help me find my knife

[elk ninja]

I am looking for a knife.... I have a Kephart style knife in mind but I want the rustic look of sticshooter's or ML's knives.  I know about blind horse knive's and bark river knive's Kephart models as well, and as much as I like my bark rivers, it's just not quite right for me, I want rustic.  With sticshooter not taking any orders and the ML knives not quite right, I am on the hunt for somewhere else to make me a knife.  My budget isn't much over $100 either, but I do have the capability to shape, temper, etc if I can find the right steel, or just put a handle on a blade... so whats out there?


Thanks for your help!

[Lin Rhea]

J. Nielson MS is offering some fine knife blades for about that price. Lin

[JohnHV]

Just an idea...

before I got my forge, I did some cheaters starting with inexpensive Green River blades that you can buy from several online sources.  Below is one I did from their "Hunter" model; with a little profile alteration using a file; but you could just as easily use the "Dadley" (AKA Green River) Model.  The finished product comes out pretty close to the simple Kephart design.

It is no way near as good a knife as Mr. Nielson's or other blade smiths out there, but they are cheap, fun and easy to make in a weekend while you are searching for someone to make that "perfect" design.

 

[elk ninja]

John,
That's a good idea, and a very pretty knife.  I am partial to the green rivers as well, having done several of them in the past.  GREAT knives, especially for the money.  I have a bunch of knives that'll pass the time until I find what I am looking for, some close to a Kephart, some not so close.  I can't explain why I have such a burning desire for a Keppy right now, but I am sure what I am looking for is out there, so I'll keep looking.

Lin,
J. Nielson has some fantastic looking blades, and I thought about him as well... I'll have to go take a look again.  Thanks!

[JohnHV]

E. N.

I know the feeling.  Somtimes you just want what you want, and nothing else will do.

Don't be afraid to take a file to the spine of a green river and change the profile of the blade to suit yourself.  I've done it with good success, just don't let the blade get too hot.

Have fun!

[oldpaths]

If you want a kephart style with steel that looks like this I may be able to help ya come up with something