Great Basin Knife Company

In 1963, while Dale Duby was working in the woods as a timber faller, he saw a fellow logger making an arrowhead from a piece of obsidian during their lunch break. Dale became very interested in the technique and so he asked the other fellow to teach him how to make an arrowhead. It was then that Dale began making arrowheads for friends simply as a hobby, but in 1988, while Dale was falling timber in the Seneca, Oregon area, he discovered a lot of obsidian laying around on the ground. It was then that Dale decided to start making artifacts that eventually turned into a full-time job.

Materials needed to produce these knives are obtained locally. Most of the high quality obsidian used comes from Central Oregon and Northern California and come in a variety of colors such as mahogany, rainbow, midnight lace, clear green, burns green, silver sheen and more. Not all colors are always available. Antlers that shed annually from local deer and elk and picked up by ranchers are purchased to use in these knives. Bone handles are a by-product of the fur industry, and no animal is harmed to obtain them. Wood handles and all wood used to construct their furniture is obtained close to Prairie City, Oregon. Wood from private and public land, including juniper and pine, is harvested locally to construct their furniture.

Decades later, these knives continue to be hand made according to Dale Duby's specifications. All come with a certificate of authenticity.

An Edge Older Than Steel

Long before iron was smelted, people were knapping obsidian into blades sharp enough to split a cell wall. Volcanic glass fractures along a molecular edge no forge can match, and that same edge is what you are holding when you pick up one of our obsidian knives. It is not a novelty. It is one of the oldest cutting technologies people ever trusted with their lives.

Our obsidian blades are hand knapped in the same tradition, each one unique since no two flakes fracture alike. Paired with a fitted handle, they make as much sense on a display shelf as they do in a collector's hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

How sharp is an obsidian knife?
Sharper than surgical steel at the edge, in fact. Obsidian can be knapped down to a few nanometers wide, well beyond what a steel blade can hold.

Can you actually use an obsidian knife for cutting?
You can, for light work like skinning or fine detail cuts. It excels at precision but the edge is thin and will chip against bone or hard material, so treat it more like a scalpel than a chopping blade.

Are obsidian knives fragile?
More brittle than steel, yes. A drop onto a hard surface can chip or shatter the edge. Most collectors keep theirs mounted or sheathed rather than tossed in a drawer.

What is knapping?
Knapping is the process of striking or pressing flakes off a stone core to shape a blade, the same method used to make obsidian and flint tools for thousands of years before metalworking existed.

Where can I buy an obsidian knife?
Right here. Our obsidian blade collection includes hand knapped pieces built for display, collecting, or careful practical use.