JKM-1, then and now --Large pics

wildmanh

wildmanh

Part time Leather Bender/Sheath maker
Joined
Jul 9, 2000
Messages
7,764
Got me an Unmarked JKM-1 back in the fall of 2001 when I was living at the dorms at Snow college.. Gave it away that christmas and got it back about a year ago in a trade. Am glad I did. It's a nice little knife.

Here are the specs:

OAL: 7-1/2"
Width: 1"
Thickness: just over 1/4"
Handle: Full tang with Buffallo horn slabs
Brass Butt

After seeing Nasty's modified JKM-1 and getting a Belt Sander, I desided I should try my hand at convexing the edge. Worked on it a little before Christmas then stopped.. Got a drill press and 3/4" sanding drum recently.. Desided to add a choil then try to finish convexing the edge..

About a week ago I finished up the edge and choil then I used sand paper and elbow grease to give the knife a nice 600 grit satin finish. The combination of a Convex edge, choil and Satin finish make this a really sweet knife IMO. Being a hair over 1/4" Thick this is more of a sharpened prybar, though it still slices pretty durn good.

Here are two before pics:

It's 7.5" long, I promise! LOL
jkm1_02.JPG


In hand to give you an idea of the handles thickness and length
jkm1_03.JPG


And the Finished JKM-1 in all it's glory!

If you look closely at this picture, you can make out the temper line, half way up the convex edge between the belly and the choil
jkm1_06.JPG


The Temper line is kind of visible in this picture, but it's not as well defined in this pic
jkm1_07.JPG



So, what do you all think? Thanks for looking,

Heber
 
Looks great, Heber:) You've got a real talent with that kind of stuff. Thanks for sharin':)

Jake
 
Nice custom work. Newer ones by Kumar are shrap practically down to the grip, no room for choil. Tx for photos.


Ad Astra
 
Lion's Roar said:
This is a beauty. How long did it take to make the choil?
Click to expand...

I don't know how long it took Heber because he's good at what he does, but i was able to put one on one of mine in lest than an hour with a half round file. That was working in front of the TV too. no vise to keep it stable. Way easier than i thought it would be. But the new antler JKM is staying just the way it is. beautiful.

Jake
 
Lion's Roar said:
How long did it take to make the choil?
Click to expand...

I did mine at work when no one was watching. Take a file to your desk. A little filing here, a little filing there... it took several days. :D
 
Steely_Gunz said:
I don't know how long it took Heber because he's good at what he does, but i was able to put one on one of mine in lest than an hour with a half round file. That was working in front of the TV too. no vise to keep it stable. Way easier than i thought it would be. But the new antler JKM is staying just the way it is. beautiful.

Jake
Click to expand...

Thanks Jake! I'm not sure how long it took either. I have the drill press on a slower speed and took my time. Avoiding getting the knife hot. When it did get warm, I gave it a break and worked on my BK-9. Alternating between the two.. Can tell you that it took longer then my BK-9.. Lots more steel to remove on the JKM-1 VS the BK-9. But all said and done, it didn't take to long. :)

Heber
 
Thanks all for the nice comments.... I think Convexing the edge took longer then grinding the choil and sanding it.. Edge was kind of flat ground, almost hollow in some areas. After convexing the edge I tried to do a Vinager Patina but ended up making little spots of rust on the blade. LOL!! Fixed it with the 600 grit paper and what was left of my elbow grease..

Nice custom work. Newer ones by Kumar are shrap practically down to the grip, no room for choil. Tx for photos.
Click to expand...

Ad, grinding a choil into a sharpened edge is really easy to do since there is less steel which needs to be removed. The choil has it's advanteges, but on yours, would definantly take up a little cutting edge. To each his own. ;)

To those that do this stuff by hand, I envy you. My elbow is so bad, I have have to do as much as possible with Machines. Giving the JKM-1 a Satin finish agravated my elbow again, then the rock climbing the other day and scrubbing the shower out didn't help either! LOL!! Am on meds again, but the knife sure looks nice. :D lol

Heber
 
I'll bring this BTTT for anyone that might be interested in seeing knife mods. :)

Heber
 
Nice work Heber! I found these...mine (done by Dan and Ferrous) and the sheath Dan helped me make for it.

P1010042.JPG


P1010044.JPG


P1010045.JPG


P1010050.JPG


edited to make sure Dan and Ferrous get credit due...
 
Good stuff. I made some of the same mods to my JKM - choil, thumb grip on the spine, molded sheath. It's special, because I got to pick it out of stock at the Reno Khukvention a few years back. If I were doing it again, I'd probaby leave off the thumb notches. The spine is plenty thick to push on, and the choil locks it into your hand. Also, spending some time with a bench stone to reduce the edge angle is time well spent. Makes it into a demon slicer.

Nice work on both!
 
Just bought one here too. Well now its official got HIKV really bad 3rd knife in less than 3 1/2 weeks. 12 inch AK, 20 inch Sirupati, and now a JKM, thinkin about trying the same modifications to mine.


James
____________________________________
Badges, we don't need no stinkin badges
 
Everyone needs a JKM-1. They are just too dang handy not to have. I have two. One by Kesar that i filed a choil into (althought nowhere near as nice looking as Heber and Nasty's work). The other is an antler handled one by Kumar. Just about perfect for me. Kumar read my mind and knew I was wanting a JKM style blade with edge straight down to the handle (no choil on this one), with some really warm, but grippy antler like I have on my Sarge knife. Great little blades that'll go where ever you go.
Once again, nice work, Heber. I hope your elbow gets to feeling better. That's a bad joint to get a pain in.

Jake
 
Steely_Gunz said:
Once again, nice work, Heber. I hope your elbow gets to feeling better. That's a bad joint to get a pain in.

Jake
Click to expand...
Me too Heber...
But I know of a worse joint.:rolleyes: :p ;) :D
 
Steely...Dan cut the choil and Ferrous cut the thumb grooves. I can do this stuff now, but this piece is their work. I just polished and sharpened and did the sheath under Dan's guidance.

Credit, thanks and karma where it's due...


.
 
Nasty, everyone did a great job on your JKM-1, it looks really nice. :)

Thanks for the kind words. My elbow is doing a little better today. The bad weather doesn't help though. LOL.. Strong meds and good doctors really help. They recomend that for my hobbies I get the nice power tools so I don't have to work my elbow. Told him how I got the Belt Sander and drill press already and he thought it was a good idea.

I'm really enjoying working on the knives and sheaths (Should make a custom for the JKM-1 one of these days). Will be getting that Band saw soon to do custom handles. :)

James, Go for the Mods. They really make nice additions to the JKM-1. :)

Jake, thanks. :) Filing that choil by hand must have been hard. Theres no way I would have done it by hand. Maybe 4 years ago, but definantly not now! Good job! any chance we can see pics of your mods?

Heber
 
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