Alaska Knives: Pride in the Last Frontier

Knives of Alaska founder and president, Charles Allen has lived part-time in both Alaska and Texas since 1989. According to Ms. Debbie Carpenter from Knives of Alaska, it’s this fact — coupled with the high cost to transport large quantities of steel to and from Alaska — that necessitates a Texas base and HQ.

This explains the first question that had us cocking our head when we did some reading about them — Why is Knives of Alaska based in Texas?

Note: lead image is a Boar Hunter blade taken from KoA social media, by Wendy Troquille.

Photo by Jim Root, Jim Root Fishing

She went on to tell us that Charles Allen — oh who by the way is also a registered Alaskan Guide, outfitter and bush pilot — is also owner of the Alaska Expedition Company's Driftwood Lodge. This remote southeast Alaska lodge is a full-service Silver Salmon and hunting operation, but doubles as a great place for KoA to field test their prototypes.

KoA Steelheader fillet knife and Cub, cleaning Washington state steelhead – by Brian Omdahl (social media).

KoA tactical folder by Jim Root (social media)

KoA as part of an EDC load. (@that_vice_dude via social media)

Knives of Alaska offers a slew of fixed blade knives as well as cleavers, hatchets, saws, and more. Within their first year of business KoA received Blade magazine's award for most innovative American made design with their Alaskan Brown Bear skinner/cleaver. The Alaska Brown Bear was the first knife designed by owner- founder Allen.

Charles Allen believes the gear a person chooses, especially of those who hunt and fish, is a source of personal pride and satisfaction. We think this no doubt speaks volumes to the pride Mr. Allen must feel providing quality gear to fellow fisherman and hunters, who choose his designs in such numbers. Charles Allen being the avid hunter he is (he never missed a turkey season with his father) means the tools built by Knives of Alaska are made for hunters by hunters — and this experiential design carries over into what they build for soldiers, survival personnel and law enforcement.

KoA blades are imminently suitable for more mundane tasks too. (Lorenzo Garcia via social media)

As Mr. Allen put s it,

“All of our knives, from our new line of folders to our award winning cleavers, our hatchets, combination sets, and fixed blade hunters, are quality outdoor cutlery for the self-reliant outdoorsman who demands the very best in his gear. It doesn't matter if you're hunting whitetails in a local woodlot or after a big Alaskan brown bear, your gear will still be one of the things that sets you apart and makes the hunt more enjoyable. Our promise to you is that our lifetime guaranteed knives are made to exacting quality standards that will ensure satisfaction and pride of ownership. They work for us in the harsh field conditions of bush Alaska-and they will work for you, time after time, year after year-wherever you hunt or fish.”

Feel free to explore all of Knives of Alaska’s selection right here.

KoA tactical folder by Jim Root (social media)

Have a couple minutes? Here is a video of the Bobcat in use.