Rob's Custom Knives

                   340 Roush Road

         Northumberland, PA  17857

RH Knives are presentation hunting knives ranging from a 7" bird and trout knife, being the smallest, to 8", 9" and 10" trailing points, clip blades, drop points and straight blades. Occasionally, a 10" or 11" sub hilt or a 13" bowie is made. Every knife comes with a custom fit sheath made from 8-10 oz. English bridle leather.

Each knife starts with a blade cut from CPM 154 bar stock.  Stainless Damascus is also used.  The blades are hollow ground, hardened and tempered to Rockwell 59-60.  Heat treating is done in an electronic furnace which accurately controls the temperature.  Proper heat treating is the single most important step in the entire process of making a knife.  The steel is the heart of any knife and proper heat treating is it's soul.

After heat treating and final grinding are complete, the next step is to fit the stainless guard.  The ricasso area of the tang has a full radius on each side which greatly increases strength and prevents a stress riser. Each guard must have the slot hand filed to fit the radius and make a tight fit. the length of the tang is notched to help hold epoxy, making it more secure. The pommel end of the tang has a threaded section which threads into the pommel. Four small holes are drilled around the threaded pommel hole and into the handle material to form pins when the epoxy hardens. The entire handle, guard and pommel are glued together using two ton waterproof epoxy as well as being threaded and pinned. All of the many steps involved are performed by hand, by me personally without jigs and fixtures, lathes, milling machines or surface grinders.  It is in every sense a handmade knife.  Each knife I make is with the intention of being my own. I won't take shortcuts to hurry the job.

Only the best natural materials I can find are used.  Handle materials include various hardwoods, buffalo, elk, stag, ivory and gold.  Some handle material is dependent upon availability.  Engraving and scrimshaw embellishes some of the knives and others are enhanced by file work on the spines, guards or pommels.

Each knife has been made with much attention given to details of workmanship, balance and visual appeal.  I feel the end result is a quality, durable and attractive knife, which, with proper care, will last a lifetime and can be handed down through generations.  Although there are similarities, each knife is one of a kind. 

My knife styles and designs are greatly influenced by my outdoor activities of hunting, fishing and archery. Growing up in Central Pennsylvania in a family where hunting and fishing were second nature, afforded me plenty of reason to carry and use a knife. When going into the woods for sporting reasons or just for a hike, I always carried my sheath knife.

I have owned various knives over the years and often thought of the features that are important to me in a good hunting knife. Only at the custom level have I been able to realize many of those ideas. It was just a matter of time until I decided to try making my own knife.

I made myself a knife, never expecting to become a custom maker. However, someone wanted to buy the knife. I made the second knife, and again someone wanted to purchase it. Many knives later I am still enthused about putting my God given ability to work and to create a knife, along with preserving some of the old world craftsmanship.

Thank you for your interest in my knives.

                                                                                   --Rob Hudson

                   Telephone:  570-473-9588