New skinner...

[Kalindras]

Here's my latest...signals a whole bunch of new stuff for me: Kydex, serrations, ultrasharp. Most, if not all, of this is old hat for most of you guys out there, but it was my first shot at this stuff, and I'm really surprised how well it came out!

First, the specs:

ATS-34, total length, 8-7/8"
Blade length 4-3/8"
Scales are Cocobolo
Pins are nickel

Now, for two too-big pics:

The kydex never would seem to take a good impression with just pressure, so I built a vacuum box (I posted about doing this...then I went and did it!), and that worked like a charm! Not only did it just suck the Kydex right down, but it also held it securely, while I used a heat gun to work around the end, where it forms to the scales.

This is also the first thing I've managed to get "scary sharp." Until now, I figured y'all were just sorta blowing smoke and exaggerating...okay...I was WRONG!! This puppy, after sharpening on a belt grinder and buffing that edge, literally pops the hairs right off of my arm!

Those serrations are hand-filed in, and gad, what a chore! I know it has to wait until AFTER HT, but still... *WHINE*...

Anyway, hope y'all like it...it's off to my neighbour's buddy for deer season, tonight! More on the way, though...I'm finally finishing down a bunch of others, and working on my iron-in-the-hat piece for...whoever!!

 

[Jason Cutter]

Knithe Knife, Kal.

Looks like it will make a great multipurpose hunting / utilitya / camp / skinner. Hang on, didn't I already say multipurpose ? Looks like quite thin stock ATS34 - ? 1/8inch?. Do you do the heat treat yourself ?

I send mine to a professional mob and there's never any warpage and the steel comes back ready to put an edge on and polish to the final finish on the buff.

Interestingly one knife I made as a one-off for a multipurpose camping / skinning knife looks a lot like yours except that the handle contour is a little bulgier and the plunge cut is more defined. I prefer your blade shape though. Its got some interesting curves and things in all the right places.

Nice sheath. Didn't get quite how you do it. Trying hard to imagine it but not there yet.

Did you say you did the filework AFTER Heat Treat ? You ARE Masochistic...

You need to display more of your stuff.

Cheers.