I have always tried to mark all of my knives. However some will by without a date stamp, but the information provided below should help you date most items. I mark knives with either steel stamp or acid etch, but some early knives were marked with a carbide burr. The date was cut (scribed) into the blade. Stamped blades will normally have two (2) numbers stamped in them for the date; (ie: 92 = 1992, 93 = 1993, 94 = 1995, etc.)

In late to middle 1995 however I began marking blades with "alphabetical" letters. Even though some combat style knives got the old numbers (95 or 96) stamped on them most got the new mark. (ie; A = 1995, B = 1996, M = 2007, etc.) When you see a blade with an "A" stamped on it in place of "numbers" you can be assured that the knife was made in 1995.

1095 High Carbon Tool Steel...............5C

A2 Air Hardened Die Steel.................A2

A2 Laminated Air Hardened Die Steel.......A2L

D2 Air Hardened Die Steel.................D2

Cryogenic Quenched D2 Steel...............DD2

The double D's (DD) indicates a Deep Quenched blade (ie; DD5C = Cryo- Quenched 1095, etc.) NOTE: As of January 2007 this double “D” stamp is no longer used. All blades are Cryo-Quenched beginning in 2007.

Steel stamp; NEWT LIVESAY   (Name only, 1/8 inch high letters in line)

Steel stamp;  1/8 inch high letters       (1st line)    WICKED KNIFE
                                                        (2nd line)   CO                USA     

Acid Etch;     NEWT LIVESAY       (etched via acid on one line)

Acid Etch;       MOOSE head with name   NEWT LIVESAY arched above logo

Note: Most Hunting knives, Customs, etc., have an acid etched logo on them. I use the "MOOSE HEAD" logo on most customs.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF EARLY KNIFE & MORE INFORMATION

The information listed in this section is a record that can also be used to date certain knives. There have been numerous request for this information so that users, collector, etc. of my knives can get a better understanding of my stamping system, and item production sequence. These dates of manufacture, and other knife stamping information is taken directly out of our records. I hope this information is useful to both collectors, and user of my knives.

1st Model 6 2-13-1991* (6" blade) A2L tool steel blade, 6 inch fighter with finger grooved MICARTA handle. Spacer pattern: blade, ¼ inch yellow brass guard, red, brass, black, 1/8 inch red MICARTA, black, brass, red, MICARTA handle.

Model 117 late 1991* (7" blade) A2L tool steel blade. Last old style Model 117 made 6-12- 1996. This knife has the same handle spacer pattern as the Model 6 above. There was a variation pattern made on request.

Model 117-2 12-16-1994* First seven (7) 117-2 Tactical Combat Fighter made. Serial numbered .001 thru .007 made from A2L tool steel, flat ground blades.. (First ` of the FORCE XXI Series), 5C tool steel blade.

Model 117-3 1095 tool steel blade. Flat ground blades. Same as the 117-2, except the  Model 117-3 are hollow ground 1095 tool steel. Spacer pattern: 7 inch blade, ¼” stainless steel double guard, black, red, black, white, black, 1/8 inch red MICARTA, black, white, red, black, white, brass, black, white, MICARTA handle, handle screw in butt. Single finger groove, number two style handle.

Model 117-4 A2L tool steel blade NOTE: This knife was serial numbered one (1) through thirty-three (33) ie: 1/33, 2/33, 7/33, etc.

Model 113 10-4-1993* PILOT/SURVIVAL KNIFE, 1st made (nickel silver guards are older than brass guards), A2L tool steel blade. First production spacer pattern: 5 inch A2L tool steel blade, 1/8 inch nickel silver double guard, white, black, white, 7/8” Coral Micarta, white, black white, Coral Micarta handle with ¼ in lanyard hole, and round brass handle screw in butt of knife. Newer versions have a yellow brass double guard. All guards have two (2) ¼ inch holes drilled in each end of the guard to facilitate attaching knife to a long stick or pole. This would aid in having a long spear in a survival situation.

Model 114 10-9-93* MODEL 114 FIGHTER. 7 inch A2L blade, black parkarized finish with a pointed aluminum pommel on butt. I only made one (1) of these knives, and the handle was polished stacked leather washer. Spacer pattern: Blade, ¼ inch double yellow brass guard, white, black, white, 4 leather washers, white, 1/8 inch red MICARTA spacer, white, 13 leather washers, black, thin yellow brass spacer, aluminum pommel.

Model 100 10-?-1992* 82nd AIR BORNE Early models made from D2 tool steel, later knives are made from 1095 steel. ( INFORMATIONAL verification of production dates, etc., on this knife under review)

Model 120 3-22-1993* INTEGRAL COMBAT UTILITY, I.C.U., 5C tool steel blade

Model 124 6-?-1995* COMPANY KNIFE, C.K., (rare government contract knives have tapered tangs, and Maroon Micarta handles) Sixty (60) each were shipped to an address in the Maryland in August of 1995. These knives are all unmarked ‘STERILE’ blades, with ITW KYDEX sheathing 5C tool steel blade

Model 130 (?)-1993* STUCK, Seal Team Utility Combat Knife, D2 tool steel blade

Model 131 11-10-1995* AIR ASSAULT, A.A., (Force XXI Series), 5C tool steel blade. 5C tool steel. Hollow ground, clip point blades.

Model 132 (?)-1994* HUNTER-KILLER-RETRIEVER, H.K.R.,(Rapid Deployment Series), 5C tool steel blade

Model 140 4-3-1996* 101st AIR MOBILE, 101 A.M., (Force XXI Series),prototype date 4-3- 96, only knife with serial number (.001) made dated 4-20-96 from D2 tool steel. First series (approximately eight ‘8’ knives) of the Air Mobiles were made from D2 tool steel and they had polished Burgundy Micarta handle scales. Later versions or made of parkarized 1095 high carbon tool steel. All blades were hollow ground. First production blades all had double ground blades. Newer 1095 production blades have a spear point clipped top instead of the double ground sharpened tops. Special ordered 1095 blades can be ground with a double edge.

Model 142 1-28-91* WOO. The most popular knife that I ever made. This knife has gone through four (4) slight changes since it conception without changing the over all design. A total of 15,000 WOO knives have been sold since 1991. It has been ripped off by a number of un-imaginative companies both domestic and nationally over the years. The rarest and most sought after of the WOO series is the Soldier Of Fortune one of five hundred production. Made to celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of the Soldier of Fortune Magazine. Stamped with the SOF logo, and the number 1 of 500. These knives were made for Col. Robert Brown of Soldier of Fortune Magazine, and sold by them at the SOF convention in Las Vegas. The WOO has a single flat grind on the mark side of the blade, and a modified tanto tip. Shipped first production laser knife 3-1-98. VARIATIONS of the WOO knife have been made from D2 tool steel, as well as Titanium. Limited numbers of WOO knives have been double ground.

Model G-45.  February 1993 was the beginning of the G-45 knives.  The first G-45 neck knives was made from the laser scrape left over during the manufacture of the Model 142 WOO knife.  A variation of the G-45 made from the scrape of laser cut  Little Pecker knives was never popular so very limited numbers ever made it out of the shop.  At the beginning the G-45 was not accepted, and limited knives were made and sold.  An employee of Col. Robert Brown the owner of Soldier Of Fortune Magazine contacted Wicked Knife Company and asked for some knives to take to the war zone in Bosnia Herzegovina to give to United States military personnel, and other military soldiers in the zone.  Newt donated over two dozen G-45 neck knives, a number of Bu-shi fighters, and a couple of Air Assaults to the expedition.  Once the personnel working for and with Soldier of Fortune Magazine were back in the United States one retried military officer named Col. Dick Culver, USMC Sniper Instructor contacted Newt and asked if he could do an article about the G-45 neck knife, and the Air Assault that he carried in Bosnia.  SEE:  THE G-45 IN ACTION  After this article went on line, the order flowed in for the G-45 as well as the ever popular Air Assault. Orders for the G-45 became so heavy that the shop soon ran out of scrap laser drops and a new G-45 had to be drawn up and laser cut separately from 31" X 96" X 1/8" thick 1095 tool steel sheets.  These laser cut G-45 knives were not designated separately from the original blades.         

Model G-45/2 December 2006 found Newt Livesay looking at a new series of G-45 knives, but not until July of 2007 was a new series or batch put into the manufacture cycle.  No original scrap from the original G-45 knives or the original series of laser cut blades still existed in our shop.  The newest G-45/2 are hand cut from a single bar of 1095 high carbon before being drilled, and ground.  

Model 143 4-?-97 BUSHI. The Bushi (Bu-Shi) Fighter was originally ground from a modified ICU blank. Single flat grind on the mark side of the blade with a modified tonto style tip, and a bend blade. NOTE: Model 150, Dark Side Bu-Shi knives have a single hollow grind on the mark side of the blade, and a bend blade.

Model 146 9-?-97* SNIPER. Hollow ground 5C tool steel with MICARTA handle scales. This knife was first made for Movie and Television star Tim Able, for his role in Soldier Of Fortune, Inc. This knife has been copied by a major U.S. knife manufacture with the exceptions of the handle. A round stick handle was put on the wantabe.

Model 147 2-10-93 UJI. The UJI knife was first produced as a knife to fall into a price range to fill the gap between the WOO (at $25.00) and the BUSHI (at $100.00). The UJI was priced at $50.00, and was made from 1095 tool steel. This original UJI knife has a single flat ground blade and a modified tanto tip. This is another of the my knives that I bend the blade on while they are in the heat treat. Modified custom versions of the UJI knife were and/or made from A2 or D2 tool steel.

Model  YU.  The YU knife was first produced as a concept in mid-April of 2008, and first made May 12, 2008 using a Model 147 UJI blank.  The knife was made with 1095 high carbon and has a satin finished blade [mark side], and a hammer rolled [distressed] finished on the slab side of the blade.  It was fully satin finished with oiled Desert Iron Wood handle scales.      

Model 151 2-(?)-1993* EELS Knife. Two batches of these knives have been ordered, and made. First order was for 90 units while the 2nd order was for 120 units. All "EELS" knives are sterile, with curved blades. No original "EELS" knives were sold to the public. All EELS knives are STERILE 1095 tool steel blade

Model 160 12-29-98* U.S. MARSHAL. Serial #001, U.S. Marshal, Production discontinued last quarter of 2006. 5C tool steel. The knife was first made on December  29th, 1998, and discontinued in the last quarter of 2006.  All the U.S. Marshal blanks were re-profiled into Model 168 Rangers.  Outside of custom orders the U.S. Marshal was not made between 12-06, and 11-08. The knife is once more being carried on our production records due to demand.

Model 168 7-?-05* RANGER. Prototype first made July, 2005. This knife was first made from U.S. Marshal blanks that have been re-profiled, and modified. 5C tool steel.

Model 175 1-15-07* COMMANDO. Double edged hollow ground blade, ground from a modified ICU blank. 5C tool steel.  New for 2007

Model 152 LAK4. AK  (aka: LIVESAY ADVENTURE KNIFE NUMBER 4)  See below Model 163, and Model 163 for further details.      

Model 169 6-12-03* LAK6. ESSEL combat utility knife. 1095 high carbon steel, flat ground blade, contoured MICARTA handle scales. First prototype of the ESSEL was made in June of 2003, but the design went through a series of utilitarian design changes before the final design was produced in November of 2004. The prototype knife has been carried and shown as a design for customer comment up until the latter part of March 2007. First production knife was made April 10, 2007. First ten (10) ESSEL Combat Utility Knives are serial numbered, one through ten.

Model 163L LAK5. Livesay Safety Model ( See Model 163 below for details)

Model 163 The Original Livesay RTAK Machete. No longer made. A copy of the Livesay RTAK in name only is made by Ontario Knife Company. The original Livesay RTAK is a variation inspired by the model 121, Recon Combat Machete, aka; Rapid Deployment designed and manufacture here in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. The original Livesay RTAK was a collaboration between Jeff Randall, and Newt Livesay with modification made on the handle in the Livesay shop. The original RTAK machete were of limited production with only about 375 knives ever been made. Production was stopped on the original Livesay RTAK when Newt Livesay found out that Ontario Knife Company had begun making the knife. Livesay RTAK machetes have a more ergonomically designed user friendly custom handle, and the blades were differentially heat treated with edges being in the 59-60 Rockwell range.. A more user friendly machete with a much safer handle design was incorporated in June of 2003 after a trip to the Amazon Jungle. The newer knife was christened the LAK4  Livesay Adventure Knife number 4 or the “Safety Model”. The new handle design on the LAK4, and LAK5 series of Livesay Survival Tools is far superior in handling for both the professional and novice user than that of the old RTAK.. For those who ask, and make remarks to the same:  Our skills and knowledge which included handle designs, grinding expertise, and superior  heat treating, and most of all the Livesay reputation for superior hard working blades is what made the RTAK a house hold name in the knife industry ..... NOTHING MORE & NO ONE ELSE.  Newt Livesay "has never made a single cent for usage of this design by Ontario Knife Company, or anyone else, and have nor had any connection or collaboration with anyone in reference to this product what so ever.  Newt Livesay is in no way associated with any of these companies, and or their associates."

Do you have an original LIVESAY RTAK  Is it for sale or trade?.  (update-6-2008) Used Livesay RTAK seem to be bringing from $200.00 to as high as $425.00 depending on condition, and sheath pattern.  There is a new version of our original model soon to be on the market.  It has a far superior handle design lending itself to a mush safer user.  Watch for it.