Tell me what you think.

An idea with the working names of "Saddle Folder", and "Steel Seahorse".

My questions to myself are: Is it a worthwhile/valid project. I'd like feedback.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy the pics ... Back to the shop for me ...

That's awesome idea . I really like the logo design too. If you incorporated a snap loop for a belt or even a little metal pen clip to maintain pocket elevation opposit logo side might be cool.

Thanks
Kurt

Hi Kurt,

I like your idea of the clip. Julio has mentioned that before, regarding pocket knives.

Thanks for commenting

Gary

Hey Gary,
Ok, for those of the 'challenged eyesight club,' it appears to be a fixed/folder (a new concept in the knife world as far as I can tell) in a leather 'grip,' and one that is intended to easily be removed from the leather cover. Please let me know if this is correct. I like the size and I like the shape (a lot). It also appears that it is a forged blade of about 2.5 to 3 inches in length including the 'unitized handle' (not the leather holder). It would also appear that with a kydex sheath it would make an excellant neck knife. Is the leather tough enough for a neck knife role also, or is it a protective 'glove' leather only?

I love the blade shape and size, but I wonder if the leather 'housing' is strong enough to support it as a working blade (aka handle/handle extension)? I think that the price would determine the 'so called value' of the whole as a working knife. I would use it as a neck knife, but I am guessing that it is designed as a pocked folder for 'more-or-less' delicate 'gentlemens' use.

BTW, I love the choil that you put on your blades. In my mind it makes them so much more functional and easier to keep sharp! I like it, I would like to know more about the intended parameters of the design and the price! It is a VERY unique concept! I hope my comments are helpful.
Thanks for showing and asking,
Jeff

Hi Jeff,

I never responded to your "Choil" comment.
Ah ... A true Connoisseur! I've gotten more comments, questions, and compliments thru the years on my Choil (the little cut out at the back of the blade edge). It does, indeed; allow you to lay the edge on a stone, and sharpen from a clear termination point. Otherwise, you develop a radius at the back of the edge. That grows and grows thru usage, and the rear of the blade never really gets sharpened.

While discussing this, I'll mention "sharpening". Most people have not been taught sharpening, and thus they sharpen their knives to death. Grinding away needless and precious blade material. When a knife edge dulls, it usually only needs to be stropped with a leather strop charged with buffing compound. The amount of material that needs to be removed to make a dull edge sharp is so minute. Please never use the power grinding/sharpening systems. For illustration: if you need to remove say "5 units" to sharpen, they remove "1,000 units". Now there are small flap sanding/strop systems with extremely fine grit abrasive which work without destroying 50 years of edge steel per sharpening.

Thanks for reading. Thanks Jeff, for letting me tag onto your comment.

Gary

Blade closes against a fixed stop bar, and is then captured by the heavy snap.

Gary

Gary,

I like the concept!. This looks like something I could use on days I'm working around the farm, and not worry about scratching it up. How is the balance of the knife in hand?
I love the new 97, but currently out of my price range. I think I could probably afford to spend some of my mad money on one of these....

Scott

I appreciate the comments so far. I look forward to the rest.

Kelly also mentioned Kydex when she saw the knife. Good idea. I had thought of a brushed work finish but didn't. I did the normal Full Monte on this one, which would probably make it impossible to balance out time/value. I'd need to make them in batches of five to begin to make them worthwhile. You can see that it's all the work of a fine folder blade with it's specialized heat treat. I can't just glance up at the scoreboard for the price when done. I don't have a base line for anything like this. I have to think a bit.

My purpose is to develop a few items which I can repeat to pay bills. Spend a couple of hours in the morning or evening to contribute to an inventory. As it is, I make this and that because I have endless ideas. Someone buys one but that doesn't establish a pattern. Within each category of object, there are a hundred ways I could make them, with cost ranges relative to each. My artistic nature wants to build my better work. Often interest is in talking me into more pedestrian versions. Conflict is - I'm 60, I've developed a bunch of skills I want to use. But there isn't a buyer or price point (or time) to service the desire to make everything a Signature work. I know, my suits hang in the closet and I wear the Tee Shirts. I know. So; that's why I keep trying to find that item that will pay bills while I build ledger commitments.

Keep comments coming please. Remember, I'm old and frail, so be kind.

Gary

Hey Gary,
I had noticed the stop bar, but not the snap locking the blade closed. I like that. I like the leather too, but with the kydex you could 'probably' mold them a bit faster and use the materials elasticity (if that is a good word here) for, or in place of, the snap lock. You could even offer two sheaths, one a pocket sheath and one a neck sheath. I would not be ashamed to have one that had a brushed finish either.
Thanks,
Jeff

Hi Jeff

Good ideas. There's a whole world to explore with Kydex and pull/neck knives. You asked about the leather and strength. This is heavier sheath leather, but .... In the event it's our necks, maybe Kydex would be better. Haha. I was going for the warmth, etc.

I know I have some Kydex around here. And I'll bet that a two day search would turn up .... a sheet of black poster board that looked just like Kydex! Haha. I'll just walk into the shop whistling and drop comments such as - "wonder where my 1/2" wrench is ". Maybe I can catch the Kydex in the open ... grazing.

Oh, you will like this: about two years ago, I bought a nice Sand Blasting Cabinet ... kit. I had had various home built versions thru the years. For abrasive and glass bead media. I just could not bring everything. When at Harbor Freight about halfway down here from Md., on one of the ten trips, I saw this cabinet and thought maybe I could graduate to a commercial cabinet. I've never assembled it. Well, about a year or more ago, we bought a small Habachi (sp) grill. Small for dinners at the house. We had never assembled it either. For Labor Day, we had these steaks. Time to assemble. ARE you KIDDING??! 137 screws of different sizes for this tiny grill? Can't you buy anything assembled? Cars will come flat packed soon!

Well, after the grill .... when I stood before the box containing the sand blast cabinet the other day; and noted the thousand or so screws in the product picture ....... ..... Two words came to mind. One of them was .... No. I'll have to work my way up to that. Have to feel really really good ....

But a glass beaded stainless blade is nice. I'll get there.

More later. Thanks Jeff and All. More comments very welcome. Thanks.
Gary

Hey Gary,
I would not mind a bead blast finish at all, and while we are on the topic of 'my' wish list I would also like to see something in a Wharncliffe blade shape. I have been using a couple lately and find that the blade shape is handy for lots of different of work. Thanks for letting me have some input!
Later,
Jeff

Couple of pics for you Jeff. Probably start trouble. Haha. Abrasive blasted and Glass beaded Stainless and Anodized Titanium. Recent stuff, from the early 90's. Yes .... 1990's.

For the guys asking "where's the guns", I have two about out the door. Hang tough. Thks for reading.

Gary

Wow! Those are gorgeous, just ship them both right out - yep, from the 90's time machine!

Hello Gary,

Knife looks great! Looks like a classic design and yet fresh. Never seen anything like it. The leather is neat, nice embossed logo and the snap secures the blade. Very nice!

Those 90's pics are cool. Looks like a letter opener? In first pic?

Pedro

Not a problem Gary,
And I agree with all you said. In fact I have been known to take the Dremel tool to a suitable sample and 'install' my version of the proper choil on a willing (or not so willing) blade! It is best and most easily done PRIOR to the heat treat .

Same is true for the sharpening issue. I rarely ever put a knife to a stone unless I need to originally profile it a bit to my own angle (only because that is just how I hold it when I sharpen it) or have to repair something stupid I did to it like a chip when it shouldn't have been used to pry with in the first place.

Most people have never shaved with a straight razor these days and the idea of 'honing' or 'stropping' a blade is a bit foreign to them.
Thanks Gary,
Jeff

Neat idea, in kydex of leather. Never seen anything quite like it.