EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Sometimes, a knife fits so perfectly in your hand it almost feels like it was made with you in mind.
That’s how I felt when I first tried out RoseCraft Blades Obed Creek Bow Trapper.
The handle has a bow or bend to it, hence the name.
That “bow” just makes this knife fit so naturally in your hand, especially when you choke up and put your thumb on the spine of the blade.
Let’s take a closer look.
A trapper knife usually has two blades coming out of one end.
But this one has just a single blade – a drop point.
I’m biased about this, but I love single-bladed knives. Having just one blade allows your hand to actually fit along the handle in the way it was intended.
Both of those features – the bowed handle and the single blade – make this version of a trapper really stand out.
It is a fairly big knife – 3.1-inch drop-point blade, 4.125 inches when closed and 7.2 inches when the blade is open and deployed. It also weighs 3.5 ounces, giving it some weight but not too much.
But numbers only tell part of the story.
Besides the bowed handle and single blade, the blue-green micarta handles are also noteworthy, giving this knife a gorgeous look.
Let’s digress for a moment. What is micarta?
Micarta is a composite material suspended in epoxy resin.
It was invented by George Westingthouse (1846-1914), who is best known for creating the railway air brake and being a pioneer in the development and use of alternating (AC) electrical power.
Westinghouse came up with micarta as a way to insulate electrical systems.
But over the years, it has become a popular way to make knife handles.
To me, it is one of my favorite materials for handles and sometimes it has a “texturey” feel of blue jeans or other fabric, depending on the base material used.
The RoseCraft Obed Creek Bow Trapper, however, has a really smooth micarta finish.
Its color also conjures up images of a green-colored mountain lake, surrounded by trees. You can see the grain or the “waves” in the micarta in this one when you look at it up close.
Another thing that pops on this knife and makes it stand apart from the crowd is the “skull” shield on the knife. That comes from the maker’s mark of Andy Armstrong, the lead designer and general manager at RoseCraft.
As you come to expect from RoseCraft, the fit and finish of this knife is exquisite – the pins, shield and bolsters all meld seamlessly with the micarta handles.
The blade is also centered perfectly and the back spring is perfect with absolutely no gapping.
The blade has a nail nick for convenient opening. Swedging near the tip gives the blade a sleek and bitey feel. It also came razor-sharp out of the box, even though I was last in line for this one on the RoseCraft pass-around group.
The walk and talk – the way the knife opens and closes – is super snappy.
When the blade is deployed, you really have to push down and make an effort to make it budge at all.
I know some people don’t like slipjoints because they are fearful that without a lock, the blade will close on their hand.
This knife, with its half stop and strong back spring, seems like it is made with alleviating that issue in mind.
I know I sound like a broken record, but RoseCraft combines functionality, craftsmanship and price into a total package.
Of the five knives I have seen so far in the pass-around group, the bow trapper and the Tanasi Lake Tear Drop are my two favorites.
RoseCraft is having a Spring Fever sale on many of its models through May 15. The bow trapper is included and it is currently listed for $51.99 on the RoseCraft website, marked down from $64.49.
Here is a link to their sale items.
Here are some YouTube channels dealing with knives and EDC gear that I enjoy and find informative.
Not Thursday (excellent for flashlight content and the outdoors)
The Cutting Edge (formerly Last Chance Knives)
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