and now i get it. and i got it. the BK17. WIP.

Interestingly enough it was one of those epiphanies that come unexpectedly as epiphanies usually do. I had spent weeks debating with myself which I would like best. I planned to buy multiples of the one I chose so that I could have them on hand for classes for the purpose of continuity in teaching...thinking everyone would learn better if everyone was learning with the same tool and not get distracted by "so-and-so doing something better and using a different knife". I was sitting on a rock by a stream on the side of the mountain, not thinking about Beckers or any other type of knife really, and I was eating black walnuts. I won't name any names but the knife was one of my favorite drop points made by another well known company. I was annoyed because the tip wasn't pointy enough to suit me in digging out the pieces of walnut. I sat there reflecting on all of the reasons I like pointy tips...obviously walnuts, detailed carving in trap triggers, boring holes in things for field expedient water filters, cleaning debris from wounds, etc.. Then it just dawned on me which model of the tweeners I wanted. It is still undergoing evaluations, but so far passing every test just fine.
 
good story. based on your post, i am guessing you teach outdoors/survival classes...yeah?
 
mistwalker said:
Interestingly enough it was one of those epiphanies that come unexpectedly as epiphanies usually do. I had spent weeks debating with myself which I would like best. I planned to buy multiples of the one I chose so that I could have them on hand for classes for the purpose of continuity in teaching...thinking everyone would learn better if everyone was learning with the same tool and not get distracted by "so-and-so doing something better and using a different knife". I was sitting on a rock by a stream on the side of the mountain, not thinking about Beckers or any other type of knife really, and I was eating black walnuts. I won't name any names but the knife was one of my favorite drop points made by another well known company. I was annoyed because the tip wasn't pointy enough to suit me in digging out the pieces of walnut. I sat there reflecting on all of the reasons I like pointy tips...obviously walnuts, detailed carving in trap triggers, boring holes in things for field expedient water filters, cleaning debris from wounds, etc.. Then it just dawned on me which model of the tweeners I wanted. It is still undergoing evaluations, but so far passing every test just fine.
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I learned many, many moons ago that while a drop point looks cool it really is a bad design for more task than not. Same can be said for another feature most drop point blade designs have. I too selected the 17 to test and play with to see how it compares to my favorite design.

I think it one only uses a blade for wood work and if one enjoys beating their blade it to or across wood, the drop isn't the worst design one could use. That short fat tip can be stronger on a well design drop vs a poorly designed modified clip.
 
TPVT said:
good story. based on your post, i am guessing you teach outdoors/survival classes...yeah?
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Not that many, just a few here and there. It all started several years ago when I was working on a house for an acquaintance of mine. I was building some cabinetry to hide the entrance to a panic room in their new house out in the country, and I started talking to them about the natural resources in the area they now lived in (he, his wife, and their kids were from the city). The next thing I knew I was being hired to do a few survival and wilderness skills work shops. After that I got a few emails from friends of their's to do a few more work shops. Then the kids grew up and went to college and I get more emails or run into them down town. It's not anything I have set up as a structured system of classes really, i'ts just sort of a sporadic thing. The last class group came from a long time acquaintance, one for whom I had done the photo shoot of her retirement party. We were talking about books one day and I told her she should read "One Second After" by William R Forstchen. A week later I got an email asking about pricing for doing a workshop on water collection and purification, and fire starting, a couple of weekend workshops per season afterward, plus consulting on personal gear and equipment for her and a few friends. We did a couple of workshops on wild edible plants back in mid autumn, and have shelter, fire, and fishing workshops scheduled for later in the winter. I am curious how this group will deal with the winter workshops. Maybe I need to get more of my friends to read One Second After :) .


zpstl321 said:
I learned many, many moons ago that while a drop point looks cool it really is a bad design for more task than not. Same can be said for another feature most drop point blade designs have. I too selected the 17 to test and play with to see how it compares to my favorite design.

I think it one only uses a blade for wood work and if one enjoys beating their blade it to or across wood, the drop isn't the worst design one could use. That short fat tip can be stronger on a well design drop vs a poorly designed modified clip.
Click to expand...

I agree, but not all drop points are created equally. I have a few custom drop points without a lot of belly and enough point to suit me, and have had a few expensive production trailing clip points with too much point and not enough strength to suit me. I like that the BK-17 gives me a good point but not too thin of one.


HotSteel said:
What did she think it was worth ?
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She has asked about the costs other knives she has seen me use, a lot of which have been between $150.00 to $200.00. When I told her how much she could order a BK-17 for she just ordered her own.
 
mistwalker said:
Not that many, just a few here and there. It all started several years ago when I was working on a house for an acquaintance of mine. I was building some cabinetry to hide the entrance to a panic room in their new house out in the country, and I started talking to them about the natural resources in the area they now lived in (he, his wife, and their kids were from the city). The next thing I knew I was being hired to do a few survival and wilderness skills work shops. After that I got a few emails from friends of their's to do a few more work shops. Then the kids grew up and went to college and I get more emails or run into them down town. It's not anything I have set up as a structured system of classes really, i'ts just sort of a sporadic thing. The last class group came from a long time acquaintance, one for whom I had done the photo shoot of her retirement party. We were talking about books one day and I told her she should read "One Second After" by William R Forstchen. A week later I got an email asking about pricing for doing a workshop on water collection and purification, and fire starting, a couple of weekend workshops per season afterward, plus consulting on personal gear and equipment for her and a few friends. We did a couple of workshops on wild edible plants back in mid autumn, and have shelter, fire, and fishing workshops scheduled for later in the winter. I am curious how this group will deal with the winter workshops. Maybe I need to get more of my friends to read One Second After :) .
Click to expand...

very cool. i had to look up "One Second After", as i had never heard of it. Interesting premise. I will see if my library has it. thanks for sharing.
 
I assume you are talking about EMP? If so, there is much more to it than what is written on the web page for "One Second After". In fact, that site is a little misleading. With that said, there are "weapons" that have be developed (and used) that cause the same effect locally or directionally, depending on what is desired. Some intergrated circuits are designed to not be affected by EMP though and are used in areas where necessary. I think if people really knew about all the technology in place and in testing they would be shocked. I know some folks in the military were a bit shocked I knew about some of the technology. Folks working in some fields, or for some companies have access to information. I also find it funny that things learned and talked about in high technology circles 20 years ago are just now being placed. As advanced as we have become, it still takes time to go from theory to in place technology when if comes to the really good stuff. :)
 
zpstl321 said:
I assume you are talking about EMP? If so, there is much more to it than what is written on the web page for "One Second After". In fact, that site is a little misleading. With that said, there are "weapons" that have be developed (and used) that cause the same effect locally or directionally, depending on what is desired. Some intergrated circuits are designed to not be affected by EMP though and are used in areas where necessary. I think if people really knew about all the technology in place and in testing they would be shocked. I know some folks in the military were a bit shocked I knew about some of the technology. Folks working in some fields, or for some companies have access to information. I also find it funny that things learned and talked about in high technology circles 20 years ago are just now being placed. As advanced as we have become, it still takes time to go from theory to in place technology when if comes to the really good stuff. :)
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ok. but, now you have to say something good about my WIP pics. ;) :D
 
Nice work so far - I look forward to seeing the completed scales (I personally would probably not do so well on making them smooth and symmetrical, but oh well).
 
I'm really watching this thread, it's exactly what I had in mind for a couple knives. Never thought of using micarta pins. Good job so far!
 
The knife is coming along very nicely.

On the EMP topic, there is a LOT of development going on around magnetics in general....

Emp weapons
Harp
Rail guns
Repulsive flight propulsion

... yeah the government has had some of this stuff at least in beta for years, some of it even working models up and running, we aren't going to see "released" until there is already something better.
 
This thing done yet? I want to see the handle finished.
 
DerekH said:
This thing done yet? I want to see the handle finished.
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you and me both. tomorrow. i am trying to decide if i want to contour it or just give it a "truncated football" type shape. decisions, decisions.
 
zpstl321 said:
That's why I keep coming back to check the thread, I want to see how cool it is when it is done. I am very much enjoying it so far.
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thanks for humoring me zpstl321. and thanks for the kind words. :thumbup:
 
Ok, ok...i see i'm not dealing with the most patient crowd here (ahem), so i went home quick at lunch to take a look. and really, i am as eager as y'all too see how it turned out.

So, i took the shackles off....
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8229534365_a90fe4acc7_b.jpg


First, i use the band saw to trim the pins. Also, if the scales are too thick, i would trim those up too. Then, i took just a few minutes to hit it with the sander (just a sanding disc on my drill press). I wanted to at least get most of the epoxy off so i could get a feel for her.
8229534647_db48bd54d3_b.jpg

8229534927_3c5365c4ce_b.jpg

8230599768_e974997288_b.jpg


i think i am going to keep this one simple with little to no contouring. it just felt good in my hand, even right now.

should be able to finish this up tomorrow.
 
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