Cliff- the pictures were really clear on film, but once they are scanned and processed they get a bit fuzzy...as far as blade hardness goes, I do not know. I think you can find that info on Ross' webpage, but I can't be positive it's there. i would have to guess the temper is around 57-60, although I may be completely wrong. The edge is pretty hard, though. As far as having a uniform temper, I found it to be quite well done. Ross uses an actual heat treating oven, so the heating is very consisent.
I probably biased most of my cutting toward the front half of the blade, as this would make sense reach and leverage-wise, but I found no chipping or rolling in any areas. Blade wear, what very little there was, seemed to be uniform as far as I inspected (VERY closely with good lighting and my two eyes).
The handle was very comfy to me. It loosens a bit, but due to the way it is wrapped, it can be tightened or loosened depending on how you like it. The cord was durable and stayed put. It fit my hand really well, and since it is thick cord, it molds to your hand nicely. I was afraid it would be abrasize, but with a little breaking in, the cord softened nicely. This was probably my favorite single feature of the knife next to its ability to perform above expectations.
Rust resistance was good. I did not treat the knife, and I left gunk on it for a couple hours on end with no problems. a little discoloration from the acids in the plant guts, but nothing obvious or unattractive. I rinsed the knife in soap and water and then towel dried it and that's it. No oil or any other product was used to inhibit rust and it is in great shape. The knife is satin finished throughout, and I think a lot of problems with ATS-34 stem from the fact that the blades are usually bead-blasted on "tactical" folders, and I have seen these blades develop rust very quickly.
The grind- the blade is 1/16" throughout, handle and blade, and it is that thick all the way to the edge. The edge bevel is about 3/16" wide, and it is a v-grind right off the 1/16" blade. So, essentially the entire blade is a giant "blade-flat" while the edge is a v-grind with perhaps a little convexity to it, that is 3/16" wide. I don't know if that makes sense, but it's the best I can do. The entire knife is 1/16" thick except for the very edge, which is a v-cut that only takes up a 3/16" border or so along the knife. Maybe that's an even worse description! Somebody help!
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My Custom Kydex Sheath page
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/knifehome.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
On Two Wheels
Link is: http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/aki.html 
