- Joined
- Oct 29, 2013
- Messages
- 763
I picked up a knife a while back that was made in KY, was clearly of a moderate quality, but when I searched online to find the specs or information about the maker I couldn't turn up anything at all. After about a dozen searches I ended up finding an empty Etsy account by the maker, and sent a message through that. A few days ago I got a reply in my e-mail from the maker with some specs, some additional information, and a name, Andy.
I realized afterward that I wanted to make a post with information about the knife in case someone else picked up a similar knife in the future, especially since I it was so hard for me to pin it down only 2 hours away from the maker's physical location. What have been some of the hardest knives you've purchased to locate information, an origin, or even finding another knife from the same maker? Do you guys still buy some of your customs from local makers, even though the Internet has removed the limitations that lead older generations to buy local? I have always enjoyed buying from In State companies and makers, and I think it's because there aren't a lot of great companies in this state. It might not be as nice as some of the customs I have picked up online, but it's extremely nice compared to some of the things other people around here call knives.
This knife is a small hunting and EDC knife made A.J. Fannin of Wallingford KY. That's all the information I could get from the mark. The handles looked to be made of stabilized wood, the hardware is stainless, and smaller details like the tapered tang, red liners, and the clean and symmetrical plunge lines led me to believe that the knife was made of a quality steel - even though I had no way to know. It had sat in a case at an LGS for nearly a year, so I suspected the steel was a high quality stainless since it did not exhibit any signs of staining or rust. The satin finish made me think it could be S30V, ATS-34, or 154 CM. I know so many local makers like to use old files and lawnmower blades though *shudder*, but I was hoping that the other details that subtley hinted quality would carry over to the steel choice. It was worth a small gamble in my opinion.
After hearing from the maker, I found out that he did all the work in house (heat treat, grinding, etc.) and the handles were a stabilized walnut out of his grandpa's wood working stash that he sent off to get stabilized himself. The steel was CPM's CM 154, and he knew everything about the knife without even seeing it.
Specs
Mark: A.J. Fannin , Wallingford Ky.
Blade Length: 4.25" (from top of guard)
Handle Length: 5.25" (from top of guard)
Blade Width:1"
Blade Thickness: 3/16"
Handle Material: Stabilized Walnut w/ Red Liners
Blade Steel: CM 154
Hardware: Stainless pins and guard
Grind: Hollow Grind
Features tapered tang and convexed tip.
Here are some photos
I realized afterward that I wanted to make a post with information about the knife in case someone else picked up a similar knife in the future, especially since I it was so hard for me to pin it down only 2 hours away from the maker's physical location. What have been some of the hardest knives you've purchased to locate information, an origin, or even finding another knife from the same maker? Do you guys still buy some of your customs from local makers, even though the Internet has removed the limitations that lead older generations to buy local? I have always enjoyed buying from In State companies and makers, and I think it's because there aren't a lot of great companies in this state. It might not be as nice as some of the customs I have picked up online, but it's extremely nice compared to some of the things other people around here call knives.
This knife is a small hunting and EDC knife made A.J. Fannin of Wallingford KY. That's all the information I could get from the mark. The handles looked to be made of stabilized wood, the hardware is stainless, and smaller details like the tapered tang, red liners, and the clean and symmetrical plunge lines led me to believe that the knife was made of a quality steel - even though I had no way to know. It had sat in a case at an LGS for nearly a year, so I suspected the steel was a high quality stainless since it did not exhibit any signs of staining or rust. The satin finish made me think it could be S30V, ATS-34, or 154 CM. I know so many local makers like to use old files and lawnmower blades though *shudder*, but I was hoping that the other details that subtley hinted quality would carry over to the steel choice. It was worth a small gamble in my opinion.
After hearing from the maker, I found out that he did all the work in house (heat treat, grinding, etc.) and the handles were a stabilized walnut out of his grandpa's wood working stash that he sent off to get stabilized himself. The steel was CPM's CM 154, and he knew everything about the knife without even seeing it.
Specs
Mark: A.J. Fannin , Wallingford Ky.
Blade Length: 4.25" (from top of guard)
Handle Length: 5.25" (from top of guard)
Blade Width:1"
Blade Thickness: 3/16"
Handle Material: Stabilized Walnut w/ Red Liners
Blade Steel: CM 154
Hardware: Stainless pins and guard
Grind: Hollow Grind
Features tapered tang and convexed tip.
Here are some photos
