Dark Timber Goes Big with Triple Release

Dark Timber Knives is driving hard with its latest batch of mid-tech releases. Three models are arriving simultaneously next Monday, each representing a different facet of the Dark Timber design ethos. In total, the slew of releases dwarfs previous drops and hints at Dark Timber Founder Peter Kohler’s plans to grow his brand.

1911 Elite

Kohler knows that the Elite, as a sort of flagship for his company, will be familiar to fans of Dark Timber. “This is the fifth generation of the Elite and the best version yet,” he says. Kohler refined the ergonomics, paying lots of attention to the contouring and devising a dovetail construction method for the removable scales so that he could use exotic woods that won’t shrink or warp.

Elsewhere key Elite details remain in place. A 4.875-inch 3V blade is a sweeping bowie shape, imbued with both attitude and functionality. Kohler believes that a fusion of functionality and style is key to the appeal of his knives. “The Elite is a field knife, it can do bushcraft chores, EDC chores, and anything else you need it to do but maintains sleek fighter lines of a modern custom.”

And while he’s sure that this one will be snatched up by those existing fans, he hopes that some of these Elites will catch the eye of newcomers. “I want to see this one get out to users new to Dark Timber.  It can introduce them to my company as a whole.”

1911 Commander

A companion piece to the Elite, the Commander reduces the blade length down to 3.5 inches, shrinking the overall footprint. “I love big knives and carrying around big knives, but needed something smaller for an everyday carry fixed blade that still had the wow factor of larger blades,” Kohler explains. He devised an interlocking, hidden tang construction method for the Commander’s handle that provides more than enough durability for any sort of EDC use scenario.

The emphasis on EDC-ability also informed Kohler’s steel choice: Nitro-V. There’s always a temptation to outfit premium knives with exotic, high-end steels, but Kohler was most interested in usability when it came to the Commander. “I like user-friendly steels,” he explains. “Something that is rust resistant, and possible for everyday users to maintain. Most importantly easy to keep sharp.”

Tavi

Kohler says the Tavi is one of his most-requested designs when it comes to custom orders. With a linear, 3.25-inch drop point blade, it is the smallest of this batch of releases. Kohler sees this mid-tech as a relatively inexpensive entry point into his brand. “This one is designed to be my entry-level, most affordable offering.” Another EDC-friendly fixed blade design, the Tavi incorporates a finger guard and a flared out butt end to keep the user’s hand in the right place during use.

Kohler says this extra large batch of knives will help set the tone for things to come. He wants Dark Timber mid-techs to be available on a more continual basis. “The plan is to have four core models that will always be on the shelves, including a folder,” he tells us. “And then introduce a couple of new models every year on top of those.”

The 1911 Elite and Commander, and the Tavi, are set to release in limited batches on Monday, September 9th at 5:30pm EST through KnivesShipFree and BladeHQ.

Knives in Featured Image: Dark Timber 1911 Commander, 1911 Elite, and Tavi