Knife Rights’ Freedom’s Steel III Raises Record $33,000 to Support NRA-ILA and the Second Amendment
OutdoorHub 04.30.14
Knife Rights’ Freedom’s Steel III – Shall Not Be Infringed sold for a record $33,000 at the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action Dinner and Auction held the evening April 25th in the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This is the third year in a row that Knife Rights has donated a Freedom’s Steel knife to be auctioned off by NRA-ILA in appreciation for their support of Knife Rights’ legislative efforts in fighting the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment™, raising $66,500 total for NRA-ILA over three years.
Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter offered his congratulations to the talented and generous collaborators who helped make this incredible fundraiser for NRA-ILA possible:
Knifemaker: Jerry Fisk
Engraving: Shane Taylor
Guard and Pommel Steel: Barrett Firearms
Sheath: Kenny Rowe
Display Case: Brookfield Case
Photography: Terrill Hoffman
“Knife Rights and the NRA have a common interest in protecting our civil rights and specifically the right to own and use tools appropriate for self-defense. At a time when our Second Amendments rights are under unprecedented assault, we are proud to assist NRA in protecting these rights.” said Knife Rights Chairman and Founder Doug Ritter. “We are sincerely grateful for the support provided to us by NRA-ILA as we fight the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment.”
“Since 1871, the NRA has fought to defend the rights of law-abiding Americans. We are truly grateful for the support of our friends at Knife Rights and their continued contributions to our ongoing efforts to preserve our freedom,” said Chris W. Cox, Executive Director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action.”
This one-of-a-kind 16-inch 416-layer Damascus American Bowie was forged by National Living Treasure and American Bladesmith Society Master Bladesmith Jerry Fisk. Fisk forged the Damascus pattern to show the sun’s rays radiating out to the blade’s cutting edge, representing his prayer that with Knife Rights’ and the NRA’s help, “may the sun always rise over a free America.”
The engraved guard and pommel, as well as the spacer, were forged from the barrel of a Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle used in Iraq and donated by Barrett Firearms. ABS Master Bladesmith and master engraver, Shane Taylor, accurately copied and gold inlaid the handwritten original script from the Second Amendment of the Constitution: “shall not be infringed.” The embellishment engraving was inspired by Paul Revere’s engraving from the time of the Revolution. Almost two feet of 24K gold wire was used in the gold inlay.
The historic wood handle was hand carved by Fisk. The wood was salvaged from the last of 13 horse chestnut trees planted by George Washington in 1788 to memorialize the 13 colonies and shade the walk between his mother’s cottage and Kenmore, his sister’s home in Fredericksburg, Virginia. This historic tree was felled and salvaged by Historical Woods of America in 2005. The beautiful grain of the horse chestnut wood is stabilized to last for generations.
Fisk explains that he chose to make this knife a Bowie because “the Bowie is recognized world-wide as the quintessential American knife, a recognized symbol of America. This is an early American style of Bowie which represents the fundamental American characteristics of lean strength and resilience, the basics we should get back to in running our great country.”
Custom Leather Maker Kenny Rowe hand-crafted the tooled leather sheath. The sheath is one of his High Ride Crossdraws with Rowe’s Pin Loc retention device. It is constructed of Herman Oak vegetable tanned leather. The hand tooled floral design matches the gold inlay in the knife. This pattern is filigreed over American alligator. The outline of the sheath and the welt are custom fit and contoured to fit this exact knife for a good snug fit.
Freedom’s Steel™ III is presented in a custom-built black walnut display case by Brookfield Case. It features glass on four sides and the top and a document storage drawer. Etched into the glass front is a reproduction of the original script from the ratified Bill of Rights (as also used on the pommel):
…the right of the People to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.
Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified December 15, 1791
Additional details on Freedom’s Steel and the collaborators who created it, along with additional stunning photography, can be found at: http://www.KnifeRights.org/FreedomsSteel.
