Attleboro Knives come with a story, quality
—Courtesy photo Attleboro Knives were named the 2015 Tactical Knife winner by the Idaho Knife Association.
— Courtesy photo The Dau Tranh is the newest member of the Sandpoint-based company, Attleboro Knives.
— Courtesy photo Master Sergeant William B. Hunt, who was declared missing in action in Vietnam in 1966 during Operation Attleboro, is commemorated through his son, Ken Hunt, who named his Sandpoint-based business Attleboro Knives.
— Courtesy photo Master Sergeant William B. Hunt, who was declared missing in action in Vietnam in 1966 during Operation Attleboro, is commemorated through his son, Ken Hunt, who named his Sandpoint-based business Attleboro Knives.
SANDPOINT — While knives generally have a purpose, such as kitchen knife or hunting knife, not every blade comes with a story.
For Ken Hunt of Attleboro Knives, the story behind them is what makes each one special. His motto, in fact, is "knives with a story, knives with a purpose."
Hunt named the company and the first knife in commemoration of his father, a United States Army Special Forces soldier declared missing in action in Vietnam.
Operation Attleboro commenced in 1966 as more than 22,000 allied troops came together with the goal of finding and destroying the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong logistical resources, as well as any enemy operating in the area. Hunt's father, William B. Hunt, a staff sergeant at the time, was part of the III Corps Mobile Strike Force led by an Army Special Forces team with Chinese Nung soldiers.
After SSG Hunt was injured on the battlefield, one Nung soldier stayed with him until he died as a result of his wounds. SSG Hunt's body was never recovered during follow-up search missions and he was listed as MIA until 10 years later, on April 9, 1976, when he was declared dead by the Army and promoted to master sergeant.
A website, mastersergeanthunt.com, details the battle and what SSG Hunt went through. Hunt said he has been in Vietnam twice, once in 1996 and once in 1999 where he met several people who knew his father and found the area where he presumably died. He buried a Special Forces "challenge coin" as close as he could guess to where his dad died.
"I went over just for closure as much as anything else," Hunt said.
Each of Hunt's signature knives comes with a certificate detailing the individual story of the knife. Hunt's newest model, the Dau Tranh, comes with its own story.
Dau Tranh is a smaller knife in a sheath that hangs around the neck. Dau Tranh, in Vietnamese, means "struggle," and is also their theory of warfare, Hunt said — the protracted warfare model.
"The Vietnamese believe there are three political elements and three military phases to warfare, and if they don't support each other, you don't go to war," Hunt said.
Hunt said he wrote a paper on Dau Tranh at college and thought it was "fascinating."
Hunt, who is also former Army Special Forces, wanted to create a high-quality tactical/survival knife for outdoor enthusiasts. His first knife, The Attleboro, was named the 2015 Tactical Knife winner by the Idaho Knife Association. The Dau Tranh was named the winner in 2016. He started the company about three years ago as a part-time business, but expanded it to a full-time practice in the last year.
He said the knives are manufactured, not custom, but they are "higher-end." The Attleboro, for example, sells for $295 and the Dau Tranh sells for $130.
"It's all in the quality of steel," Hunt said.
Hunt said he used the Attleboro knife to clean his elk this year and it "worked like a champ." He has also received feedback from other hunters praising the lack of sharpening required on the blade.
Nationwide, about 20 dealers sell Hunt's knives. Locally, Attleboro Knives are available at Wrenco Arms in Sandpoint and in Spokane at Double Eagle Pawn's three locations. He is currently looking for a dealer in the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls area as well.
Knives, sheaths, sheath accessories and apparel can also be purchased on the company's website at attleboroknives.com.