Stormcrow Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Although nothing I do is particularly traditional, this falls closest under the shobu-zukuri tanto style, with a ridgeline below the spine and no yokote line. With a forge finish, a choil, and a secondary bevel, this isn't a typical tanto, though. The steel is 5160. There was quite a bit more curvature prior to the quench, but the canola oil quench and the blade's cross section gave a fair amount of negative sori. I wish I had taken a picture before the hardening process to show it, but a couple of other knifemakers who saw it before and after noted how much it had straightened. The blade length, including the choil, is 12 1/2" and the overall length is 19 3/4". The handle wrap is coyote brown paracord for the underlay, black paracord for the overlay and three-strand Turk's head knot, all impregnated in Minwax Wood Hardener. The sheath is black Kydex, with a coyote brown Kydex belt loop set up for edge-up horizontal carry. More coyote brown paracord is stored on the sheath and helps break up the visual impression of the black. And it's ambidextrous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 I very much like the lines of this knife! IMO the straightening was probably fortunate! It really looks useful! I can think of some real good uses for it not far from here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolish Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Nice look to it, clean looking blade curve. What is the intended use for this knife? looks a bit thin for a survival type bush knife. How does the para cord handle go for grip? any dramas if it gets a bit wet? The knot work looks good on the handle, very uniformed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormcrow Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 Thank y'all! Bigfootnampa - The straightening was not unexpected. I put plenty of curvature in it before hardening. More would have been ok, but I think it straightened up just right. Toolish - The inspiration comes from James Williams' design of the Hisshou for CRKT. The Hisshou supposedly came from requests from soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan for a CQB blade as a backup to their firearms during room clearing, to have a blade that could be quickly deployed and big enough to chop through both bones of the forearm if need be. It's a purely weapon design, something Williams comments on, saying that most "tactical" knives are a combination of figthing and utility but that the Hisshou ignored utility for pure fighting design. Carrying a tactical short sword into a modern combat setting may be a bit of a fantasy in most cases, but it made for an interesting idea for me. The cord wrap is very grippy, but I don't think that getting it wet would be particularly good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robakyo Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 That's a real beauty. Your style is unmistakable. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormcrow Posted March 6, 2013 Author Share Posted March 6, 2013 Thanks, Robert. :) It does kind of stand out in a crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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