Neil Roberts Warrior Knife Background - by Bill Harsey

Chris Reeve Knives, founded and operated by Chris Reeve is an internationally recognized custom production knife company dedicated to building the highest quality hard use outdoor and military knives. The many International awards won by Chris Reeve Knives (CRK) bears witness to this vision. CRK is a state of the art knife making facility, employing 15 men and women, located in Boise Idaho. Before Idaho, the Reeves can trace their roots to South Africa where Chris and his wife Anne had already established worldwide recognition for the Reeve name before moving to the United States and becoming full citizens. CRK teamed up with the also well-known knifemaker Bill Harsey to produce the United States Army Special Forces "Yarborough" knife. This knife is issued to every man who passes the Qualification course to become a Special Forces soldier. Both Chris Reeve and Bill Harsey received the knife industry's highest award for teamwork last year because of this project. Critics have called the team of Reeve/Harsey "A match made in heaven for the tactical knife world." Now these two men, at the request of members of the United States Navy Special Warfare community, have designed a Warriors knife in honor of Neil Roberts.

The heart of a Tactical knife is its steel. The steel used in the Neil Roberts Warrior knife was first pioneered for use by the tactical knifemaking team of Reeve/Harsey in the knife they make for Army Special Forces. This steel is called CPM S-30V and is produced by Crucible Specialty Tool Steels in Syracuse, New York. This is the toughest tool steel ever used to make into a knife. "It's an exotic process called 'particle metal" used to produce the S-30V," says Bill Harsey who is the designer of the Roberts Knife. Bill goes on, " What we get is a steel that has both extreme edge holding and incredible pry bar strength due to both exotic alloys and how it's made." The first-ever application of this steel in the world was by "Reeve/Harsey" in the Special Forces knife they continue to make. This steel has a great reputation based on field reports of function and durability. The result of Reeve and Harsey's pioneering work is that the Special Operations Warrior now has a knife that will not fail in an emergency.

The Roberts knife, designed by tactical knifemaker Bill Harsey for production by Chris Reeve Knives is a knife made to be used by modern special operations warriors. This is a "fast sleek" design based on a 6.5 inch "re-curve edged, wide and full blade." This blade is made is for ultimate cutting and strength because of the edge geometry from the single bevel and the strong supporting spine. The Roberts blade is strong enough for emergency uses like prying and cutting aircraft metals and fine enough for small controlled chores in the field. The blade is made from a very exotic stainless tool steel called CPM S-30V. Steel is the heart of a knife and the S-30V is already highly respected in military special operations because of pioneering work by the knifemaking team of Reeve/Harsey.

If steel is the heart, the design is the soul. The eleven and one half inch overall length Roberts Warrior knife may seem simple at first glance but it's designed for high function and compact carry. This is an emergency tool as well as a knife. The handle design is very important, this is what gives the user control over the blade. The Roberts handle is designed so that when a military operator picks up the knife with cold, wet, numb hands in complete darkness, the grip orients the knife naturally. When you grab the knife, you know exactly where the edge is because of the well thought out and time tested ergonomics of a Harsey and Reeve produced knife. This tactile orientation results from the raised and radiused spine of the blade tang (for increased radial grip) single forefinger groove on the bottom front, top grooved thumb ramp and flared end of the handle. All together these features nest the hand naturally giving the user great control of the knife.

The handle is made of a long-recognized best possible knife handle material called Micarta, this synthetic composite is almost indestructible, isn't fazed by heat or cold, saltwater or chemicals. It can be decontaminated if exposed to chemical weapons but perhaps this next point is most important. Micarta resists slipping in the hand when wet even better than dry. The canvas fibers (part of the composite) exposed when shaping is done swell when wet and aid the grip texture. Go stick the knife in water and find out. The handle scales are attached with three bolt sets so that it will never be dislodged. Handles are designed to be easily replaceable in case someone can find a way to damage them. The Roberts knife is built to be a tool equal to those who would use it.