Photos Kepharts...They just Work

I've got a few in here of different sizes.

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22-rimfire said:
Uncle Timbo, I have read a couple of the Horace Kephart books and keep going back to Camping & Woodcraft to browse. I seldom read a book like that cover to cover. I particularly enjoy the descriptions of "how it was" in the early 1900's in a fairly remote place along the edge of the present Great Smoky Mt NP. There was no electricity in rural areas. Things didn't really change until the horseless carriage appeared and mostly wealthier people would have them until the Model T came out. Life in that area probably hadn't changed at all since the civil war.

I think when Kephart saw all the logging going on is when he decided to support the national park thing. The early 1900's (late 1800's) is when all the clear cut logging was going on and by the early 1900's it had made it's way south from New England area into the Blue Ridge. Growing up in PA, the state purchased a lot of old timbered off land and made them into state game lands in the early 1900's. That was quite a good investment for them!

The Kephart knife is meant to be a daily user rather than some brut knife. Use would be for everything from woodcraft to kitchen duty to skinning and dressing animals. Depending on where you are in WV, it could be used similarly. I used to live in Eastern KY and have an appreciation for the ruggedness of the WV mountains.

I am looking forward to my Becker Kephart, I guess in January. I ordered and missed the first cut. Decided to just go with the flow and wait until the next batch are released by Kabar. The Becker Kephart is precisely what I have been looking for.... simple knife, 1095, no painted blade, walnut handle, and simple leather sheath.

I know Kephart wrote for magazines but I have never seen any kind of reproduction or collection of those articles. I would love to see such.
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22Rimfire - I hope to catch up with you in reading. Sounds like you could go on Jeopardy and say, I'll take Horace Kephart for $500 Alex.
Ironically, I'm sure you could go up some of the hollars in WV and find people living in dirt floor shacks without electricity. Yet today. Dirt poor? It's a sad thing. But it's life in Appalachia. Those same people know how to survive. I grew up in southern WV and was raised on brown beans and cornbread. And yes, we lived up a hollar.
Enough of the trip down memory lane. Did I mention I love Kepharts?
 
You anywhere close to New Graham knives? Been to that store once and really enjoyed it. Spent a fair amount of money on that visit. That is where I purchased my first Becker (BK-2) along with a really nice Fallkniven F1.
 
hiwa said:
Uncle Timbo , who makes the one in your first post ?'
Sure looks nice. I've been searching for a 4 1/2"-5" Kep with micarta handles for a while
that has a handle close to the original.

The Becker 62 would be perfect for me, except it has wood handles which I generally avoid.
Had it came with micarta or G-10 , I'd order a few for sure.

Considering the BR at the moment , but they are expensive.
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Hiwa - the Kephart styled knife in the first pic was made by Aaron of Gray Wolf Knives. The slabs are canvas Micarta that I actually supplied Aaron with. Not that he doesn't have any, but I traded with Nathan the Machinist years ago and acquired that Micarta. I think it was before Nathan became as famous as he is now. :)
 
I have a question, out of all the makers out there who currently make a Kephart type knife, who's is closest to the original?
 
Uncle Timbo said:
I have a question, out of all the makers out there who currently make a Kephart type knife, who's is closest to the original?
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Production, Becker. I know there were a few custom makers that were doing the double-convex thing (edge, and spine) but I never remembered the names. The LT Wright models are very different, especially in the handle design. It helps that Ethan has an original to work from for inspiration and then how to make that happen within modern manufacturing method restrictions, since the originals were hand forged.
 
Uncle Timbo said:
BE - as I stated earlier in this thread, I was formerly a one or two in guy, one out. But I think there might be a Becker Kephart in my future.

Has anybody seen this maker, Glen Brooks? This was one of the first Kepharts I saw that got me hooked.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.thetruthaboutknives.com/2013/03/project-kephart-part-1/amp/
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I watched the video. Brooks's knife looks to be a full flat grind. The Colclesser Kephart has a blade cross section the resembles a Spitzer Boat Tail bullet. That is, asymmetrically convex from an off center midpoint along the length of the blade. I have been researching them extensively.
 
marchone said:
I watched the video. Brooks's knife looks to be a full flat grind. The Colclesser Kephart has a blade cross section the resembles a Spitzer Boat Tail bullet. That is, asymmetrically convex from an off center midpoint along the length of the blade. I have been researching them extensively.
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I don't think I could maintain that kind of an edge.
 
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