It Needs More Input!

Osprey Knife & Tool

Osprey Knife & Tool

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It Needs More Input! Feed Me!!!

Please!!:D:D



The Title says it all, where I lack in communication I make up for in observations, and absorbing information.
I like to think of myself as a sponge and crave new and novel ideas. I am mostly a spatial, visual learner.

If you have ever wanted an opportunity to influence or inject ideas into the mind of a knife maker, here is your chance! I cannot promise I will like or use all the ideas or sources presented to me but any contribution is appreciated.

I am not terribly interested in doing close variations of what I currently make.

Going back to the visual, spatial learning context. The best way to convey ideas to me is through pictures and videos. I do much better than trying to grasp an abstract concept through someone else's lense of interpretation.

If anyone has a good multiple sources of traditional styles from all over the world. I am interesting in studying the source of a style then making my own interpretation not my interpretation of someone else's. (I guess in reality thats really what it is is one interpretation on top of another bringing about evolution. But I want to go as close to the original source of some as possible.)

Sources-

Pictures
Books
Websites

I like all forms and styles of knives. If I do not currently make that style it does not mean I won't.


I hope this encourages a-lot of dialogue and stimulates creativity on both sides.
 
With your affinity for thin steels and modifying current patterns to (K) patterns, I think kitchen knives would suit you incredible well.

I'm picturing a super thin, super slicey K-tipped Deba with a ~6" blade, and an OD bolstered, curly koa Wa handle. The K-tip would make it a bit different than a traditional Deba. You've been playing with hamons, no? What better way than with Japanese inspired kitchen cutlery!
 
When I clicked on the link to get to this page I was thinking, “ I’ll probably be the only one dreaming of an OKT Japanese style kitchen knife”. Lo and Behold this makes two in a row for you to ponder. Since I work in a pro kitchen I imagine two in fact, a thin vegetable slicer in the nikiri style but just under 8 inches rather than just under 7 as are many production nikiris. I’d love to see this with either SFT or better yet one of your signature killer tapers, with....well hell, how about some more of that spectacular two tone Amboyna burl or some equivalent? I think including a hamon or forced patina would be especially proper for a kitchen blade. The next would be a Gyuto with similar specs ie thin steel SFT or Taper etc. And of course at least a 9 inch cutting edge. Of course I am going to have to get a Bolad with some beautiful wood for the obvious reasons;) BTW I use my Nomad and clipped Bolad quite a bit at work.
 
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Classic Bowie in a compact version, 4.5 to 5.5 inch clip point blade, for a soldier, I like how they are referred to as sandbox bowies. I have always liked the version put out by Martin Tactical knives. Just the lines themselves are classic. If not this size, what about 3.5. To 4.5? I like the clip point blades similar to the silverfalcon too. Just my 2 cents.

Or another idea, something like a French trade knife with ball end.

Just saw your Ferox and Shrike models, maybe along those lines.
 
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cbach8tw said:
View attachment 937566
Classic Bowie in a compact version, 4.5 to 5.5 inch clip point blade, for a soldier, I like how they are referred to as sandbox bowies. I have always liked the version put out by Martin Tactical knives. Just the lines themselves are classic. If not this size, what about 3.5. To 4.5? I like the clip point blades similar to the silverfalcon too. Just my 2 cents.

Or another idea, something like a French trade knife with ball end.

Just saw your Ferox and Shrike models, maybe along those lines.
Click to expand...

these are very cool. I love this style as well.
 
varga49 said:
When I clicked on the link to get to this page I was thinking, “ I’ll probably be the only one dreaming of an OKT Japanese style kitchen knife”.
Click to expand...

Not even close!!!! I want one (or 2, or 3, or 4...) :thumbsup::D:D:D


cbach8tw said:
View attachment 937566
Classic Bowie in a compact version, 4.5 to 5.5 inch clip point blade, for a soldier, I like how they are referred to as sandbox bowies. I have always liked the version put out by Martin Tactical knives. Just the lines themselves are classic. If not this size, what about 3.5. To 4.5? I like the clip point blades similar to the silverfalcon too. Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Comprehensivist said:
I could jump on Bob’s bandwagon with this idea for a modern take on a classic utilitarian knife.

Phil
Click to expand...

Mix these two and you have something along the lines of the old Chris Reeves "Aviator" model. I always wanted one of those. The 3.5 to 4.5" utilitarian w/ a piercing point is very attractive from a functional standpoint. Here's pic of the Aviator:

crk_aviator_sa_01.jpg
 
A Tracker style knife. One particular knifemaker aside, they usually look pretty goofy to me, but I have always wanted to try one.

Less challenging, maybe boring but popular, would be the OKT take on some classic woods knives: kephart, Puukko, a sloyd/carver, "Woodlore." I would be interested to see how you would draw out a Nessmuk style knife as well.

A full tang Hawk

An OKT whose sole purpose is to open other packages of OKTs... Maybe a 4" Kwaiken
 
I want to open a discussion about handle thickness preferences. This is a subject I have talked to Chris about several times over the years. I am curious what other OK&T fans think on this topic. Please feel free to weigh in with your opinion and/or preferences at the end.

My thesis in this post is that an occasional offering of thicker handles on thin steel knives like Chris makes so well would be a desirable variation on existing models for people who actually use their knives hard and/or those with larger hands or longer fingers.

What led me to bring up this topic today are a couple of Adventure Sworn knives here on loan from my friend Ryan ( @adequacy ) to check out. In exchange, I sent him a couple of Osprey Knife & Tool knives (i.e. Raptor & Mamushi) he was curious about, plus one from another maker.

With the arrival of his knives, I used that as an excuse to pull out a bunch of my knives for some whittling comparison fun on the back patio.

Here are a couple of photos of most of what I had out. The loaner AS knives are a Mountaineer & Woodcrafter (2nd & 3rd from the left.)





All of the knives were plenty sharp and carved just fine. One distinction I noticed when comparing them all side by side was that ones with thicker handles felt more comfortable and effortless to carve with. This is probably because the greater surface area of a thicker handle better spreads the pressure around your palm which reduces fatigue build-up. I also found that I could use less grip pressure with the thicker handles to get the same amount of torque control while carving.

Both of the AS knives are 3/32” steel. The Mountaineer is tapered convex CPM 154 in Desert Ironwood Burl. The Woodcrafter is Scandi SFT O1 in Karelian Birch. The steel thicknesses on my OK&T “K2” Raptor and “K” Apache are similar to these.



The big difference between the two companies is handle shaping philosophy. The Adventure Sworn knives have thick coke bottle shaped handles versus slimmer contoured handles on the OK&T knives.

Both thick and thin handles have their place depending on the application. I am not saying that either one is always better for every application.









My original Raptor from 2015 lacks many of the refinements that characterize Chris’s current work like a tapered tang, 3D handle contouring, and nicer hammer texturing. Even so, it remains my favorite OK&T to use because the slightly thicker handle compared to current standards feels better in my hand and offers more control for applications that take carving type leverage.



Getting back to my original thesis, I would like to see some existing models offered occasionally with a thicker than normal handle for those of us who appreciate that feature in combination with thin blade steel.

I hope that many of you will share your preference(s) on this subject.

Thanks,

Phil
 
Comprehensivist said:
I want to open a discussion about handle thickness preferences. This is a subject I have talked to Chris about several times over the years. I am curious what other OK&T fans think on this topic. Please feel free to weigh in with your opinion and/or preferences at the end.

My thesis in this post is that an occasional offering of thicker handles on thin steel knives like Chris makes so well would be a desirable variation on existing models for people who actually use their knives hard and/or those with larger hands or longer fingers.

What led me to bring up this topic today are a couple of Adventure Sworn knives here on loan from my friend Ryan ( @adequacy ) to check out. In exchange, I sent him a couple of Osprey Knife & Tool knives (i.e. Raptor & Mamushi) he was curious about, plus one from another maker.

With the arrival of his knives, I used that as an excuse to pull out a bunch of my knives for some whittling comparison fun on the back patio.

Here are a couple of photos of most of what I had out. The loaner AS knives are a Mountaineer & Woodcrafter (2nd & 3rd from the left.)





All of the knives were plenty sharp and carved just fine. One distinction I noticed when comparing them all side by side was that ones with thicker handles felt more comfortable and effortless to carve with. This is probably because the greater surface area of a thicker handle better spreads the pressure around your palm which reduces fatigue build-up. I also found that I could use less grip pressure with the thicker handles to get the same amount of torque control while carving.

Both of the AS knives are 3/32” steel. The Mountaineer is tapered convex CPM 154 in Desert Ironwood Burl. The Woodcrafter is Scandi SFT O1 in Karelian Birch. The steel thicknesses on my OK&T “K2” Raptor and “K” Apache are similar to these.



The big difference between the two companies is handle shaping philosophy. The Adventure Sworn knives have thick coke bottle shaped handles versus slimmer contoured handles on the OK&T knives.

Both thick and thin handles have their place depending on the application. I am not saying that either one is always better for every application.









My original Raptor from 2015 lacks many of the refinements that characterize Chris’s current work like a tapered tang, 3D handle contouring, and nicer hammer texturing. Even so, it remains my favorite OK&T to use because the slightly thicker handle compared to current standards feels better in my hand and offers more control for applications that take carving type leverage.



Getting back to my original thesis, I would like to see some existing models offered occasionally with a thicker than normal handle for those of us who appreciate that feature in combination with thin blade steel.

I hope that many of you will share your preference(s) on this subject.

Thanks,

Phil
Click to expand...

Phil, what Fiddleback model is that one?
 
cbach8tw said:
View attachment 937566
Classic Bowie in a compact version, 4.5 to 5.5 inch clip point blade, for a soldier, I like how they are referred to as sandbox bowies. I have always liked the version put out by Martin Tactical knives. Just the lines themselves are classic. If not this size, what about 3.5. To 4.5? I like the clip point blades similar to the silverfalcon too. Just my 2 cents.

Or another idea, something like a French trade knife with ball end.

Just saw your Ferox and Shrike models, maybe along those lines.
Click to expand...
I'll take the middle one.
 
I’d love to see some knives geared more towards wood carving, a sloyd knife, small whittler, etc. I really enjoy character carving but see little that would fit into that category. Osprey Knife & Tool Osprey Knife & Tool
 
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