The Contour ‘Rip Tide' features a frame in hand-forged 'Twist' damascus by Chad Nichols, inlaid with mother of pearl. The blade is hand-forged 'Rip Tide' damascus by Baker Forge. The one-hand button lock and the thumb stud are set with white topaz gemstones.
The Contour is an exquisite fusion of elegant lines, graceful curves, and exquisite materials. A bold interpretation of a timeless design, the 'Rip Tide' also features some of the most exotic materials and hand-forged metals that are the hallmark of William Henry's collections; a timeless heirloom to be proudly worn and used for a lifetime before being handed-down to another generation.
Mother of Pearl is the common name for iridescent nacre, a blend of minerals that are secreted by oysters and other mollusks and deposited inside their shells. William Henry uses premium mother of pearl material sourced directly from suppliers in Australia, selected for maximum color and figure.
Hand-forged damascus
Damascus steel was a term used by several Western cultures from the Medieval period onward to describe a type of steel created in India and used in sword making from about 300 BC to 1700 AD. These swords were characterized by distinctive patterns of banding and mottling reminiscent of flowing water. Such blades were reputed to be not only tough and resistant to shattering, but capable of being honed to a sharp and resilient edge. William Henry's damascus is made from several types of steel welded together to form a billet. The patterns vary depending on how the damascus artist works the billet. The billet is drawn out and folded until the desired number of layers are formed. William Henry damascus billets are forged with a minimum of 300 layers. William Henry works with a handful of the very best damascus artists/forgers in the U.S.
