Kephart Design Thread

pitdog said:
I'm afraid that design does nothing for me and I can't see how it could compete with the current versions when it comes to cutting wood.
IMO Stomper is the current Kephart king in much the same way that Andy ( Fiddleback ) is the Nessmuk king, however I love the way that each maker brings subtle parts of their own style into each version.
This version by Charlie Ridge really caught my eye and for some reason it is my favourite so far from a visual point of view !
kniveS252000225202528Small2529.jpg
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I like where the edge starts on that knife. With the kephart design its hard to make anything but a sharpened spearpoint blade without anything interesting on it. It may be neat to start at the spot where this guy did, giving some flavor to it. Maybe more of a utilitarian point though.
 
Fiddleback said:
Ain't gonna happen. I did a choil once. Once.
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My father hung me on a hook once. Once!

Haven't watched Johnny Dangerously in a long time.

I think the problem with Kepharts is that there's not much beauty in their design (the beauty's in how it works). Seems like the custom bushcrafters out there are an evolution of the Kephart that's much more aesthetically pleasing, and probably more functional, than the original. If you're shelling out money on a custom, you want something that's a thing of beauty. That being said, if anyone can make one of those butt ugly Kepharts beautiful, it's Andy.
 
We'll see. I'm going to make 10 like the drawing.
 
I've been struggling with a kephart for a while. I want to do the mortised tang, and give it about 4.5 on the handle and 4 on the blade. The basic bluntish spearpoint isn't such an issue, it's the mortising. I want to rig a way to do it with minimal time so I can sell them at prices that fit with the kephart idea. If I can find a 3.5 inch circular saw with the right kerf, I can do it, I think.

Your version looks fine to me, but I agree, I haven't seen the creative feel in making one yet.
 
koyote said:
I've been struggling with a kephart for a while. I want to do the mortised tang, and give it about 4.5 on the handle and 4 on the blade. The basic bluntish spearpoint isn't such an issue, it's the mortising. I want to rig a way to do it with minimal time so I can sell them at prices that fit with the kephart idea. If I can find a 3.5 inch circular saw with the right kerf, I can do it, I think.

Your version looks fine to me, but I agree, I haven't seen the creative feel in making one yet.
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Have you seen hou Oupa does hidden tangs?? Its pretty easy. You know where to search.
 
it is easy, I've seen that. Might end up doing it that way. I was trying to work it out to use a single piece of wood with a semi-mortise, so the spine shows on the top going back 3.5 inches. Technically that's a partial tang, but it's enough that I wouldn't worry about strength with the 3 pins in.

We'll see how it goes.... eventually. I'm working on a bunch of boning knives right now, and more of my regular stuff.
 
I've done a lot of hidden tangs without any pins at all, and I don't find it to be a fragile knife at that size.
 
bearthedog said:
The kephart design knife is this.
kephartoriginal.jpg
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Interesting. Are there any writings or documentation from Kephart himself that he designed or used this particular style of knife, beyond his name appearing on some company's ad? :confused:

The only "Kephart Knife" I have ever seen any sort of documentation of is the design he illustrated in his book Camping and Woodcraft, which looks nothing like that, and in fact is a pretty good match for the Marble's Woodcraft design (sans finger guard).

pitdog said:
I'm afraid that design does nothing for me and I can't see how it could compete with the current versions when it comes to cutting wood.
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Which is probably why Kephart recomended and carried a small axe, too. ;)
 
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