Ben Palfreyman finds out more about a British brand making the most beautiful premium hunting knives when he chats with founder and maker, Marc Engall.
Founded in 2020 by Marc Engall and Cameron Mcintosh, Salient is a British knifemaker that has built up a collection of premium handmade knives designed for the hunting, shooting and outdoors market. Ben met up with Marc to shoot a few clays together and find out more about the brand from these new kids on the block.
Marc honed his knifemaking skills under the guidance of the late Stephen Wade Cox, widely regarded as one of the UK’s finest knifemakers. “I used to go round his place every Tuesday night, drink a lot of tea with three or four other guys, and make knives together. We’d also go camping and that’s where I met Cameron, my business partner. We started thinking about starting a company together, and two years ago we slapped hands on a deal. Our dream was to make the absolute finest fieldsports knives.
“Everything is made in house, down to the stitching on the leather sheaths. Our hand engraver, meanwhile, Greg Goodwillie, has worked for Purdey and other names in the London gun trade for 25 years. Sailors in the 17th century always held personalised knives to show ‘that’s my knife’ – their initials or something very basic to denote it was their knife was scratched onto the blade. Salient, on the other hand, offer laser engraving or even hand engraving – the design can match your shotgun, feature a family crest, or even include 18ct gold liners. This is something that can be passed down the generations.”
What do you look for in a knife?
“I’m looking for something that won’t let me down. I’m looking for a knife that’s going to stay sharp for a long time. Of course, all knives go dull at some point, so you want a blade that is easy to sharpen.
“The knife is older than the wheel. You pick it up and you know what to do with it – it’s a very human thing to use a knife, and it becomes an extension of your arm. It needs to feel comfortable in your hand. We feature a palm swell, where the handle comes out and goes into the palm of your hand, and there is a shoulder on the butt of the knife to stop your hand slipping off.”
What materials have you chosen to use?
“The steel we have chosen doesn’t tarnish and it can be scrupulously cleaned – when you are skinning and gutting rabbits etc, you don’t want it to get contaminated with last shoot’s blood. We also offer a Kydex sheath option so that it can be completely cleaned and you can keep your leather sheath in tip-top condition.
“The handle scales are made from Turkish walnut, which is a lovely material to work with. It grows very quickly in Turkey because of the heat, and that gives it a nice figuring – so even on a small piece of wood like a knife you can get some beautiful detail.
“The bolts are Loveless bolts (designed by the legendary American knifemaker, Bob Loveless), which are simply two ferals and a bolt that goes all the way through. It’s a mechanical fix as well as being resined onto the handle.
“The only other material is the sheath, which is made with 3.5mm veg tan tooling leather, from the shoulder of an animal.”
“All of Salient’s knives are handmade by myself and Cameron, so no two knives are exactly the same. We don’t go by measurements – we work the handle until it is pleasing to the hand, and at that point we think that’s ready for sale.”
How do you recommend people look after them?
“Don’t keep your knife in the sheath. There is a water content in all leather, so although these are made of stainless steel, it’s good practice not to store them in the sheath. A light oil of the blade will keep it in tip top condition. Keep them dry – and clean them using nothing more than water, and possibly soap. They are a robust tool and don’t need much looking after. All our knives come with a lifetime warrantee.”
To find out more about Marc and Cameron's knives, visit salientknives.co.uk