- Joined
- Mar 7, 2007
- Messages
- 3,951
He is quite heavy, actually, weighing in at 19.3 oz. I started this one almost two years ago, using the Crowell-Barker competition knife as inspiration. Over the course of production, the design got tweeked, sage advice was heeded(thanks Doug) and an evolution of mistakes occured. I'm proud of what emerged.
It is 14 1/2 inches of 1/4 inch 1075, with the blued, bleached and buffed blade being 8 1/2 inches of full flat ground satisfaction, with enough file work on the spine to give the thumb some traction. The handle is shaped from white and red burl Corian(amazing stuff, btw), with three fiber spacers(R/W/R). There is a 5/16 stainless tube in the bolster, a 1/4 inch stainless pin and a 1/4 inch stainless tube in the butt. The oversized handle gives a false impression of the true size of the knife(see comparison photo). My hand stays on the white part of the handle for the swing, making it weight-forward, like a hatchet. However, the balance point is just in front of the index finger when choked up on the choil. I don't see this knife as doing alot of fine work,
although it is sharp as all get out, thanks to the recent acquisition of some fine Razor Sharp wheels.
This was all made possible by the endless patience, generous shop time and hands-on knowledge of Doug Dart of DPKnives. He also has a magic box that holds an unlimited supply of handle materials. Seriously, I almost got lost in that box. I think I even saw some quarter sawn tiger ironwood that had pieces of fossilized dinosaur eggs in it. Thanks also to Walter Davis for the how to on the b,b &b finish.
There are many flaws; gaps, chips, filemarks and even a place where I broke the Corian before I was finished. The exposed tang on the butt and bottom of the handle had the finish removed because of my weak skills at fitting handle pieces before glue-up. But a certain phrase echoed through my head the whole time I was making it, "good enough for who it's for."
I may sound like I am accepting some kind of award, but make no mistake, the quality of this knife will be tested. There is some well seasoned hardwood at my Dad's place, and a couple of axes/hatchets that have been giving my new knife the stink eye lately -- a Gransfors Bruks Hunter's axe, an Estwing Hunter's axe(the leather handled hatchet sold in the hardware store) and an unassuming Gerber hatchet with a cross-cut saw in the handle. There is even a brand new Craftsman single bit axe trying to get into the game. He doesn't even have the wax off his edge yet!
Top to bottom: the new chopper, Kabar/Becker BK 77, Fiddleback Camp...something, I can't remember, but it's awesome. Bark River's Aurora and Bravo 1, Lone Wolf Loveless designed semi-skinner. The two knives on the left and the one on the right are one of a kind knives from Dan Koster, Doug Dart and Matt Bailey, respectively.
It is 14 1/2 inches of 1/4 inch 1075, with the blued, bleached and buffed blade being 8 1/2 inches of full flat ground satisfaction, with enough file work on the spine to give the thumb some traction. The handle is shaped from white and red burl Corian(amazing stuff, btw), with three fiber spacers(R/W/R). There is a 5/16 stainless tube in the bolster, a 1/4 inch stainless pin and a 1/4 inch stainless tube in the butt. The oversized handle gives a false impression of the true size of the knife(see comparison photo). My hand stays on the white part of the handle for the swing, making it weight-forward, like a hatchet. However, the balance point is just in front of the index finger when choked up on the choil. I don't see this knife as doing alot of fine work,
although it is sharp as all get out, thanks to the recent acquisition of some fine Razor Sharp wheels.This was all made possible by the endless patience, generous shop time and hands-on knowledge of Doug Dart of DPKnives. He also has a magic box that holds an unlimited supply of handle materials. Seriously, I almost got lost in that box. I think I even saw some quarter sawn tiger ironwood that had pieces of fossilized dinosaur eggs in it. Thanks also to Walter Davis for the how to on the b,b &b finish.
There are many flaws; gaps, chips, filemarks and even a place where I broke the Corian before I was finished. The exposed tang on the butt and bottom of the handle had the finish removed because of my weak skills at fitting handle pieces before glue-up. But a certain phrase echoed through my head the whole time I was making it, "good enough for who it's for."
I may sound like I am accepting some kind of award, but make no mistake, the quality of this knife will be tested. There is some well seasoned hardwood at my Dad's place, and a couple of axes/hatchets that have been giving my new knife the stink eye lately -- a Gransfors Bruks Hunter's axe, an Estwing Hunter's axe(the leather handled hatchet sold in the hardware store) and an unassuming Gerber hatchet with a cross-cut saw in the handle. There is even a brand new Craftsman single bit axe trying to get into the game. He doesn't even have the wax off his edge yet!
Top to bottom: the new chopper, Kabar/Becker BK 77, Fiddleback Camp...something, I can't remember, but it's awesome. Bark River's Aurora and Bravo 1, Lone Wolf Loveless designed semi-skinner. The two knives on the left and the one on the right are one of a kind knives from Dan Koster, Doug Dart and Matt Bailey, respectively.
Good. I just assumed you were much more dextrous than I.
