Can't seem to find the Grail...of knives!

[DarkeGreen]

Not real bad, but the knife is just way to big. Scaled down 2" overal and drop to point a little. Something on the order of a Buck Pathfinder with a drop point might not be bad.

[DarkeGreen]

don't even get me started on what's wrong with these.  

Most of my other knives were given away because they just didn't work for me. Some folks on this site have a few of them as a return favor for items they sent me. They included other bucks, green rivers, and brownings. I'm currently playing with a 6 moth old kershaw but it's a folder and will find a new home too when I'm done testing/playing with it.

[DarkeGreen]

this one is close

[DarkeGreen]

Blade is a hair to short and too much bling, bling.

[DarkeGreen]

Middle one is close. blade is a little to short and the handel needs a nickle silver bolster and it would be there.

[geno]

Originally posted by DarkeGreen:
[QB]  

don't even get me started on what's wrong with these.    


I have both of those knives. They dont get any use but I love the way they sharpen and hold an edge.stay like a razor forever. To bad blood stains them so easy.

[tippit]

DrakeGreen,
Thanks for your input.  I've used a few of those styles and while nice I'm still on my crusade to find the Grail    

geno,
Nothing wrong with stains on a blade especially blood.  Those Shrad blades are high carbon so they will stain and be fairly easy to sharpen compared to stainless...Doc

[Ian johnson]

here are a few my dad made, he is a member of the knifemaker's guild, he is teaching me how to make them, we both make the sheaths, which are all hand cut, stamped and sewn

[geno]

very nice Ian  

[Ian johnson]

geno, thanks, my dad has a lot of experiance, all above knives are made of ats34, except the bottom right knife has an a2 tool steel blade

[Ian johnson]

tippit, post a pic of those knives when they are complete

[tippit]

Ivan,  Your dad sure makes some awesome knives.  I particularly like that upper right corner one.  Is he an ABS Master?  Doc

[Ian johnson]

no,he is not, I really like your knives, I'd happily test out one of those knives for you this season  :D

[DarkeGreen]

I think the big issue with all of the knives I've bought, tried, and given away is they have no soul. It's like using a compound after you've discovered long bows.

Maybe that's why I give away the knives that worked okay. Not including the knives I've made I think I've gone thru close to 80 different knives now looking for something I can be happy with. I've found two of the 80 or so that, reflecting back, did everything I asked of them pretty well. The problem is I hated carring them because they seemed lifeless. I just couldn't bring myself to allow them to be displayed on my side.

Maybe that's why I pick up new folders from time to time. I can have a knife that works and yet keep it hidden from view.

Of the knives I've made only 2 made the trip to the woods more than once. I discovered they either didn't hold an edge good enough to get the deer from the field, to the tree, to the processing table, and in the freezer without a couple trips to the stone or they were to ugly to be dispplayed proudly.

If I only had your talent!

I think I'd probally make a knife close to the first one I displayed, with stag handles, a 4" blade made of D2 no more than 1/6" thick. Something thin enough it was almost flexable but thick enough to have some backbone. The silver bolster would smooth the transition from blade to handle and help protect the stag or slect wooden handle.

Heck, maybe I just spend too much time thinking about what designs, materials, and grades/types of blade steel I would play with if I could create a knife from scratch half as good as yours. You make some pretty neat knifes for sure!

[Ian johnson]

ttt

[JOKER]

Darkegreen, The knife you describe kinda sounds like the one that I have just re-shaped.

It was a cold steele master hunter, big and heavy with a large rubber handle and thick blade. I cut the handle off, took 1/4" off of the top of the blade and the tang (this shortened the knife and made the blade 1/8" thick at the top), cut 1" off the back of the tang and put a horn handle on it.

Before:
 

and after:
 

[Jeremy]

Ah, the quest for the Grail!  I'll agree with Killy here, it's the search that's important.  An old saying I remember is to:
Believe those who are seeking the Truth; doubt those who claim to have found It.
Applies to so many things  

Oh, as someone who does way more than my share of skinning and processing every year, the second down would be my choice, with the fourth also seeing significant use.  Looking good Doc!

My new forge is here I just haven't had the time to fire it up  :(

[BobW]

terrible, just terrible.  I think you should finish them up to refine your skills, and send them my way.  I will do my best to hide them away from everyone.    

BobW