Tell me about the new Kabar Dogs Head

M

MarkPinTx

Joined
Aug 21, 2003
Messages
801
Some postings yesterday got me interested in the CSC/Kabar half moon trapper. I dont own a Canal Street example and am nostalgic about the Kabar Dog's Head shield. I see there's no real price premium of the Kabar over the CSC, so my thought is to go with the Kabar. Then I have the choice of the Coppersmith or Reclaimed Chestnut version. Here are my thoughts.

Bolsters- I think the bolsters on the chestnut are SS. Am I correct here? While I like the look of the coppersmith, I am not sure I would love the copper/brass patina much.

Reclaimed Chestnut-As a general rule I prefer jigged bone over wood scales 99 times out of 100 and the Coppersmith scales look pretty cool. But I hear great things about the chestnut

14-4CrMO vs. 440C- I am passingly familiar with 440C from the past. I understand the CSC's come with a pretty decent edge and I probably wont have to mess with it for some time to come. I know jack squat about 14-4.

Is there any reason anyone can think of to go for the CSC branded versus the Kabar with the uber-cool dog's head shield?

Thanks for any thoughts, hopefully this provokes a good discussion.
 
No.

I am weary of the copper as well though as I'm not sure if its solid or plated. In which case the plating could wear off as it has on my other knives from the past
 
I'm pretty sure the bolsters on the CSC are nickel silver, not SS. 14-4CrMO is Latrobe's version of 154CM/ATS-34 so :thumbup: there.

Edit: I gave a way a CSC Half Moon in Reclaimed Chestnut a couple of years ago. At the time, CSC included this with the knives to give some background on chestnut and their source.

Reclaimed American Chestnut​
Chestnut blight caused by a fungus entered the Country on Asian nursery stock imported to New York around 1900. The American Chestnut was highly susceptible, the tree was devastated throughout the natural range, extending over the Appalachians, and highlands from Maine to Georgia. By 1940, three and one half billion American Chestnut trees had perished.

History of the Canal Street Chestnut​
The Hoover barn was located just outside of Hopkinsville, KY. It was built around 1920 and served as an agricultural building unitl the late 1970's when it was deemed too dangerous to house animals or to work out of due to its deteriorating condition.
The Hoovers were an Amish family who had bought the farm after moving there from Lancaster, PA in the 1950's. It was a traditionally framed 20'x42" two story with two 14-foot side shelters. Most of the framing was Chestnut while the siding was a combination of Oak and Chestnut. It was deconstructed in late 2007 and has been used in various projects.
Click to expand...
 
The bolsters & back springs on the CSC Barlow are stainless. I'm not sure about their other patterns.
 
Thanks for the responses so far. Here's what I suspect about the copper. It's not plated, that would be a disaster. Nickel silver is mostly (60% or more) copper anyway, with just enough nickel and zinc (brass is copper and zinc) to make it white and bright. I suspect the copper is just fiddled so it looks more like copper than brass or NS, but has pretty similar properties otherwise. Just wonder if it turns green or just gets dull like say a Buck 110.

Ah thanks for the exposition on 14-4. So ATS34 is Hitachi, 154CM is Crucible, and 14-4CrMO is Latrobe? I had thought maybe it was just a better version of some of the Chinese steels that go by the similar moniker. Is it easier to sharpen than 440C?
 
14-4CrMo sharpens about the same as 440C, as both contain carbides. (This is based on experience, as well as theory. I have a CS half moon in 14-4CrMo)
 
From what I have read they are very similar with 154cm just being able to hold an edge longer than the 440c.
 
Correct on the steels. I haven't had to sharpen them a whole lot as the CSCs are usually very sharp and hold their edge well, especially against the soft things I've cut with them. When I did sharpen, I used DMT stones so it went pretty fast. Usually I just touched the edge up with a ceramic rod.

I'm not sure if the Kabar ones are different but on the CSC one its marked as "Non tarnish 18% Nickel Silver Bolster and Cap" on my CSC dealer's site.
 
Yeah I think it was from the CSC barlow that I got the idea of SS bolster. Neither CSC site nor Kabar state the bolster material on the chestnut.

The responses so far are tilting me toward the chestnut version. Anyone know if it's mark/polish pile/crocus? Not sure I really care, I just find that goofy on a $50+ knife.

Oh and I assume the backsprings on all CSC are stainless? Only Uncle Henrys to my knowledge have stainless blades and carbon backsprings, which sort of defeats the purpose of a stainless blade.
 
MarkPinTx said:
Anyone know if it's mark/polish pile/crocus? Not sure I really care, I just find that goofy on a $50+ knife.
Click to expand...

From a CSC dealer:

Canal Street Knives all have hand~finished, hand-sharpened fine steel blades. Take a close look at their blades. They are either mirror polished on both sides (true of most of their special factory orders (SFOs)), or your blade has two different finishes (all "open stock" items): a mirror polished mark side, and a satin finished pile (back) side - known as a "polished mark side" knife. The Cutlers at Canal Street finish their blades this way intentionally to show you their master craftsmen's mark. Special factory orders of knives are made primarily for the collector (and for dreams of adventure) and so the blade is fully mirror polished, in this case, for show. The factory designed "open stock" have runs of up to 600 (or more) knives, and are provided with the polished mark side, not only as a master mark, but also as proof they are made by hand. You can only get two different finishes on a steel blade when you finish it by hand. Mass-produced blades are vibrated in a vibratory bowl with polishing media "en mass," and the finish on a thus finished knife has to be the same on both sides. A polished mark side is also an heirloom refinement that leaves you a less polished side to sharpen the blade on. Sharpening a mirror finished side, generally speaking, is a more perilous proposition. After sharpening the edge on the satin finish side, we suggest you gently pass the knife to remove any burrs that rose on the mirror finished side.
 
The backsprings on my HMTs are stainless. Again, for CSC's version,

Fine Grained Heritage American Chestnut Wood Handles
Non tarnish 18% Nickel Silver Bolster and Cap
14-4 CrMo** 3¼” Stainless Steel Clip Blade
Polished Mark Side Blade
Slim Stainless Steel Liner and Spring to prevent fatigue
Click to expand...
 
MT Damascus said:
From a CSC dealer:

Canal Street Knives all have hand~finished, hand-sharpened fine steel blades. Take a close look at their blades. They are either mirror polished on both sides (true of most of their special factory orders (SFOs)), or your blade has two different finishes (all "open stock" items): a mirror polished mark side, and a satin finished pile (back) side - known as a "polished mark side" knife. The Cutlers at Canal Street finish their blades this way intentionally to show you their master craftsmen's mark. Special factory orders of knives are made primarily for the collector (and for dreams of adventure) and so the blade is fully mirror polished, in this case, for show. The factory designed "open stock" have runs of up to 600 (or more) knives, and are provided with the polished mark side, not only as a master mark, but also as proof they are made by hand. You can only get two different finishes on a steel blade when you finish it by hand. Mass-produced blades are vibrated in a vibratory bowl with polishing media "en mass," and the finish on a thus finished knife has to be the same on both sides. A polished mark side is also an heirloom refinement that leaves you a less polished side to sharpen the blade on. Sharpening a mirror finished side, generally speaking, is a more perilous proposition. After sharpening the edge on the satin finish side, we suggest you gently pass the knife to remove any burrs that rose on the mirror finished side.
Click to expand...

That's an interesting spin on it. Historically I think it was a cost cutting measure to give a nice shiny finish for display, which rapidly became irrelevant with use and patina. Not sure I buy the bit about sharpening.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top