My new EDC

Phillip Patton

Phillip Patton

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
5,343
Every year, I like to make myself a personal knife, to test new designs or steels. Here's this year's knife.

Steel: CPM M4

Hardness: 58-59

Blade length: 3-3/4"

Total length: 7-7/8"

Blade thickness: just over 1/8"

Handle material: Green canvas micarta

This was forged from 2" diameter round stock. The tang taper was forged in, and the blade has a deep, fine hollow grind. This is the first knife like this where I took the grind all the way to the spine. I like it. :)

BTW, I am not taking orders for knives in M4, unless your willing to pay an outrageous amount for it... ;)

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As always, all comments are welcome.
 
JParanee said:
Very nice how does this steel perform
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Well, I think some people have used it to win cutting competitions. It has a lot of vanadium carbides, so it's very wear resistant. It's tougher than M2.
I have a customer who has one that I made for him, and he said he used it for a year or so before it needed sharpening.
Unfortunately, it's a pain to work with, or I'd use it a lot more.
 
That looks real nice, I havent heard much about M4. I would like to hear or read more on it if its as wear resistant as you say it is. Darn its probably a pain to sharpen.
 
Very nice knife. The blade shape is great and the finish on the handles looks tremendous. I have a Tom Krein Ultimate Caper in CPM M4, and the steel gets really sharp with excellent edge retention. I am not sure what the hardness is, but I really like the steel. My knife is a full height hollow grind to a .007" edge (a thiness I requested) and the knife just plain cuts.

Mike
 
thombrogan said:
Love the blade shape and the finish on both the blade and scales.
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Thanks! The scales were buffed, the blade has a scotchbrite belt finish. I tried in the past to put a handrubbed finish on M4, but quickly decided that that wasn't going to work. :eek: :)


barrabas74 said:
That looks real nice, I havent heard much about M4. I would like to hear or read more on it if its as wear resistant as you say it is. Darn its probably a pain to sharpen.
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Here's Crucible's data sheet for M4. They compare it with other high speed steels.

http://www.crucibleservice.com/datash/dsM4v8.pdf?CFID=158143&CFTOKEN=36442473
 
gunmike1 said:
Very nice knife. The blade shape is great and the finish on the handles looks tremendous. I have a Tom Krein Ultimate Caper in CPM M4, and the steel gets really sharp with excellent edge retention. I am not sure what the hardness is, but I really like the steel. My knife is a full height hollow grind to a .007" edge (a thiness I requested) and the knife just plain cuts.

Mike
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Thanks for your input!
I think most people leave it in the 60's, but I wanted it a little softer so I could sharpen it more easily. Also so it would be a little tougher.
 
Looks CLEAN...very nice grind and tapered tang.

I've never had any experience with M4 but it sounds like it will be a great performer.

Peter
 
that is one handy, and well thought out, looking little knife:thumbup:
I also think that bringing the grind all the way to spine was a good move.
Now, for the action shots!
 
Great knife Phillip. I've viewed a number of your hunters here and in the knifemakers area. This one stood out for me right away. I like the full grind and thin taper.

One small comment: I'd suggest a smaller stamp for the steel, more inline with your name on the opposite side.
 
If the knife isn't going to be in the mid-60's of the RC scale, why use such a painful-to-forge and painful-to-finish steel?
 
thombrogan said:
If the knife isn't going to be in the mid-60's of the RC scale, why use such a painful-to-forge and painful-to-finish steel?
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Because it still has lot's of vanadium carbides when it's at 59 RC. Wear resistance is still going to be way higher than O1 or W2.
 
Sounds intriguing. Would you make stock-removal versions for your customers for less-than-outrageous amounts of loot or does high price tag include the pains of finishing and heat-treatment?
 
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