The Incredible New Hossom Duelist! With pics of my tests!

G

Gaucho

Joined
Oct 19, 1999
Messages
418
Greetings All,

My review of Jerry Hossom's tremendous new fully-guarded fighting bowie- the Duelist- can be found at

http://www.jamesakeating.com/maajak1.html.

For the first time, I was able to digitally photograph the results of several of my tests. Please let me know what you think.

Many, many thanks to Jim Keating for all the time and effort it took to format such a long article.

Mario
 
Stunning performance by all three--the knife and both its masters. Congratulations to Jerry for having the inspiration and talent to bring it into the world and to Gaucho for bringing its potential to life for us. I've always wished I could see the results of your bladework, Mario. Thank you very much for those photos. They provide eye-opening documentation of both your talent and a great blade.

Bravo! Encore!

--Will

PS--I think I now have a better understanding of the basis for an old Tex-Mex border saying: "No me chinges--me llamo Dominguez."
 
Great review and great photos!

I knew this knife was something when I first saw a photo of it in Jerry's gallery.

I'm sorry I don't have the money for one this year.

This summer I received a Hossom Millenium Bowie in CPM 3V, purchased on the strength of Gaucho's review on this forum last year. In its Sandy Morrissey sheath, it is the prize of my small collection. I was only able to handle my Millenium Bowie at home in Hawaii for a couple of days before returning without it to Japan, where blades are restricted; and was unable to do really fun cutting tests, nor have it ready for home defense.

The Millenium Bowie allowed me to do things I've never done with a blade (including khukuris), such as cleanly slice aluminum cans, and leave them standing with water in them.

See my own amateur efforts at:

http://photos.yahoo.com/etaka

Thanks Gaucho, and thanks Jerry!

Eric
 
I was impressed when I saw that knife and got to pick it up and feel it in my hand.

I'm more impressed now that I have seen what it is truly capable of.

Will, LOL!!!
 
Eric,

That's some nice cutting :) .

Blues,

Were you at Blade? I'm sorry that we didn't have a chance to meet. Maybe next year.

Mario
 
Originally posted by Gaucho
Blues,

Were you at Blade? I'm sorry that we didn't have a chance to meet. Maybe next year.

Mario
Click to expand...

Yes, I've gone the last three years. I spent some time at Jerry's table agonizing over one piece in particular. He knows which one. ;)

It'll be a pleasure to meet up next year. I plan on dragging Will York to that one!!! :D

Keep up the good work.
 
Lamb for dinner again? :D

Great review as usual. I got to drool over the Duelist at Blade. Love the burled handle. As beautiful as it is, it must be handled to be truly appreciated.

When can I order mine? Jerry? :D
 
Originally posted by Gaucho
You had to have made that line up:D.
Click to expand...

Believe it or not, that's a well-known saying (within a rather esoteric inner circle) attributed to a certain powerful district court judge in Hidalgo County, Texas some years ago.

Originally posted by Blues
I plan on dragging Will York to that one!!!
Click to expand...

Great minds always think alike. I'd be honored to hook up with both you guys. Maybe we can lean on Jerry to give us a group discount?

Hey, Bronc--you in?

-w
 
Mario, thanks once more for making one of my blades all it can be. There is just no way I could deliver the skill, speed and power necessary to test a knife as fully as you can and do. What you did to the rattan surprised me, and that you used the backcut for the lamb added a dimension I hadn't anticipated but you proved something I had wondered about. That secondary edge was ground with a 3" contact wheel so I could create a more effective, and less wedge-like, cutting edge for backcuts. The deeper grind (tighter radius) achieved that, but I had no way of really testing it, since an effective backcut is an acquired skill I lack. Clearly, you've made the backcut as effective as a forward cut, and I have to believe that's a deadly capability in an encounter.

The coconut test caught me a little off guard (you usually think of something that does) and I've had to think about the results. I have no doubt that a fine, flat ground blade would slice right through the coconut, wereas the hollow ground blade will not, due to the top on the grind acting as a brake when it hits the hard outer surface. Depending on the angle of attack that could also cause the blade to deflect, thus causing it to lop off a piece rather than passing through. The obvious solution to that problem is to do what knifemakers work very hard to avoid, rounding over the grind line so it offers less resistance to penetration. I'll have to think about that; unfortunately it makes too much sense for me not to try it sometime - however ugly that might be.

The suggestions for improvement you've made are pretty easy to accomodate, and are things which can be done on any knife to suit the individual user.

Once again Mario, an outstanding piece of work and excellent writing.

I'm also extremely grateful to Jim Keating for so prominently displaying the link on his website. In the world of fighting bowies, Jim is the undisputed master and his encouragement is a huge boost to my efforts.

Thanks to all.

Yes, Blade 2002 should be a whole lot of fun!
 
Steve- To tell you the truth, I'm sick of lamb! But fortunately, the next door neighbor's Lab has developed quite a fondness for it :D .

Will- My mom thought that 'No me chingas...' saying was absolutely hilarious. I'll have to tell her that you didn't make it up and how it came about.

Jerry- You're more than welcome, My Friend. Its always an honor and a joy for me to work with you.

Personally, I thought that the coconut test went extremely well. I never expected that the Duelist would split a coconut like a machete- that's just not what it was designed to do. But, the results clearly show how devastating strikes to the head can be with a good bowie.

There is no question that the spine of the blade, which flares out abruptly from the deep hollow grind behind the edge, acts as a brake. You and I have experienced this phenomenon before with your fighting blades when I've cut other wide dense targets such as boards or plywood. It would be very interesting to see what rounding the hollow grind/spine transition buys us. I've never asked you to do this because I knew how much it would shock your delicate artist's sensitivities :).

From the point of view of a knifefighter, however, the above would be purely icing on the cake. the Duelist and your other fighting blades are highly evolved to cut flesh and bone, not coconuts or trees or sheets of 3/4" exterior grade plywood. The very reason for putting such a deep hollow grind behind the edge is to 1. decrease the overall weight of the knife as much as possible while still maintaining ideal balance and momentum, and 2. to minimize friction as the blade moves through the sticky, clingy, sucking medium that is flesh. And your hollow grind accomplishes these goals to a faretheewell. Your blades move through a leg of lamb or a shank of beef like its not even there. No flat ground or convex ground blade that I have tested can do that- they simply have more blade material behind the edge, contacting the meat, and slowing the blade.

I can't wait to see everyone at Blade 2002. Its gonna be a great time :).

Mario
 
Congratulations to all involved- fantastic review, great pic's, incredible blade! Okay, I'll be the one to ask. Can somebody tell this poor Swede from that "other" Duluth, up near that "other" border what Will's qoute says? Thanks!:D
 
Well, it won't rhyme in English, but it's essentially:

"Don't f#@k with me, my name is Dominguez."
 
Great review, thanks for the effort! I've had my eyes on Jerry's knives for a while, I definitely must own one.
 
Richard and Joe,

I'm glad you liked the article. Let me tell ya, the testing was fun :D .

Mario
 
Mario,

Another beautiful write-up and thorough test.

Jerry, congrats on your continuing development of MBC ware.

sing
 
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