Last knives from Royce’s forge • In 14 active carts • 21 left
Royce's Hand-Finished Feather Knife
Royce's Hand-Finished Feather Knife
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Royce's Hand-Finished Feather Knife
A turkey feather, cut into steel by hand
Royce Tackett, 72, has made kitchen knives in a tin-roofed shed in Mountain View, Arkansas, since 1978. A tremor in his right hand won’t let him cut the feather lines anymore. These are his last 212.
“June told me, ‘Don’t you dare let them sit in a box.’ A knife in a glass case is a sad thing. I want them carving somebody’s Thanksgiving turkey.”
Royce Tackett · Mountain View, Stone County, Arkansas
What comes in the box
Hand-finished, no two alike
8.3 in blade, 3 mm thick
Stitched, with a brass snap
Packed by hand at the kitchen table
What 48 years at the forge taught Royce about a knife
61 feather lines along the blade, just like a wild turkey feather. Every one is cut by hand, so no two knives are exactly alike.
The blade sweeps up to a fine point. “A straight knife works against the bone. This one follows it.” Turkey, ribs, a whole salmon.
One piece of steel from the tip to the end of the handle, held by two brass pins. “Half steel is half a knife.”
Its own stitched leather sheath with a brass snap. Takes it to the grill, the cabin or the lake, and keeps the edge safe.
Most of that time goes into the feather. One shaky line and the blade is scrap. “You can’t fix a feather. You start over.”
A small hole at the end of the handle lets it hang on a hook by the stove or the grill, not lost in a drawer.
“A good carving knife is about the curve and the balance, not just the edge. A blade that rises toward the tip lets you follow a joint or a breastbone instead of sawing through it, and a full tang keeps the weight steady in your hand. Royce’s feather knives get both right. The feather is what people notice first, but the curve is why they reach for it every Sunday.”
Dwayne Holcomb · Butcher and BBQ instructor · Fayetteville, Arkansas
Perfect for
Why folks reach for it every Sunday
- Hand-cut feather. 61 lines, each one cut by hand.
- Curved blade. Follows the bone instead of working against it.
- Full-length steel. One piece from tip to handle end, two brass pins.
- Real leather sheath. Stitched by hand, brass snap.
- Built to be used. Made for kitchens and grills, not glass cases.
If it doesn’t earn its hook by your stove, one email to info@cedarandtinco.com is enough. Royce would rather have it back than have it sit in a drawer.
Good to know: This is a very sharp kitchen knife. Wash it by hand, dry it right away and give the blade a drop of cooking oil now and then. Never put it in the dishwasher. Keep it in its sheath and out of reach of children. Because every feather is cut by hand, small differences between knives are normal.
Product details
| Contents | 1 feather knife with leather sheath |
| Blade | High-carbon steel, 15° edge, full tang |
| Handle | Dark wood with two brass pins and hanging hole |
| Size | 13.8 in overall (35 cm) · blade 8.3 in (21 cm) · 3 mm thick |
| Weight | About 10.6 oz (300 g) |
| Care | Hand wash, dry right away, oil now and then |
| Made by | Royce Tackett, Mountain View, Arkansas — 212 knives remaining |
| Made so far | About 3,000 feather knives since 1990 |
The Last Feathers
The Last Feathers
A note from the forge:
Royce Tackett has made kitchen knives in a tin-roofed shed behind his house in Mountain View, Arkansas, since 1978. In 1979 his wife June laid a wild turkey feather on his workbench and asked for something beautiful, not just something sharp. It took him eleven years to put that feather into steel. Since then about 3,000 feather knives have gone home with families, each with 61 feather lines cut by hand. A tremor in his right hand won’t let him cut the lines anymore, and there is no one to take over the forge. 212 knives are left. When they are gone, there will be no more.
Free US Shipping
Free US Shipping
Free shipping across the United States
- Delivery time: 3–5 business days
- Every knife is hand-packed in its own stitched leather sheath
- Overall length 13.8 in (35 cm), blade 8.3 in (21 cm), 3 mm thick, about 10.6 oz (300 g)
- High-carbon steel, full tang, dark wood handle with two brass pins and a hanging hole
- Very sharp kitchen knife: hand wash, dry right away, oil the blade now and then. Not for the dishwasher. Keep out of reach of children
- 30-day money-back guarantee — just email info@cedarandtinco.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Email us anytime at info@cedarandtinco.com. We answer Monday–Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 10am–3pm (ET). Whether it’s about your order, a gift question, or just to say hello — a real person writes back.
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Of course. 30-day money-back guarantee. Carve your next Sunday roast with it, and if it isn’t right for you, email info@cedarandtinco.com within 30 days for a full refund. No questions, and US shipping is free.
How is it made?
How is it made?
Royce shapes each blade from one piece of high-carbon steel that runs all the way through the handle. Then he cuts the 61 feather lines one at a time by hand, sets the dark wood handle with two brass pins and puts on the edge. About nine hours per knife. Every knife gets its own stitched leather sheath with a brass snap. Small differences from knife to knife are part of it.