Gifts for Him That Are Not a Wallet, a Watch or Whisky Stones
Gifts for him is the search nobody wants to be typing. It means you have run out of ideas and the date is close. The lists it turns up are the same everywhere: a wallet, a watch, headphones, whisky stones, a grooming kit. He has all of it, or he has decided he does not want it, and either way it is a gift he could have bought on a Tuesday.
This is the other list. Everything on it is hand-forged steel, marble or horn, made to be kept rather than used up, and nothing on it is something he would buy for himself, which is the only test a gift for a grown man has to pass.
How to use this
Pick by budget first, then by the kind of man. If you already know the occasion, there is a more specific guide: anniversary, boyfriend, graduation, Christmas, or something engraved. If you know what he is into, there are guides for hunters, outdoorsmen, chefs, history buffs, chess players and DnD players.
Under $100
- Viking Drinking Horn, Large, 16 fl oz, $49.99. The one gift on this page that works for any man. It comes with a stand, it gets used, and it starts conversations.
- Viking Horn Mug, Buffalo Horn, 12 fl oz, $69.99. The tankard version, with a handle, for the man who wants the horn without the spill.
- Folding Pocket Knife, 8", Damascus, Bone Handle, $89.99. An everyday carry in patterned steel. He will have it in his pocket for years.
- Bowie Knife, Damascus, 12", $99.99. The classic American knife, hand-forged, at the price of a good dinner.
- Hatchet Axe, 16.5", 1095 Steel, $99.99. For the man with a fire pit, a woodpile or a yard.
- Tracker Knife, Damascus, $99.99. The bushcraft blade. If he watches survival shows, this is the knife on them.
$100 to $200
- Customize Your Knife, $149.99. Blade shape, steel and handle chosen by you, his name or a date on the blade, engraved in our own Illinois workshop. Four weeks or longer, so order early.
- Gurkha Kukri, 15", Damascus, $169.99. The forward-curved Nepalese blade. The gift for the man who thinks he has seen every knife.
- Viking Axe, 21", 1095 Steel, $179.99. A bearded axe that splits wood and hangs on a wall.
- Marble Chess Set, Black Zebra and White, 12", $199.99. Stone board, stone pieces, and heavy enough that it stays on the table and gets played.
- Gentleman's Lockback Folding Knife, 7", 1095 Steel, $199.99. The dress version of a carry knife. For the man who wears a jacket to dinner.
- Longsword with Knife, 44", 1095 Steel, $199.99. Our best-selling sword. Full tang, hand-forged, and it ships with a matching knife, so he gets the wall piece and something he will pick up.
- Gladius, Damascus, 28", $199.99. The Roman short sword. Short enough for a desk, and the history buff's first sword.
- Ulfberht Viking Sword, 38", Damascus, $199.99. The Viking sword most people picture, in patterned steel.
- Customize Your Sword, $199.99. Blade profile, steel, guard, grip, pommel, scabbard and engraving, specified by you. Three to eight weeks, expedited two to three on request, and it ships unsharpened unless the sharpening option is selected.
$200 to $300
- Longsword Bundle, $249.99. A Damascus longsword with stand, sharpener and maintenance kit. The complete gift, nothing to add.
- Woodsman Bowie, 14", Damascus, $249.99. The top of the bowie range. For the man who has earned the good one.
- Marble Chess Set, White and Black, 12", $269.99. The reference chess set. If you are unsure, this is the answer.
- Claymore, Stag Horn Handle, Damascus, 44", $279.99. The Scottish two-hander with a stag horn grip. The sword for a man with a big wall and a bigger opinion.
By the kind of man
He fixes things. The hatchet, the Viking axe, the tracker knife. Tools first, decoration second.
He reads. The gladius or the Ulfberht, and the history buff guide for the rest.
He cooks. A Chef's Knife, Damascus, $99.99, in a presentation box, and the chef guide.
He plays. A marble chess set, or a drinking horn for the game table.
He has everything. Custom. The knife or sword builder with his name on the blade is the one thing he provably does not own. There is a whole guide for men who have everything.
Give it somewhere to live
A Wall Mount Sword Stand is $49.99, a Blade Stand is $29.99, a Knife Gift Box is $29.99. On a $200 gift it is a rounding error, and it decides whether the thing is displayed or leans behind a door.
When to buy something else
- He has no wall, no yard and no drawer he controls. A student in a shared room, a man mid-move. The folding knife and the horn are the whole list.
- He is under eighteen. Blades ship to adults. Chess and horns are the list.
- You are inside four weeks and want custom. Buy from stock and add engraving. Late is worse than plain.
- He genuinely does not like objects. Some men want an experience or a dinner. Nothing here fixes that, and you know if that is him.
Also worth thirty seconds: blade laws vary by state and city, most stock blades ship sharpened, and nothing here goes in carry-on. Ship to a home address.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best gifts for him under $100?
A drinking horn at $49.99, a Damascus folding knife at $89.99, a bowie or hatchet at $99.99. All hand-forged or hand-made, none of them something he would buy himself.
What is a good gift for a man who has everything?
Something built for him. The knife builder at $149.99 or the sword builder at $199.99, with his name, a date or a line engraved in our Illinois workshop.
What do I get a man I do not know well?
The horn or the chess set. Neither needs you to know his taste in steel, and neither can be wrong.
How far ahead should I order?
Stock items ship on the normal schedule. Custom knives and axes take four weeks or longer; custom swords three to eight weeks. Engraving on a stock blade sits between the two.
