For over 30 years, Timber Rattler® has been creating quality outdoor knives and tools. Our mission is to provide hard-working outdoorsmen and women with dependable cutting tools to help them get the job done.
Our History
Timber Rattler® was founded in 1989 by JohnDavis in his small home workshop in Dallas, Texas. As an avid hunter and fisherman, John was frustrated by the lack of quality knives available for outdoor use. He began hand-making his own fixed blade knives using premium steel and beautiful hand-carved handles.
Word quickly spread among John’s family and friends about these rugged and reliable knives. Before long, John was getting more orders than he could keep up with in his garage! So he rented a small warehouse space and hired his first employee – his brother James Davis.
In the early 1990s, Timber Rattler® knives were being sold at local gun and sporting goods shops throughout Texas. We rapidly expanded our production capabilities and product lineup to include pocket knives, machetes, hatchets, and multi-tools.
By 2000, Timber Rattler® had established a national presence. Our knives were now being sold by major retailers like Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops, and Amazon. We opened our first mass production facility in Dallas to meet the demand.
Today, Timber Rattler® is a leading brand in outdoor and survival knives. We offer over 100 different knife models designed for hunting, fishing, camping, and tactical use. Our knives are sold at retailers worldwide and we have a loyal customer base who rely on the Timber Rattler® name.
What Makes Timber Rattler® Knives Special
Timber Rattler® knives are designed and built to be dependable tools for hard-working people. Here are some key things that set us apart:
- Premium Steel Blades – We use only high-carbon or stainless steel blade material from proven knifemaking steel suppliers. Our blades hold an edge, resist corrosion, and stand up to heavy use.
- Comfortable Handles – Our knife handles are made from durable materials like Micarta, G10, stainless steel, and exotic hardwoods. They feel great in the hand even during prolonged use.
- Made in the USA – All Timber Rattler® knives are proudly made in our Texas, USA factory. We do all our own heat treating, grinding, and assembly right here.
- Innovative Designs – Our in-house design team has decades of experience designing blades and handles optimized for the outdoors.
- Unmatched Value – Timber Rattler® knives offer an incredible combination of premium materials, quality, and useful designs at a fair price. Compare our knives to other major brands.
- Legendary Customer Service – Our customer service team aims to provide friendly, helpful support before and after the sale. We stand behind our products with a lifetime warranty.
Our Knife Making Process
Producing dependable Timber Rattler® knives is a careful, meticulous process. Our knife production steps include:
- Design – All new knives start as a concept sketch by our designers based on customer needs and product testing. We select the best features and materials for the job.
- Prototyping – We create 3D printed prototypes and test them extensively in the field before finalizing a design. This ensures optimal ergonomics and functionality.
- Material Sourcing – We order top-quality American-made steel, handle materials, hardware, and components from long-term suppliers. Traceability is key.
- Blade Grinding – Our expert blade grinders shape and bevel the blades on precision grinding machines. This skill is honed over many years.
- Heat Treating – Blades are heat treated in-house to improve hardness, strength, and edge retention. The process is carefully controlled.
- Handle Assembly – Grips are shaped, hardware attached, and components fitted by hand to complete the handle for a perfect fit.
- Sharpening & Polishing – Every blade is hand sharpened to a razor edge then polished to a satin sheen finish. Our sharp edges are unmatched.
- Quality Control – All knives undergo multiple quality checks during production and finish. We reject any knife that fails to meet our standards.
- Testing – Sample knives from each batch are tested for months under real world conditions before full production.
- Packaging – Knives are carefully packaged in our trademark boxes with instructions, sheaths, and components. They are ready for hard use!
Our goal with this meticulous made-in-USA production process is simple – deliver the absolute best knives to our loyal customers. We stand behind every knife that comes out of our Texas factory with pride.
Our Knife Lines
The Timber Rattler® family of knives covers all your outdoor needs. Our major knife lines include:
Hunting Knives
Timber Rattler® hunting knives are trusted by hunters for field dressing, skinning, and processing big game. Models like the Western Skinner and Caping Knife are optimized for hunters. Features like upswept blades, finger choils, and contoured ergonomic handles ensure comfort and control when field dressing animals.
Our gut hook knives make quick work of knife work of opening the body cavity for field dressing. Once the cavity is open, our dropped point skinning blades easily separate hide from meat without puncturing organs. Our caping knives help remove the hide with optimal control and precision.
For butchering and processing, we offer larger blades like the Pro Hunter and Butcher Knife. These full tang heavy duty knives feature blades up to 9″ long for breaking down meat and chopping through bone if needed. Our hunting knives are essential tools for ethical hunts and sustainable harvesting of wild game.
Fishing Knives
For fishermen, our fishing knife category contains specialty knives designed to handle tasks like cutting line, opening knots, descaling fish, and filleting. Models like the Line Knife, Bait Knife, and Electric Fillet Knife allow anglers to efficiently process their catch.
The thin, narrow blades on our bait and line knives make short work of cutting fishing line and leader material. Quickly re-bait your hooks to get your line back in the water. Our flexible fillet knives have thin, razor-sharp blades to remove fillets from fish with minimal meat loss. Non-stick blade coatings prevent fish from sticking while filleting.
Serrated edge fishing knives like the Angler also work great for cutting braided and monofilament fishing lines. The angled tip is perfect for picking out hooks, removing scales, and all kinds of tasks while shore fishing or onboard boats. Every fishing knife in our lineup is optimized for fishermen.
Camp & Survival Knives
Timber Rattler® has a full selection of camping and survival knives intended for outdoor adventures. These include classic fixed blade knife designs perfect for camp duties along with tactical survival knives designed for worst-case scenarios.
Models like the Pathfinder and Wilderness have drop point blades ideal for camp kitchen tasks, starting fires, shelter building, and preparing kindling. The ergonomic handles allow you to carve and slice with comfort and control. Integrated belt sheaths keep the knife handy on your hip.
For survival situations, we offer tactical knives like the RattlerTM and VenomTM. These full tang knives have aggressive clip point blades, textured handles, finger grooves, and lanyard holes. Hardened steel and partial serrations help these survival knives stand up to heavy abuse when your life is on the line. They are the last line of defense in the wild.
Pocket & Folding Knives
For everyday carry, our pocket knives and folding knives provide useful blades in a compact, convenient folder. Models range from small pen knives and gentleman folders to heavy duty utility knives and robust tactical folders.
Our small slipjoint pocket knives like the Stockman and Trapper provide multiple useful blades for everyday tasks. The ergonomic handles fit nicely in pocket with smooth tips that prevent snags. Gentleman knives like the Ambassador have classic styling with upgraded materials like wood handles and premium steel blades.
For demanding jobs, we offer hard use folders like the Workhorse. These tactical folding knives have stout locking blades made from tool steel or stainless steel. They stand up to heavy cutting, prying, and abuse while packing discreetly. The textured G10 handles provide a secure grip even in wet conditions. Belt sheaths allow safe carry during rigorous work.
Machetes
No outdoor brand would be complete without a full selection of machetes. These iconic jungle tools can clear brush, blaze trails, harvest crops, and build shelters. Timber Rattler® offers traditional Latin American styles along with modern variants optimized for yardwork and farm tasks.
Our Latin machetes like the El Patron have slim blades and curved tips for slashing through brush and vines. The forward weighted balance helps them slash with force. The Golok is inspired by the Indonesian jungle knife with its leaf shaped blade and ergonomic handle.
For yardwork, the yard machete has a wider blade and sawback for clearing gardens, shrubs, and branches. The canecutter machete takes it a step further with an aggressive hook at the tip to rip through stalks and vegetation. Both have straighter edges better suited for chopping and hacking.
Regardless of which style you choose, our machetes are hand forged from tough spring steel. The blades resist chipping and stand up to heavy use. Razor edges slice through the toughest vegetation with ease. Our machetes can conquer any jungle!
Throwing Knives & Axes
For sport and competition, Timber Rattler® makes specialty throwing knives designed for target throwing and cutlery competitions. Models like the Competition Thrower have weighted handles and precision ground blades that stick into targets.
Our throwing axes take it to the next level with larger blades designed for sticking into wooden targets. The competition tomahawks have a slim profile that cuts through the air and deeply penetrates wooden targets. The ring at the base balances these throwing axes for optimal spins. Whether you enjoy throwing from a distance or up close stuck in a stump, we have well-balanced throwing axes to stick the mark.
Multi-Tools
Timber Rattler® multi-tools provide a wide array of tools and knives packed into a single convenient unit. Our multi-function knives contain components like pliers, wire cutters, bottle openers, screwdrivers, scissors, and more.
The Outdoorsman is designed for hunters, anglers, and campers with practical tools like #2 Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, bottle opener, awl, and gut hook. Pliers, wire cutters, and a partly serrated clip point blade handle tougher tasks.
For industrial use, the Work Site multi-tool contains larger pliers, wire strippers, an electrical crimper, extra hex wrenches, and prybar. The beefy build handles repairs, maintenance, and construction jobs.
We also offer smaller keychain sized multi-tools for everyday carry like the Pocket Tool. Despite the compact size, it contains a knife blade, bottle opener, tweezers, toothpick, and carabiner clip. Always be prepared with a Timber Rattler® multi-tool close at hand!
Timber Rattler® Knife Quality
Timber Rattler® stands behind every knife that leaves our Texas workshop with a lifetime warranty. We proudly design, engineer, and build our knives entirely in the USA.
We only use premium materials like high-carbon tool steels from American mills, G10 and Micarta handles, triple-riveted leather sheaths, and quality hardware. Every component that goes into a Timber Rattler® knife is carefully sourced and inspected before use.
Our heat treat recipes are perfected in-house by veteran knifemakers. This ensures our blades have ideal flexibility and hardness for the intended use. Our hands-on craftsmanship results in razor sharp edges and excellent fit and finish. We reject any knife that fails our strict quality checks before it reaches your hands.
Timber Rattler® customers work hard and demand the very best from their tools. We honor that trust by making knives that meet the highest standards for cutting performance, durability, and reliability. Our knives need to perform flawlessly in the field when it matters most.
Our Customers
Timber Rattler® knives are proudly carried by millions of loyal customers. This includes:
- Outdoorsmen – Hunters, anglers, campers, and hikers rely on our knives for field dressing, fishing, and camping chores. Timber Rattler® is their trusted outdoor knife brand.
- Tradespeople – Contractors, electricians, and construction workers choose our hard-working knives and multi-tools for worksites. Timber Rattler® knives stand up to heavy daily use.
- Farm & Ranch Owners – Homeowners and farmers depend on Timber Rattler® machetes, hatchets, and pocket knives for property maintenance and harvest.
- Military and Law Enforcement Professionals – Tactical operators choose Timber Rattler® fixed and folding knives for demanding missions. Our knives support those who protect us.
- Martial Artists – Students of martial arts use Timber Rattler® training knives to hone defensive skills safely. Our training knives are durable and realistic.
- Everyday Carry Enthusiasts – People who carry a knife daily choose Timber Rattler® for useful designs paired with excellent reliability. We provide affordable daily carry knives.
Knives are very personal tools. We are honored that so many depend on Timber Rattler® knives for life’s important tasks, from providing food to protecting livelihoods. Our goal is to continue building the highest-quality knives worthy of being passed down for generations. We live by our motto: Dependable Knives for Hard Working People!
Giving Back
Here at Timber Rattler®, we believe in giving back to causes related to the outdoor lifestyle we represent. Some of the key organizations we support include:
- Student Outdoor Skills Program – We sponsor outdoor skill camps that teach kids (8-12 grade) skills like archery, fishing, hunting, and conservation. Supporting the next generation of stewards of the outdoors is important.
- Warriors and Quiet Waters – We proudly support this program helping wounded US veterans recover and heal through fly fishing trips and training. Fishing can be very healing for mind, body, and soul.
- American Knife & Tool Institute – We are members of AKTI which fights against unfair legislation that restricts responsible knife owners. AKTI protects knife owner rights.
- Ducks Unlimited – Timber Rattler® assists in wetlands conservation efforts organized by this waterfowl and wetlands conservation group. Wetlands are essential ecosystems.
- Local Food Banks – We regularly donate both funds and truckloads of protein (wild game) to food banks in our home state. Wild-harvested meat provides very nutritious meals.
We encourage our employees to be active in charitable giving and volunteering. Timber Rattler® sponsors employee service days where our entire staff volunteers for causes like food banks, children’s homes, trail maintenance, blood drives, and more.
Giving back provides balance and perspective. We feel fortunate to partner with these fine organizations.
Join the Timber Rattler® Family
Hopefully this gives you an inside look at our journey over the past 30+ years designing and crafting Timber Rattler® knives. We consider our customers to be family, linked by a love of the outdoors and appreciation for quality gear.
Please browse the other sections of our site to see our full knife lineup. Contact us if you need any assistance finding the right Timber Rattler® knife for your needs. We take pride in helping customers select the perfect knife.
Finally, we love seeing photos or videos of Timber Rattler® owners putting our knives to work! Please tag us online @timberrattlerknives to share your adventures with the Timber Rattler® family.
Stay sharp!
