Finally this knife is finished up! I had forged this blade over a year ago and it ended up getting pushed to the back burner over and over, but at last its complete… and its available! I really love making these big fighting knives (not that people fight with knives anymore) because they give me a chance to try new ideas that aren’t really applicable on culinary knives. They provide a much better canvas for ideas and techniques.
This knife has an 11″ blade length and was forged from W2 high carbon tool steel and features a water quenched differential heat treat, fuller, a mild steel gun blued guard that features some decorative stippling, and a heirloom fit Circassian walnut handle featuring a domed stainless steel retention pin. The water quench is significant to note due to its high failure rate to blades. It imparts a faster cooling rate and more overall stress into the blade, frequently resulting in cracks. It takes a skilled smith, a good eye, and a bit of luck to successfully be able to quench in water. I had the luck on my side with this blade as it turned out beautifully as did the rest of the knife!
