All of the blades at Waxed Wing have been heavily inspired by nature, after all, they're field knives! We currently offer four models: Aspen, Apitox, Odo', and Hawthorn. While some might be a bit more obvious than others, each of the names were derived from Pennsylvania's diverse ecological landscape.
Aspen, of course, is one of the many beautiful trees found in Penn's Woods and just so happens to be my personal favorite. The straight-back profile of the knife is meant to mimic the arrow-like shape of a Quaking Aspen, simple and utilitarian. If you ever have the opportunity to sit and watch a stand of these lovely trees on a windy day, you certainly won't be disappointed.
The other model inspired by a tree species is Hawthorn, which was meant to imitate the absurdly intimidating spines found lining their branches. Interestingly enough, it is believed this particular tree evolved with such aggressive appendages to ward off Wooly Mammoths! While I don't think you'll be fighting off a mammoth with a Hawthorn anytime soon (for more than one obvious reasons), it will definitely help you make your day-to-day cutting tasks a Hell of a lot more enjoyable. As an avid motorcyclist, it's one of my favorite blades to carry with me, as I can throw it in my bag knowing it won't be contributing to any shoulder pain later on down the road.
Odo': While it certainly wasn't the intention to name two of the field knives after insects or parts of insects, here we are! Odo' is short for Odonata, which is the Order of insects that consists of Dragonflies and Damselflies. As a kid, my father would often take my brother and I kayaking down one of our many local streams, something that I would continue to do well into adulthood. One of my favorite parts of this were the quiet moments of coasting through still water, watching the various insects buzz through the air. The dragonflies and damselflies, were, of course, one of the most enjoyable sights. It was always so fascinating watching them twist and turn amongst the grass and trees, almost as if the laws of physics didn't apply to them. I wanted to find a way to honor those cherished memories, thus Odo' was born.
Lastly, Apitox: Another abbreviated name, Apitox is a shortened version of the word "Apitoxin", which is the venom in the stingers of Honey Bees. I've always had a love for these little guys, as my family maintained a small apiary growing up. The first extraction we ever did yielded nearly 60 pounds of honey, which resulted in me eating *way* more honey than a person should ever eat in a few short hours... Either way, Honey Bees are industrious, hardworking, and community driven; I can't really say we're much different here.
Full disclosure, coming up with these names isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world. Each of the blades are unique for some many different reasons, so it's quite hard to simply slap any random name on a model simply because it sounds cool. I put my heart and soul into all of my creations, so I want that to be reflected in everything I do, right down to the names of the blades. There will be plenty more to come, each with a sentiment attached to them, one that's just as meaningful as the knife itself.
