Harvey Dean EL Diablo Fighter

Joss said:
The foot-in-mouth refered to me. I felt stupid to still not understand what it was and why it was such a big deal.
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Sorry that I misunderstood.:foot: :D

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I was just as confused over your initial description too, Steven. You referred to the area as "above "DEAN" on the choil/ricasso transition...." In the *photograph's orientation* it is below DEAN. So, just to support that it wasn't crystal clear to me either. I stared at the thing looking for what was meant. I know exactly what we are looking at now. :D

That said, I find this type of embellishment a kind of fancy and unique way of handling the end of the radius and cut. Is it practical and able to be sharpened easily? You guys have found all the errors for it's lack of usefullness. We have talked about 'Spanish Notches' as being impractical and unneeded. This is just another embellishment, like the SN, and the engraving and the feather pattern steel. It's a small area to showcase something different.

I like it. Plain and simple. :thumbup: ;)

Coop
 
SharpByCoop said:
That said, I find this type of embellishment a kind of fancy and unique way of handling the end of the radius and cut. Is it practical and able to be sharpened easily? You guys have found all the errors for it's lack of usefullness. We have talked about 'Spanish Notches' as being impractical and unneeded. This is just another embellishment, like the SN, and the engraving and the feather pattern steel. It's a small area to showcase something different.

I like it. Plain and simple. :thumbup: ;)

Coop
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Very good point Coop.
Thanks everyone for the kind words and sharing your honest opinions.
 
SharpByCoop said:
I was just as confused over your initial description too, Steven. You referred to the area as "above "DEAN" on the choil/ricasso transition...." In the *photograph's orientation* it is below DEAN. So, just to support that it wasn't crystal clear to me either. I stared at the thing looking for what was meant. I know exactly what we are looking at now. :D

That said, I find this type of embellishment a kind of fancy and unique way of handling the end of the radius and cut. Is it practical and able to be sharpened easily? You guys have found all the errors for it's lack of usefullness. We have talked about 'Spanish Notches' as being impractical and unneeded. This is just another embellishment, like the SN, and the engraving and the feather pattern steel. It's a small area to showcase something different.

I like it. Plain and simple. :thumbup: ;)

Coop
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Without a doubt it's a beautiful knife. I find it interesting how these little nuances would be a dealbreaker for some folks. Whether it's raised choils or filework on the spine, etc... Giving it some thought I think I prefer the raised choil on a dropped edge, but a Spanish notch would be a deal breaker for me. I guess it deserves it's own thread but I wonder what aspects would cause you guys to pass on an otherwise "perfect" piece?
 
Anthony Lombardo said:
A crooked or double stamp is one for sure. Brass fittings.
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Anthony, did you see Mr. Tao's Bowie with the nameplate? I thought he was being a bit anal regarding his QC but would that misalignment have been enough to be a dealbreaker for you?

What is it about brass that you dislike, the patina it takes on or the look of polished brass?
 
I had the pleasure of hearing and seeing Harvey describing the way he makes that beautiful feather pattern at last month's hammer-in. He taught a student to make his own feather pattern billet while we were there.

Yes, when you see a blade with his feather pattern, it's stunning.:D
 
I think the knife is gorgeous... absolutely top notch!!!

I'll admit even as an ABS smith... I'm a little lost here as well.

I have always called that area the "dropped edge" because it is where the edge drops down (or was pulled down if you will) as a result from the bevels being forged in.

I know STeven does not like that dropped edge to be highly rounded. Is that the issue here? Because it doesn't look all rounded off to me.

I don't really care for leaving that little web of steel right at the plunge, but that's just me.

I think a single knife like this or one like Don Fogg's Yakuza bowie could make for a great collection all on their own!!!

Awesome piece... Awesome photo!!! :D :thumbup: :cool:


-Nick-
 
STeven, like Nick, I'm just a little confused also. If a blade is 1-1/2'' to 2'' wide and the ricasso is 1-1/8'' or so, the edge/choil has to be dropped. The shape of that area on my knives is the result from forging to shape.
 
In the short time I've been involved on this forum, I have learned most of the time there's not necessarily a right or wrong way, just many different views, opinions and preferences brought to light. And that's why I love it here. :) :thumbup:

In addition, you can imagine how happy Harvey and I must be with this piece as in approaching 1000 views and 70 posts over just a day and a haft, the only thing which has been negatively commented on is this area of about
1/4" by 1/8" of the entire Fighter. :D
 
sunfishman said:
STeven, like Nick, I'm just a little confused also. If a blade is 1-1/2'' to 2'' wide and the ricasso is 1-1/8'' or so, the edge/choil has to be dropped. The shape of that area on my knives is the result from forging to shape.
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I'm not qualified to detail the way it's done but there are ways to forge to keep a dropped edge from forming. One way I believe is to hammer that area back down while you're forging. You can also make a wider ricasso or give it something of a fan shape so it spreads out from the guard.

Anyway, I don't think the dropped edge is what Steven didn't like but that it has something of a hood along the backside. It's really hard to tell from the angle the picture was taken but if you were to squeeze the side of the blade between your fingers on the edge side, as you slid them back towards the choil you'd run into the "raised" T.
 
NickWheeler said:
I don't really care for leaving that little web of steel right at the plunge, but that's just me.

-Nick-
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That is exactly what we are talking about. Should call Mr. Jerry and find out the exact term for this area. BRB.

Jerry's answering machine kicked on, don't know the technical term, yet , but will. Anyway your "little web of steel" is as good a name as any. This would be a singular issue. You like it, or you don't. Pretty simple.

I seem to be in the minority here, but Kevin and I have VERY different tastes in knives. For one thing, I LOVE mirror polished stainless, and that also puts me in the minority.

Mr. Fisk says that as best he knows there is no formal word used now, but that technically, it would be an "upset choil". If everyone can live with this term, and propagate it, we will have another term to use that takes away some of the confusion.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Jose Reyes said:
I'm not qualified to detail the way it's done but there are ways to forge to keep a dropped edge from forming. One way I believe is to hammer that area back down while you're forging. You can also make a wider ricasso or give it something of a fan shape so it spreads out from the guard.

Anyway, I don't think the dropped edge is what Steven didn't like but that it has something of a hood along the backside. It's really hard to tell from the angle the picture was taken but if you were to squeeze the side of the blade between your fingers on the edge side, as you slid them back towards the choil you'd run into the "raised" T.
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Jose, I can forge a blade without a dropped edge but I would not like the way it looked:)

I understand now STeven, that is what I thought at first but then I got mixed up in the dropped edge thing.
 
Everybody else's little ticks aside...That is one of the most "GORGEOUS "Bowies I have seen in a long time:thumbup: You are a lucky man to own her.
Bruce
 
Another potential benefit of the "upset choil" is to provide a little added torsional stability to the dropped edge. The practical effect is probably marginal, but all refinements in design and improvements in performance occur "at the margin," so for some makers it's certainly worth doing.

Some people also consider this feature a nifty demonstration of the smith's forging skill, but the iriony is, in this knife I'd say it was ground that way, not forged in. Look at the damascus pattern - it's not distorted at all, which I suspect it would have been if the edge had been "pulled" down from the ricasso. All that said, Harvey's ability to keep this pattern so straight is in itself a testament to his talents as a bladesmith. I don't think he left any detail on this knife to chance.
 
Wulf
The blade was forged an the edge was pulled down. The bar I started with was 1 & 1/8 x 1/2 x 6 There was quiet a bit of fordging that went into this blade. You have to be carefull to keep the pattern straight . I guess I held my mouth right on this one . On the deal about the "upset choil" I did it that way because I like the way it looks. Hope that clears up the reason for everyone .
Thanks for the compliment.
Harvey Dean
 
Thanks for chiming in, Harvey. Keeping that pattern straight through all of that forging is quite a feat! To say I'm impressed would be an understatement. The symmetry and flow of that pattern is, in my rather humble opinion, a critical part of this knife's aesthetic appeal. Had it gotten distorted, I don't think it would've had nearly the same effect. It must've taken some serious hammer control!
 
Thanks again everyone for all your views and honest comments.
I agree Wulf. Harvey's control of the pattern and overall execution is outstanding.
Each time I handle this piece I'm amazed at how good it feels in the hand and how easy it is to control for a fairly large fighter.
I'm planning on taking it to Blade to give you folks who make it to the show a chance to "coon finger it" :eek: :D ;)
 
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