Competition Knives

4 Ranges

4 Ranges

Joined
Apr 5, 2002
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777
I've always been curious about the knives used by Barker, Farr, Fitch et al when they go to these cutting competitions.

What's the criteria for a competition knife? Is it part fighter, part utilitarian? Or is it its own breed?

I'm very impressed with the rules of the competition: it must do a whole lot of tasks, and there can't be any sort of damage on the blade whatsoever (rolling, chipping, etc.). So I'm even more impressed with the knives that are put through these tasks.

I'd like to learn more about the knives involved in these competitions, so any input would be great.

Also, does anyone know if Dan Farr checks his email? I've emailed him a couple of times (got his email from his website), and I haven't gotten a response. Any suggestions? :confused:
 
I also find the various design approaches taken by makers to their competition knives to be very interesting, and hope they will share their thoughts.

You can read more about Dan Farr's competition knife here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=353834

Give Dan a call if the e-mail thing isn't working out.

And here are a bunch of competition cutters from the 2004 SOS show:

orig.jpg


Roger
 
Here's a link to one I recently made. The blade was not intended for a cutting competition but it was all I had on hand (read, could have made in time).

I wanted to make mine a little faster than my normal bowies so I have the spine at .27". I actually wouldn't mind a little more heft in the blade, maybe 5/16".

I chose micarta partly because of its weight; I wanted the knife to be fast and bringing the balance as close to the hand was my goal. I also ground very deep swedges on this blade, not quite double edged, but close.

I had thought about leaving the swedges off the blade and using a micarta guard and maple handle to leave the weight out front. Making a chopper was tempting, but I know there is only one chopping event.

I used Dan Farr's comp knife a couple years ago. The first thing that struck me was how light it felt. I remember Dan saying he made his comp knives for speed.

I'll be participating in my first cutting comp this Friday, I'm anxious to see how the knife does. Greg Covington recently posted a pic of his comp knife, it's a great looking blade and seems aimed at general utility and not just one specific task.

Matt
 
This is a VERY good question!

I was very glad that I watched a competition last month because it gave me a much better idea of what I needed to do.

I'm not saying that the knife I made is the "be all end all" but it changed my idea on survival knives a bit. If someone now called and said they needed a survival knife I would build a knife much like my comp knife. The two exceptions would be that the geometry would be a bit thicker than the comp blade and I would add about .25 to .5" to the handle. The comp blade has to be no more than 10" blade and 15" overall.

What I saw at the ABS comp was that the blade needed to do much finer things than just chop a 2x4.....so making a knife that can make fine cuts and that can still cleave is a challenge.

My own cutting tests right now show that most of it is technique. The best I cleared a 2x4 is 10 sec......I have another knife that can go faster...but it wont make the other fine cuts.

I started with 3/8" stock on mine and forging reduced it to just over 5/16" at the spine......with continuous taper to the tip. I am not sure what I would change at this point....maybe less distal taper for a heavier blade....don't know.

However....if I were to make this a pure survival blade....the edge would be a bit thicker so if I "prang" it off a rock or a nail in a old board....there would be a bit more support to the edge. I would not clay temper a survival blade this size either.....I would fully harder, temper, then torch draw the blade. The spine would suffer much less deformation if the spine was hammered upon during baton cuts if it were left at spring temper.

Here is a pic of the comp knife:
chp2.jpg
 
The handle is blue/black G10 so I gave it blue paracord and and obnoxiously blue Kydex sheath. This kydex sheet is 5/32" thick.... :eek:

chp7.jpg
 
Roger P:

Great pic there! I see Dan Farr's competition knife. I think that's a shiva ki on the far right. How did that piece do?

I might give him a call in the future, as I'm interested in his blued competitor.

Matt:

Good luck this Friday! That's a nice looking knife you got there. I find it interesting that such a knife would be so light. I thought that it might need to be slightly heavier for the chopping portion.

Greg:

very interesting insights. I really like the idea that your version of a competition knife is almost identical to your version of a survival knife. How would adding a guard (like the one found on a hell's belle) affect the performance of the knife that you posted below?
 
4 Ranges said:
Greg:

very interesting insights. I really like the idea that your version of a competition knife is almost identical to your version of a survival knife. How would adding a guard (like the one found on a hell's belle) affect the performance of the knife that you posted below?
Click to expand...

A Helle's Belle guard would make it a different knife...and be in the way for a survival or utility knife.
 
I believe the knife with the partially wrapped handle belonged to southpaw Jim Crowell - and it (and he) cut very well indeed.

orig.jpg


Speaking of Dan's blued competition cutter - I recently visited Dan at his shop and had the opportunity to try my hand at a number of the ABS cutting competition tests using that knife - rope cut, 2 by 4 chop, dowel, water bottles, rolled up magazie, credit card cut - the knife was phenomenal, even though my technique left much to be desired.

orig.jpg


The bad news is I don't believe Dan is presently accepting orders at this time as he has as much on his books right now as he can hope to complete in the near future. :(

Greg - I love that big knife and the big blue scabbard to go with it - nicely done.

Matt - everyone knows that a knife with a hamon as pretty as that can't cut! :p Just kidding - that is a fine looking blade.

Roger
 
Roger:

that pic of Dan's knife is that one I was interested in. It's too bad he's not taking orders right now.

Greg:

Is there a way for a guard to not get in the way?

I really like the properties that you described in your competition/survival knife. I'd actually like to have those properties, and have it behave, somewhat, like a fighter (with the guard).

Is that at all possible? If not, could you go in detail as to why it wouldn't?

Like I said, I'm just looking to educate myself on this. :)

Thanks man!
 
4 Ranges said:
Is there a way for a guard to not get in the way?

I really like the properties that you described in your competition/survival knife. I'd actually like to have those properties, and have it behave, somewhat, like a fighter (with the guard).

Is that at all possible? If not, could you go in detail as to why it wouldn't?

Like I said, I'm just looking to educate myself on this. :)

Thanks man!
Click to expand...

Well....yes and no..... :) :rolleyes:

The C guard is really only there to be a blade catcher....but if you incorporated all the features of a comp knife blade with a C guard...and sharpen the clip...and lower the tip a bit....then you have a mean fighting Bowie......I wouldnt have a C guard on a utility or survival knife, per se, because it impedes a bit of the edge from being sharpened or easily resharpened....you can also run the risk of smacking the guard when you chop because it is forward of the edge.

Still wouldnt be a a bad knife though.
 
4 Ranges said:
Also, does anyone know if Dan Farr checks his email? I've emailed him a couple of times (got his email from his website), and I haven't gotten a response. Any suggestions? :confused:
Click to expand...

Dan who??? (Just joking, Dan!)

Craig
 
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