Sharp Knives From William Henry

Guns Magazine, Oct, 2001 by Cameron Hopkins

William Henry Knives is a relatively new player on the cutlery field, but the California-based company has forged to the front in the race for custom-quality production knives. Combining the tasteful elegance of a custom made gentleman's folder with the high-tech appeal of today's tactical folder, William Henry is offering a unique line of high-end knives.

William Henry knives are not cheap. Prices start at $120 and go up to $550 with most of the collection falling in the $200 to $300 bracket. But the knives are exceptionally well made for a factory blade -- you get what you pay for.

We tested a model from the Redwood Series, a delightfully small, exquisitely detailed gentleman's folder. The knife features a three-piece titanium frame which is anodized light blue. The handle scales are made of nicely figured redwood and the bolsters are made of stainless steel.

The blade is made from 154-CM steel with a classic clip-point design. The blade features a lot of belly, giving considerably more cutting power for its length. There are three blade lengths in the Redwood Series: 3.25", 2.625" and 2.125". The middle-size is a spear point while the small and large are clip-points.

The locking mechanism is the current favorite among knife aficionados, the liner lock. Originally designed by Michael Walker, the liner lock is an extremely rugged and strong lock that presents a physical barrier of steel to stop the blade from accidentally closing on the user's fingers. Virtually all tactical folders utilize the liner lock, a tribute to the design's durability and toughness.

Also borrowed from the tactical folder genre is a thumb-stud opener -- present on all three knives in the Redwood Series. There is also a hidden lanyard attachment in the frame. The knives come in tasteful boxes with leather pouches,

The three knives in the Redwood Series are also available with different handle materials in the Amber Series, Pearl Series and Carbon Fiber series. The three models retail for $220, $245 and $270, from small to large.

Get in on the ground floor of what we think will be the hottest name in high-end production folders -- William Henry Knives. Their catalog is worth the phone call it takes to get one.