Sandshark F/S

[Charleslee]

On Knifeforum for $1500. Blue. Says excellent cond. i didn't see the pics. This is one of the best, FYI.

[UltraReef]

And....it's SOLD! :D

[alexcapone]

what were the original production dates for this knife? I tried to do a little google searching from my phone and could not find anything.

[begreen]

[QUOTE=Charleslee;25536]On Knifeforum for $1500. Blue. Says excellent cond. i didn't see the pics. This is one of the best, FYI.

QUOTE] Need to know this is knife and this a common problem,,

http://www.jerzeedevil.com/forums/showthread.php/164782-DKW-Sand-Shark-Lemon?p=1742377#post1742377

the Blades are breaking from pushing the RC to the max .

[Charleslee]

Quote Originally Posted by Twizzler
Who are they? Geniuses in the milling and manufacture of contracts goods for the aerospace industry. Least thats what I heard third hand.

How did they get into making knives? They were between contracts as you say, and had a lull waiting for the next up coming project. The owner likes knives alot and had made some from what I understood. Apparently he decided to run a small production of a design he came up with and called it the Chayene 'wrong spelling though'. It was an automatic with a steep tanto and it was one of the first autos out there which had a milled in blood groove. It was not only a hot ! looking different knife it also was one of the most precise and tightest locking. Extremely hard to get a hold of these and they sold out fast as the production was so much lower than the demand. They were made in several handle material incert and grip shape options. Also they were aluminium frame handles and clip and made in black and a silver finish. However, I think the silver finish were stainless. Cant remember anymore.
Then after about nine months to a year latter and after alot of cries for them by customers and dealers they made a second variation still only know by the name Chayenne but it had a few less features. They took the blood groove out and rounded out the tanto ever so slightly and this only came with a real sexy satin finish on the blade where as the orignals had a polished finish.
To my grasps the second run must have been just a small number made even less than the first generation. People who got those were on waiting lists from dealers like me however some did circulate on the second market too. Those dried up almost as soon as they came out and for those who expected more to come got screwed.
Folks thought these guys were a knife company breaking out which really wasn't the case. These are even more rare and just as collectable.
To give you and idea I hadn't seen a single one able to offer at Blade Show 2002 2004 2007. I didn't make the other shows but only one or two popped up for auction or sale since that I have seen.
Then about a year later and alot of antisipation they came out with the Aztec model the first production made Duel Action OTF and it was quite an interesting fancy looking dagger style knife.
The cost was very high for the time again at 450.00 and Ray was the only dealer who I know who had dealership on these. They only made like 37 or so. Some were light grey and others were black anodized handles. There was at least one made with a damascus blade but there might have been one to two others. Ray still has the only one I've ever seen and from what I under stand its not for sale unless you can pry it out from him, good luck. I am sure he would be game to give you a little better history on those but I have seen one or two come up for sale and they were fetching 800. and a 1000. but that was years ago.
I dont know why they didn't make more for the demand. Probably due to factory projects their real business.
About six months later they put out a small production run of stainless Chayannes which had a blood groove and where to be just like the original design just stainless handles I think some were electroplated blue tint and several got a 24 carot gold plating. These also came in different grips like wood and carbon fiber but I only remember them having flat incert grips this time instead of both flat and finger groved like the first and second version. These were also very expensive as a base and not even close to sure what the specia optioned ones costed. During this time most of the auto comunity was waiting for new DA OTF and this production got caught in that wirlwind and had less following despite it was a knock out knife still. I have no idea of the production but my guess was it was quite low as well.

From the time I started giving you history untill this point of production they called or were called the James Brothers.

Now another year passes and and hype starts going around that the James Brothers are coming out with a new Double Action Out the Frount and dealers are fighting over putting orders in to make sure they get as many as they can afford to get, mean while the guys make a few protos and make a video of the proto and demo it. Thats when they hammer the knife through a 55 gallon drum and then keep flicking it, hammer it into a log stump and keep flicking it. The proto in the demo was increadable fast and easy and quick to trigger. After consideration they stiffend the spring tension to keep it from actidently firing which would have been an imediate danger. Then they put another first time ever seen type of creative blade scroll work and theme and called it the SandShark and changed their name to Desert Knife . The first run again sold out like like hot cakes and were 500.00. They tweaked the design and added the three adjusting screws but it was the same model design and blade. I was lucky to get one which happened to be the first run before they tweaked it to three screw. Its still as solid as when I got it but have only put a limmited number of fire through it wanting to keep it mint for my collection as they are quite expensive. I always hoped to get at least another Sandshark for a user but my dealer has had little success getting more of these and then I heard they stop making them which didn't suprise me.
I dont know all the variations of Sandsharks that were made but you said the ones I knew about and have heard little about them in a while. I like how those pics look and bet they are as extreme as my origninal dagger.

To opinionate: from the start these guys have broke into the market and came out with a new fresh look on design that just wasn't there. Cubism,sharp styled milling, contoured fancy grips and grip materials, blood grooves to crave for and know as the most precission rock solid production auto out there all combined into one envied unit way ahead of its time. Even the pocket clips were something to stare at like Lamborgini custom made them. First to tackle a serious production Duel Action OTF. First to get a production DA OTF known to be able to take extreme abuses and keep on going. Still known for very limmited runs and low interest in reselling once collector get them. Still a facinating venture.
I hope I wasn't that far off on details except mentioning the fourth version Chaynne was a stainless with a drop point utility blade made at the same time as the third version. Also someone told me one of the Aztecs of theirs had a little blade play back and forth not up and down and you could rattle it. Not sure as other I've heard said theirs was tight but hade just a little back and forth.

I hope this was informitive but I am by no means the consumet authority. Just an enthousiast and big fan of them. Maybe soon I'll get a chance to unlock her and take some pics for you.

[Charleslee]

More info, not about production #'s but...
"Actually the James Brothers aren't "brothers" in the blood/related sense.

They're a talented partnership of two guys in the Phoenix, AZ (Chandler/Gilbert) area who happen to share the first name *James* (James Lozon and James Sullivan). Desert Knife Works (DKW) is the company that eventually evolved..." By GZB

[Charleslee]

Alex-I asked Carltond to comment on the production dates for you. We'll see what he says.

[Eladerman]

Still for sale price reduced from 1500 to 1450.
Here is link on Jerzee Devil site:
http://www.jerzeedevil.com/forums/showthread.php/165044-DKW-sandshark-for-sale

[Charleslee]

According to Carltond & he knows a little something about knives & has a pretty sharp eye, the Sandshark in question isn't in the best of condition & is a 1K knife at best. Still a Shark but... fwiw

[alexcapone]

Thanks for posting that..interesting read.

[carltond]

The Sandsharks were in production from 2001 or 2002 until they shut it down. That's the info on my documents anyhow. Hope this helps. And how he sold that piece for $1,500.00 just shows me at how much they are prized at the present time and will only get stronger over the years.. Between Daltons and the DKW makes, I am happy with the knife world. No need for anything else IMO. You can't find a Dalton now neither by the way. Some people have wised up!! :)

[Professor Marc]

I have owned sand sharks and know their quality which until the Triton I/II was the best. The Triton II if you really study it is break-through in just about every area:

- ONLY double action I am aware of that will lockup like fixed blade (SS are NOT. You can with SS get close but not like a fixed)
- First double action OTF where blade is centered not off-set.
- All stainless if you pay

I will post pics when my arrives in several weeks. At 2500 not cheap but you get what you pay for. FYI this 'new' information on SS I think needs to settle within the knife community to see where things shake out but it can't help their pricing. The blue SS appeared right after the string came out and no one has bought it yet.