Mr. Mayo's blades are not cheap either.  they are great stuff.  i've seen his knives featured in Blade magazine multiple times.  a great gun guy too.
congrats to your daughter on the excellent knife   

...
Try google a Mayo knife like that. The retail on something similar is rather shocking....more than 1G.
But there is spiritual backstory on that knife.

About 30 years ago my shooting buddy asked Tom to build a custom hunting knife to his specs.
Tom built that knife and it was used on Lanai and Africa hunting trips. Ie, that knife has experience.
A couple years ago my buddy passed away unexpectedly.
That knife was a part of his estate, but I helped the executor sort out and liquidate some stuff so we became friends.

About a month ago I asked my daughter what she wanted for her birthday. She asked me for a hunting knife.
You don't hear that kind of request every day, especially from a 20 yr old girl.
The reason behind that is that she is an aspiring  chef. She's currently enrolled in the culinary arts program in college.

Her cousin (my niece) is married to a boy from Molokai. Apparently they are planning to go to Molokai to hunt. At that time she will learn to dress a deer.
Therefore she needed a good hunting knife. I asked the executor of the estate about the knife and told him the situation. It was a no-brainer.

I like to imagine my late shooting buddy looking down at this story unfolding and smiling with approval.
How great is it that his hunting knife will once again see some action?

I haven't seen Mayo in about a year, but I know he will be happy to see his work being passed along to the next generation.

Got’s Damn, that’s a beautiful knife.

And thanks for sharing the story O.F.
We need more of those. 
The way it should be.

got this from amazon yesterday in the mail
CJRB Crag flipper.  3.43" of D2 steel, sheepsfoot blade. price is about $35
i think for $35 it is a steal.  the opening is very smooth, the detent is pretty strong and rides on ceramic bearings, so makes for a snappy opening
CJRB is the budget line of Artisan Cutlery.  Chinese knife company, they make quality knives.  much like WE knife and CIVIVI.  but i think the detents on the Artisan blades are a stronger detent.  not sure bc i only have the one CJRB but thats what i see on the comments online.
anyway, am real pleased with this budget buy.  i really like the carbon fiber, its a good size knife, not too small and not too big.  good for an office blade, or light use.  i like the D2 for a budget hard use steel, takes extra care but i dont mind

got this from amazon yesterday in the mail
CJRB Crag flipper.  3.43" of D2 steel, sheepsfoot blade. price is about $35
i think for $35 it is a steal.  the opening is very smooth, the detent is pretty strong and rides on ceramic bearings, so makes for a snappy opening
CJRB is the budget line of Artisan Cutlery.  Chinese knife company, they make quality knives.  much like WE knife and CIVIVI.  but i think the detents on the Artisan blades are a stronger detent.  not sure bc i only have the one CJRB but thats what i see on the comments online.
anyway, am real pleased with this budget buy.  i really like the carbon fiber, its a good size knife, not too small and not too big.  good for an office blade, or light use.  i like the D2 for a budget hard use steel, takes extra care but i dont mind

That's an interesting one.  Probably excellent for the majority of the use my knives get, which is cutting open or breaking down boxes.  Haha

I use a D2 that was my dad's almost daily.  It has developed a patina and isn't that corrosion prone.  Not like some of other D2 blades where I could leave a fingerprint and it would show corrosion after a day.  I've read that D2 can be a challenge to sharpen, but I've found that this one knife (a Benchmade) is fairly easy to sharpen. 

new Hinderer knives at blade show 2021

a few new ones from CJRB which is the budget brand of Artisan
all 3 of these are really well made for a budget knife.  bottom 2 knives steel is AR-RPM9, which is like a 9cr, but i find it to retain the edge better than a 9cr.  top one is D2
all have a strong detent and a really smooth ceramic ball bearing pivot.  the top and bottom ones have the fastest opening.  the middle one is very good too, just the bigger blade i think makes the opening not as fast but still very good.  i would say the opening and detents are as good or at least nearly as good as any ZT knife
top and bottom ones were $37, middle one was $56.  for that price, you are getting a bargain.  they are well made.  steel is not the best but its not the worst either.  for  light use knife these are well worth the money



https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CJBJ1904CF/cjrb-cutlery-crag-flipper-knife-d2-stonewashed-modified-sheepsfoot-blade-carbon-fiber-handles
https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CJBJ1919WH/cjrb-cutlery-tigris-flipper-knife-35-ar-rpm9-stonewashed-cleaver-blade-white-and-black-g10-handles
https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CJBJ1906BKC/cjrb-cutlery-gobi-flipper-knife-ar-rpm9-stonewashed-trailing-point-blade-black-g10-handles-w-orange-backspacer

got a couple TwoSun knifes recently
really impressed with the ones I got.
top one is TS81CF in M390, 3.75" blade.  KVT bearing pivot, CF inlays machined for grip.  i really like how the inlay on the lockbar side covers up the lockbar so you can't mistakenly put pressure on the lockbar and make it more difficult to open, a nice touch.  handles are machined for better gripping and weight reduction, full jimping on the length of the handle, machining on on the pocket clip.  detent is perfect, has a snappy opening.  I would compare this knife to most of my ZT's, it is super well made and well thought out design.  for the money you cannot go wrong with this knife.  If you can find one, I would buy it

bottom one is TS224 in S90V , 3.5" blade.  KVT bearings, CF inlay.  opening isn't as snappy as the other one, but is super smooth.  machined handles and pocket clip, contoured handles.  blade reminds me of the Hinderer Spanto blade.  half spear point, half tanto.  very well made knife.  but i like the other one just a bit more

both are great knives for the price.  i got each one for $139.  thats cheap for M390 and S90V.
TwoSun knives are hard to find. you either gotta go on ebay or amazon, or order from China.  but these 2 knives I highly recommend, the TS81CF is a little better in my opinion

got a couple TwoSun knifes recently
really impressed with the ones I got.
top one is TS81CF in M390, 3.75" blade.  KVT bearing pivot, CF inlays machined for grip.  i really like how the inlay on the lockbar side covers up the lockbar so you can't mistakenly put pressure on the lockbar and make it more difficult to open, a nice touch.  handles are machined for better gripping and weight reduction, full jimping on the length of the handle, machining on on the pocket clip.  detent is perfect, has a snappy opening.  I would compare this knife to most of my ZT's, it is super well made and well thought out design.  for the money you cannot go wrong with this knife.  If you can find one, I would buy it

bottom one is TS224 in S90V , 3.5" blade.  KVT bearings, CF inlay.  opening isn't as snappy as the other one, but is super smooth.  machined handles and pocket clip, contoured handles.  blade reminds me of the Hinderer Spanto blade.  half spear point, half tanto.  very well made knife.  but i like the other one just a bit more

both are great knives for the price.  i got each one for $139.  thats cheap for M390 and S90V.
TwoSun knives are hard to find. you either gotta go on ebay or amazon, or order from China.  but these 2 knives I highly recommend, the TS81CF is a little better in my opinion

SNIP

Nice!  How much was the TS81CF?  Always looking for M390 blades. 

Did a little research and seems like Australian brand and market. 

Nice!  How much was the TS81CF?  Always looking for M390 blades. 

Did a little research and seems like Australian brand and market.

was also 139. 
it was 149, but ebay seller sent me a email and offered $10 off, and that was an offer I could not refuse   

another seller thats sells TwoSun, but most models out of stock.  you could do a notify me when in stock and wait.  i have a couple models I'm waiting for
but this seller's prices are pretty good
https://whitemountainknives.com/twosun-ts81-frame-lock-knife-titanium-cf-handle-plain-s90v-blade-ts81-s90v/

another seller thats sells TwoSun, but most models out of stock.  you could do a notify me when in stock and wait.  i have a couple models I'm waiting for
but this seller's prices are pretty good
https://whitemountainknives.com/twosun-ts81-frame-lock-knife-titanium-cf-handle-plain-s90v-blade-ts81-s90v/

Awesome!  Thanks!  I signed up for notification.  That's a great price for an M390 blade.  Definitely worth a try. 

Awesome!  Thanks!  I signed up for notification.  That's a great price for an M390 blade.  Definitely worth a try.

I think if you order from the website white mountain knives, there is a discount code "LTK" from the youtube channel Luv them Knives.  good for 10% off.  they also have a ebay site, but same stuff as on their website




10% Discount Code on WMK is: LTK
TwoSun Knives are available on White Mountain Knives:https://whitemountainknives.com/searc...

Link to Ebay sellers
TwoSunknives: https://www.ebay.com/usr/twosunknives...

d-win99: https://www.ebay.com/usr/d-win99?_trk...

TwoSun Knives Fans Facebook:https://m.facebook.com/groups/1296010...

but on ebay the seller d-win99 does ship to hawaii or alaska

all of these are out of my price range, but nice to dream.  if you are going to dream, dream big
wow. $1k D2 knife!

Awesome!  Thanks!  I signed up for notification.  That's a great price for an M390 blade.  Definitely worth a try.

https://www.amazon.com/TWOSUN-Tactical-Hunting-Folding-Titanium/dp/B0922F8LV8/ref=sr_1_22?crid=Q17APQ5U9WK3&keywords=twosun+knife&qid=1648660502&sprefix=twosun+%2Caps%2C252&sr=8-22

this is more than what i paid, but this is an average price for it from what i see. even if you order from China i think this around the going rate.  unless you get from white mountain knives, thats really a good price
it is a really great knife

some good affordable knives in this vid.  and other good ones that are not so cheap

this guy has some high end knives.  seems like he prefers the thumb stud opening
the Japan made knife has a HRC of 66, which is really high

also included are some tips on sharpening S90V.  I assume that would include other hard to sharpen steels

Nice!  How much was the TS81CF?  Always looking for M390 blades. 

Did a little research and seems like Australian brand and market.

https://whitemountainknives.com/twosun-ts81-frame-lock-knife-titanium-cf-handle-plain-s90v-blade-ts81-s90v/

looks like it's in stock


I got impatient and ordered something from amazon, but if I were patient I could have saved a lot of money if i ordered from white mountain.  stupid me.   

https://whitemountainknives.com/twosun-ts81-frame-lock-knife-titanium-cf-handle-plain-s90v-blade-ts81-s90v/

looks like it's in stock


I got impatient and ordered something from amazon, but if I were patient I could have saved a lot of money if i ordered from white mountain.  stupid me.   

Thanks!  I signed up for the notification and I came close to ordering one. Then I remembered all of the ammo and reloading components I ordered recently. . .