PROFILE IN STEEL | BY LES ROBERTSON ® FIELD EDITOR CALL IN A GUINEA HOG,

SOO-EY! SCOTT MCGHEE

n 1983, when I fi rst started buying According to Scott he builds “just about outstanding performance in the kitchen. custom , collectors had limited any kind of you can use,” including Recently he started using 1080-and- Iaccess to handmades. Th e three main hunters, fi ghters, choppers, bowies and 15N20 damascus. He likes damascus for avenues were catalogs, knife publications kitchen knives. He loves craft ing highly its beauty and ability to retain that beauty like BLADE® and knife shows. Today that fi nished damascus presentation , even when used hard in the fi eld. His has all changed. Not only is information and by far his favorite knives to make are everyday carry knife sports a damascus on makers and their knives readily avail- ones customers use—knives that are used blade, and Scott says he is amazed at how able, but also on steels, handle materials and/or carried every day, ones that get well it cleans up. and knifemaking techniques. Just about stained in the kitchen or on a hunt and His “Cottonmouth” model caught my anything you want to know can be found forever have memories attached to them. attention, and once I saw it I contacted with a little bit of work. In addition to Scott says, “When I see a well-stained him for more details. His wife and pho- having their own websites, many mak- yet well-maintained blade, I know I have tographer, Lydia, was kind enough to for- ers utilize knife forums and social media, succeeded as a .” primarily Facebook. He works all types of steel but currently Prior to the 2010 BLADE Show, I prefers three high-carbon ones—W2 for scanned the list of show attendees and its amazing cutting abilities and open pal- then looked for information on the mak- ette for hamons (temper lines), 1084 for ers. While on Facebook I saw an inher- its great everyday use capabilities, ently good-looking knife. At the time and O1 for its dimension- I was unfamiliar with the work of Scott al stability and McGhee of Guinea Hog Forge. His han- dle style is reminiscent of Jason Knight’s. Later I learned Scott had spent time with Jason, which came as no surprise. The author describes Scott McGhee’s Bushman model as a combination of a forged blade with a tactical look. It sports a 5.25-inch, recurved, drop-point CruForge V blade with a rustic hammer- marked fi nish, a cord-wrapped handle, and a Kydex® belt sheath featuring a Tek-Lok™ clip.

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772-Scott.indd2-Scott.indd 7272 11/31/13/31/13 2:152:15 PMPM received his journeyman smith stamp “WHEN I SEE A WELL-STAINED YET WELL- from the American Bladesmith Society. MAINTAINED BLADE, I KNOW I HAVE Scott is not only a knifemaker but also a businessman. In addition to spending SUCCEEDED AS A BLADESMITH.” months getting his fi ve knives ready for —SCOTT MCGHEE his journeyman smith test, he developed other types of knives and methods to help create more knives. A picture of Scott McGhee’s “Cotton- wardward sevseverale pictures of Scott’s work. A Th e “Bushman” model immediately mouth” model on Facebook caught fewfew daysda later we met at the BLADE comes to mind. It is a combination of a the author’s attention before the Show,Show and I was able to handle and forged blade and a tactical look, and he 2010 BLADE Show. It comes in a 7.25-inch, recurved lookloo at his knives. Th e Cotton- built the knife to be used. Pretty knives CruForge V or W2 blade, a mmouth, “Zulu” and others did get shown off and then they live in a safe. curly black-walnut handle notn disappoint, including clean It is the “ugly” knives that get carried and and blade fi nish options lines,li excellent ergonomics and used. Scott says, “It’s a great design that depending on steel. bebeing extremely sharp! cuts beyond its size.” Th e knife is built for Th e Cottonmouth exhibits a multitude of chores. what I call the “Th ree F’s”: fi t, fi nish and It works great as a light camp knife, fl oow.w. FromFrom the end of the handle to the a hunter, and would be right at home tip of the bladebl the knife seems to always as part of a soldier’s gear. I asked Scott, fefeatureature somesom kind of curve. I’m a sucker “Why do you build this type of knife that fforor a bbigig knknife with a recurved blade, and is so diff erent from your others?” His tthehe handlehandle has exceptional ergonomics. reply: “It’s a no-nonsense working knife LLookingooking atat it you would think it would that is fun to use, fun to make, and clearly be a heavyhe piece. I found that not to speaks to many of my customers.” Th ere be the case at all. It is balanced and you have it—give the customers what qquickuick inin the hand. they want. Aft er all, they are the ones pay- Th e ZuluZu has a harpoon grind on the ing the bills. Th e knife features a Kydex® spine, anandd a long upsweep on the prima- sheath and Tek-Lok™ clip. ry eedge.dge. ForFor me, it fi lls the bill perfectly as Recently Scott has outsourced water jet a personal carryc knife. Th e handle is easy technology to produce his “EMC” or Ev- to controcontrol,l, thereby working in conjunc- ery Man Carry line of knives. Th is tech- tion withwith theth blade to accomplish the task nology allows him to have multiple cop- at hhand.and. It iis a perfect blend for working ies of the same blade design cut out from in camp or dressing out an animal. a single sheet of steel. Understand that using water jet technology does not help IN SHOWSHOW SHAPE make a knife, but instead is used only to Knives wewerer purchased from Scott at the create a blank. Once Scott receives the 2010 BLABLADED Show, critiques were given blanks back from the outsourced manu- and orders placed, and at the 2012 rendi- facturer, he does everything else to the tion of “the“the World’s Largest Knife Show,” knife in house. By eliminating a basic it came as nno surprise to anyone that he chore, he can produce more knives, and

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772-Scott.indd2-Scott.indd 7373 11/31/13/31/13 2:162:16 PMPM INTRODUCING PROFILE IN STEEL | PATTERN 61 MADE IN USA by JANTZ With what the author refers to as DAMASCUS $$79.9579.9 a “harpoon grind” on the blade 440C $29.95.95 spine, McGhee’s “Zulu” model stretches 9.75 inches overall, and D2 $29.9595 is available in a spear-point Cru- Forge V or W2 blade, and handle options of African blackwood, more importantly, desert ironwood and Micarta®. the technology re- duces the cost of each knife. Th e EMC models come in two sizes and fea- ture multiple options. Th e journeyman smith regularly attends the ABS Smoky Mountain Bladesmith Symposium at Haywood Com- munity College in Clyde, North Carolina, and I met up with him at the October 2011 Symposium (they also have one in March). It was there I saw my fi rst “Puma” model. Remi- niscent of the Cottonmouth but in a smaller package, it features that great McGhee handle, slender and quick with excep- tional balance. If you can appreciate a well-bal- anced, ergonomic, razor-sharp big knife, Scott’s “Mamba” will grab your attention and beckon you to put it in your hand. A W2 blade with a harpoon top grind and exceptional hamon, it has all the features I look for, and is one of my favorites. With the “Peregrine,” Scott continues to show his versatility. It borders on be- ing a true bird-and-trout knife, includ- ing a narrow profi le, single stainless steel guard and easy-to-grip handle—the per- fect hunting companion. I have watched Scott’s work for over two and a half years now, and one of the things I like best about him is his ability ChooseCChhoose bolsters, to seek out and accept criticism of his fasteners,fafasteners, handle materialmaterial aandnd moremore ffromrom our 114 pageppgage ffullull color catalog. knifemaking.comknife 1-800-351-8900 JANTZ

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772-Scott.indd2-Scott.indd 7474 11/31/13/31/13 2:162:16 PMPM These two knives typify those in McGhee’s “EMC” (Every Man Carry) line developed to take advantage of outsourcing water jet technology to precut blades, and thus increase production and reduce the cost of the knives in the line.

work. He is fortunate to have a partner such as Lydia, who has an exceptional eye for detail, and has been and will continue to be an excellent person from whom to SCOTT MCGHEE Dept. BL5, 7136 Lisbon Rd. gain insight into his work. Scott is one of Clarkton, NC 28433 those makers who it seems feels he can 910-448-2224 build anything, and there is the prob- www.guineahogforge.com, lem—he can! Yet, I personally appreciate [email protected] the diversity and skill it takes to create Hunting knives, kitchen so many diff erent styles of knives. If you SPECIALTIES: knives, tactical fi xed blades, sword agree, then call in a knife from Guinea canes, camp knives, fi ghters and Hog Forge. Soo-ey! choppers Specializes To read about the latest knives, knife news, KNIFEMAKING METHOD: in forging, also employs stock removal forums, blogs and much more, visit www. blademag.com. BLADE STEELS: W2, 1084, O1, CruForge V, and 1080-and-15N20 damascus BLADE FINISHES: Hand rubbed, “Regal” (hand sanded) and rustic hammer marked Heat treats and tempers The Mamba’s hand- TECHNICAL: blades to achieve hamons (temper rubbed W2 blade with distinct hamon stands lines) out, as does the walnut HANDLE MATERIALS: Exotic and/or handle. Overall length: stabilized woods, bone, Micarta® and 13.75 inches. Japanese-style cord wraps REMARKS: Part-time maker striving to go full time by end of this year DELIVERY TIME: 12 months ATTENDS: BLADE Show and ABS Smoky Mountain Bladesmith Symposium LIST PRICE RANGE: $200-$2,000

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