FS/Coogler HideAway Cat Claws

[frontsight]

That YelloMunky rascal nudged me in the direction of considering James Coogler as a collaborator. A nudge was all it took after looking at James' beautiful work.

When I pulled the first one out of the box, these immediately took on the name FS/Coogler HideAway Cat Claws. OK, so I've never seen a cat claw that had serrations near its paw, but that's besides the point . These are Cat Claws.

My Shipping Associate = the hand model here

 

[frontsight]

Here are ones with James' CNC logo etch.

First batch of 7 are all gone. I'll be getting 8 more in a couple weeks.

Have added James Coogler as a selectable artist next to the picture of his claw in "I want one" http://www.hideawayknife.com/want.php
If you want one of these at some point in the future, you need to reserve one via "I want one". Pleeeease remember to include your HideAway size in the white box.

James, thank you for the sneaky sharp beautiful edges.

YelloMunky, thank you for nudging me to check out James' excellent work.

FrontSight

 

[nifrand]

Are you a knife designer or Knife maker?
Randy

 

[frontsight]

Most accurate description is I am running a small knife company with 20 people on the payroll.

I've asked my collaborators that same question you asked.

They told me this: Your role is much more than that of a "knife designer", not exactly that of a custom knife maker, most similar to a president of a knife company (technically the most accurate), but different also from that because of the highly customized nature of my product. (It is a custom-fitted, custom-finished knife.)

More specifically, the process is this: http://www.badlandsforums.com/fs/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=14&page=1&sort=ta

I'm directly responsible for the fitting and making, up until the blank goes off to double-disk grinding. After that it goes to the custom artist for finishing, then back to me. I have done the entire process on my own, but 2 things -
1) My grinds are ugly. I tried for a week and they were still ugly. I have made a couple since but nothing sellable.
2) It's addictive, and if I let myself get into it now I'd a) fail out of grad school b) have to hang out the "not accepting new orders" sign.

This way I still get to provide these knives and as well as torture my collaborators by having them grind a knife that has nothing to hold on to.

In the past year I've been much more focused on carry options then the blade. I am both designer and maker of these fixed blade carry options (Belt-Wrap, Ripp-Cord, Bro-Clip, Bra-Clip). I have designed and am having manufactured (SheathSticks, HAK Carrier): http://www.hideawayknife.com/carryoptions.php

Am working on 1 more really cool carry option right now in a collaboration with a different sort of manufacturing company.

FrontSight

 

[Danbo]

Really cool looking backup knife.

 

[northgull]

Advice to all: if FrontSight emails you that she has neat "claws" from James, jump on it and place an order. He (or she) who hesitates is LOST! Very nice addition to the designer group, FrontSight! Very nice indeed. I waited too long and they are all gone! !

 

[northgull]

Done! Order submitted!

 

[loandr.]

She is the FINAL SAY... in hide out blades PERIOD and a pretty nice gal to boot.
Loandr.

 

[frontsight]

Danbo and Loandr, thanks a lot.

northgull, very cool avatar, and thank you for your interest in my knife.

FrontSight

 

[Joss]

Those are very cool indeed!

 

[kevtan]

Very nice variation on the original HAK. COngrats !!! Does this design have a longer blade than the regular HAK? Looks like it does.

 

[frontsight]

Hello there oh Sharp Eye Mr. Tan!

That is the standard claw CAD for this year and part of last. It's longer and narrower than the earliest design, but still within the fibonacci ratio guideline that I used for optimum strength of adjacent parts.

The blade also might look longer because that is the capsule size that fits me, which is smaller than average. the smaller capsule size makes the blade look relatively longer. It's still ~ 2".

I try to keep all HideAway blades around 2" and not bigger.

FrontSight