quantities and a variety of handle materials; 300 in Standard Jigged Chestnut Bone, 300 in Standard Jigged Antique Bone, 200 in Ebony Wood, 100 in Abalone and 100 in genuine Mother-of-Pearl. Standard features include stainless steel bolsters which are distinctively shaped, flat sided and faceted. A vintage shield design is pinned to the knife’s interior scale. Each measures 4-5/8” overall when closed and weighs 4.8 ounces.

The knife blade has been wire cut from stainless 154-CM steel, a high performance alloy used by Bose to make his own signature knives. The saber-taper ground blade bears a satin-fiber finish and a cut swedge. A milled, stainless steel liner inside the knife improves blade action.

“It’s a really old pattern that’s very rare to find anywhere today,” says Bose. He went on to explain that the Arkansas Hunter collaborative was based on a unique Saddlehorn design used almost exclusively by the Empire Knife Company, a Connecticut-based manufacturer which began in the mid-19th century.

Bose acknowledged his Case cohorts, saying they “did an excellent job of recreating the pattern. The profile’s just exactly what my own knife would look like, and it fits just as good, too.”

Bone-handled versions of the Case/Bose Arkansas Hunter will begin shipping in October. All are packaged in a half-moon shaped suede leather pouch.

This is the tenth such Case/Tony Bose collaborative in the series.

About Tony Bose
Tony Bose fashioned his first knife in 1972 from a power hack saw blade he’d received from a friend. He'd work to perfect his skills for years before pursuing a full-time custom knife making career in 1990. Tony's impact was quickly felt across the industry, winning Best Folding Knife Awards from the 1994 East Coast Custom Knife Show and the 1995 Blade Show with his own five-bladed Stockman designs. Today, Tony’s work continues as a member of the coveted Knife Maker’s Guild, blending vintage patterns with modern steel blades, stainless steel bolsters and springs to an unmistakable fit and finish. His work attracts enthusiasts from around the world who often wait years for their knives to be completed to his satisfaction. His knife making talent accentuates his true passion for his craft and his reputation as a trusted businessperson, spirited philanthropist, devoted husband and father. Tony's son, Reese, is also an accomplished custom maker. The two carry on their knife making tradition from their workshop in Shelburn, Indiana.