My uncle Walt played a very important and meaningful role in my life. He was a WW1 combat veteran, he was the point man for his platoon. He carried a modified Winchester 12 ga. shotgun, and his principal duty was to clear the trenches they jumped into of German soldiers. His job was the WW1 version of "Tunnel Rats", we had in Vietnam. A highly dangerous duty. Uncle Walt survived mustard gas attacks, and constant artillery bombardment. Not to mention the gazillion charges into German machine gun fire. And he shared many of the stories with me. I was in awe. My family lived only a mile away from the Mathewson farm in central eastern Illinois. Uncle Walt's farm was around 1200 acres, and in the middle of that there was a 500 acre hard wood timber. I think about half of the total number of standing trees in the entire state of Illinois were there in the Mathewson woods. Two rivers met in the center of the woods. Uncle Walt was a devoted supporter of the Boy Scouts, and allowed the area council to hold campouts and even Jamborees in his woods. In fact, the local council was named in honor of the woods, The Two River Council. My family lived near Mathewson Woods from the time I was 8 yrs. old till I was 14. I spent every minute I possibly could with Uncle Walt or out in the woods. There had been a Potowatomi Indian tribe who had called the woods home long before Uncle Walt acquired it. They had a large camp in the fork of where the two rivers came together. Uncle Walt had diligently collected artifacts from the area since he had bought the farm, and he had a marvelous collection. Fully intact spear heads, thousands of arrowheads, and......flintknapped knives. When he died, hiking in his woods at the age of 68, his wife donated his full collection to the State of Illinois. It was put up in the state capitol building, and might still be there. He had studied flintknapping, and was quite good at crafting arrowheads and even knives. He taught me the basics, and then set me loose and waited nearby, with a box of bandaids to keep me from bleeding out. He taught me to track everything from sparrows to fox, badgers, deer and the occasional stray sheep or dairy cow. He taught me to be still and watch. He taught me to move slowly but deliberately. He taught me to stand in the fork of a pawpaw tree, and to be able to touch deer ever so lightly as they walked by. He taught me how to overcome fear, and to function with confidence. He taught me to love and respect my elders and to listen to them......and learn. I could go on for pages about all that he imparted to me. I am a blessed man, to have had him, in my life. Here's a recent build, hope you enjoy viewing it as much as I enjoyed building it. It IS for sale !!

The "Oryx Bowie" is an awesome piece !!! As with all of my knives, I field test each piece to assure I am selling a knife I would buy...ha !! This bowie cut a 2 1/2 inch dry Emory oak limb in two in only 1 minute and 34 seconds !!! Needless to say, it passed my test, the edge showed no rolling or chipping, it retained its sharpness and its structural integrity. Now.....it's for sale. Priced at $ 200 +shpng for the combo, knife and sheath. The blade is hand forged and hand finished to satin 1095 high carbon steel. It is differentially tempered to create a hamon, ( the cutting edge is harder than the spine, which enhances flexibility and edge retention). The guard is wrought iron. The handle is New Mexico Oryx antler piece. The sheath is hand tooled top grain veg tanned 10oz. leather. Antique "emphasis" stained, and double treated with leather conditioner. Sheath is glued and riveted. Once again, ONLY......$ 200 +shpng, to own this unique, "user" bowie. Email me @ indiancreektradegoods@gmail.com

Big Knife Binge

 Got inspired by doing Josh's Camp Knife, to do a few BIG knives.  So.......here we go........

I had been out shooting photos with my daughter, Lori Anne.  She was down from Lake Stevens, Washington, for Thanksgiving.  I failed to realize I had my camera set on Sepia.....HA !!

I kind of liked the look of the shots, so........

The over-all length of this knife is 17", with the blade being 12".  The blade is hand forged 5160.

The guard is brass, silver soldered to the tang.  The handle is Arizona Elk antler tip piece, with stacked leather and brass and white spacers. The handle has a brass end plate.    Sheath is hand tooled 10oz. veg tanned leather.

This knife was a lot of fun to forge and finish,  the set is priced at $500+.

 

This blade is also from 5160, hand forged antiqued and finished.  The blade is 8" long, with the overall length of 13".  The guard is cast iron, the handle is Arizona Mule Deer Crown piece, with stacked leather with stainless and white spacers.    The set is priced at $450+.

 The sheath is hand tooled 10oz. veg tanned leather.  The inlay is Arizona Diamondback Rattlesnake skin.  

 

 

 

It had been quite a few years since I had Rattlesnake skin for my sheaths.  I only wish the markings were more defined, but I'll take what I can get.

 

This knife is forged from a file.  The guard is stainless and the handle is Arizona Coues Deer antler, with stacked leather and stainless and white spacers.  The handle has a stainless end plate.  The set is priced at $150.       SOLD

This blade is D2.  A real booger to forge and finish, but a very strong blade that will serve for generations.  I did kind of an Indian looking thing with this project.

The blade is finished with a chipped flint look, antiqued.  The handle is Arizona Elk slabs.  The sheath is 8 oz. veg tanned leather, overlaid with rawhide, with a brass head plate with rivets.  The sheath is finished with two coats of satin polyurethane.   The set is priced at $180+.

    Finished Joshua's Camp Knife, and have a few photos to share.

    The handle is my favorite, Arizona Ironwood with brass pins.  The bolster is fluted brass with brass pins and a white spacer.   The hand tooled 10oz. veg tanned top grain leather sheath is brass riveted in stress points and stitched with Kevlar thread.

     The hand forged blade is 1095 high carbon steel.  Convex ground and satin finished for non-reflectivity.

   Hand filework on the spine includes the Indian Creek Knife Works logo.

 

  A handsome combo, made to be used, and to provide years of faithful service.      SOLD

    Should you desire a camp knife of similar style,  I'll gladly make one for you.  Email me at:

                                       darrylmathewson@gmail.com

                  and we can discuss the details,  and soon you can own your personal camp knife.

                                                                                         

     I also just shipped another special .............

 

 

     A Hunter_Bowie knife with a "Scagel Style" handle.   The blade is hand forged D2 tool steel.  Convex ground and satin finished (non-reflective).  The guard is brass and the handle is Arizona Mule Deer Crown antler, with stacked leather with white and brass spacers.  The handle is topped off with two pieces of composite Ivory.   The hand tooled sheath is 10oz. veg tanned top grain leather, antique stained, with brass rivets at stress points.        SOLD  

 

 

 Filework on the spine of the Hunter_Bowie.

 

                                                                                             

    The top grain, 10oz. veg tanned leather sheath was hand tooled by me.  It is antique stained and treated with preservative.  Brass rivets at stress points and kevlar stitching complete the package.

  I will make, anyone who desires, a knife duplicating the style of any knife I have previously made.  I WILL NOT make an "exact replica", as that would violate my pledge that every knife I make is unique, one of a kind.  I will, however, make a knife of the same basic design and appearance.  I will also make any knife, (within reason), of someone else's design.  Send me a diagram, with your choice of materials and finish.  I'll look it over and send you a quote.

 

 

   Once again, anyone wishing to order or purchase a knife, please email me at:

                                   darrylmathewson@gmail.com

                                            Thank You !!!!

    

 

 

   Once again, anyone wishing to order or purchase a knife, please email me at:

                                   darrylmathewson@gmail.com

                                            Thank You !!!!

 

 

I made this knife and donated it to the Canelo Cowboy Church.  It was sold at a silent auction to support the construction of a building for Sunday School.

   The blade is 440c stainless steel, with a brass guard.  The "Scagel Style" handle is Arizona Coues deer antler, with stacked leather and white and black spacers.  Stag is pinned with brass.

This skinner and the above knife were sold as a set for the Canelo Cowboy Church.

   This knife has a 1060 carbon steel blade with a brass guard.  The handle is Arizona Ironwood with stainless pins.

Extensive filework on the skinner.

   This is a custom sheath I made for Kabar a man had inherited from a WW2 veteran family member.

   If you or someone you know needs a custom sheath for a knife, I offer that service.

This fighter has a 1095 carbon steel hand forged blade.  Blade is antiqued with a hamon and has an integral textured bolster.  Guard is 416 stainless.  Handle is Arizona Elk antler and Ironwood with stainless spacer.  Sheath is riveted suede leather, designed for secure carry with easy access.

    I made this special order skinner, for a client in Tennessee.  The blade is 1065 high carbon steel, satin finished.  Handle is Curly Maple with Ironwood and a white spacer. SOLD

 

 

Blade features full length handmade file work.
 

      Some new stuff !   My wife and I have been battling covid for a couple weeks......ARRRRGH....nasty stuff.   Thank You, Dr. FALSI,  the "Wuhan Wonder Boy".

 

OK....got that off my chest....now some new stuff.

   This is a 440c stainless steel hunter,  the blade is mustard antiqued.  The textured bolster is nickel steel.  The handle is Ironwood, with stainless pins, on a thru tang blade.

   The hand tooled sheath is 9oz. veg tanned leather with "emphasis" staining.

   The combo is priced at $250.00+.   

 

   This is a drop point hunter, based on the design of the above knife.  The 1095 blade is satin finished, and fileworked.

   The handle is Stabilized Oak, stained.  This handle is fluted as well.

   This sheath is riveted veg tanned leather.

   The combo is priced at $160........SOLD

 

   This is the "Buffalo Skinner".   The blade is D2 tool steel, with a hamon.  The blade is antiqued.

   The handle is white oak, (stabilized), with a rawhide wrap around,  The rawhide is double sealed with satin polyurethane.  The stitches are kevlar.  It has a wrapped copper wire bolster with brass at the blade.

   The sheath is veg tanned leather, with faux sinew stitching and rivets at stress points.  The hand tooling is moderate.

   The combo price is  $160.  ............SOLD

   This Gut Hook Skinner is made from 1075Cr1 High Speed Steel.   It is antiqued with a hamon.  The top of the blade is fileworked.

   The handle is Arizona walnut, from a tree I cut down for a neighbor.  The handle is  fluted and the pins are brass.

   The sheath is veg tanned leather, with extensive hand tooling plus a custom overlay.  The sheath is stitched with waxed linen, and riveted at stress points.  

   The combo price is    $180+.     SOLD  

  

   This is a rawhide sheath I made for my grandson's knife.  It is rawhide stretched over a leather liner.  It has tassles, three bead strings with horsehair and copper cones.  A jasper cabochon is inlaid at the bottom.

This is Xander's knife.  The blade is 1075 Cr1 high speed steel,  forged to shape, ground to finish.  The bolster is stainless.  The handle is Arizona  Coues Whitetail antler, with composite ivory and Ironwood, with leather spacers.  The guard is brass.  The blade is antiqued, with a hamon.  ....SOLD......

   A few new additions.....hope you enjoy them.

     

 

      A Damascus Skinner,  I purchased the Damascus, my forge burner is acting up.   The handle is stag with stacked leather and brass spacers.  Guard is brass, butt plate is brass, leather sheath.  SOLD

      I call this one The Dragon Skinner, cause I did the sheath in dragon scales.  I am certain however, should you ever need to skin a dragon, this knife will do the job.   Blade is 1075 Cr1, high speed tool steel. Handle is my favorite, Ironwood.  Pins are brass, the blade is antiqued, with a hamon.  The handmade sheath is veg tanned leather.   Total for both is $120........SOLD.........

    This is a Hunter/Skinner.........blade is D2 high carbon steel.  Handle is Ironwood, with stainless pins and a brass bolster and white and black spacers.   SOLD

     A 440c hunter, with white oak (stabilized) handle,  pins are stainless.  Textured bolster is nickel steel.  Handmade sheath is moderately tooled, hand stitched with Kevlar thread.  Blade is finished in satin, less reflective.   $150.00+.