Large Camp Knife w/ wild buckeye burl

J. Doyle

J. Doyle

Dealer - Purveyor
Here's a large camp/utility knife I just finished. I've had this laying around for quite some time almost finished but could never decide what to do with the handle and guard. I decided to go guardless after many many drawings. I didn't really like the drawing either but in the end, I'm happy with how it turned out.

My wife says it looks kind of like a chef's knife.......I can see that. So I guess it could be a camp cook's knife. :)

I wanted to finish it up so I could sell it. The funds will go for a special Christmas charity project. If you'd like to know more, please email me jdoyleknives AT gmail DOT com

Specs:
Hand forged from 1095 steel, clay quenched and etched
12" overall, 7 1/4" blade, .205" at the ricasso and full distal taper, just shy of 1 1/2" high at the ricasso from spine to edge
Black G-10 collars with Bronze spacers
Heavily rounded spine and ricasso for comfort
Stabilized California Buckeye handle
Bronze finial nut

All comments welcome. Thanks for taking a look!













 
AWESOME! That looks so nice. Great use of that buckeye and amazing attention to detail on the knife!

Well played sir.
 
The whole project is beautiful ... but that Buckeye is something special. The G10 and Bronze really help pick out the grain. Love it!
 
The composition and details in every aspect of your work and photos provides very deep interest. Example, the placement of the knife on the back ground, I don't think that is an accident.
 
Thank you guys. I really appreciate all the feedback.

I just wanted to comment about a couple things. First the wood. Generally speaking, if I can't visualize what the entire knife will look like finished in my mind, it doesn't get finished. Usually I build knives starting with the wood block first. I see a piece of wood I like and visualize what I can make with it.

With this piece of wood, I didn't know for sure. I think I've had this block since before I even started making my own knives. I've looked at it a dozen different times for different knives but it just wasn't the right fit. So it went back in the closet. When I finally got a drawing and handle shape I liked for this knife, I originally had a piece of two tone redwood burl picked out. Something just didn't seem right and I tried this piece of buckeye again and knew that it was right for this knife.

This might all sound silly but I don't like a single part of any of my knives to be an accident or afterthought. I like everything right down to the last detail to be deliberate and planned so it all works together. Sure things occasionally change on the fly but generally, that's how I operate.

Second thing..........the g-10 fittings. I like using g-10 when I'm after the deep black color. What I like about it is no matter what you do to it, scuff it, scratch it, rub it with oils or other solvents, etc......it will ALWAYS be that color. That's a valuable characteristic to me, especially for a knife that might get used. It machines and sands pretty easy, but that's not a short cut to using it or an easy way out. Fitting it for a guard, in my experience, takes as much skill as 416 or damascus. It's not very forgiving and the fit has to be just right. It doesn't give a little like nickel silver or bronze or brass or copper. It works well in most applications strength wise too as it's nearly as strong as steel in guard like shapes and cross sections.

Just wanted to mention those things. Thanks again for the comments.
 
Thanks for the insight helps to know. I'll be putting a lot more time and energy into planning ahead and forming that vision of the completed knife.
The detail on the finial nut, extra interest.
 
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