Michael Walker Custom Knife Zipper Blade Linerlock Engraved by Patricia Walker

Michael Walker has numerous innovative designs and locking
systems to his credit, with his "Zipper" blades being the most
sought after blade in all of knife collecting. The following is a direct
quote from Michael Walker:

"My idea was to make a blade that had a very hard and wear-
resistant edge and a tough body that would bend slightly as
opposed to breaking. This had always been the goal with edged
weapons since the beginning. There are many examples of this in
history, including the Samurai swords, and I was looking for a way
to achieve this with modern stainless steels. The 416 stainless steel,
Vascowear blade performed as expected but left a lot to be desired
aesthetically. The blade could be bent almost to a full circle, the
edge would crack about every 3/8 of an inch (9 mm), but the
blade did not break in two.

Replacing the 416ss with titanium gave me a much tougher blade
body. Many combinations were tested, trying to weld titanium to
154-CM, 440C, Vascowear D2, etc., all failed, so another joining
process was needed. The only solution was a mechanical joint with
integral rivets with a plus or minus fit of about one ten thousandth
of an inch (0.0001").

Now I began a new trial and error process and aerospace
technology was needed and used. Many more broken test blades
were sacrificed until a solution was found. Finally one successful
blade was made and patented. In the beginning about one of every
four blades was a success. The flaws could only be detected after
the blade was finished to a 800 grit or finer finish. The flawed
blades were scrapped and the process started all over again."

In over forty-five years of custom knife making, Michael has made
very few "Zipper" blade knives. He no longer produces "Zipper"
blades at all. This stunning art knife features differentially anodized
engraved titanium scales, masterfully done by Patricia Walker.
Every serious collection would have to include at least one of
Michael Walker's knives. To feature a "Zipper" blade, especially one
fully engraved, is a dream. Here is an opportunity to make that dream reality.