Zubr (stainless bulat)

A bulat steel knife with chromium added, from the Zhbanov forge. A few words regarding the term "stainless bulat" which in itself is an oxymoron. It is commonly known that historical bulat steel contained iron and carbon. The only additive revealed in historical products on a larger scale was phosphorus (up to 0.15%). Modern Russian manufacturers try to produce knives from a material as close as possible to historical bulat steel, i.e., carbon steel. The problem with carbon bulat steel is that it is corrosive, and the customer may get upset if they find pitting on a knife worth tens of thousands of rubles from a few drops of water they didn't wipe off the previous day. Therefore, Russian blacksmiths sometimes add chromium to the alloy, and what is created is called "stainless bulat steel". This category includes knives from the Zhbanov forge, also known as the "Bulat nozh" company. All stainless bulat steel knives from Zhbanov are hardened in such a way that the hardness on the cutting edge is 64 and on the butt 62 HRC.

The Zubr is a hunting knife, skinner type, with a wide blade and a very high, practically full concave grind. Made in a full tang scheme with tang scales made of textolite. Leather sheath with a snap button closure. The sheath is the weak point of this knife: the presence of a recess for the finger at the base of the blade means that the end of the cutting edge constantly catches when pulling it out of the sheath, which is dangerous and sooner or later must lead to damage to the sheath in this place.

Overall length: 244 mm

Blade length: 118 mm

Blade thickness (max.): 3.8 mm

Blade width (max.): 39 mm

Handle length: 124 mm

Handle made of textolite

Leather sheath, smooth

Manufacturer: Zhbanov workshop, Russian Federation