- Joined
- Jul 8, 2008
- Messages
- 1,079
oh boy, alot going on with this one!!
I started this one with the intention of submitting it in the "challenge chopper" thread. I wasnt able to get it finished in time due to the number of orders I had.
the idea of the challenge chopper thread was to build a knife that would be capable of being an all around chopper for use in some pretty extreme circumstances. the list of tasks were:
normal chopper use
shelter building
wood splitting/fire building
then it got rougher
cinderblock breaking {use spine}
chopping through the side of a house
then really rough
cutting through a chain link fence
cutting through a chain- I used a chain with 1/4" thick links
breaking open a padlock
My idea for a blade to be able to do all of this was to make 3 tools in one. I started with a thick chopper, and then ground the blade in 3 different sections. the area of the blade just forward of the grip is thin, like a chopper/ large hunting knife grind, the sweet spot for chopping is ground with a thicker grind for some serious chopping, and the last 1" is ground like a cold chisel for cutting through the chain and breaking the padlock.
I did not test the ability to cut the chainlink fence , {couldn't find someone to offer up their fence, I would take a hard swing contacting the fence with the tip near a post to provide support to the fence during the cut} nor the padlock breaking, or the chopping through the side of a house {couldnt find anyone that needed thier house chopped through either}
this one was forged out of a leaf spring from my friends ranch, have no idea what vehicle it came off of, but he said they quit adding to that pile a few decades ago. all the knives/choppers ive forged from these springs have cut very well.
OAL- 16"
blade- 11" long, .250" thick, 1 3/4" wide
steel- leaf spring, Forged, with in-house differential heat treatment which includes double normalize, double anneal, double edge quench, and triple draw, for a great performing blade, that holds a great edge, and yet is easy to sharpen!
grind- 3 flat grinds: cold chisel, light axe, heavy knife. sharpened on a smiths diamond hone with micro bevels, to an agressive razor edge
finish-light hammer finished spine, with a 400 grit handsanded finish on the bevels, dark etched for a rough, easy to maintain working finish
handle- horse stall mat finished to 320 grit, with 6 mild steel pins and thong tube
guard- no guard on this one, but the handle is contoured to steer your hand away from the cutting edge
sheath- 11oz leather, hand stitched, clean, hot-waxed, loop is sized for a 2" belt. personally I keep a blade like this one strapped to my pack instead of on my belt
I did not test the blade for rope cutting, I did cut a 2x4 in half twice, and the edge would still shave. it also passed an edge flex test, and a nail test {where you clamp the blade edge up in a vise and place a common nail across the edge and hammer the nail until it is cut halfway through} and put about half my wieght {210 lbs}to flex the blade sideways in a vise to check for toughness.
this one was really fun to put together!
$195 plus $15 for shiping/insurance to CONUS. I can accept paypal Joe357m@bresnan.net or money order.
1st to post "I'll take it" gets it!!!
Ships within 48 hours of payment priority with ins.
Feedback appreciated, and thanks for looking!
If you would like one like this one or different, PM or email with details!
I started this one with the intention of submitting it in the "challenge chopper" thread. I wasnt able to get it finished in time due to the number of orders I had.
the idea of the challenge chopper thread was to build a knife that would be capable of being an all around chopper for use in some pretty extreme circumstances. the list of tasks were:
normal chopper use
shelter building
wood splitting/fire building
then it got rougher
cinderblock breaking {use spine}
chopping through the side of a house
then really rough
cutting through a chain link fence
cutting through a chain- I used a chain with 1/4" thick links
breaking open a padlock
My idea for a blade to be able to do all of this was to make 3 tools in one. I started with a thick chopper, and then ground the blade in 3 different sections. the area of the blade just forward of the grip is thin, like a chopper/ large hunting knife grind, the sweet spot for chopping is ground with a thicker grind for some serious chopping, and the last 1" is ground like a cold chisel for cutting through the chain and breaking the padlock.
I did not test the ability to cut the chainlink fence , {couldn't find someone to offer up their fence, I would take a hard swing contacting the fence with the tip near a post to provide support to the fence during the cut} nor the padlock breaking, or the chopping through the side of a house {couldnt find anyone that needed thier house chopped through either}
this one was forged out of a leaf spring from my friends ranch, have no idea what vehicle it came off of, but he said they quit adding to that pile a few decades ago. all the knives/choppers ive forged from these springs have cut very well.
OAL- 16"
blade- 11" long, .250" thick, 1 3/4" wide
steel- leaf spring, Forged, with in-house differential heat treatment which includes double normalize, double anneal, double edge quench, and triple draw, for a great performing blade, that holds a great edge, and yet is easy to sharpen!
grind- 3 flat grinds: cold chisel, light axe, heavy knife. sharpened on a smiths diamond hone with micro bevels, to an agressive razor edge
finish-light hammer finished spine, with a 400 grit handsanded finish on the bevels, dark etched for a rough, easy to maintain working finish
handle- horse stall mat finished to 320 grit, with 6 mild steel pins and thong tube
guard- no guard on this one, but the handle is contoured to steer your hand away from the cutting edge
sheath- 11oz leather, hand stitched, clean, hot-waxed, loop is sized for a 2" belt. personally I keep a blade like this one strapped to my pack instead of on my belt
I did not test the blade for rope cutting, I did cut a 2x4 in half twice, and the edge would still shave. it also passed an edge flex test, and a nail test {where you clamp the blade edge up in a vise and place a common nail across the edge and hammer the nail until it is cut halfway through} and put about half my wieght {210 lbs}to flex the blade sideways in a vise to check for toughness.
this one was really fun to put together!
$195 plus $15 for shiping/insurance to CONUS. I can accept paypal Joe357m@bresnan.net or money order.
1st to post "I'll take it" gets it!!!
Ships within 48 hours of payment priority with ins.
Feedback appreciated, and thanks for looking!
If you would like one like this one or different, PM or email with details!
