Freedom’s Steel™ V – Liberty’s Heritage Bowie™
Knife Rights’ Extraordinary Custom Collaboration Knife
Supporting NRA-ILA and the Second Amendment!
Crafted by Acclaimed Artisans
Knife Rights has donated Freedom’s Steel™ V – Liberty’s Heritage Bowie, a one-of-a-kind 22-inch Mosaic Damascus Bowie knife by Master Smith Kyle Royer with Jim Small engraving, to the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) to support NRA-ILA’s defense of the Second Amendment. Knife Rights is the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment™.
Freedom’s Steel™ V – Liberty’s Heritage Bowie will be a featured auction item at the NRA-ILA Dinner and Auction during the NRA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. This is the fifth year in a row that Knife Rights has donated a Freedom’s Steel™ knife, raising nearly $100,000 the first four years.
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Freedom’s Steel™ V – Liberty’s Heritage Bowie will be a featured auction item at the NRA-ILA Dinner and Auction to be held at the NRA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, the evening of May 20, 2016. Proceeds from the sale of Freedom’s Steel™ V will support NRA-ILA efforts to defend the Second Amendment.Click here for information on the 2016 NRA-ILA Dinner and Auction |
“Knife Rights and the NRA have a common interest in protecting our civil rights and specifically the right to own and use tools appropriate for self-defense. At a time when our Second Amendments rights are under unprecedented assault, we are proud to assist NRA in protecting these rights.” said Knife Rights Chairman and Founder Doug Ritter. “We are sincerely grateful for the support provided to us by NRA-ILA as we fight the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment.”
“Since 1871, the NRA has fought to defend the rights of law-abiding Americans. We are truly grateful for the support of our friends at Knife Rights and their continued contributions to our ongoing efforts to preserve our freedom,” said Chris W. Cox, Executive Director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action.”
Ritter noted, “we are indebted to these incredibly talented artisans and companies who contribute their valuable time, talents and materials to support Knife Rights by creating this extraordinary knife.” Each craftsman’s efforts and every component of Freedom’s Steel™ V was donated to Knife Rights to support its efforts to defend and enhance our right to own and carry knives as tools used daily by millions of Americans and at times wielded as an “arm” in self-defense.
Freedom’s Steel™ V was conceived of, and sponsored by, Knife Rights expressly to benefit NRA-ILA.
Master Blade Smith Kyle Royer has forged a unique new mosaic Damascus pattern he calls “Cross Point” with which he hand forged this extraordinary traditional American pattern Bowie blade. The Damascus is a geometric progression produced with alternating layers of 15N20 and 1084 high carbon steel.
The handle is carved from exhibition grade 10,000-year-old fossil walrus ivory from Native Americans in Alaska. The stainless fittings and forged “S” guard are heavily engraved by Master Engraver Jim Small. Small has highlighted his exquisite engraving with inlays of Green Gold, Rose Gold and 24K Gold.
Measuring 22 inches from finial to tip, Freedom’s Steel™ V – Liberty’s Heritage Bowie’s 15 1/2-inch long and 3/16-inch thick blade is capable of cutting through a hanging three-inch thick hemp rope with one swipe. It will chop through a 2 x 10 and then still shave slivers off a single hair. While it is more likely to be exhibited as an exquisitely beautiful example of American craftsmanship, it is still a perfectly functional tool handcrafted to do any job a Bowie knife might be asked to do.
Freedom’s Steel™ V is presented in a custom-built walnut display case by Michael Zieba of Zieba New York located in Brooklyn, New York. It features glass on four sides and the top and a composite concrete and brass base.
Photography of Freedom’s Steel™ V – Liberty’s Heritage Bowie courtesy of Caleb Royer.
Freedom’s Steel™ V – Liberty’s Heritage Bowie will be a featured auction item at the NRA-ILA Dinner and Auction to be held at the NRA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, the evening of May 20, 2016. Proceeds from the sale of Freedom’s Steel™ V will support NRA-ILA efforts to defend the Second Amendment.Click here for information on the 2016 NRA-ILA Dinner and Auction
Knifemaker: Kyle Royer – Master Smith
Clever, Missouri
www.kyleroyerknives.com
At just twenty five years old, Master Blade Smith Kyle Royer’s extraordinary talent has made his stunningly unique and beautiful knives among the most desirable by discerning knife collectors both in the U.S. and abroad, allowing him to support himself as a full-time knifemaker from the get go, unprecedented for someone his age.
A quintessential American craftsman, at just 16-years-old, with some assistance from his father, Royer built his own forging press to make his signature intricate Damascus patterns. He forges every blade to shape by hand on the 400-pound anvil that he also constructed with his father’s help. A knife doesn’t get any more “hand crafted” than Royer’s.
Royer notes, “every new knife I make is an opportunity to take a step forward, to stretch my limits, be it in design, materials, or the forging of the blade itself. If it isn’t better in some respect than the last, then what’s the point? Life’s too short to not push to excel, whether it’s forging a knife or being a better person. And, life’s too short to make any ugly knives. A knife can be totally functional and a wonder to look at and hold all the same.”
It is said that the greatest compliment and gift for a teacher to receive is to see a student exceed his own expertise. Already surpassing many of his teachers and mentors, Royer is quick to give credit to the many Master Smiths under which he studied as a youth, observing, “God has given me all the opportunities and teachers that I’ve had and I thank him for giving me the ability to do something I love.”
Engraver: Jim Small
Madison, Georgia
Email: Jim Small
Jim Small was one of the first members of The Knifemakers Guild. He started making knives in 1968 and continues to do so, but on a limited basis. In late 70’s he taught himself to engrave and found that he could make a better living in a shorter amount of time by scratching designs in metal.
For the first few years he engraved only his own knives. In 1982 Small started engraving other knifemakers’ knives and from there the engraving business grew to firearms and jewelry.
Small has received numerous accolades, including:
- Made knives and engraved his work for four U.S. Presidents, all of which are displayed in their libraries.
- Produced Georgia Bi-Centennial Bowie in 1976. 76 were offered and only 29 were made, all registered with the Georgia State Archives along with all the documentation.
- In 1982 he produced 12 30-minute programs with Georgia Public Television on How to Build a Custom Knife and The Art in Knifemaking. Small also wrote two study guides to go along with these programs. Eventually these programs were offered nationwide to educational stations for free. Many foreign countries also picked up these programs and he received letters from all over the world.
- Small’s knives won Best of Show at the New York Custom Knife Show in 1985 and 1986.
He has donated knives and engraving to a number of private and non-profit organizations, including Duck Unlimited, Quail Unlimited, Turkey Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation, Georgia Wildlife Federation and the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources for the Game Warden of the Year.
The list goes on and on. After almost 50 years in the business, he hasn’t slowed down.
Display Case: Zieba New York
Michael Zieba
Brooklyn, New York
www.masterchefknives.com
Michael Zieba is an accomplished knifemaker proud to be making his knives in Brooklyn, New York. Michael is also an expert metalsmith and master woodworker with a long tradition and experience in high end metal work and furniture whose creations, from artwork to functional, can be found in prestigious addresses throughout New York, New Jersey and elsewhere.
Michael’s handcrafted kitchen cutlery is found in the hands of some of the nation’s best chefs. From high carbon stainless steel to exotic Damascus and even more exotic materials, fitted with handles of the most striking materials, his kitchen cutlery is a beautiful as it is balanced and functional.
From tactical folders to gentlemen’s pocket knives, his folding knives get the job done with a touch of class and creativity.
Each piece Michal crafts is made from the materials procured from U.S. owned and operated companies and then handcrafted in Brooklyn wholly by Michael himself.
View an excellent video about Michael and his knives at: https://youtu.be/DlOpIsQsEJI
Photography: Caleb Royer
Springfield, Missouri
www.calebroyer.com/
I photograph custom knives. Every piece is unique and deserves to be photographed uniquely. Every image I shoot is customized to its knife. I create deep, engaging, emotional reactions when you see the knives in my images. I am Caleb Royer and I am a custom knife photographer.
Sponsor: Knife Rights, Inc.
Doug Ritter, Founder and Chairman
www.KnifeRights.org
Knife Rights is America’s grassroots knife owners organization, forging a Sharper Future™ for all knife owners. Knife Rights is dedicated to providing knife owners an effective voice to influence public policy. In the past six years, Knife Rights has passed pro-knife legislation repealing knife bans in 15 states, stopped anti-knife legislation in 7 states and helped defeat ivory and mammoth ivory bans in 18 states. Knife Rights is also the lead plaintiff in a federal civil rights lawsuit against New York City and the New York District Attorney over their persecution of knife owners. Knife Rights is the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment™.
Recipient: National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA)
www.nraila.org
The Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the lobbying arm of the NRA. Established in 1975, ILA is committed to preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. While NRA is a single-issue organization, ILA is involved in any issue that directly or indirectly affects firearms ownership and use. ILA is also involved in educating the public about the facts concerning the many facets of firearms ownership in America.