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JS Submission fighter

stephanfowler

stephanfowler

Joined
Nov 14, 2005
Messages
1,464
This is a Fighter I made to submit for my Journeyman Smith test.

"Habanero Fighter"
7 1/2" W2 Blade with a very active Hamon,
Desert Ironwood Burl Handle,
Stainless double guard

js-fighter.jpg
 
Stephan, that looks pretty good however I see a couple of things that concern me but it may just be the photo.

1. it looks like there is a dip in the wood where it meets the guard. this is a common thing that happens when sanding this area the wood abraids away faster than the stainless resulting in this little dip.

2. If you draw a straight line down the spine of the blade through the handle does the rear edge of the guard front edge of the handle raise above the line that you drew? also do the same thing on the bottom of the knife at the ricasso. Is the ricasso narrower than the front edge of the handle?

Hope I haven't offended
 
Bill Burke said:
Stephan, that looks pretty good however I see a couple of things that concern me but it may just be the photo.

1. it looks like there is a dip in the wood where it meets the guard. this is a common thing that happens when sanding this area the wood abraids away faster than the stainless resulting in this little dip.

2. If you draw a straight line down the spine of the blade through the handle does the rear edge of the guard front edge of the handle raise above the line that you drew? also do the same thing on the bottom of the knife at the ricasso. Is the ricasso narrower than the front edge of the handle?

Hope I haven't offended
Click to expand...

Not offended at all Sir.

I was actually VERY careful to avoid both of those issues and did all of the final shaping completely by hand. I believe most of what your seeing is my amateurish attempts at photography.

The biggest problem is I find it nearly impossible to get a straight on perspective for a photo.
 
Love it. This may be my favorite of yours so far. Is this thing as thick as many of your large blades?
 
stephanfowler said:
Not offended at all Sir.

I was actually VERY careful to avoid both of those issues and did all of the final shaping completely by hand. I believe most of what your seeing is my amateurish attempts at photography.

The biggest problem is I find it nearly impossible to get a straight on perspective for a photo.
Click to expand...

That is what I had thought it was but thoought I should bring it to your attention just on the off case that it was not the photo. look forward to seeing them in person at blade show.

One other thing. My father was sir but not me.
 
Bill, Stephan is from the south :)

Stephan, it does look good but no way to tell much from a photo.

I have a pretty good feeling you wont have any trouble.
 
Last edited:
Stephen are you going to bring this one to the Gerogia Guild meeting at the end of the month? I would really like to get a close look at it.
 
Hmathews said:
Stephen are you going to bring this one to the Gerogia Guild meeting at the end of the month? I would really like to get a close look at it.
Click to expand...

I do plan on it,

I still need to get a couple more signatures for my Knifemakers Guild application
 
I think it's a really nice looking fighter overall. My one nit to pick may also be an artifiact of the photograph, but it looks like the guard is thicker on the spine side than the edge side. My preference would be for the two extensions of the double guard to be the same thickness. But as I said, it could just be the photo, and the photo is all we have.

Looking forward to seeing your test set at Blade.

Roger
 
Looks great.

Now I feel like I am the hamon nitpicker, but the photo makes it look like the hamon fades a bit before the choil.
 
John Frankl said:
Looks great.

Now I feel like I am the hamon nitpicker, but the photo makes it look like the hamon fades a bit before the choil.
Click to expand...

I see what you mean John, but I dont think that will fail him. I personally would like to se a little finer finish on the blade but that is personnal preference and sould not matter but that might depend on the judges.

Don, I was taking that into account.

Roger, I see the same thing.
 
John Frankl said:
Looks great.

Now I feel like I am the hamon nitpicker, but the photo makes it look like the hamon fades a bit before the choil.
Click to expand...

Actually the hamon dies in exactly even with the bottom of the ricasso.

I hope to be sending this knife off to several M.S.' soon but will definitely get Coop to shoot it when I can.
 
Very nice looking Blade Stephen :thumbup: :thumbup:

When are you testing ?

Have you done your performance test yet ?

I wish you the best ! FWIW, I don't think you'll have any problems whatsoever :)

One more year for me :grumpy: :grumpy: ;)



:cool:
 
David Wesner said:
Very nice looking Blade Stephen :thumbup: :thumbup:

When are you testing ?

Have you done your performance test yet ?

I wish you the best ! FWIW, I don't think you'll have any problems whatsoever :)

One more year for me :grumpy: :grumpy: ;)



:cool:
Click to expand...

I did my performance test with Burt Foster last Sept

:D:D
 
Stephan, that is a great piece of work! I love your style! As an apprentice you inspire me greatly! With all the the constructive crititcism you have received, I doubt I will ever get to the point to try for JS!

As I see it you are there!

Steve
--------
Potomac Forge
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IN GOD WE TRUST
 
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