A 5” blade version in W2, full distal taper to the blade and tapered tang, and features Hawaiian Koa scales under the ito.

This 5” blade version in A2 tool steel at 7/32” thick, chisel ground, was for an homage thread for Phill Hartsfield, the originator of this style of knife, which several knifemakers participated in, although mine far more closely resembles the versions my friend and mentor RJ Martin made. As it was Joe Paranee’s thread, three of us sent our knives to Joe for a video review:

This one in .250’ thick 1084 got a coat of black powdercoat, with a distally tapered blade and tapered tang. The toxic green G10 makes for some SERIOUS contrast!

The knife was a collaboration project between me and Sam Taylor of Mad Science Forge using billet of his proprietary Beta-Titanium alloy which he forged for the project. The 6-1/2” blade has a red rayskin handle with carbon fiber lace soaked in resin, and a matched  aluminum sheath, lined with ultrasuede, and covered in carbon fiber. The knife itself weighs a mere 6 ounces, and with the sheath is just over 9 ounces. Tough, light weight, and entirely impervious to corrosion. What’s not to like?

This was a collaboration project between myself and my Australian bladesmith buddy Keith Fludder. Keith made the outrageous mosaic damascus steel for the project, and forged it to shape, and I did the rest when he came to visit after Blade Show. He also supplied the ringed gidgee wood under the wrap. 7-1/2” blade, over a quarter of an inch thick, and an overall length of 13”. The tang under the wood is fully tapered, and the armor piercing tip was his idea. A pair of sterling silver lobster menuki and an ultrasuede-lined aluminum sheath covered in shark skin complete the package. This was a ton of fun to make, and will not be the last project we work on together!

These two 4” blades are .200" thick Crucible CPM-S60v, and feature skeletonized and tapered tangs with a very shallow hollow grind, approximately the same hollow as would be created by grinding on a four foot diameter wheel. Also, the swedge grind is longer and slightly deeper on one, creating a surprisingly different aesthetic to the knife.

The first one features cream rayskin with a pair of gold plated sterling silver cherry blossom menuki, and the other has black G10 under the wrap.

Both are just under 9" long, with the first weighing in at 5-7/8 ounces, and the second at 5-1/4 ounces. Point of balance for both is at the turks head knot.

This one is in 1095, with a really fantastic hamon that happened accidentally. Although I can’t manage to capture the activity in a photograph, I did make a quick video that gives you and idea of what it turned out like here. Scales under the ito are a gorgeous Amboyna.

This one is W2, full distal taper to the blade and tapered tang, and features cocobolo scales. It also has the suguha style of hamon, as the photo below shows.