Rockstead KON-ZDP question

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LINESIX

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Jun 10, 2017
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I was looking at some high end fixed blades online for a little inspiration, and I came across the Rockstead KON-ZDP. Though it is WAY out of my budget, I became very interested in it's design and cant figure out whats going on with the construction of it.

It is classified as a full tang knife. However, the steel doesnt show on the spine of the scales. This makes me think it is some kind of fixed/hidden tang hybrid. It looks like a hunter configuration, but if it truely is a fixed blade, how do you think they went about putting the single piece hand guard on? Is it simply machined so well that the seam between the two bolster pieces is invisible? Also, there are no exposed pins visable holding the scales in. It doesnt appear to be a mortise tang, but maybe the pictures I saw didnt have the lighting good enough to tell.

Anyway, I thought it was interesting and want to hear if you guys have any knowledge on the matter
 
One of my Rocksteads appear to have the wooden scales attached with some pressure fitting and some sort of epoxy. I wouldn't be surprised if the Kon used some epoxy as well. If you look closely you can see the end of the tang peeking out at the bottom of the handle forming a lanyard hole.
 
LINESIX said:
I was looking at some high end fixed blades online for a little inspiration, and I came across the Rockstead KON-ZDP. Though it is WAY out of my budget, I became very interested in it's design and cant figure out whats going on with the construction of it.

It is classified as a full tang knife. However, the steel doesnt show on the spine of the scales. This makes me think it is some kind of fixed/hidden tang hybrid. It looks like a hunter configuration, but if it truely is a fixed blade, how do you think they went about putting the single piece hand guard on? Is it simply machined so well that the seam between the two bolster pieces is invisible? Also, there are no exposed pins visable holding the scales in. It doesnt appear to be a mortise tang, but maybe the pictures I saw didnt have the lighting good enough to tell.

Anyway, I thought it was interesting and want to hear if you guys have any knowledge on the matter
Click to expand...
29-rockstead-kon-zdp-209.jpg


It's 2 scales that are just fit very well. You can see a bit of the seam on the butt here.
 
Blues Bender said:
One of my Rocksteads appear to have the wooden scales attached with some pressure fitting and some sort of epoxy. I wouldn't be surprised if the Kon used some epoxy as well. If you look closely you can see the end of the tang peeking out at the bottom of the handle forming a lanyard hole.
Click to expand...

I thought just an epoxy bond at first, but I assumed that it is more than just that holding the scales in place considering it's a $3000 dollar knife. That being said, most people wouldn't put a high dollar blade like the Kon through any sort of abuse that would cause epoxy to fail. I saw the cutout for the lanyard hole. The thing that is baffling me more than not being able to see the spine from the top or bottom is the guard.
 
Sorry, I hit submit before I was done. The thing that I'm having a hard time figuring out is how they got the guard on. I dont think I've seen a full tang with a single piece guard. If I have, I definitely didn't think too much about it. I have a hard time visualizing pieces of things coming together, so maybe I'm just being slow and it's really not anything special. Lol.
 
They probably slip the guard on from the bottom of the tang. I have a fixed blade with a single piece guard and it was just slipped on and soldered into place.

Some epoxies are pretty strong and I wouldn't hesitate to use a knife that uses it. Rocksteads are usually pretty intricate on the inside so I would safely bet that there's something inside that's holding it all together securely.

On my Higo, the wood is press fit into the steel liners and are also epoxied in. Those suckers aren't moving!

IMG_0274.JPG
 
LINESIX said:
I thought just an epoxy bond at first, but I assumed that it is more than just that holding the scales in place considering it's a $3000 dollar knife. That being said, most people wouldn't put a high dollar blade like the Kon through any sort of abuse that would cause epoxy to fail. I saw the cutout for the lanyard hole. The thing that is baffling me more than not being able to see the spine from the top or bottom is the guard.
Click to expand...

If one day Rockstead decide to make this knife in full height convex grind ............:)
 
LINESIX said:
Sorry, I hit submit before I was done. The thing that I'm having a hard time figuring out is how they got the guard on. I dont think I've seen a full tang with a single piece guard. If I have, I definitely didn't think too much about it. I have a hard time visualizing pieces of things coming together, so maybe I'm just being slow and it's really not anything special. Lol.
Click to expand...
Gard is mount from the backside of tang .Same way as we make hidden tang knives .Wood is two piece and glued together....probably this way handle have more strength then normal hidden knive handle . .. . I think that I will make one knife this way.

E8bMtLL.jpg
 
Natlek said:
It is pretty , and that convex grind is simple unreal.............. I have never seen grind like that on any other knife :eek:
Click to expand...

It's a very pretty nice, though I'm mystified at why you'd be impressed by a convex grind. Putting a convex edge on a knife isn't all that tricky, or am I'm missing some ancient samurai magic they imbue their convex edges with?
 
evilgreg said:
It's a very pretty nice, though I'm mystified at why you'd be impressed by a convex grind. Putting a convex edge on a knife isn't all that tricky, or am I'm missing some ancient samurai magic they imbue their convex edges with?
Click to expand...

The grinds are impressive, IMO. I love the two that I own.

I won't deny that they are ridiculously expensive, but we all can spend our money in ways we enjoy;)

IMG_0299.JPG

IMG_0296.JPG
 
No doubt about it that rockstead knives are beautiful. I know a guy in russia that can get the same results for far less. Don't know about sharpening to the same level.

I'd be willing to bet that some companies can do it in the US, too, if someone were inclined to look.
 
Natlek said:
If one day Rockstead decide to make this knife in full height convex grind ............:)
Click to expand...

Ive seen that video. It's really a work of art. I'm a big sucker for two-toned finishes. I don't even like most polished blades, but this is one of the few that makes me drool a little.

Natlek said:
Gard is mount from the backside of tang .Same way as we make hidden tang knives .Wood is two piece and glued together....probably this way handle have more strength then normal hidden knive handle . .. . I think that I will make one knife this way.

E8bMtLL.jpg
Click to expand...

I figured that it was put on like that, but it looks wider in the back than the front where the guard is seated. So in my mind that would leave a gap on the guard piece. Again, it's probably my mind making this more complicated than it really is. Haha.

Blues Bender said:
They probably slip the guard on from the bottom of the tang. I have a fixed blade with a single piece guard and it was just slipped on and soldered into place.

Some epoxies are pretty strong and I wouldn't hesitate to use a knife that uses it. Rocksteads are usually pretty intricate on the inside so I would safely bet that there's something inside that's holding it all together securely.

On my Higo, the wood is press fit into the steel liners and are also epoxied in. Those suckers aren't moving!

View attachment 1010982
Click to expand...


Brilliant point. I didn't even take soldering into account. I'm going to go with that.... mystery solved. Beautiful folder. Can you post one of it assembled?
 
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