Africa is home to some of the most well-known, loved and feared wild animals in the world and each Arno Bernard Knife takes its inspiration from one of these magnificent creatures. Our knives are world class for either collector or the avid hunter and most of our customers own more than one of our knives.

It is simply true that one Arno Bernard Knife is never enough!

Crafting a custom hunting knife is a lengthy and involved process and because of this, they tend to cost more than the usual hunting knife that is mass produced. For this reason and to ensure you have a lifelong companion, you need to take care of your knife properly.

Our knives are still hand finished on both the blade and handle, along with hand stitched fine quality sheaths to ensure lasting quality, they are designed to perform as optimal cutting equipment and as a lifelong outdoor companion. All Arno Bernard Knives are cut from Bohler N690 steel, followed by freehand hollow ground and then hand polished. They are heat treated and tempered using a liquid nitrogen process resulting in a blade that is 59-60 on the Rockwell hardness scale. The perfect balance between edge retention and performance.

Here are some finer points to help you take care of your Arno Bernard Knife

Clean your knife regularly

Clean your knife regularly and every time after use. Avoid prolonged immersion in liquids or the use of strong cleaning substances that could affect your knife, and clean with a non-abrasive soft cloth. Before using your knife on food items, wipe clean with alcohol, or wash with hot soapy water, rinse and dry with a soft cloth. Store your knife in a clean, dry and safe place out of direct sunlight and dry the sheath carefully at room temperature if it becomes wet. DO NOT store your knife in a wet sheath as this will damage the handle material and blade.

Sharpen only when needed

Each Arno Bernard blade is cut from world-class Bohler N690 stainless steel, which is a Cobalt-enriched stainless steel from Bohler, an Austrian steel company. The steel is extremely fine-grained and when it comes to edge-holding, it is agreed that the finer the steel grain, the better. Cobalt is one of the most exotic alloying elements and is known to increase hardness and strength, providing a fine and consistent edge, enhances edge retention and sharpening receptivity. For sharpening your Arno Bernard Knife a Warthog sharpener works really well or any kind of sharpening stone.

Lubricate periodically

Lube your hunting knife with a small amount of oil. Apply a thin film of lubricant or all-purpose oil to the entire surface of the blade, this will help prevent surface oxidation and corrosion from moisture. Too much oil is not good for your knife as it can attract tiny particles of dirt and other unnecessary elements. Wooden handles should be rubbed with mineral oil to waterproof and restore the lustre of the natural wood. When cleaning bone, antler, horn and ivory handles simply rub with a slightly water dampened cotton swab to remove grime and dust. Immediately dry off the handle after cleaning. Let it dry for a moment and then apply some mineral oil and clean any excess afterwards with a dry cloth. 

Each Arno Bernard Knife is a unique piece of art made from raw materials that are processed into the finished product. We use exotic elements from the farthest regions of South Africa and have developed methods to turn the natural materials into beautiful and functional tools. It is therefore imperative that you take care of your knife after purchase.

Need a Special Gift? Arno Bernard Knives make the perfect Gift for both Hunter and Collector.

** The knife in our pic is the Gecko model from our Bush Baby Series - this collection of knives are great for the simple tasks when you are either working on small animals and birds or using a knife for finer detail work. Many outdoorsmen don’t want a large cumbersome knife but they still want a functional design and blade, the Bush Baby series is purpose-built for this demand.