Buster Warenski (June 5, 1942 – July 31, 2005) was an American knifemaker from Kimberly, Nevada, who created “Art Knives” using gold and precious metals. Warenski is best known for his forged gold-bladed replica of King Tut’s dagger. More than 32 oz of gold was used in the creation of the dagger, making it one of the most valuable knives in recent years.

In 1966, Warenski began making knives as a hobby. Prior to 1975, Warenski produced knives of all types, primarily hunting knives and skinners, but became famous for the “Art Knives” he made after 1975; particularly his “Legacy Knives”.

Warenski recreated the gold dagger found in King Tut’s tomb. The knife took five years to make and contained 32 ounces of gold, including a gold blade that was specially heat treated.

It was his first “Legacy Knife“. He followed this up with a knife that he called “The Gem of the Orient”, which contained 153 emeralds weighing 10 carats and 9 diamonds weighing 5 carats. This knife took Warenski ten years to make and sold for $2.1 million (US).

This third knife in the series is called “Fire and Ice”; it contains 28 ounces of 18K gold, 22 rubies totaling 4.25 carats, and 75 diamonds totaling 7 carats. This knife’s handle is made of quartz, accented with red enamel.