A Kephart and me.....

@19-3ben Your Question back in 2017 is part of the Kabar Becker Kephart history book now. Along with Beckhart. Keep asking ben. Many Many people in the years to come will reference that and discuss it. Well done Brother
 
Was wondering about the hand work myself . I'm going to guess and say it has to be the rounded or Crowned spine and a convex edge o_O but it doesn't look like the production blade will have a convex edge :D it's going to be a sweet blade and I can't wait to get one :thumbsup:
 
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Xr6x said:
Was wondering about the hand work myself . I'm going to guess and say it has to be the rounded or Crowned spine and a convex edge o_O but it doesn't look like the production blade will have a convex edge :D it's going to be a sweet blade and I can't wait to get one :thumbsup:
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Going right to the Worksharp KO and the leather strop
 
This sounds like it would take a lot of hand work:

"Most interesting is the blade geometry. The shape is convexed about halfway up the blade, and then slightly convexed back toward the spine as well. This makes the thickest part of the blade in the middle, rather than at the spine. Combined with chamfered edges at the spine and a distal taper, such a shape should move very efficiently through soft materials (such as flesh while processing game). Seriously, there is a lot going on within that “simple spear point” shape."

Quoted from this article by @DavidCAndersen
 
Hey Ben and KP.....

This blade is the closest thing that can be done outside a custom makers shop..... The Colclesser plant would have individually hand forged each blade to about 80 or 90 percent and then hand ground to final on a round wheel..... The very thought brings nightmares to the modern production engineer.....That dual convexity has been done by both Dan Eastland and Mike McCarter who have spent time with the original and they are better than wonderful..... I think Dan is over doing any more.... Mike is a bit more masochistic, I think, (LOL) and may be up for more.....

E
 
Ethan Becker said:
Hey Ben and KP.....

This blade is the closest thing that can be done outside a custom makers shop..... The Colclesser plant would have individually hand forged each blade to about 80 or 90 percent and then hand ground to final on a round wheel..... The very thought brings nightmares to the modern production engineer.....That dual convexity has been done by both Dan Eastland and Mike McCarter who have spent time with the original and they are better than wonderful..... I think Dan is over doing any more.... Mike is a bit more masochistic, I think, (LOL) and may be up for more.....

E
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Be cool if KA-BAR's new custom shop could replicate them. :thumbsup:
 
This is for Ben..... (and yes, Warrior it would be super cool.... Let me get you Official Ka-Bar’s cell phone # and I will be able to hear the laughter 2,700 miles away)....

I was headed to a knife show a few years ago the Friday morning after I was fondling my knife collection and determined that the one thing Ethan did not need another of was, a 3 1/2 to 5inch utility Hunter and, as I was driving home on Sunday I realized that the one blade I bought was a very nice 4 inch Utility Hunter/Bushie blade..... For sheer handiness and utility in and around camp it is hard to beat this size....

Both blades are in the propper size range and thin enough to be slicey and with enough blade heft to be plenty robust. Both blades orient well in the hand and are comfy in the hand for prolonged use ... I would like to think that given the manufacturing technologies of Kephart’s time I would have come up with something similar but, I am definitely not sure that I would have been that clever.....

The blade in the museum is the smaller blade at about four inches and change.... Kephart Paired that Knife with a small double bitted hatchet which frankly scare the crap out of me..... Too many close calls as a kid for me to have comfort in that space...A 26 inch Hudson’s Bay on the other hand is a most marvelous tool.....

Soo to sum it up they both fill the same space in size and function but, separated by a century of technology.... The Kephart was revolutionary in my view in that I know of nothing as comfortable, convenient, and versatile made in that time....Webster Mables came close......

E

BTW.... I have tried to find a factory blade shape that comes close and the only one I came across was a German blade of great obscurity.... e
 
Heheh, Boss, in your case I'm sure it can be considered an investment in research and obsession. :) 'Need' is probably loooong gone. At least any one knife doesn't take up a lot of space...

There are a few makers who do an 'appleseed' convex grind, but I suspect there's a lot of variation in the execution. Quite easy to apply a little convexity to the new Ka-Bar on a slack belt if truly desired - basically a "Fisking" from the early Gathering days, ala the 5 and 15.
 
Ethan Becker said:
This is for Ben..... (and yes, Warrior it would be super cool.... Let me get you Official Ka-Bar’s cell phone # and I will be able to hear the laughter 2,700 miles away)....

I was headed to a knife show a few years ago the Friday morning after I was fondling my knife collection and determined that the one thing Ethan did not need another of was, a 3 1/2 to 5inch utility Hunter and, as I was driving home on Sunday I realized that the one blade I bought was a very nice 4 inch Utility Hunter/Bushie blade..... For sheer handiness and utility in and around camp it is hard to beat this size....

Both blades are in the propper size range and thin enough to be slicey and with enough blade heft to be plenty robust. Both blades orient well in the hand and are comfy in the hand for prolonged use ... I would like to think that given the manufacturing technologies of Kephart’s time I would have come up with something similar but, I am definitely not sure that I would have been that clever.....

The blade in the museum is the smaller blade at about four inches and change.... Kephart Paired that Knife with a small double bitted hatchet which frankly scare the crap out of me..... Too many close calls as a kid for me to have comfort in that space...A 26 inch Hudson’s Bay on the other hand is a most marvelous tool.....

Soo to sum it up they both fill the same space in size and function but, separated by a century of technology.... The Kephart was revolutionary in my view in that I know of nothing as comfortable, convenient, and versatile made in that time....Webster Mables came close......

E

BTW.... I have tried to find a factory blade shape that comes close and the only one I came across was a German blade of great obscurity.... e
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A 26 inch Hudson Bay...sounds interesting. :D
 
Ethan Becker said:
Hey Ben and KP.....

This blade is the closest thing that can be done outside a custom makers shop..... The Colclesser plant would have individually hand forged each blade to about 80 or 90 percent and then hand ground to final on a round wheel..... The very thought brings nightmares to the modern production engineer.....That dual convexity has been done by both Dan Eastland and Mike McCarter who have spent time with the original and they are better than wonderful..... I think Dan is over doing any more.... Mike is a bit more masochistic, I think, (LOL) and may be up for more.....

E
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Thank you, sir ... I think ... LOL!
 
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Ethan Becker said:
(and yes, Warrior it would be super cool.... Let me get you Official Ka-Bar’s cell phone # and I will be able to hear the laughter 2,700 miles away)....
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Despite the apparent difficulties in replicating it, it seems to me that a knife company as well known as KA-BAR would jump at the opportunity to reproduce something so historically significant.
 
I had never thought of convexing the spine, or I should say top 1/4 of a knife. But after handling Ethan’s Kephart it really makes sense. And the top convex wasn’t pronounced. In fact it wasn’t until Ethan mentioned it that I actually noticed. But yeah, sure enough it’s there. A slight convexing of the upper part of the blade.
Being in such awe of holding such an historic knife, a lot of the details were probably looked over.
One thing that stood out to me was the scales near the edge that were made into a “pinch grip”. That’s the only knife I’ve ever handled with something like that. I want to say it felt pretty natural. I’ve seen a lot of reproduction Kepharts and not one had the scales contoured as the original.
The Ka-Bar model had the scales done right. I’m anxious to see how the masses view the pinch grip grind of the scales. I liked it myself. It wasn’t in the way of a normal working knife grip. Just an added bonus in my opinion. :D
 
I have a few blades that the scales are cut to allow for a pinch grip ... it can be very handy ... and especially on this style of blade that is already such a well rounded blade for so many uses.

Did I miss anything about an estimate or idea when these might start being sighted in the wild?
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
I have a few blades that the scales are cut to allow for a pinch grip ... it can be very handy ... and especially on this style of blade that is already such a well rounded blade for so many uses.

Did I miss anything about an estimate or idea when these might start being sighted in the wild?
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Hopefully by Christmas, but probably after.
 
The Warrior said:
Despite the apparent difficulties in replicating it, it seems to me that a knife company as well known as KA-BAR would jump at the opportunity to reproduce something so historically significant.
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Besides, if the Colclesser Brothers can make one by hand, and sell it for $2.00, surely KA-BAR can sell it for less, haha. :D
 
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