Bruce Culberson Giant Knife/Camp Chopper/ Machete/Zombie Killer Review

I contacted Bruce last Feb after seeing examples of his work and asked him to make me a knife I recieved it in July. I know, I know I have had it for awhile but I am finally getting up a review of it.

I call it a very large knife. Others may call it a chopper or a machete. Actually is kinda sword like. To me what makes it not a machete is that the blade is 3/16th thick.

Blade is 17 1/2" long as I said 3/16th thick Aldo's 1084 steel. I think the handle is around 8" long, I can use it 2 handed if I have need. Green micarta scales, copper pins and lanyard hole. It's a big beast and it's no lightweight I am not sure of the weight but she's a handful. A lanyard is a must when you get swinging it around you don't want it flying out, hell even dropping it on your foot. It came razor sharp too I was able to shave hairs off of my arm and slice tomatoes.

I have owned a lot of cool stuff in my life and I gotta say except for my Black Lab Bart this knife is the coolest thing I ever got. After opening the box I couldn't believe not only the awesomeness that is the knife itself but the beautiful heavy duty sheath it was lovingly wrapped in was equally amazing! Easily the nicest sheath any knife I have ever bought has come with. A lot of sheaths seem to be an afterthought with custom knives, honestly some makers shouldn't even bother including a sheath with their knife but Bruce seems to be as talented a leather craftsman as he is a knifemaker. The sheath is a work of art. I have had as many comments from people on the sheath as I have the knife. I just love the look of the forge marks and the polished edge. It was what drew me to Bruce's work in the beginning and it is only more beautiful in person.

So it's a handful, but how does it cut? Well as I said it shaves hair and slices tomatoes. It also can chop thru finger sized branches like butter just from letting it drop and allowing the weight of it and gravity to do the work. Not even swinging hard I can lop off 1" diameter ones like butter you don't even feel it going thru them, and full swing chopped down a 3" diameter small tree in 4 strokes, probably could do it in 3 with practice. I'm thinking zombie heads come off in one swipe come Apocalypse time. The handle is easily the most comfortable handle I have ever had on a knife and the ability to choke up or hold it near the end or switch to two hands makes chopping or cutting a variety of things at different angles easy.

I attached some pics, I used my BK2 as a reference so you can get a better idea of the size:

 

More pics:

 

I will try to find something that will weigh it.

Out of respect for Bruce I won't talk about what I paid because he may charge differently almost a year later from when I ordered. But Bruce's prices are amazingly reasonable period. But considering what you get as far as quality, fit and finish, in both the knife and the leatherwork its a steal!