RokJok
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2000
- Messages
- 4,290
Steel: L6
Blade length: 10"
Blade width: a touch under 2" at ricasso
OAL: 15"
Balance point: 1-5/8" in front of handle
Weight: 11 ounces
Handle: leather wrap over leather slabs
The patchy patina on this knife tells that it's already got some livin' on it --- and it wasn't all good.
This is an unusual blade for Michael Rader of Rader Blades Works. Most of his knives are refined works of art that exhibit his considerable skills in woodworking and bladesmithing. I'll never forget the first time he took one of his sword cane blades and bent it back to almost the ricasso. My gut jumped at the shrapnel potential, but Mike calmly smiled and made some comment about the flexibility of spring steel when properly heat treated. I was glad he knew what he was talking about, because that cranked-over blade made me mighty nervous.
This one is a very straightforward, slightly rougher finished, and more purely utilitarian camp knife style blade than his usual fine workmanship. Nonetheless, the semi-pistol grip shape of the handle, its very durable edge, and slightly nose-heavy balance make this one an emminently inviting blade to use for chopping and slicing.
Michael originally made this blade to be used in rope-cutting contests. But before he could use it at a contest, he made a recurve-blade chopper he liked better and this one went on the block. Consequently, I was able to got this one from him at a show last year.
In spite of some rigorous work it's handled since then, I still haven't needed to sharpen it. Part of the patina on the blade came from not being immediately cleaned after getting juiced up trimming a large reed (sort of like cattail rushes) circular gateway for the Nagoshi no O Harai ceremony at the Shinto Tsubaki Shrine in June. The gateway can be seen enclosed in the wooden frame in the picture on this Tsubaki webpage. The day the gateway was constructed, everyone who handled this Rader knife intuitively and irresistibly wanted to go chop something. The balance of the knife and the handle shape beg to be used -- it just screams "Go whack something!!!!" The very low taper angle of the blade geometry and the balance yields great penetration.
When I got this knife from Michael, the edge was slightly toothy, which I prefer over a highly polished edge for general cutting use. It easily earned a spot in our kitchen knife drawer. It's the #1 candidate I reach for when I need a substantial slicer for bustin' up big pieces of meat, chopping veggies, or when I want a highly efficient slicer for tomatoes. In fact, I used it this morning to slice 'n dice onions, green peppers, and tomatoes for an omlette. A few days ago it shone as a slicer for turning some tuna fillets into steaks and a boneless pork loin into chops and tonkatsu slices. Besides being a very efficient chopper for branch lopping and yard work, this knife is gonna remain a kitchen buddy of mine for a long time to come -- I can tell.
Rader Blade Works website: http://www.raderblade.com/
Rader knives at Blade Gallery: http://www.bladegallery.com/knives/maker.asp?code=455&display=Michael+Rader
