Help...I Need a Custom Knife

B

bruce

Joined
Dec 4, 1998
Messages
1,347
I've had an idea for a custom knife for game dressing/skinning for some time. I cannot find anyone who will make it the way I want it. It is not outrageous but everytime I find someone who makes the right blade, they won't give up on their stick tangs and make me a tapered one. If I find a maker that makes tapered tangs, they want to sell me an existing blade shape. Can anyone help in identifying someone who can make the following knife:

Blade: 440V, 420V, or BG42--5/32 stock
4 to 4 1/2 inches, semi-skinner shape. I can furnish photo's of acceptable blade shape.
satin or polished finish

Tang: Tapered (I don't want untapered with holes drilled, or a stick tang.)

Handle: Canvas Micarta or G10, slightly rough but no heavy sand blasting.

Hilt: Could have a small, unobtrusive hilt or a clever handle grind to give a small bit of protection.

Sheath: I'm open to suggestion.

Any Ideas on who can do this? Thanks

Bruce Woodbury


 
Bruce,

Jerry Hossom's hunting blades are Godly. His website's at www.hossom.com and his e-mail is knives@mediaone.net I think he works in those steels as well.

Matt
 
Thanks, all! Matt Harildstad was the first to respond and my concept and his experience meshed perfectly. I appreciate the other offers, and I'm thinking real hard about a second or third knife (when the money floats to the top of my priority list--next after Matt's knife is a new computer--I live in the land of the Micron PC and my son works for the parent company so a modest discount is mine!).

Thanks Again.

Bruce Woodbury
 
Glad things worked out. You will be happy with Matt and his work.
 
Bruce received his knife this week. Just in time for hunting season. You can see some scans by following these links.
http://www.planet.eon.net/~matth/k_images/customs/bruce1jpg.jpg
http://www.planet.eon.net/~matth/k_images/customs/brucesheath.jpg

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Matt Harildstad
Knifemaker
www.planet.eon.net/~matth
matth@planet.eon.net

[This message has been edited by Matt Harildstad (edited 09-22-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Matt Harildstad (edited 09-22-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Matt Harildstad (edited 09-22-2000).]
 
Bruce, very clean knife, I am sure you will enjoy it. It is great to see someone's vision become reality. I hope it lives up to your expectations. Nice job Matt.
 
What a wonderful opportunity, to be able to utilize the net and this Site and have a dream realized so quickly! THIS is one of the Great things about this knife community.

It's great to know the project ended with such excellent results. Thanks for sharing the pics of the Final product, the knife looks super! If anybody knows Huntin' and Skinnin' it would be them folks in the Great White North huh?
smile.gif


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Marine Sniper Motto:
There's no use Running, you'll only Die Tired!

[This message has been edited by Hillbillenigma (edited 09-22-2000).]
 
Congratulations to you both. Semi-skinner is one of my favorite blade shapes, very functional. What steel did you go with?
smile.gif
 
Before I say anything about the knife I've got to tell you just how enjoyable it was to work with Matt! After receiving some of my ideas, and making a few adjustments based on his good sense, we came upon a design, he sent me a drawing, and kept me up to date on it's progress with a couple of scans along the way. A true customer-focused gentleman! ...and what a craftsman! Matt seemed to know what I wanted and translated it perfectly.

The steel is BG42, 5/32 thickness, hardness about 61-62 Rc, satin finish, tapered tang, green (sort of a good looking OD) micarta handle that feels very good in my hand. Since I have done a good bit of game processing, this was to be a using knife without a lot of places for blood/fat/hair to congregate (hopefully the elk, not mine!). The ample choil allows me to choke up a bit on detail work around the head. His sheath is great looking, form fitting, and a real compliment to the knife.

I'm very pleased and can recommend Matt Harildstad for your custom knife work!

Thanks again, Matt.
Regards,

Bruce Woodbury
 
Late reply - day job's been crazy lately-

Thanks to Bruce for his kind words, it was a pleasure dealing with him as well. The real test of this knife will come in elk season and I have every confidence the design and material will perform well. I love that BG-42 edge!

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Matt Harildstad
Knifemaker
www.planet.eon.net/~matth
matth@planet.eon.net

 
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