Sam Wilson
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 3,066
I don't usually post over here in this sub-forum, but I thought I would give it a try and see how it goes. I have been making knives for about 6 months now, so I have quite a bit to learn yet, and I thought I would put this here and see what people think. I have been focused primarily on hollow handle knives for the moment, as I really love them and enjoy using them. I will eventually get into other style fixed blades, as well. I would certainly welcome feedback on my knives, and appreciate the respectful tone in which I have seen it given out here. I have mentioned before that I have been influenced much by Jack Crain and others, and have tried to be respectful in my application of that influence.
This is the Model 1. I know in advance that some folks won't care for the blade shape, but to me it is beautiful. Beautiful because it is so effective at what I designed it for: camp use, survival/bushcraft, those types of situations. This particular one has a 9 1/2" blade of 5160 steel @ 58 HRC, machine satin finish, full flat grind. It came with the M.O.A. System (Make it Out Alive), which I designed to be a "survival" system. It includes the primary knife, leather sheath with D-ring belt loop so that it swivels with your leg when you sit or kneel, rare earth magnets in the sheath to both hold the primary knife, and also the PSK(Personal Survival Kit) knife and sharpening stone. These are in magnetized compartments behind the primary blade in the sheath, as I like a clean front on my sheaths, both aesthetically and because I have found things tend to snag on pouches and straps on sheath fronts.
Something I have also done is to put a thin layer of "micarta" or "mycarta" as it has been called, on the handle tube, before putting on the cord wrap. This serves a couple of purposes. It helps to insulate your hand from the heat/cold that metal handles are so sensitive to, it helps to absorb shock, and it also allows me to contour the handle to a kind of egg shape, so that the handle is not so apt to "roll" in your hand, as HH knives have a tendency to do. Also, if you ever have to remove the cord wrap for use, you are left with a comfortable handle, instead of a plain steel tube to hold onto.
The M.O.A. System also includes a ferrocerium rod that threads into the buttcap for use. I did this because I didn't want to put the compass in the buttcap, due to the fact that it may get damaged if you pound with the knife. By threading the ferro rod into the buttcap, it gives you a convenient handle to hold onto to make full use of the rod. These items, plus whatever you choose to put in the hollow handle yourself, are rolled up in a wax-impregnated linen cloth and placed in the hollow handle. The cloth keeps items together, protects them, and also can be cut into strips for emergency tinder to be used with the ferro rod.
OK, enough talking, here are some pics:
And the M.O.A. System:
I hope you like it.
Sam :thumbup:
This is the Model 1. I know in advance that some folks won't care for the blade shape, but to me it is beautiful. Beautiful because it is so effective at what I designed it for: camp use, survival/bushcraft, those types of situations. This particular one has a 9 1/2" blade of 5160 steel @ 58 HRC, machine satin finish, full flat grind. It came with the M.O.A. System (Make it Out Alive), which I designed to be a "survival" system. It includes the primary knife, leather sheath with D-ring belt loop so that it swivels with your leg when you sit or kneel, rare earth magnets in the sheath to both hold the primary knife, and also the PSK(Personal Survival Kit) knife and sharpening stone. These are in magnetized compartments behind the primary blade in the sheath, as I like a clean front on my sheaths, both aesthetically and because I have found things tend to snag on pouches and straps on sheath fronts.
Something I have also done is to put a thin layer of "micarta" or "mycarta" as it has been called, on the handle tube, before putting on the cord wrap. This serves a couple of purposes. It helps to insulate your hand from the heat/cold that metal handles are so sensitive to, it helps to absorb shock, and it also allows me to contour the handle to a kind of egg shape, so that the handle is not so apt to "roll" in your hand, as HH knives have a tendency to do. Also, if you ever have to remove the cord wrap for use, you are left with a comfortable handle, instead of a plain steel tube to hold onto.
The M.O.A. System also includes a ferrocerium rod that threads into the buttcap for use. I did this because I didn't want to put the compass in the buttcap, due to the fact that it may get damaged if you pound with the knife. By threading the ferro rod into the buttcap, it gives you a convenient handle to hold onto to make full use of the rod. These items, plus whatever you choose to put in the hollow handle yourself, are rolled up in a wax-impregnated linen cloth and placed in the hollow handle. The cloth keeps items together, protects them, and also can be cut into strips for emergency tinder to be used with the ferro rod.
OK, enough talking, here are some pics:
And the M.O.A. System:
I hope you like it.
Sam :thumbup:
