Official THK picture thread

[james terrio]

Hey everyone, I thought it was time to show what I've been up to lately here at Terrio Handmade Knives. This thread will include some real basic WIPs, custom orders, prototypes and an occasional blast from the past. Questions and comments are welcome. If you own a THK and would like to show it off here, be my guest! I love seeing my knives in happy homes... especially when they've been used and beaten up a bit

Here's a little teaser pic from the Table O' Joy... See anything you recognize? Most of these are customs for various BladeForums members. I appreciate your support!

Blast from the past...


Two extremely challenging knives that comprised my first international custom order/sale. Inspired by a video game and built to spec based on screenshots and a fair amount of math. When the client came here looking for someone to make these for him, no other maker on the forum would even touch his idea with a ten-foot pole. I learned a heckuva lot from this job, and I'm very grateful for the experience.

One of the very first THK Sidekicks...

Stay tuned, I'll be adding more pics as time allows.

 

[james terrio]

So, who says you can't get a decent hand-rubbed finish on CPM-3V? I take that sort of thing as a personal challenge

This blade isn't buffed, just hand-sanded to 2000 grit. I like to call this a "silk polish"... still 100% done by hand, just a little bit finer than a typical hand-satin finish.

The client requested mosaic pins on the dyed/stabilized spalted maple he picked out, but I prefer to use mechanical fasteners whenever possible. So I used both.

(Really. It's not a trick... the corby bolts are cut down short and hidden under the mosaic pin "caps" )

All done...

The client wanted a good-size pocket on the front, so we made it the full width of the sheath. Kind of a pain to stitch, but there's room for the firesteel, a sharpening stone, SAK, maybe even a small multi-tool. :thumbup:

 

[james terrio]

The THK 2013-14 World Tour continues! These two customs went to Sweden and Norway, respectively.

CPM-3V bushcrafter with stabilized firgured American walnut and black G1-10 liners. Full axial taper, no plunge. Silk polish and stainless hardware.

O1 camp knife with "ivory" paper micarta and ruby-red G10 liners. Standard full-flat grind. Antique blade finish, distressed leather sheath. The bobcat pawprints on the front required seven individual stampings - each.

A nice variety of grinds, materials and sheath options... These all sold to BFC members... thank you!

Speaking of sheath options... Angie and I recently developed our first ambidextrous 4-way sheath... The knife fits perfectly for either right- or left-handed carry, and the keeper strap can be spun around to open from either the left or right side.

This one (and a couple others) is up for sale in the exchange as we speak...

 

[james terrio]

Some pics of a THK Bushcrafter in its natural habitat, taken by the owner. Thanks vnmm73!

Here's a sort of plain-jane Mini-Bowie. This is a fun pattern to work with; lots of options available on the same basic platform. :thumbup:

This is a little side-project I did for myself; a few mods on a classic Becker BK-5 given to me by a dear friend. Polished and sharpened swedge, figured redwood scales, reground tang and a forward lanyard tube make it just a little different than stock. This excellent design by Jerry Fisk didn't need any work on the grind... it's a great slicer

This new prototype "Fugitive" in Elmax made it back from the Fall 2013 Beckerhead Gathering with no damage. I haven't sharpened it yet, and it got a pretty good workout batonning and whittling red oak for the firepits. Still doing just fine for a little food-prep work. :thumbup: I scaled-up the handle size a bit on this one, and I'm happy to report that both large dudes and petite women found it comfortable. I'm going to be sending this out to another cat for more testing soon...

 

[pertinux]

Rather than rewrite my Strix adventure from scratch, I'll bring this post (located in Traditional) to this grand new venue entire:

James Terrio first came to my attention through his great sense of humor and support of Bladeforums. Looking further, reading through his web site and noting others' reports of their experiences with his work, I decided to contact him once I was ready to order a fixed-blade knife. From the first of our knife-specific conversations, he confirmed my choice.

Starting with, I told him I wanted a no-nonsense, pocketable fixed blade to "cut cheese 'n sticks 'n stuff. Also blue." He met me right there (heh), and came up with this (my first glimpses, for approval before heat treat):

Blade specs: O1 Tool Steel, Full Flat Ground, Tapered Tang, 7 5/16", Swoony Plunge Line
(That last distinctive is my addition to its description; it's a favorite feature.)

Thus was born the Strix.

"Blue" turned out to be a surprising challenge, at least as far as hitting the Easy Button with commonly-available materials. Here's where James especially shone in working with me: he understood that the shade of blue was very important to me (it was, in fact, a primary motivation for going Custom), and was both patient and creative in suggesting materials and/or the staining thereof.

Some of the possibilities (also known as, Rejected Ideas):

(Dymondwood, stained wood, G10)

My own forays:

(Elderberry Corian, MinWax possibilities)

[I cannot overstate Jame's patience and help when it comes to matters of Blue.]

I finally hit upon the idea of Paperstone, based on how much I liked the weight and feel of my Paperstone-handled Buck kitchen knives. After a false start ("Denim" Paperstone turning out to be, for all intents and purposes, "Black"), I was able to locate a remnant of (discontinued-color-)Indigo Paperstone, and we were Good to Go. Huzzah!

(Chocolate-Paperstone-clad Buck knives, Strix, Denim sample, Indigo backdrop)

Meanwhile, back from heat treat on the Table o' Joy-- see it?

And then, The Reveal:

"Pocketable": The tab on the front of the sheath, made by Jame's wife Angie, serves as a push-off point when drawing the knife, and also provides a way to anchor the sheath (whether to a belt loop when the sheath's in my pocket, or within another bag, etc.) The magnet at the sheath's bottom provides extra security-- a very nice touch.

In the most fortuitous of timing, after the months of waiting, my Strix arrived on my birthday-- and this, despite a tracking number that indicated it would miss by two days. The knife arrived just before I left for my birthday dinner, so I have no pictures of its blade "pristine"-- here, it's already had Birthday Steak:

In hand:

In the month since I've had my Terrio knife, I've carried or kept it nearby every day, using it for everything knife-ly that has arisen, from food to fun and back again. I haven't had to try to like it; it's by far the most comfortable knife I've held, and it slices into or through every chosen material with aplomb.

Sticks!

Cheese!

Way-cool O1 patina:

But honestly, one of my favorite things to do with it? Cut newspaper. The grind James put on this knife is a thing of functional beauty. I love how readily the knife cuts through everything I want it to, how instantly it responds to stropping or a light kiss of ceramic. So, I cut sticks 'n cheese 'n stuff, then slice newspaper. Because it's fun.

This is my first-ever custom anything, and I couldn't be more pleased with the process and outcome, from start to finish. James listened to what I wanted (as best I could articulate it, with humor but also with some specific objectives) and created a knife for me that is far better than I knew to ask for. His communication throughout was excellent, including the many ways he reflected back that he understood my concerns/questions/sometimes ridiculously idiosyncratic affection for blue.

Thanks, James.

The Strix over time, and yea unto the present day (yay):

On Mount Washington, NH:

Safely home:

Top 'o the heap, baby.

:thumbup:

~ P.

 

[james terrio]

Cool, thank you!

 

[Ray Settanta]

My Growl

 

[Ray Settanta]

Some more pics.

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

I'll play...custom THK Growl with carbon fiber handles. Same for the fire steel; Kydex sheath by Kiah. Good stuff!

 

[Mack]

I'll play...custom THK Growl with carbon fiber handles. Same for the fire steel; Kydex sheath by Kiah. Good stuff!

Knice.:thumbup: I like that blade a lot.

Ray, I drooled over that one quite a while before you finally got her. Great choice.

 

[1066vik]

Ray - I loved the looks of that Growl when it was up for sale -- nice snag.

Here's the one I got to play with during the Spring Camp Knife Challenge:

 

[Mistwalker]

This one is bad @$$ James! Like several, but reeeeally like this a lot.

So, who says you can't get a decent hand-rubbed finish on CPM-3V? I take that sort of thing as a personal challenge

This blade isn't buffed, just hand-sanded to 2000 grit. I like to call this a "silk polish"... still 100% done by hand, just a little bit finer than a typical hand-satin finish.

The client requested mosaic pins on the dyed/stabilized spalted maple he picked out, but I prefer to use mechanical fasteners whenever possible. So I used both.

(Really. It's not a trick... the corby bolts are cut down short and hidden under the mosaic pin "caps" )

All done...

The client wanted a good-size pocket on the front, so we made it the full width of the sheath. Kind of a pain to stitch, but there's room for the firesteel, a sharpening stone, SAK, maybe even a small multi-tool. :thumbup:

 

[james terrio]

This one is bad @$$ James! Like several, but reeeeally like this a lot.

Thanks! That was a custom order... I still have the pattern, though.

 

[Mack]

Thanks! That was a custom order... I still have the pattern, though.

Yeah, but do you have the wood?

 

[james terrio]

Yeah, but do you have the wood?

Nope, just had that one block. Don't worry, they'll grow more

 

[tradewater]

Some really fine looking blades. That Strix is calling me pretty loud.

 

[james terrio]

Some really fine looking blades. That Strix is calling me pretty loud.

Thank you! There'll be a couple in CPM-154 in the current batch, and a couple in carbon steel (O1 or 52100, probably) in the next batch. Long as they keep selling, I'll keep making more

 

[Mack]

Thank you! There'll be a couple in CPM-154 in the current batch, and a couple in carbon steel (O1 or 52100, probably) in the next batch. Long as they keep selling, I'll keep making more

52100 you say? You have my attention. I love that steel.

 

[james terrio]

52100 you say? You have my attention. I love that steel.

Yeah, it's pretty sweet We couldn't used to get it in flat bar stock, but Aldo worked his magic and has a nice selection. (I get nearly all of my steel from either Aldo at New Jersey Steel Baron or Chuck at Alpha Knife Supply)

 

[Mack]

Yeah, it's pretty sweet We couldn't used to get it in flat bar stock, but Aldo worked his magic and has a nice selection. (I get nearly all of my steel from either Aldo at New Jersey Steel Baron or Chuck at Alpha Knife Supply)

After I said that I went to Aldo's site to see. I've only had forged blades of 52100 so I was kind of stunned when you mentioned it.
It takes such a fine edge, I can't wait to see what it does with your grind.:thumbup: