Damascus and Blackwood...

[J. Doyle]

Hey guys. Here's my first one finished up for this new year. And of course............it's a hunter. This one is short and compact but still quite stout. This knife was really difficult for me to photograph and I'm certainly no pro.

This started out as a two bar twist, twisted opposite directions and welded back to back. But a lot of hand forging left it more like 'random with a twist'.

Specs:
Hand forged from my own 1080 and 15n20 damascus
7 3/4" overall, 3 1/4" blade, .195" thick at the ricasso
Sharp distal taper
Rounded spine and ricasso edge for comfort
German silver collar, file fluted
African Blackwood handle

All comments and discussion welcome.

If anyone wants to be added to my email list for similar pieces or notifications of available knives, email me at jdoyleknives AT gmail DOT com











Here it is on another background, better or not-I'm not sure.

 

[quint]

Very nice. I really like the simple clean but nicely completed handle. Nice looking damascus as well.

 

[J. Doyle]

Thanks Quint.

I'm open to input from anyone on what they don't like about this knife too. The pictures absolutely don't do this knife justice. I try to take the best pictures I can and have invested some money into a light tent, lights and backgrounds and have also read many tutorials by Coop and Murray White and others. But lighting is still something I haven't figured out. There's a reason Coop, Murray and others are professionals.

The colors and contrasts on this really 'pop' in person and as I mentioned in my opening post, I just couldn't capture that like I wanted to. I wish I could afford to have all of these photographed professionally, but the fact is I just can't.

Anyway for what it's worth, I feel this knife came together in terms of lines, flow, fit and finish better than any of my hunters so far to date. I feel this is the nicest hunter I've made.

So if anyone wants to critique or say what they don't like, please feel free.

 

[NickWheeler]

That's another beauty John!!!

So clean and elegant.... :thumbup:

 

[D lisch]

Looks Like your year is off to a good start I look forward to seeing what comes from your hands in 2014

 

[NickWheeler]

Forgot to mention--- that fluting/groove you put around the back end of your handles is such a fantastic touch John.

I think most all of the fine details of your work nearly "require" another maker to be FULLY appreciated....

But IMHO, unless someone has spent some serious time with a file and sandpaper in their hands--- it would be all but impossible for them to truly appreciate just how impressive that fluting is. (no offense to anyone who has not filed & sanded for hours on end!).

The color combination you have here is also one of my favorites. :thumbup:

 

[Ben Seward]

Good lookin' knife there, John:thumbup: Nice Damascus, nice handle...the only thing I'd do different is a bit more of a radius at the heal/choil, but that's only my taste. Great knife and keep up the good work, buddy!

 

[Kevin Jones]

Expertly executed as always. Nice dark/light contrast between the handle, collar and blade. Always like your butt treatment.
I'm with Ben on the radius of the choil.
I always prefer stainless for a spacer/guard/collar when used with a dark handle wood as the nickel silver will require cleaning
and cleaner residue will sometimes stain/discolor the wood. :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Lorien]

not sure how long you've been doing this, John, but you are of a rare handful of makers, imo.

 

[somber]

Awesome work, John. Your knives are just incredible!

 

[J. Doyle]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Looks Like your year is off to a good start I look forward to seeing what comes from your hands in 2014

Thank you Dave. I've got some cool and different stuff coming out pretty soon. As well as some larger knives.

Forgot to mention--- that fluting/groove you put around the back end of your handles is such a fantastic touch John.

I think most all of the fine details of your work nearly "require" another maker to be FULLY appreciated....

But IMHO, unless someone has spent some serious time with a file and sandpaper in their hands--- it would be all but impossible for them to truly appreciate just how impressive that fluting is. (no offense to anyone who has not filed & sanded for hours on end!).

The color combination you have here is also one of my favorites. :thumbup:

Thanks for posting, Nick. You're right, I think, you have to do it to appreciate it. I'm not a fast maker. I do a lot of stuff by hand because I trust myself more. As we all know, power tools can be a real shortcut to huge mistakes.

Good lookin' knife there, John:thumbup: Nice Damascus, nice handle...the only thing I'd do different is a bit more of a radius at the heal/choil, but that's only my taste. Great knife and keep up the good work, buddy!

Thanks Ben. I know what you mean about the heel. I used to put more curve into them all the time if they were 'guardless'. About a month ago, I started liking the look of the straighter dropped heel better on the guardless knives. I know that's a preference thing and I will probably go back and forth between both of them.

Expertly executed as always. Nice dark/light contrast between the handle, collar and blade. Always like your butt treatment.
I'm with Ben on the radius of the choil.
I always prefer stainless for a spacer/guard/collar when used with a dark handle wood as the nickel silver will require cleaning
and cleaner residue will sometimes stain/discolor the wood. :thumbup::thumbup:

Kevin, thanks for the feedback and posting this info. I'll put that to use soon. I've got some 416 stainless here that I should use. Don't really know why I don't use it more. I guess just because I have a lot of german silver. I never thought about the cleaning solutions affecting wood handles. That's good to know.

not sure how long you've been doing this, John, but you are of a rare handful of makers, imo.

Thanks Lorien. I appreciate that. For what it's worth. I started this knife making journey a little under 4 years ago. Thanks for posting.