IRAQI TANK KNIFE

BY BLADE® STAFF Iraqi Tank Knife John Thunert’s Capemaster includes blade steel from a destroyed enemy tank

When John Thunert learned an acquaintance had some spare steel from an Iraqi tank, he jumped at the chance to buy some of it and forge it in the damascus of his Capemaster skinner.

Strips of steel 3x3 inches and 4x4 inches, each 3⁄16-inch thick, were torch cut from the armored vehicle, which was stored in a “tank graveyard” in Iraq. John cleaned the steel up, including removing some paint. He also got a copy of the form his friend had to fill out on the steel as a “ war trophy, ” which is how he was able to legally ship the steel stateside. “It kinda gives me some bona fides, ” John noted.

He said an analysis of the material identified it as a very pure form of mild steel containing 99 percent iron and few impurities. Though the knife started out as a caper, it kept “ growing ” until it became a skinner, but John kept the caper name. The handle is quilted poplar with pins of a subdued coyote brown G-10 to match the liners.

For more information contact John C. Thunert, Dept. BL8, 5330 Vista Run, San Antonio, TX 78247 210-771-6615 mrbug@sbcglobal.net, JTKnifeworks.com (if John ’ s website is not up when you read this, it should be shortly).

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