SS/Carbon San Mai Camp Knife.

[Salem Straub]

Here's my latest, a robust yet dressy camp knife. I would consider it a bit of a tribute to Burt Foster.

The blade is forged from san mai composed of outer layers of 304L stainless steel, with a core of 52100 high carbon alloy. Testing in seasoned hard maple after heat treatment showed that it chops well and retains a good edge, and edge flexing showed that the core is tempered hard yet tough.

The guard is forged from “w's” pattern damascus steel, hardened and tempered, and behind that is a coined spacer made of cymbal bronze.

The handle is shaped from brown canvas micarta, cut from a big thick slab originating from the Boeing surplus store years ago. It's nice material. It is fastened through the tang with a domed pin of silicon bronze.

The balance is about 1.5” in front of the guard, that combined with the bucket-seat feel of the grip makes it an aggressive chopping knife.

The sheath is of my own construction, tooled Hermann Oak with a snap strap for retention.

Specs:
Overall length, 14-1/8”
Blade length, 9-1/8”
Blade width at heel, 1-15/16”
Spine thickness at guard, .215”
Total weight, 15.25 oz.
Max handle thickness, 3/4”

Here's some pics and a video. Enjoy! Thanks for looking.

[youtube]GeHSBSTnwJI[/youtube]

 

[Dawkind]

Exceptional buddy.....I had that set of integral Bog Oak Hunter's out the other day.....always exciting to see what you've come up with.

 

[Scott Hanson]

Excellent knife! I really like the spine shot and that micarta handle is gorgeous.:thumbup:

 

[Lycosa]

One of the nicest!!
rolf

 

[Lorien]

there is a great deal of radness on display here.

 

[Shane W]

Man oh man that's a beauty! Love everything about it, especially that Micarta.

 

[daizee]

Hot damn.

 

[Bigfattyt]

Love it. The laminated steel lines are great, and the guard too, b u to. The aged micarta with the different colors is what finishes the package for me!

 

[Willie71]

The 300 series stainless looks quite different at the transition from the 400 series stainless. I love the knife, but I'm not sure if the 300 series looks as good as the 400 series. Excellent knife regardless on this, and not meant as a criticism in any way.

 

[boshi74]

very nice knife...

 

[Salem Straub]

Thanks for the good words, guys!
Willie, it is true that there is little to no carbon migration effect or "shadow" above the lamination with 304 stainless. Just kind of a matter-of-fact transition.

 

[Wulf]

Really cool knife, Salem! Nicely centered core, wonderful handle contours and that micarta has some really beautiful tones

 

[Mike157]

Part of what draws me to this knife is the well defined, but so artistically done, transition from the 52100 to the 304L. And I just have an affinity for 304L, having worked with it quite a bit in a past life. Mike

 

[Phillip Patton]

Really nice, Salem! The knife and the sheath. :thumbup:

 

[Kohai999]

It's really nice, something that the buyer could appreciate for use or admiration.

Would have like to see it with a thinning on the guard lug and the sheath would have benefited from a cross strap rather than a handle strap imo, but that is splitting hairs in this case.

Well done!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Pavlos]

Nice knife Salem, I like it a lot.

Paul

 

[Willie71]

Thanks for the good words, guys!
Willie, it is true that there is little to no carbon migration effect or "shadow" above the lamination with 304 stainless. Just kind of a matter-of-fact transition.

Must be the effect of the nickel content. Don't get me wrong, I love the knife, but I like the migration look in San Mai.

 

[T.K.C.]

That is a fantastic knife & sheath!!

 

[Redsnake1997]

I love it! Very nicely done and I'll always have a soft spot for that 'old' brown micarta for handle material!!

 

[cbach8tw]

Now that is a knife I would love to have for my camp knife, very nicely done and great colors in the handle.