Moku-Ti and Black out Damascus

L

Les George

Joined
Aug 22, 2008
Messages
212
Here's a knife I just got done for Blade show, with a new kinda Mokume. A Mokume made out of all Titanium!

Chad Nichols made it and the blade steel. Chad has been workin on this for while and he spoke to Chuck Bybee at Alpha Knife Supply to make sure there was no infringing on their Timascus patent and he (Chuck) assured him that he was not.

I know that several makers have made knives out of this stuff for Blade show, hopefully they will post their knives too.

So far the hardest part has been getting a good picture!

Thanks for looking! :D

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I'm gonna go try to get a better picture... :)
 
I find nothing groundbreaking about Chad Nichols....he makes what I would call "commodity metal". The vast majority of what I have seen is lacking in originality....that said, I look forward to(hopefully) seeing your work at Blade.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Chad Nichols has helped me more than anyone knows. I have been in his shop. He has the best work ethic of any steel maker out there. Just call him. Ask him for a thickness of stainless damascus. I have had up to. 310. Thick. Ask him how to make folders. And Ask if you can get that in 2 days. Groundbreaking dunno. But that dude would break his back for me if I needed something in the morning. As he would for any the manufacturers that use his product daily. Some folks just go get it..
 
Jeremy Horton said:
...Groundbreaking dunno. But that dude would break his back for me if I needed something in the morning. As he would for any the manufacturers that use his product daily. Some folks just go get it..
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Interesting that you choose the word "manufacturers".

A "commodity is a good for which there is demand, but which is supplied without qualitative differentiation across a market. A commodity has full or partial fungibility; that is, the market treats it as equivalent or nearly so no matter who produces it.

I'm not passing an experiential judgement on Chad....I'm sure he makes a great product with great service....but I cannot tell Chad Nichols damascus apart from any number of other makers on the market, vs, say Thomas Damascus BEFORE Rob started making metal...obviously, as Devin taught Rob, it makes it difficult at times to tell patterns like Raindrop or Ladder apart between the two.

The blade shown by the OP displays no unique patterning qualities to me that say "Chad Nichols made this". I had this conversation with a very well known maker the other day....If I am going to pay money for a hand-made, unique product, I want some originality thrown in with it, and the longer I collect knives, the more I see repeated patterns, both in knives and in metals.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I know man. Im just sayin. In the world of damascus. What hasn't been done. I just didn't want people to get that twisted with mediocre or half ass.
 
GTCknives said:
Beautiful Les! How doe the mokuti weights compared to titanium?
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For all practical purposes it is the same, it's CP and 6/4 ti mixed together

Kohai999 said:
I find nothing groundbreaking about Chad Nichols....he makes what I would call "commodity metal". The vast majority of what I have seen is lacking in originality....that said, I look forward to(hopefully) seeing your work at Blade.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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You see lacking in originality, I see classics. Chad makes steel for other people to make knives from. For my money he makes the best stainless damascus you can buy.

He's easily the hardest working damascus maker I have ever met. I need solid dependable people that can consistently preform at a high level with low drama, Chad is the man for that.

Looking forward to you stopping by the table, I welcome the chance to put a face to the posts. Table 19C
 
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neat materials and a very cool knife! I like your work a lot.
 
Awesome Job Les. That knife is outstanding!!!!
I have been building Damascus for about 6 years now, and have seen Damascus from dozens of makers.. Chad builds as fine quality Damascus as anyone I know. The Moku-Ti I just got from him was flawless and made one of the best folders I have built to date!!
 
Love it Les! This one and the Vanquish that Jeremy did with the Moku Ti bolster are my favorites so far. Really nice job on those scales. See ya in less than two weeks buddy!
 
Les George said:
You see lacking in originality, I see classics. Chad makes steel for other people to make knives from. For my money he makes the best stainless damascus you can buy.

He's easily the hardest working damascus maker I have ever met. I need solid dependable people that can consistently preform at a high level with low drama, Chad is the man for that.

Looking forward to you stopping by the table, I welcome the chance to put a face to the posts. Table 19C
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Great thing about what makes a horse race is how people pick the winners.

I know what you are saying about the product/drama....why I do business with Paul Long, Bill's Cases, Devin Thomas Damascus, Alpha Knife Supply, Sheffield's Knife Supply, Bob Crowder, Matt Diskin, Burt Foster, R.J. Martin....

It gets done, right, the first time, with no drama.....I have relationships with these people built up over many years, and they don't disappoint.

Your experiences with the people that you work with will dictate who and how you continue to do business with. I simply made an observation about the steel itself...if it works for you and your customers, more power!

See you at Blade and I really hope I get to see this knife, maybe in the Pit Thursday night, if not, Friday first thing!

PS-Someone just contacted me, and I guess the post was not clear....I was talking about the damascus patterning, not the titanium.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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That is a beautiful knife Mr. George! Beautiful work you did with that material.

I still have not being able to get one of your knives; they are not so easy to come by in Europe.
The work from Chad Nichols is, for me, some of the best you can find in the market. I would definitely like to handle that folder and check the Ti-mascus, unfortunately for me it’s a bit difficult to go to Blade.

I hope you don’t mind, here are two knives made by Jeremy Horton with Mr. Nicols damascus.


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Again, great work on that folder.
 
Wow! That looks outstanding! Wish I were going to Blade so I could get a shot at this one. Outstanding job.
 
Steven Kelly said:
Awesome Job Les. That knife is outstanding!!!!
I have been building Damascus for about 6 years now, and have seen Damascus from dozens of makers.. Chad builds as fine quality Damascus as anyone I know. The Moku-Ti I just got from him was flawless and made one of the best folders I have built to date!!
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Post your pics Mr Kelly! :)
 
Great looking knife Les the Moku-Ti is really good looking stuff and I really like some of you resent flair.

I find some of your comments interesting STeven I have always thought Chad had some pretty unique patterns and he makes sooooo many patterns. As others have noted his steel is very reliable, both in welds and pattern quality. I guess we all have our likes and dislikes or things that catch our eye. Maybe Chad's stuff just does not catch your eye or trip your trigger but to me he has several patterns that have a very unique look. Chad's Raindrop for instants seems to me the most individual of most any of the makers I can think of.

Cordially,
Eric
 
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Nice knife Les. I like the machined curves in the handle. Everything (materials and design) goes together very nicely. :thumbup:

I see no reason to criticize Chad Nichols' work as not "groundbreaking." After all, he did make the titanium mokume -which is something not all damascus steel makers have tried! :thumbup:
 
For a guy who gargles every morning with Tritonal, you make a a damn fine looking knife. Don't care who made the "mascus".

Don't care if it is an original "mascus" pattern or not cause "ground-breaking" is for mules or somebody with a dang big tractor. If the mule breaks a new ground plot today, odds are that if he breaks ground tomorrow, the plow marks wont line up exactly.;)

See ya at Blade.

Robert
 
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