A knife for life
By Paul Childerley
Review: Cael stalking knife Paul Childerley reviews the Cael stalking knife from Emberleaf Workshops
Not only are knives one of the tools of the trade but I've been collecting stylish ones as early as I can remember, so I was excited to review the new Cael handcrafted stalking knife from Emberleaf Workshops to see if the blade is up to the job.
Emberleaf Workshops was founded by two ex-soldiers who became bushcraft and survival instructors after leaving the army. With their years of experience in the field, they combined their skills and passion to create custom knives and bespoke leatherwork, specialising in personalised handcrafted bushcraft and hunting knives.
The Cael blade length measures four inches long with a depth of just over half an inch and an overall length of 8.5 inches. The steel is AEB-L which is one of the top blade steels available, and unlike most steels is designed at the molecule level to be a blade steel and hold a stable edge.
As it is a relatively small knife, I wasn't convinced it would be suitable for my trade but after gralloching the first five roebucks, I was proven otherwise. The handle is perfect for a hunting knife — suited for comfort and easy use, giving you great grip when you have to apply more pressure — and it complies with food handling and safety regulations as has been treated so it's non-porous. The blade is a good length for sticking and perfect for more intricate work, especially when removing the legs, and the depth of the blade makes it ideal for the slim joins.
After testing the knife by gralloching nine muntjac, 17 roebucks and two fallow, I put it through some extensive tests. The knife survived being dropped onto concrete from waist height with no chips on the handle. The blade kept its edge running on solid bone, and was effective at cutting nicks in the field. After three months of extensive use, I'm now sending it back to use the sharpening and maintenance service that Emberleaf Workshops provide.
Contact details Emberleaf Workshops · 0800 [redacted] · www.emberleaf.com · info@emberleaf.com
Sporting Rifle, November 2015. Written by Paul Childerley.
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