Thanks for taking a look. I just picked up a new custom from a BladeForums member (thanks Mike) and thought I'd practice my photography a little bit. Any photo tips are more than welcome.
This is a Gedraitis Pathfinder with bronze bolsters and thunderstruck Kevlar. One thing I really like about this knife is the combination of materials. Everything just works and the elements look really nice together. I tried to capture the scales but the camera doesn't do them justice. They have a real depth and appeal. The Kevlar almost reminds me of a tweed hunting jacket and the bronze has a richness my "hi tech" knives don't. I put "high tech" in quotes because even though the Pathfinder looks somewhat traditional, the thunderstruck Kevlar is a actually state-of-the art material. It's little grippy and feels warmer and more organic than G-10 or carbon fiber. It's almost closer to linen Micarta. Unlike Micarta, however, Kevlar has a lot of strength and rigidity. The bronze wire adds just a little visual pop without being gaudy. The symbolism is interesting too with bronze, steel, and Kevlar representing the progression from ancient to modern materials for tools, weapons, and armor.
This thing is a work of art but it's also a superb tool. Chuck somehow packed a full 3.5" blade into a 4" handle. When it's open the blade almost seems longer than the handle. The hollow grind is very well executed and while it's not a recurve the slight forward sweep and belly toward the tip makes it slice like one. This style of blade is really the best of both worlds with the benefits of a recurve without the sharpening headache. I don't need every knife to be a flipper but this one is, and it's best-in class. I can't get it to not flip. If you press the tab hard enough to overcome the detent you get a locked knife, every time. This knife has an exposed stop pin which I strongly prefer: it means never having to worry about gunk building up in an internal lock pin and causing a problem. Another subtlety is the balance provided by the bronze bolsters. They don't add much weight to the overall package but they do shift the balance point rearward a little to the bolster. The knife feels extremely quick and lively because it's balance is in the middle. This, combined with the warmth of the Kevlar and glow of the bronze make this knife seem to come alive in the hand unlike any blade I've handled before. So, I have to say "great job Chuck" and "thanks Mike" for the opportunity to own this piece.
This is a Gedraitis Pathfinder with bronze bolsters and thunderstruck Kevlar. One thing I really like about this knife is the combination of materials. Everything just works and the elements look really nice together. I tried to capture the scales but the camera doesn't do them justice. They have a real depth and appeal. The Kevlar almost reminds me of a tweed hunting jacket and the bronze has a richness my "hi tech" knives don't. I put "high tech" in quotes because even though the Pathfinder looks somewhat traditional, the thunderstruck Kevlar is a actually state-of-the art material. It's little grippy and feels warmer and more organic than G-10 or carbon fiber. It's almost closer to linen Micarta. Unlike Micarta, however, Kevlar has a lot of strength and rigidity. The bronze wire adds just a little visual pop without being gaudy. The symbolism is interesting too with bronze, steel, and Kevlar representing the progression from ancient to modern materials for tools, weapons, and armor.
This thing is a work of art but it's also a superb tool. Chuck somehow packed a full 3.5" blade into a 4" handle. When it's open the blade almost seems longer than the handle. The hollow grind is very well executed and while it's not a recurve the slight forward sweep and belly toward the tip makes it slice like one. This style of blade is really the best of both worlds with the benefits of a recurve without the sharpening headache. I don't need every knife to be a flipper but this one is, and it's best-in class. I can't get it to not flip. If you press the tab hard enough to overcome the detent you get a locked knife, every time. This knife has an exposed stop pin which I strongly prefer: it means never having to worry about gunk building up in an internal lock pin and causing a problem. Another subtlety is the balance provided by the bronze bolsters. They don't add much weight to the overall package but they do shift the balance point rearward a little to the bolster. The knife feels extremely quick and lively because it's balance is in the middle. This, combined with the warmth of the Kevlar and glow of the bronze make this knife seem to come alive in the hand unlike any blade I've handled before. So, I have to say "great job Chuck" and "thanks Mike" for the opportunity to own this piece.
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