Gentlemen, all the best and happy new year!

Two iconic knife shapes which are originally hidden tang designs, translated into much easier to build flat tang constructions.

Starting with 2 Tantos, followed by a Puukko, which I might have posted already 2 or 3 years ago, but I am not shure.

I added it to give some context according to the topic.

As the history of the shapes already presumes, they perform very well if not partially better than their historic hidden tang relatives.

This, like already said is due to the easier construction of 3 piece flat tangs, and in use they are much slimmer and less bulky which performs better while they are carried.

The handles are as comfortable as thicker hidden tang handles, just don't make them to flat.

When the scales left 7-8 mm thick, there is enough meat to form them into a nice oval round form.

The time around 1991, when I started making knives, those kind of knives were called "Field Grade Knives" in Ken Warners annual knife books.

....I gained a lot of inspiration form America and those books....that time most knives were more old school, and every edition I saw a bunch of knives that blew me away.

......nowadays I like nearly nothing(my bad), maybe one or two, too much tactical stuff, silly cnc blade geometries....all called tactical.

In the early 90's the ones with micarta scales were called "tactical" ....I apologize for my old man rant.

If you think in the old days it was all better, then you have clear evidence you are getting old....

The blades are all 1.2419.05 steel.....something like O7 on steroids.

Handle scales is steel pinned Ceylon Ironwood and fosile jaw bone. 

So without further delay, some pictures.

Cheers

 

Daniel,

Beautiful knives, as you always share with us! Thank you and wishing you a great New Year as well.

Your perspectives on changing design don't spell "old man" to me, instead they suggest subtlety and an appreciation of classical lines which I admire. On the other hand, I guess I'm old too... Most of the knives I've made were hidden tang Norwegian-styled Puukkos but your post inspires me to think about an evolutionary change when I make another.

--Larry

Beautiful knives, Daniel. Your work continues to inspire, not least because you continue to push both your technical execution and especially your thinking about design.

8 hours ago, templehound said:

too much tactical stuff, silly cnc blade geometries....all called tactical.

"Tactical" is entirely appropriate, even if it doesn't mean what people think it means. By using "tactical" to evoke associations with military style (especially special forces) and feelings of machismo, the tactics in play are sales tactics. Given how ubiquitous both the word and the style are, the tactic appears to be working. To remember that substance is more important than style (or more precisely, that style can enhance but cannot replace substance), any time you see "tactical" in ad copy, just replace it with "farcical". Similarly, anything marketed as "combat" can be improved by substituting the "c" with a "w".

Beautiful blades Daniel. Yeah, somebody has to come up with another buzzword to make their products stand out. I tend to disregard marketing hype and noise. Tactical seems to be the hot buzz word, I can't buy a small LED flashlight or head light without half a dozen tactical settings. Seriously, WHAT ON EARTH do I need a head light that flashes rapidly. Nobody has ever accosted me in my wood shed or looking under the hood of a vehicle. 

Maybe if everybody on Iforge and elsewhere started using "Practical" instead it'd catch on? I know I'd much rather have a practical knife than a combat knife unless I'm facing combat in which case I want a Practical Combat knife.

How are things going for you in Thailand? I haven't heard much about the country in the news. Been below zero F. here for a couple weeks, then it warmed up to 12f above and snowed about 14" over 2 days. It's below zero again and supposed to snow again Friday and Saturday. Forecast says it'll be -20f or colder Saturday and Sunday. 

Copd makes cold air especially hard on me, I have to put a double thickness of scarf over my mouth and nose or I'm hacking for a couple days. Deb and I have been thinking of moving south for a few years now but Alaska has so many good options for living here. <sigh>

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Practical is good. I was very pleased to discover how practical it is that my earbud case (which I carry everywhere) has a built-in flashlight. 

Oooh, that's cool but is it a tack light?

Frosty The Lucky.

Only if it's "aircraft aluminum."

Well, aircraft aluminum actually is a thing, in the sense that there are indeed specific aluminum alloys that are used in the aerospace industry. It’s also true that the properties of those alloys often make them appropriate for non-aeronautical purposes. I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss “aircraft aluminum” as a mere meaningless buzzword.

That’s true. But I keep seeing the description on consumer products that don’t need any particular strength. And I bought at least one that turned out to be noticeably softer than 6061-T6. 

MOD NOTE: The discussion of precipitation-hardened AL alloys has been moved to its own thread.

Thanks a lot for the nice comments and response on my thoughts.

Larry, I appreciate your words on the age context and I am humbled you get some inspiration out of my work.

 

JHCC, I absolutely agree with your words on the term "tactical"....like, it links to some sort of "military readiness".

A look that I really appreciate combined with the antique or vintage look of military weapons and equipment.

Like gun blued or blackened steel, checkered textures and simple dark plain sinister wood.

 

Frosty, Thailand is in war with Cambodia, I am lucky to live over 1000 km away.The Cambodian regime does not collect their fallen soldiers, they let them rot where they fell.

Thailand collected them at the beginning, put them in coffins with their national flag and sent them to Cambodia.

After the second clash Cambodia threatened Thailand if they do it again they will shoot....and the families of the fallen are desperate.

It is very easy to pick a side for me in this case, not because my wife is Thai its because of absolute evil actions from the Cambodian regime.

...lots of people also looking to America and worry a lot for world peace....the world is a mess.

But enough of that, I just had to say something about it.....its hard to push that stuff out of your mind when you sit hours alone at the bench.

But what can I say...I hope you come good through the cold time in Alaska, I guess you would appreciate the weather here.

You guys have a nice sunday.

Cheers

 

7 hours ago, templehound said:

its hard to push that stuff out of your mind when you sit hours alone at the bench.

I know an Orthodox Christian monk who once remarked "There's nothing like working with your hands to bring you in touch with what's going on in your subconscious mind."

JHCC, 

Apart from the fact that I unfortunately do not practice the abstinence of a monk, I can definitely agree to that.

Knowing Father Marc fairly well, I suspect he’d consider those two separate questions. 

On 1/18/2026 at 10:15 PM, JHCC said:

Knowing Father Marc fairly well, I suspect he’d consider those two separate questions. 

Well, here is an example when I am not sure if I got the sense in English the right way.

To prevent a misunderstanding, I hope my words didn't trigger a sign of disrespect.They were meant respectfully.

I meant that I trust the fact that Father Marc is able to get much closer and deeper in touch with his subconscious mind than I can because of his disciplined way of life.