KPH/Sarge knife "Woodsrunner" style

[Sylvrfalcn]

Some time back I picked up a villager version of the Kismet Practical Hunter, aka Sarge knife. No disrespect to Bura, who forged it, but the dang thing showed up rough as a cob, I mean homely. Knives like that are a treasure to me, they practically beg you to pick up some tools and have at 'em.

No, I didn't pretty it up with a nice polish or twenty eight coats of Tru-oil, not a good thing to do to a knife meant to see mud and blood. All I did was whittle on the handle a bit, cut off that silly little guard (I know some of y'all like guards, but to me they're just an aggravation on a knife that small). Then I took the blade to my grinder, thinned it out a skosh, and changed it from a sabre grind to a full convex (holy cow does this thing cut ). I didn't like the sharpened false edge, so I knocked it down dull (in some cuts I like to choke up my grip and place my index finger along the spine of the blade, so yeah, the guard thingy and sharpened false edge had to go).

Figured while I was at it, might as well give it a proper backwoods sheath, so it got a dangler of veg tanned cowhide with an inner scabbard of wet molded rawhide. Sweet little knife, still kind of homely, but that's fine considering it's owner is kind of homely anyhow.

Sarge

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Very, very cool! I really like the mod to a full convex grind on it, and the way you took the false edge down on top. I betcha that knife just begs to go places!

which reminds me....with all the nice blades you make floating around the house, how the heck do you ever pick one for a casual day of woodsloafing?

I really, really love the sheath. Probably because it's absolutely identical to the way I make most of mine. Very simple, and nice to carry. matter of fact that's what I carry my EDC in. It swings comfortably when I'm muckin' 'round the yard and getting in and out of the truck but tucks nicely into the backpocket (and under my flanel) when I go into the bank.

nice work as usual!

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

which reminds me....with all the nice blades you make floating around the house, how the heck do you ever pick one for a casual day of woodsloafing?

Oh, that's simple enough (I like simple). The one at the bottom of this pic is my EDC (4 1/4" blade), and the second one from the top is my "Camp Knife" (6" blade). Don't get much simpler than them two, now does it?

Sarge

 

[Nasty]

I saw one of Sarge's little knives...*very* nice second life for an old file indeed!

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

I saw one of Sarge's little knives...*very* nice second life for an old file indeed!

Knowing how sharp Yvsa keeps his knives, I hope you handled it carefully.

Sarge

 

[Fiddleback]

Yep. I have modified all my Sarge knives too. Great design Kis. Dick (Sogguy) has the best luck with Sarge knives. He has sent me three for sheaths, and they are all a step above and beyond mine. I wouldn't have messed with them. Mine, on the other hand, just begged for rehandling. And boy was that ever fun.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I reallly like the EDC. looks lightweight crazy sharp, and definitely uncluttered. Looks like it would carry/conceal nicely.

I've got a very similar one I've been tinkering with off and on for awhile. Maybe I'll go ahead an' wrap 'er up.

Course on the other hand the wife and I are trying to do all handcrafted items for Christmas this year, so I've got at least three or four knives to make for other folks right now. my first two fishing knives, an Ulu, and hopefully a Sgian Dubh....

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

I reallly like the EDC. looks lightweight crazy sharp, and definitely uncluttered. Looks like it would carry/conceal nicely.

I've got a very similar one I've been tinkering with off and on for awhile. Maybe I'll go ahead an' wrap 'er up.

Course on the other hand the wife and I are trying to do all handcrafted items for Christmas this year, so I've got at least three or four knives to make for other folks right now. my first two fishing knives, an Ulu, and hopefully a Sgian Dubh....

I really like knives like the bottom two in that picture, big enough to peel potatos, slice up salt pork, clean fish, skin the occasional rattlesnake , or even cut up a bunch of 1" manila rope using a cutting block and baton. Conversely, they're small/light enough to carry all day, every day, and no more obtrusively than your wallet or car keys. In a dangler scabbard, tucked down into my right front pocket, even in a T-shirt and shorts (my usual attire), you would literally have to pat me down to figure out I was carrying a knife.

They're also the essence of simplicity to make. Just an eight inch mill bastard file, a couple of slabs of wood, some epoxy, and some 1/8" brass rod (brazing rod is the cheapest) for pins. The blade design is so simple as to be considered the quintessential representation of a basic knife. Look how the spine drops almost imperceptably to the point. What you're looking at there is the original curvature/taper of the file, nothing need be done beyond grinding the teeth off to get that. The cutting edge is straight and sharp, curving gently up to meet the point, again, simple as dirt. Where the real cutting power comes in, is in the full width taper, gently convexed, blade grind. Happy news, this grind profile is almost a natural for rookie blade grinders. If you don't know what you're doing, you simply ain't going to be able to produce a true flat grind, hollow grind, scandi-bevels, etc., but I've had several students with zero experience produce convex grinds with little or no problem. A bit thicker than I'd do 'em, and not enough taper/thinness just back of the edge to suit me, but they'll get there with a bit of practice.

Yessir, true EDCs. 99% of the time, you don't really need a big knife, just one that's "big enough". That six inch blade camp knife (second from the top) was made using exactly the same approach, just produced from a larger (10 inch) file. So, if you really do want something bigger, it ain't hard to "super size" 'em. Such a simple design, but oh so useful, the little eight inchers would make good neck knives, patch knives, or "souped up" paring/kitchen utility knives. Maybe I'll do a tutorial on the silly things, and y'all will be tempted to try one yourself. Just don't expect any bells, whistles, gimmicks, or gadgets, I'll sic the dog on such foolishness as that.:grumpy:

Sarge

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I'll start from scratch on the next one.

Mine was originally a Black & Tan from Chiro 75- the first one he'd done infact, with a 5'' blade. Eventually I became dissatisfied and removed the cord wrap. I've got a bit of finishing to do, but so far it's looking much better with purple heart wood and some stainless steel pins. Wish I could take a pic to show ya', but I'm fixing to catch my plane to work. (hopefully just one more week to finish this hitch though!)

Take care!