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Fighter (Fancy Handle)
My fighter is my own design, admittedly influenced by Joe Flournoy's
award winning designs, My Randall #1, and Walter Brends model 2.
Available with 7"-9" blade and 2 handle styles. This knife
is a light, fast handling, very sharp fighter, with a fine edge.
It is not a combat/survival knife for opening crates. This knife
can be made with a thicker edge and single guard to produce a larger
camp knife.
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Forged knife construction
A) Advantages of forged construction
1) Forging produces knives of superior strength and fine grain. By
forging knives close to final shape the grain flows without interruption
from the butt to the tip. This adds to the overall strength of the
blade. The repeated, controlled heats create a fine grain structure
producing excellent edge characteristics. Edge durability, edge retention,
and ease of sharpening are all benefits of forging.
2) Forging uses less material and reduces time at the grinder. Because
blades are forged 90% to shape, there is less material wasted and
fewer belts used.
3) Forging allows greater design flexibility. The steel can be made
thicker, thinner, tapered, and bent with the hammer. Design is truly
only limited by the makers skill at the anvil.
4) Forging typically involves simple steels that can be differentially
hardened, differentially tempered or both.
5) The continuous grain flow, combined with the ability to differentially
heat treat allows blades to be made with hidden tags without sacrificing
strength.
6) Hidden tangs and full distal tapers can be forged into a blade
to increase the strength to weight ratio. These two factors also add
to the balance of the finished knife.
B) Heat Treatment
1) Blades under 4 ½"
Heat treating of forged blades begins with control of the forging
heats. Care is taken not to overheat the blade. Once forged to shape,
the blade undergoes controlled grain refining heats and annealing.
At this point the blade is rough ground. Two more grain refining
heats and normalizing gets the blade ready for hardening. The entire
blade is then heated and quenched in preheated oil. The first oven
temper is followed by 24 hours in liquid nitrogen. The back of the
blade is drawn to a spring temper with a torch three times. The
blade then goes into the computer controlled oven for 2 more 2-hour tempers,
just to be sure the edge is tempered right where I want it. The
blade produced by full hardening and differential tempering is stiff,
strong, and has a fine grained edge.
2) Blades over 4 ½"
Heat treating of forged blades begins with control of the forging
heats. Care is taken not to overheat the blade. Once forged to shape,
the blade undergoes controlled grain refining heats and annealing.
At this point the blade is rough ground. Two more grain refining
heats and normalizing gets the blade ready for hardening. The edge
of the blade is then heated and the entire knife is quenched in
preheated oil. This produces a hard edge and soft back. This also
produces a visible temper line. The first oven temper is followed
by 24 hours in liquid nitrogen. The back of the blade is drawn to
a spring temper with a torch twice. The blade then goes into the
computer controlled oven for 2 more 2-hour tempers, just to be sure the
edge is tempered right where I want it. The blade produced by edge
hardening and differential tempering is strong, and will not snap
when bent or when used for chopping. The fine grained edge is strong
and easy to sharpen.
Forged knife care
Forged knives require care to prevent staining and rust. Rusting
can be prevented by cleaning and applying oil, polish, or any of
the high-tech anti corrosion products on the market. Staining it
self is not dangerous to the knife. It is cosmetic only and some
staining can be expected with use.
A few light strokes on a fine sharpening stone should keep the blade
shaving sharp. If blade is allowed to get very dull or damaged,
a few strokes on a course stone to bring the edge up to a burr,
followed by a few light strokes on a fine hone should bring it back
to full sharpness.
Knives in general should not be stored in leather sheaths. Moisture
and tanning chemicals combine and will ruin a knife in short order.
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