Carcass splitter

[Stormcrow]

Just dropped this carcass splitter off with my buddy Tobin Nieto to get a rawhide sheath built.  I'll do final cleanup and sharpening when I get it back.  

 

 

 

 

It'll be on my table at the Blade Show.  More details when it's finished.

 

I can't help but get this maniacal grin when I pick it up.  :D

 

[Crazy Ivan]

That is one slick looking tool you got there! Looking forward to details and a pic of the sheath!

-Crazy Ivan

[Chinobi]

oh man that looks fun! XD

[Frosty]

I like a carcass splitter you don't have to wait till the carcass is dead to use! Looking more closely I'm thinking a fellow could open a beer with one of the holes near the tip. Hmmmmm.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Stormcrow]

Finished up the carcass splitter.  It'll be on my table at the Blade Show.  17 1/2" blade, 20 1/4" handle, forged from 2" x 1/4" 5160.  The handle is paracord over leather, with a three-strand paracord Turk's head knot, all impregnated with epoxy.

 

 

 

My buddy and fellow knifemaker Tobin Nieto of Stonehaven Knifeworks made the lined rawhide sheath for it.  One of the avenues that led him to making knives was an interest in movie props and replicas of movie props.  He perfectly captured the vibe that I envisioned for the overall project: something that would be carried by a boss character in a zombie video game or the antagonist of a slasher movie.

 

I had my hand in the sheathwork, though.  Namely, the "blood splatters".

 

 

 

 

They're actually brick red India ink.   :D

 

The chain is a shoulder sling.  It originally was part of the mechanism for opening and shutting a heavy door in a huge slaughterhouse that my landlord's father worked in.  I don't know what position he had, but he told me there were 600 men working under him, and he supervised when the slaughterhouse was torn down.  The hooks are forged from a high-carbon farm implement tine.

 

 

The blood splatters look pretty authentic, huh?  Like something Leatherface would have hanging above his bed.   :lol:   

 

 

Here's one of the ways of wearing it with the sling.

 

 

 

 

"Forth, minions!"

 

 

One of the things I like about it is that although it is large and has plenty of power, it's still light and lively enough to wield one-handed.

 

 

I have some materials gathered for a little cutting demo video later on in the week, weather permitting.

 

Oh, Tobin plays guitar, too.   B)  

 

 

[Frosty]

I like everything but the chain sling. That relegates it to a wall hanger or rock band prop in my view. For what that's worth. Nice blade and sheath. I just don't like the chain sling. Wear it for a walk in the woods and see what you think of my form follows function perspective.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

But Frosty it gives it that "Post Apocalypse Play-Ground" look!  Can't wait for the cutting tests. 

[Frosty]

Okay, I can see that Thomas. Then shouldn't the hooks it's hanging from be sharpened grapling hook thingies instead of those little bitty ones?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Stormcrow]

Frosty - Well, this is one of the more fantasy-ish pieces I've done.  :)  But the chain is flat and is actually reasonably comfortable to walk around wearing.  

Got a bit of cutting video.  Unfortunately, the button didn't get pushed during the 2" x 4" chop.  :(  But it cut over halfway through with each swing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awGv1RY5uqU

[Stormcrow]

I got a chance to put the carcass splitter to the test doing the kind of work I grew up doing and which has informed my thoughts on cutting: dismembering a mesquite tree. I think it's a lot more informative than a water bottle test or trying to cut multiple coconuts (though that may be because I failed to cut multiples due to the blade deflecting).
But see for yourself.  :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z3enZ_sADQ