The transformation/WIP pics: Crusader Forge fixed blade

[REK Knives]

So I had a forum member send in a Crusader Forge fixed blade for a complete makeover. It was amazing to me that this thing was called a knife in the condition it was in lol. The edge was so thick and steep that a sharp axe would have out performed this easy, even if it was "sharp". The edge was about .100" thick at the shoulders of the edge and about 30 dps. I left the tip a little bit thicker after the regrind for prying strength. This was done with two colors of Cerakote: Jesse James Cold War Grey and Zombie Green. I added the toxic/zombie green liners as well, then did all the contouring after. Oh, and I don't do scale work btw... this was a one off. Enjoy!

Photo background in the final pics is courtesy of MMans0311, a one off USMC knife burrito!

First up: got the liner material in! Toxic green g10

Next, I disassembled the blade and laid out the existing scales on the new g10 and traced them out.

Then I cut them out and sanded everything flush:

Time for some epoxy! Had to permanently join the two colors together!

Now it is time for my favorite part: the blade work! I reground and reset the edge to more proper geometry - 15 dps at about .025-.030" thick hollow ground.

Next up was the cerakote process and then texture and contour the scales. Here it is in all it's glory! It now fits like a glove...

Notice the before and after thicknesses and edge angle of the tip:

Anyways... thanks for checking out the pics! :thumbup:

 

[awestib]

As always - awesome work!

 

[jpm2]

Good work, very clean and uniform.

I gotta ask, do you freehand all this stuff?

 

[MMans0311]

Umbelievable work Josh and thanks for using a Knife Burrito

 

[REK Knives]

Good work, very clean and uniform.

I gotta ask, do you freehand all this stuff?

Thanks! I freehand all the regrind work and then use the Wicked Edge for the final sharpening. I do not freehand on any stones if that is what you mean.

Umbelievable work Josh and thanks for using a Knife Burrito

Thank you for making it for me! I'm lovin' it!

 

[jpm2]

Thanks! I freehand all the regrind work and then use the Wicked Edge for the final sharpening. I do not freehand on any stones if that is what you mean.

Ah yeah, I knew you used a WE for sharpening, the blade grinding is what I meant - very good work.

 

[Joe Kidd]

Sweeeet!

 

[Twindog]

Really nice job on that regrind, Josh. I had to check out my old Trident, as Crusader Forge was called back then. It has a 5.5-inch blade made of really thick stock -- 0.28 inches. It has considerable heft.

But it has a nice high hollow grind and a tip that has a distal taper even more acute than the one you added to this knife. My edge shoulders are 0.043 inches, so lacking the slicing power of your regrind, but much better than the stock geometry you found. I wonder if things have changed at the Crusader Forge?

I was also wondering what you thought about the heat treat, at least from what you could tell by grinding and sharpening it. The steel in mine is the hardest S30V I've ever encountered. I've chopped invasive climbing ivy pretty hard with it to save a giant Sitka spruce, but nothing too challenging. I've always wondered just how good this steel is. Seems awesome.

 

[JR88FAN]

Exceptional as always my friend.

It's great to see you turning an entire knife into something much better, both in function and form.

I haven't seen anything that isn't perfect emerge from that one man factory you got in SC!!!

 

[REK Knives]

Really nice job on that regrind, Josh. I had to check out my old Trident, as Crusader Forge was called back then. It has a 5.5-inch blade made of really thick stock -- 0.28 inches. It has considerable heft.

But it has a nice high hollow grind and a tip that has a distal taper even more acute than the one you added to this knife. My edge shoulders are 0.043 inches, so lacking the slicing power of your regrind, but much better than the stock geometry you found. I wonder if things have changed at the Crusader Forge?

I was also wondering what you thought about the heat treat, at least from what you could tell by grinding and sharpening it. The steel in mine is the hardest S30V I've ever encountered. I've chopped invasive climbing ivy pretty hard with it to save a giant Sitka spruce, but nothing too challenging. I've always wondered just how good this steel is. Seems awesome.

Hey man! Not sure if things have changed there or what but this one looked like it had been sharpened before and well used - so it may just be that causing the edge to thicken up over time. On the steel I am not sure as I use powered equipment w/ ceramic belts for the regrind - so it makes short work of pretty much any steel out there =)

Exceptional as always my friend.

It's great to see you turning an entire knife into something much better, both in function and form.

I haven't seen anything that isn't perfect emerge from that one man factory you got in SC!!!

Thanks Alex! Not perfect but always reaching for it!

 

[Bobby3326]

Hey man! Not sure if things have changed there or what but this one looked like it had been sharpened before and well used - so it may just be that causing the edge to thicken up over time. On the steel I am not sure as I use powered equipment w/ ceramic belts for the regrind - so it makes short work of pretty much any steel out there =)



Thanks Alex! Not perfect but always reaching for it!

What part of sc are you in and do you have a store front? I've seen several people highly recommend you and i recently acquired a bk9 that I was told was sand blasted and sharpened by you, and it's insanely sharp. Might be interested in having a bk2 done in a full height convex, and possibly a few other knives for things my work sharp blade grinder just isn't capable of.

 

[REK Knives]

What part of sc are you in and do you have a store front? I've seen several people highly recommend you and i recently acquired a bk9 that I was told was sand blasted and sharpened by you, and it's insanely sharp. Might be interested in having a bk2 done in a full height convex, and possibly a few other knives for things my work sharp blade grinder just isn't capable of.

I don't have a store front and am in the Greenville, SC area. Shoot me an email: razoredgeknives@gmail.com

 

[Bobby3326]

I'll shoot you a pm

I'll get in touch thanks

 

[gooeytek]

Josh, you are a blade Jedi. Amazing work buddy!

 

[REK Knives]

Josh, you are a blade Jedi. Amazing work buddy!

Thanks buddy! This was quite a project but turned out nice! =)

 

[bladeninja]

Great documentation throughout the process Josh and the end result is just astonishing! It looks like I should have it in hand today. Will report back with my initial impressions. Thanks again!

 

[REK Knives]

Great documentation throughout the process Josh and the end result is just astonishing! It looks like I should have it in hand today. Will report back with my initial impressions. Thanks again!

Love to hear your thoughts!

 

[bladeninja]

Love to hear your thoughts!

What it is now!!











And what it was...









It's just sick! My first impression.

Josh's attention to detail and expertise is better than anything else I've had done from others. He earned another client with this one. Many of you on the forums have responded to me about Josh's work with your own and it was because of this, I had Josh do a full restoration.

It's incredibly sharp and still has the heft and thicker tip to do some prying.
The cerakote finish is exactly the color I wanted and is just beautiful.
The scales and fasteners are also spot on with the Toxic Zombie Green.
Josh even contoured the scales to make more of a palm swell and let me tell you what...I friggin love it. It not only looks good but feels great in the hand. Much better than originally by Crusader Forge.

Josh...I can't find a thing wrong with your work. Honestly, I am very OCD and scrutinize EVERYTHING. This is perfect! Thank you so much.

 

[bladeninja]

Exceptional as always my friend.

It's great to see you turning an entire knife into something much better, both in function and form.

I haven't seen anything that isn't perfect emerge from that one man factory you got in SC!!!

Thanks man! It was because of you that I went with Josh. Can't thank you enough.

 

[REK Knives]

I'm just glad the liners and zombie green cerakote matched up pretty well! hehe. Glad you like it man, hope you get a ton of use out of it. Thanks for posting up final pics!