New Hunter Design Development

Will York

Will York

Joined
Jan 21, 2000
Messages
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Some of you may remember my posting a custom knife Gayle Bradley created for me two years ago, based on my hunter design. Here's a link to that thread:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/943998-Gayle-Bradley-quot-Competition-Hunter-quot

Happy to report Sal Glesser has picked up the pattern, which Spyderco will market as the Gayle Bradley Bowie.

My knife from Gayle:
IMG_1263.PNG

Spyderco Gayle Bradley Bowie:
SPFB33GPn.jpg

On the production version, G10 scales replace the horse stall mat and bolsters. Rather than Gayle's CPM M4 steel, Spyderco is using PSF27 in this knife, to me a very interesting steel. It's distributed in the US by Specialty Metals LLC, and is produced using Nitrogen as an alloying element which enhances toughness and corrosion resistance, along with 12% Chromium, so should be a super low-maintenance performer with roughly a 90% increase over D2 in BOTH toughness and wear resistance. PSF27 is manufactured using a "Spray Forming Process" which "allows for rapid solidification resulting in materials with a very fine grain and homogeneous structure"--results in "improved toughness, wear resistance, crack resistance, and higher hardness (61 HRC). It also yields more predictable heat treatment." (from Specialty Metals data sheet)

Thought you guys might get a kick out of this--I certainly did! :D

Will
 
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Wow congrats that's something to be very proud of! Hopefully spyderco won't give you trouble when you have all your favorite makers build one. :)
 
Nice feather in your cap my friend :)

Great design and Syderco is one of my favorite knife companies
 
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Very cool, and congrats! I'd like to see them round the point on the butt off, like it is in the original. But that's just me - I have big hands.
 
Thanks a million, guys. I'm excited, and it's fun to share with you after all the warm support I've received over the years on this forum.


jonathan brand said:
...Hopefully spyderco won't give you trouble when you have all your favorite makers build one. :)
Click to expand...

Gayle and Sal were kind enough to discuss design rights with me, and I agreed that Gayle's proprietary changes made it different enough from mine that it's not the same knife I designed. I did get an agreement from them that they assert no claim over my original design, so I'm free to produce it and license that myself if it should ever come to that--no such plans, though. I like what Sal did with the pattern a lot--can't wait to have one in hand. :thumbsup:
 
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Congrats on having your designed picked and produced by the best (imo) production company out there!

I have always liked the threads you've started around this design and loved the collection of makers.

I have had this image saved to my desktop since you posted it and refer to it all the time.



But I have to agree with this statement, for some reason, it kinda bothers me..

Cajun Kamikaze said:
but why name a knife a bowie when it obviously isn't one?
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cool beans, Will!
too bad they had to go put a hole in the blade, though. I don't care if they call it a bowie.
 
Yeah, seems like they stick the term Bowie on all kinds of blades these days, even folders. I'm not sure I even know what it means on smaller knives, but what do I know? And I guess the hole-in-the-blade thing is something Spyderco feels it has to do to maintain the hole's trademark status--there again, I dunno.

ISKski, thank you. That picture shows a lot of what I like about Gayle's version, and from the G10 "strata" showing in the stock photo, I'm hoping they've preserved that handle shape--bulbous toward the rear and flattening out onto the blade at the front. Very comfortable in many different holds, and smooth in transition from one hold to another. :thumbsup:

Another thing I was glad they kept is the little curved underside to the ricasso--kind of a no-choil choil incorporating the front side of the guard. The feeling when you choke up using that nook is very comfortable and secure--feels much like a trigger.

Thanks again for all the warm wishes--you guys are aces, and I really appreciate it.
 
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Will York said:
Yeah, seems like they stick the term Bowie on all kinds of blades these days, even folders. I'm not sure I even know what it means on smaller knives,
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Yep, and it doesn't mean a lot to some, like canuck, but when your origin is the area it was invented and it has such historical presence and significance here in the state of Louisiana, where my mothers heritage originates, and Texas, my fathers heritage originates, it means a lot...
 
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