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- Nov 25, 1999
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<center><font size=3>Tactical Boas from KERSHAW farm.</font></center>
<center><small>part 1 of 2</small></center>
Here are these appealing "snakes" at IWA'2000 with International Knife Award prize in background. This was honestly earned victory in modern high-technology knife award!
<center><a href=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645934&Sequence=0 target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645935&Sequence=0 border="3"></a> <a href=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645938&Sequence=0 target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645941&Sequence=0 border="3"></a></center>
<center><small>please click thumbnails to open enlarged images in separate window</small></center>
As soon as I took these knives into my hands first time I decided I have to have one and I have to write about it. Only problem was which one - black or colored? It was really hard decision... My liking influenced with military past said me "black!" and probably it would be my personal choice. But now I'm not in military and I'm choosing knives not for myself only but fist and foremost as the material for my writing addressed to my readers. So after hard fight with myself I have chose version with satin finished blade and color handle. By the way, nice color composition which associates with sunny day, crystal clear seawater, sandy bed with rocks and seaweed. I named it for myself "diving in Mediterranean Sea".
<center><a href=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645944&Sequence=0 target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645945&Sequence=0 border="3"></a></center>
Well, now let's play a little with this nicely colored "snake".
The blade of CPM 440V stainless steel has 86 mm in length. I couldn't find blade hardness data in technical specification bur I guess it could be hardened to 55-57 HRC like all Kershaw CPM 440V blades. Out of the factory box the blade was sharp but not as sharp as my Avalanche's blade. I could evaluate Boa sharpness as so-so shaving. No problem, less than 1 hour of work with Spyderco Sharpmaker and I created the edge profile clearly according my liking, with hair-popping sharp edge and decent back bevel. So far I didn't perform any edge retention tests. During three weeks I carry this knife daily and I use it for common daily cutting tasks (letter and pack opening, some wood whittling, some cardboard and packing straps etc.) but it still can shave hair on my forearm.
Blade has hollow grind with uneven height along the blade length. This provides some difference in edge thickness, just behind sharpening area the edge is 0,8 mm thick at it's rear recurved part and 0,6 mm thick at the belly area. So we have more steel behind very edge at the area used mostly for powerful cutting due to better leverage. On the other hand the belly used for precise slicing has thinner high performance edge. In my opinion this is a very interesting and useful solution.
Another very interesting thing in Boa blade design is the extension, which works like additional finger guard when knife is opened and serves as "index trigger" when knife is closed. This extension is checkered pretty aggressively in forefinger area as well as thumb rest on the blade spine. I have found this square-shaped pattern a bit too aggressive, former triangular pattern as on Ricochet knife would be quite enough. At least the finger guard is enough large to protect user's fingers from slipping onto the blade even without any checkering.
The handle fits my hand very comfortably in both saber and hammer grip. I never use reversed grip because I do not want to make harm to myself but I must say the Boa handle is very comfortable in reversed grip also. This could be nothing new, all Ken Onion designed knives have very ergonomic handles but Boa handle seems to be clear step forwards in this matter!
<center><a href=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645947&Sequence=0 target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645950&Sequence=0 border="3"></a></center>
Anodized aluminum scales are gently "dot-patterned", then bead blasted and anodized. This provides very pleasant touch to hand and non-aggressive but at the same time very secure grip. As drawback I could mention the lack of lanyard hole. The handle has the string of different diameter holes at the rear part but they all serve for aesthetics only. Please do not confuse them with lanyard hole because they all are crossed with the blade when knife is closed.
Of course the aluminum scales supported with pretty thick steel liners and full-length aluminum back spacer make handle very stiff and non-flexible. BTW, this back spacer is nicely anodized in scale color.
<center><small>to be continued...</small></center>
<center><small>part 1 of 2</small></center>
Here are these appealing "snakes" at IWA'2000 with International Knife Award prize in background. This was honestly earned victory in modern high-technology knife award!
<center><a href=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645934&Sequence=0 target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645935&Sequence=0 border="3"></a> <a href=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645938&Sequence=0 target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645941&Sequence=0 border="3"></a></center>
<center><small>please click thumbnails to open enlarged images in separate window</small></center>
As soon as I took these knives into my hands first time I decided I have to have one and I have to write about it. Only problem was which one - black or colored? It was really hard decision... My liking influenced with military past said me "black!" and probably it would be my personal choice. But now I'm not in military and I'm choosing knives not for myself only but fist and foremost as the material for my writing addressed to my readers. So after hard fight with myself I have chose version with satin finished blade and color handle. By the way, nice color composition which associates with sunny day, crystal clear seawater, sandy bed with rocks and seaweed. I named it for myself "diving in Mediterranean Sea".
<center><a href=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645944&Sequence=0 target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645945&Sequence=0 border="3"></a></center>
Well, now let's play a little with this nicely colored "snake".
The blade of CPM 440V stainless steel has 86 mm in length. I couldn't find blade hardness data in technical specification bur I guess it could be hardened to 55-57 HRC like all Kershaw CPM 440V blades. Out of the factory box the blade was sharp but not as sharp as my Avalanche's blade. I could evaluate Boa sharpness as so-so shaving. No problem, less than 1 hour of work with Spyderco Sharpmaker and I created the edge profile clearly according my liking, with hair-popping sharp edge and decent back bevel. So far I didn't perform any edge retention tests. During three weeks I carry this knife daily and I use it for common daily cutting tasks (letter and pack opening, some wood whittling, some cardboard and packing straps etc.) but it still can shave hair on my forearm.
Blade has hollow grind with uneven height along the blade length. This provides some difference in edge thickness, just behind sharpening area the edge is 0,8 mm thick at it's rear recurved part and 0,6 mm thick at the belly area. So we have more steel behind very edge at the area used mostly for powerful cutting due to better leverage. On the other hand the belly used for precise slicing has thinner high performance edge. In my opinion this is a very interesting and useful solution.
Another very interesting thing in Boa blade design is the extension, which works like additional finger guard when knife is opened and serves as "index trigger" when knife is closed. This extension is checkered pretty aggressively in forefinger area as well as thumb rest on the blade spine. I have found this square-shaped pattern a bit too aggressive, former triangular pattern as on Ricochet knife would be quite enough. At least the finger guard is enough large to protect user's fingers from slipping onto the blade even without any checkering.
The handle fits my hand very comfortably in both saber and hammer grip. I never use reversed grip because I do not want to make harm to myself but I must say the Boa handle is very comfortable in reversed grip also. This could be nothing new, all Ken Onion designed knives have very ergonomic handles but Boa handle seems to be clear step forwards in this matter!
<center><a href=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645947&Sequence=0 target="_blank"><IMG SRC=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=222944&a=5534300&p=24645950&Sequence=0 border="3"></a></center>
Anodized aluminum scales are gently "dot-patterned", then bead blasted and anodized. This provides very pleasant touch to hand and non-aggressive but at the same time very secure grip. As drawback I could mention the lack of lanyard hole. The handle has the string of different diameter holes at the rear part but they all serve for aesthetics only. Please do not confuse them with lanyard hole because they all are crossed with the blade when knife is closed.
Of course the aluminum scales supported with pretty thick steel liners and full-length aluminum back spacer make handle very stiff and non-flexible. BTW, this back spacer is nicely anodized in scale color.
<center><small>to be continued...</small></center>
