I dove in a bunch of videos on YouTube about the Hadzabe Hunters in Tanzania. Their preferred prey, amongst others, is Baboon.
...the Baboon arrows have the most brutally barbed heads...that tells something about the prey and the hunter.

I watched all the Hadzabe videos I could find, because I was interested what kinds and sizes of knives they are using.
In all the videos I only saw one small knife in use and this was used collectively.
Apart from this, Hadzabe hunting knives mostly seem to have blade lengths from 6-8 inches....
Of course every hunting knife should be tough, sharp, and strong..... but due to their hunting style the knife has to be light weight.

Somehow I was motivated to create a knife, that I think the Hadzabe would(could?) appreciate.
O1 flat tang blade with 185 mm (7.28 inches) blade length and 3 mm width.
For the handle I took steel pinned Thomson's Gazelle Horn Slabs.

The sheath is a combination of half tanned leather, unknown hardwood and buffalo horn.
Since the seam on the sheath of a knife is theoretically the weakest point...theoretically...I've replaced the stitching here with horn nails. These are glued into a horn frame on the cutting edge side in the leather quiver using a strong adhesive...a remarkably stable material combination.

Cheers
 

 

Your projects always impress me. Very nice work as always. 

Mr. sfeile, thanks a lot!

Very nice knife, cool inspiration story as well.

If I may nitpick. The bevel looks uneven grinded. 

Is that the bevel, or a really popping hamon?

Once again, a lovely knife.

Love it! Would be proud to own it and even more proud to have made it! Thanks for sharing

Gentlemen, thank you very much for the nice comments!

On 5/13/2026 at 12:54 PM, gewoon ik said:

Very nice knife, cool inspiration story as well.

If I may nitpick. The bevel looks uneven grinded. 

Which bevel? The flank bevels, the edge bevel or the back bevel?

I’ve never heard of horn nails as a replacement for stitches on sheaths. (Honestly though, I’m not that much of a knife person.) Is the construction method something you’ve seen before, or a fresh idea?

Either way, it’s very cool and makes for an interesting touch on a beautiful knife.

Keep it fun,

David

5 hours ago, templehound said:

Gentlemen, thank you very much for the nice comments!

Which bevel? The flank bevels, the edge bevel or the back bevel?

The edge. You can see it on the 2nd photo. Or is a line from hardening? 

On 5/17/2026 at 2:16 PM, gewoon ik said:

The edge. You can see it on the 2nd photo. Or is a line from hardening? 

No it is not a line from hardening (Hamon), nor a Temper Line and it is not the edge. It is just a differently polished Section of the Flank.

Sisal polished lengthwise and crosswise, that gives the impression of a Hamon...and sure it is different on each side....like a Hamon mostly is.

I thought it looked more interesting....at least in my eyes.

 

 

Ha thanks for the explanation.

On 5/17/2026 at 9:42 AM, Goods said:

I’ve never heard of horn nails as a replacement for stitches on sheaths. (Honestly though, I’m not that much of a knife person.) Is the construction method something you’ve seen before, or a fresh idea?

Either way, it’s very cool and makes for an interesting touch on a beautiful knife.

Keep it fun,

David

David, I must apologize somehow I overlooked your question.

With that idea I came up by myself, in the search of more toughness on sheaths.

But the fact I didn't saw that yet does not mean it didn't already exists.

Thanks David!

On 5/14/2026 at 6:16 AM, Hefty said:

Is that the bevel, or a really popping hamon?

The same here, sorry Hefty I didn't answer direct to your question.

Cheers

No worries, Templehound. I really like the effect.