Prophet River Firearms

Nickel silver is the name of an alloy containing copper, nickel and zinc that has a silver-like look. In the knife industry, it is mainly used for fittings, especially for the so-called bolsters.

Nickel silver is an alloy of copper (45-70%), nickel (5-30%) and zinc (8-45%). In some cases, it can also contain lead, iron, manganese or pewter. Due to its nickel content, nickel silver is harder and more resistant to formation than pure copper, which makes it particularly suitable for knife fittings. Nickel silver can be work hardened (by forging and milling) at temperatures below 500°C. Nickel silver has several other names, some of which points to the history of the alloy, including argentan and packfong. The material is also known as German silver. The alloy originated in China, where it was known as packfong. In Europe, a copper/nickel/zinc alloy similar to packfong was developed in the late 18th century in Thuringia.

The material was improved simultaneously in Saxony and Berlin in the early 19th century. While the Saxon alloy was sold as argentan, the product from Berlin was named nickel silver. Both alloys had similar properties. Apart from these historic terms, the material is also known as alpacca. Its silvery white surface makes this alloy look like silver, but it is much less expensive than the precious metal. Right after the production process was developed, nickel silver was used to make silverware.

Today, nickel silver is still used in the industrial production of silverware, sometimes as a carrier material for silver-plated utensils. In the knife industry, nickel silver is used to make fittings. The crossguard of cutting and stabbing weapons is often made from this alloy.

Rosewood

Rosewood is the trade name of the lumber harvested from trees of the Dalbergia genus. Rosewood is characterized by its dark coloring and striking pattern. It is also very hard and dense. In knife production, rosewood is used to make wooden handles.

Dalbergia species are indigenous to the tropical and subtropical regions of South and Central America, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. They can present as trees, shrubs and lianas. Due to the large number of different species, they are all sold under the trade name of rosewood. Rosewood was one of the first types of lumber imported to Europe from European colonies overseas. As a tropical wood, rosewood is very rare. Some rosewood species, such as East Indian rosewood, have shrunk to very small populations. Other types of rosewood were protected by export regulations, including Brazilian or Bahia rosewood.

Most rosewood available today is Sheesham, a species indigenous to India and Pakistan that is mainly cultivated on plantations, which means that the lumber is not taken from natural tree populations. In terms of coloring and texture, rosewood products differ widely depending on the actual Dalbergia species and its origin. Generally speaking, rosewood has light-colored sapwood and dark heartwood in a range of hues from blackish brown to deep purple to almost pure black. Its striking streaks of color lend rosewood its characteristic marbled look and make each item a one-of-a-kind piece.

Rosewood must be dried slowly before processing to prevent cracks. Thanks to its fine pore structure, the processed wood has a very smooth surface. Apart from knife handles, rosewood is also used in interior design, furniture production and for building fine musical instruments.

Backlock

Backlock (or: Lockback or Back-Lock) is the mechanism in certain lockable pocketknives.

The handle of a Lockback knife contains a mechanism that allows the blade to be locked in place and then unlocked again. The blade of a Lockback knife also has a small notch on the end of the tang. The mechanism hidden in the handle of a Lockback knife consists of a rocker and a spring. The rocker is a long and slim piece of metal running from the front end of the handle almost all the way to the back end. The front end of the rocker close to the blade ends in a hook.

When the blade is open, the hook is lodged in the notch on the tang and locks it. The back end of the rocker is not fully covered by the handle. A small part of it on the back of the handle is left open to allow operation. A small spring, usually not visible from the outside, is located underneath the rocker. When it is triggered, it pushes the rocker back into its original position. The Lockback mechanism works as follows: When the blade is open, the hook slides into the notch on the blade tang and locks it.

When the exposed part of the rocker at the end of the handle is pressed, the hook is lifted out of the notch, releasing the lock so that the blade can be closed. When the knife is opened again, the rocker hook locks it automatically until it is released.