by Dr. Jim and Mary Clary
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- We are talking about the handcrafted JOKER knives that have been made in Spain and distributed throughout Europe for several years, not the cheap Chinese imports.
JOKER knives are now distributed in the U.S. by GAMO USA. In this day and age of machine made knives, many of which are excellent, it was a pleasure to be able to use and review handmade blades.
The first one was the Joker CC55usa Skinner Hunting Knife. This is a heavy knife that reminded us of the handmade sheath knives that came out of Solingen, Germany after WWII.
We are aware that some folks do not like knives with a “gut hook”. However, for us, they are not only useful but they have a special meaning. The gut hook was designed by our late friend, Sid Bell, known as “The Alaskan Silversmith”. Sid carved the first model of a blade with a gut hook out of wood and gave it to Merle Seguine. Merle then made the knife for Sid and became the first custom knife maker in the country to fabricate knives with gut hooks.
Sid Bell was also a master at carving silver and pewter wildlife miniatures and we were always pleased when he stopped by our place on his hunting trips out west. We believe that Sid would approve and be pleased with the addition of his gut hook to this knife. Sid loved handmade items and if he were still alive, we would be giving him this blade for his hunts….. that is how good it is.
Out of the box, this knife is incredibly sharp. In fact, the folks at Joker include a slip of paper in each box warning customers about the sharpness…. so, be careful, as one slip and it will cut you right to the bone. And, that is no joke!
The CC55 is a heavy knife; but, for us, it was ideal for dressing and skinning out large animals such as elk, and it works wonders on wild hogs. The 440C stainless steel hollow ground blade is great for skinning. It holds its edge very well and is easily touched up with a sharpening steel when needed.
The Joker CC55usa Skinner Hunting Knife specifications are:
- Model number: CC55
- Type: Hunter/skinner
- Blade type: Fixed drop point, hollow ground
- Blade length: 4.72 inches
- Blade width: 1.39 inches
- Blade thickness: 0.149 inches
- Blade material: 440C stainless steel
- Edge: Plain with gut hook on back
- Sheath: Reinforced Bull hide leather
- Handle: Full Tang with Stag horn scales – the real deal, not simulated plastic
- Overall length: 9.25 inches
- Weight: 9.17 ounces
- Lifetime Warranty
- Country of origin: Spain
With an MSRP of $187.95 ( less online), it is not for everyone. But, if you want a quality handcrafted knife at a fair price, this is an excellent buy.
Our second JOKER knife was the CA16, a lightweight sheath knife that was as sharp as a razor, right out of the box. Typical of every JOKER knife that we tested. Again, make sure that you are careful when you remove this knife from the sheath because JOKERS cut deep.
If you are a collector, this knife is a “must have” for your collection based on its smooth lines and bull horn handle. The JOKER craftsmen are among the very few that are able to polish and properly fit bull horn to a full tang handle. There are absolutely no gaps between the metal and horn….. beauty and perfection at the same time.
The molybdenum-vanadium steel blade is designated as 1.4116, roughly equivalent to US 420HC which is used exclusively by Buck. It has a Rockwell hardness of 57, one notch below Buck’s HRC 58, but higher than most other 1.4116 steels, which makes it very tough. This steel is used extensively by Krupp and Grohmann in their knives.
The blade sharpens easily to an almost razor quality and while it does not retain its edge as well as 440C steel, it is very easy to re-sharpen. Due to its keen edge, it is an ideal skinning knife. There are a lot of other “skinners” that retain a good edge, but most are not quite as sharp as the CA16. You will notice the difference in the field. If you are a hunter, this may just be the knife you have been looking for to skin out that bull elk.
The Joker CA16 knife specifications are:
- Model number: CC16
- Type: Hunter/skinner
- Blade type: Fixed drop point, high hollow ground
- Blade length: 3.74 inches
- Blade width: 1.0 inches
- Blade thickness: 0.135 inches
- Blade material: Molybdenum-Vanadium steel (1.4116/420HC)
- Edge: Plain
- Sheath: Reinforced cowhide leather
- Handle: Full tang with Bull horn scales
- Overall length: 8.313 inches
- Weight: 5.57 ounces
- Country of origin: Spain
- MSRP: $123.95
That pretty well sums it up: A knife of superior design and quality construction with a blade tough enough for any hunter in the field. We are keeping this one!
You can browse all of the JOKER knives available in the US on their website: www.jokerknives.com.
About Jim and Mary Clary:
Jim and Mary Clary have co-authored over three hundred and fifty articles, (and counting) on shooting and hunting. You can read many of them on AmmoLand News.