Mississippi-Style Knife by Gary Corum

by Heinz Ahlers and Gary Corum

Gary Corum has created a late 18th to early 19th century knife in the lower Mississippi River Valley style. The knife is 12 inches overall with a 7-inch blade. The blade is hand forged 1095 steel, a high performance knife steel with excellent edge holding properties. This entire knife is expertly hand made by Gary.

There are several interesting touches to this piece. The blade is rather pointy, and the shape is a precursor to the later Bowie and Arkansas styles. The absence of a ricasso is period correct for this style and suggests a knife that is hand filed and hand finished. The blade cutting edge goes back to the ess shaped guard and the guard transitions to a round steel ferrule with a filed wedding band decoration. The handle is made from black buffalo horn with a wedding band and a brass plate. An acorn style finial screwed onto the full length tang completes the knife. The knife has a period correct hand rubbed finish on both the blade and handle.

Gary has also provided a hand sewn black dyed sheath that fits the knife up to mid handle. The sheath has a interesting hanger fabricated from a bent over spoon. This is a very neat touch that adds a certain elegance to the rig.

Gary has finished this knife in the white as it would have left the shop originally. This is overall a very striking knife and sheath that would be right at home in the Cumberland Valley settlements or in the Creek and Chickamauga towns.

Gary donated to the 2015 CLF Fundraising auction because he supports the CLA and its goals. Gary Corum has been a CLA member for over 10 years and regularly has a table at the Lexing-ton show. Look him up, maybe buy a knife if you miss out on this one in the bidding.