RyanW SPK Passaround WIP

[RyanW]

I really like a toothy edge on broadheads and knives

Good to hear Joe, I look forward to hearing how you feel this edge performs if the others don't wear it out first...

A friend of mine has the same Schrade... I don't think it ever had a tip! His is just as bad as yours, but it holds an edge hella well. Also, VERY nice revamps!!

I think 1095 Holds an edge really well if HT'd Right. Yet still not impossible to sharpen in the field.

Great job on the WIP, Ryan. Very thorough and a great looking knife as well.

Thanks Mike as always, Any input you may have would be greatly appreciated.

I believe you nailed the final edge I described. It looks much like the factory edge, though I don't have a closeup picture of one to show here. We'll see how well the testers like it. I know that some prefer a polished edge on their knives.

Glad you chimed in Michael, I wasn't sure I had it right. I think if it gets a little dull after prolonged use you could just drag it on the cement or rock to get the edge back in this condition.

Knife will be going in the mail on Thursday headed to Mike (338375)

[NickWheeler]

I think every 10 year old boy who watches his Dad and his dad's friends take the hide off a deer or elk with a Schrade Sharpfinger holds a fondness to that knife forever.

Yours' has the general look, but is oh so much more elegant and finely crafted! Great work my friend!!!

Love the back story too!

[Codger_64]

... Glad you chimed in Michael, I wasn't sure I had it right. I think if it gets a little dull after prolonged use you could just drag it on the cement or rock to get the edge back in this condition. ...

It does take a slightly different action on a stone or hone than most people are used to. Note that the serrations are at 90 degrees to the axis of the edge. And it takes a lot of use to dull before it needs touching up. In most cases, light stropping will do it. One could add fine grit to the strop if needed. But I have done it on a piece of sandstone found in the field before. Just remember the 90 degrees and use a very light touch. My 165OT Woodsman has been used yearly for way more than a quarter century and has no appreciable blade loss when held side-by-side with a mint NIB knife from the same year.

And it may well be that some may not like this type edge and prefer a smooth "scalpel" edge. Some in the past not familiar with this edge thought that it was the result of poor workmanship or poor sharpening skills. We've all seen a "benchgrinder" knife!

[kalaeb]

Very nice thread, great looking knife. I am sure the reviews will come in strong.

I also have my grandfathers Schrade. Great knives!

[Phil Dwyer]

Very cool project! I'm surprised not to hear more discussion about the "safe choil" dull back-end of the blade as referred to in post #26.

[RyanW]

Thanks Nick, I really Appreciate you posting here. I wish I had more time with my grandfather in the woods, I think I would appreciate his knowledge and experience a lot more these days.

Codger I am looking forward to hearing how the other testers like the edge. I need to get out and give it a try as well, Maybe even do a side by side comparison with the normal edge I put on blades.

Hey Kalaeb, Good to see you here and welcome to the forums! We could easily put this little guy in your hands as well!

I am surprised as well Phil we will see how it goes during use. The knife should be at 33875's right now.

[338375]

Ryan, hopefully it will arrive today. Our mail comes between 11:30 and 2. I will probably be gone to work when it arrives, but the wife will be here to sign for it. I don't normaly get home from work until around midnight - 2 a.m .
She knows it is coming I checked USPS tracking and it says the system is having technical difficulties.

Sadly I wasn't successful hunting this year , so I won't be able to give it a workout on a deer or elk.
It was still really hot, but we hunted our butts off, and gave it everything we had

[RyanW]

Mike,
Sorry to hear about the unsuccessful hunt! I was pulling for you. Hopefully you still had a great time, some of my favorite hunts are the ones where I don't come home with something.

I am sure you will be able to give the knife a work out with other tasks. I look forward to hearing your first impressions!
Ryan

[kalaeb]

Hey Kalaeb, Good to see you here and welcome to the forums! We could easily put this little guy in your hands as well!

Yes, it could go in my hand very easily, my concern would be my wife might learn how to use it on me.

[scottishsmith24]

Beautiful work! Thanks for the WIP

[338375]

Just a quick headsup for those watching this one, and waiting for their time with it.

It has safely arrived at Casa De Mike, and it is even better in person than it is in the pictures. I'll be taking some pics of it, and giving a less than professional review of it this week.

[RyanW]

Just a quick headsup for those watching this one, and waiting for their time with it.

It has safely arrived at Casa De Mike, and it is even better in person than it is in the pictures. I'll be taking some pics of it, and giving a less than professional review of it this week.

Glad it arrived Safely! I look forward to your input.

[Mike Davis]

Very cool Ryan. Love the looks of that one

[Patrice Lemée]

Great Wip! Great Knife!
Thanks for sharing Ryan.

[protourist]

Great to hear that you got it Mike. I'm sitting a couple of miles from Ryan right now. If it was still there I'd go pick it up from his hands.
I'm really interested to hear your opinion of how it feels.

[RyanW]

Where are you Mack?

[protourist]

I'm up in Farr West. Unfortunately I will be heading south in a little while.

[338375]

Well, I had really hoped to be able to use this knife on an elk or deer, but I didn't hold up my end of the bargain

I have had the pleasure of having it for a week to admire though, and although I didn't get to use it for it's intended purpose, I have developed some thoughts on this one. I want to thank Ryan for allowing me to spend time with this one...

I tried to take good pictures of this knife, but they truly don't do it justice.

I usually don't have a lot of patience when opening a box, that contains a new knife. Here she is on her first trip from home.







I can't honestly tell you how many knives I have owned over the years, but I do know there have been very few that I immediately bonded with, as soon as I got them. This knife is one of those few.
It is also one of the few that I have grown to like even more, every time I held it...
I have to many pictures to put everything in one reply, so bear with me

[338375]

Knowing that Ryan was asked to do this knife for a group of bow hunters, I wanted to take a few pictures that tied it to archery equipment.

[338375]

And finally, a few pictures of the knife in hand, and some thoughts on this knife...







The first thing I noticed when I unboxed this knife was, the outstanding workmanship. It looks great in the pictures Ryan posted, but it is even nicer in hand.

Being someone who has liked the original Sharpfinger for quite a few years, I never thought of trying to improve on it.
IMHO, this knife is a great tribute to the original.

I have fairly big hands, and it is very comfortable for me. As far as the notch on the bottom/ rear of the handle, it didn't really make much difference when I held it. I have a feeling, someone with smaller hands may notice it more though.

When I first started playing around with it, I tried the usual shave the arm, and push cut some paper. It didn't work well for either of those tasks. As I thought more about it, I remembered the toothy edge that Ryan put on the knife.
I contacted him and asked about this. He said that was indeed why it didn't do well with those tasks. But, he also reminded me that the knife was mainly being done for processing game.

I didn't have any game, but we bbq'd chicken last night for dinner, and the wife overcooked it a little, so it was kinda dry.
I used the knife to cut across the grain, and it worked great. I also used it to cut up some fairly thick cardboard, and it took care of that task with ease...

The chicken didn't have any sauce on it, just salt and pepper. As soon as I finished eating, I cleaned the blade, and noticed I had been the first one to
leave a mark. It developed patina very quickly. But, that is one of the things a lot of us like about 1095
I had just never done it on a knife this beautiful...

I've never owned a knife with an edge quite this toothy before. I have a feeling if I would have gotten to use it on game, I would have appreciated it, but I guess after all these years, I'm use to having a polished edge.

I would probably order one with a polished edge, but that in no way means this edge wouldn't work very well for its intended purpose. I'm just a little to old to change my ways

I have to say, anyone would be proud to own this knife. After seeing Ryans work up close and personal, I am seeing a new knife in the future from him.

I hope I didn't leave anything out. Thanks again Ryan for letting me enjoy this beauty