- Joined
- Mar 27, 2010
- Messages
- 4,981
Specs:
OAL: 8, 3.75 cutting edge
Thickness: 1/8
Blade width: 1-7/16"
Handle width: 1-3/16"
Flat grind primary bevel
Secondary bevel :0.005" before sharpening.
Scales: denim with orange liners (made by Lyold Harner III) and fastened with stainless Corby with G-Flex epoxy. Rockwell Hardness: 59
Vanax 35, better known as Vanax (3rd generation powder metallurgy steel from Bohler-Uddenholm) is a Nitrogen-rich, Molybdenum Vanadium beast in the awakening.
Due to scarcity and excellent corrosion resistance, I scooped this from Jim within a heartbeat.
Jim shared the same passion in blade tech findings and he somehow formulated a testing similar to that of Spyderco Mule (same profile of blade, thickness and grind) to minimize the variables. I call his Mule the Fat Kephart- my first one as well.
Testing 1: Edge strength with semi-thawed chicken drumsticks
Virtually any human that breathes air and walks on 2 should be able to pick up a kitchen knife and perform the most basic tasks;from carving names into rice,dicing onions to skinning a Porosus crocodile.
Such applications will reflect realistic results such as human factors/ergo rating via extensive cutting.
First I sliced some gingers to the thinnest bit by holding the other side with my clunky digits without losing them:
Having had to quarter the entire chicken thigh, I cut through the joints by applying pressure with my left palm and body weight,pushing the spine of blade towards the medial part of the bone.
Job done and edge checked- no damage.
Had a bit of difficulty with the second drumstick as I felt the bone was still frozen. I hammered the spine with the fleshier part of the left palm and it went through. Edge checked and the area where both extremes contacted was chipped.
*It was then examined under the microscope that it was just a tiny roll.*
Result: the edge in contact with the bone has rolled (with such thin edge, it looks like it chipped);more findings at the bottom, under the microscope.
Check out the flatness of the cut after the cooking's done:
Testing 2: Edge retention using UPS Express Box (6 sheets of cardboards) and A4 printing paper.
Arch-nemesis?
Cardboard are some of the most abrasive materials available (believe it or not, you could get the edge working again -though not significant, by stropping it against the surface of the cardboard. It also blunt your edge quick by cutting against it.
Resistance was felt after cardboard 1.Nevertheless it still glides through all of them. Initial paper slicing test: passed
Results: Edge still shave hair with little effort.
The edge ran through the A4 paper with little resistance but glided through with a little effort on it.
However Im unable to slice it circularly as it doesnt bite. The process was repeated with the remaining 6 sheets of A4 papers.
The adhesives on the blade were removed with dish cleaning abrasive.
I found a ding right on where it got into contact with the chicken bone. Under the microscope
the roll has gone to the right side, like a reversed C.
A few swipes of Sharp-maker stone at 20°/side and it is back to its sharpness.
Testing 3:Rust-resistance
This Kephart has been exposed to sea salts off the breezy bay as i reside just inches from the beach. So far it shown no sign of corrosion. Further test of working this knife in the sea water should give me a better understanding of this steel. Will update time to time.
Conclusion:
Pros:
-stainless so far
-easy to sharpen and stays sharp
-Tough enough to chop through bone considering the size and edge thickness.
-Lightweight
-very good-looking blade on overall
Cons:
-Surface of the blade scuffed easily with kydex sheath (irrelevant to the steel)
-Would like a bit of finger jimping for thumb.
* This blade is a solid performer as Jim have sliced mountain of cardboard with it, resharpened it and have it sent to me for another workout.
Now it's just waiting to get a mirror polished edge.
OAL: 8, 3.75 cutting edge
Thickness: 1/8
Blade width: 1-7/16"
Handle width: 1-3/16"
Flat grind primary bevel
Secondary bevel :0.005" before sharpening.
Scales: denim with orange liners (made by Lyold Harner III) and fastened with stainless Corby with G-Flex epoxy. Rockwell Hardness: 59
Vanax 35, better known as Vanax (3rd generation powder metallurgy steel from Bohler-Uddenholm) is a Nitrogen-rich, Molybdenum Vanadium beast in the awakening.
Due to scarcity and excellent corrosion resistance, I scooped this from Jim within a heartbeat.
Jim shared the same passion in blade tech findings and he somehow formulated a testing similar to that of Spyderco Mule (same profile of blade, thickness and grind) to minimize the variables. I call his Mule the Fat Kephart- my first one as well.
Testing 1: Edge strength with semi-thawed chicken drumsticks
Virtually any human that breathes air and walks on 2 should be able to pick up a kitchen knife and perform the most basic tasks;from carving names into rice,dicing onions to skinning a Porosus crocodile.
Such applications will reflect realistic results such as human factors/ergo rating via extensive cutting.
First I sliced some gingers to the thinnest bit by holding the other side with my clunky digits without losing them:
Having had to quarter the entire chicken thigh, I cut through the joints by applying pressure with my left palm and body weight,pushing the spine of blade towards the medial part of the bone.
Job done and edge checked- no damage.
Had a bit of difficulty with the second drumstick as I felt the bone was still frozen. I hammered the spine with the fleshier part of the left palm and it went through. Edge checked and the area where both extremes contacted was chipped.
*It was then examined under the microscope that it was just a tiny roll.*
Result: the edge in contact with the bone has rolled (with such thin edge, it looks like it chipped);more findings at the bottom, under the microscope.
Check out the flatness of the cut after the cooking's done:
Testing 2: Edge retention using UPS Express Box (6 sheets of cardboards) and A4 printing paper.
Arch-nemesis?
Cardboard are some of the most abrasive materials available (believe it or not, you could get the edge working again -though not significant, by stropping it against the surface of the cardboard. It also blunt your edge quick by cutting against it.
Resistance was felt after cardboard 1.Nevertheless it still glides through all of them. Initial paper slicing test: passed
Results: Edge still shave hair with little effort.
The edge ran through the A4 paper with little resistance but glided through with a little effort on it.
However Im unable to slice it circularly as it doesnt bite. The process was repeated with the remaining 6 sheets of A4 papers.
The adhesives on the blade were removed with dish cleaning abrasive.
I found a ding right on where it got into contact with the chicken bone. Under the microscope
the roll has gone to the right side, like a reversed C.
A few swipes of Sharp-maker stone at 20°/side and it is back to its sharpness.
Testing 3:Rust-resistance
This Kephart has been exposed to sea salts off the breezy bay as i reside just inches from the beach. So far it shown no sign of corrosion. Further test of working this knife in the sea water should give me a better understanding of this steel. Will update time to time.
Conclusion:
Pros:
-stainless so far
-easy to sharpen and stays sharp
-Tough enough to chop through bone considering the size and edge thickness.
-Lightweight
-very good-looking blade on overall
Cons:
-Surface of the blade scuffed easily with kydex sheath (irrelevant to the steel)
-Would like a bit of finger jimping for thumb.
* This blade is a solid performer as Jim have sliced mountain of cardboard with it, resharpened it and have it sent to me for another workout.
Now it's just waiting to get a mirror polished edge.
Last edited:
