Blade: O-1 High Carbon Tungsten-Vanadium Tool Steel, Hardened and Tempered to Rockwell C60,bead blasted, blued
Bolsters, Fittings: Brass
Handle: Polished Serpentine Gemstone, Zebrawood
Sheath: Lizard skin inlaid in hand-carved leather
Knife: Named for the big cottonwood tree, common in our dry Southwest, the Alamogordo is a tough, sharp, well-designed working tool, fine enough
for a collection. I made this blade of O-1, an oil-hardened high carbon tungsten-vanadium tool steel, known for its versatility, dependability,
and ability to be sharpened to an extremely keen razor edge. This is not some plain carbon steel just dressed up. O-1 is an exceptional tool steel
manufactured just to make tools, to resist the impact, high wear, and abrasive situations that a knife blade will encounter. This particular blade
I've hardened and tempered to Rockwell 60, for an extremely hard wear profile and great longevity at the cutting edge. The blade is precisely
matched in the deep hollow grinds, with no filework that could hold debris that might cause corrosion. I also bead-blasted the blade for a flat
finish, and hot-blued the blade for an hour, resulting in deep penetration of bluing to further resist corrosion and present a flat black
appearance. This knife has a hidden tang, which means the tang is reduced to a threaded rod through the handle, for a full, rounded and smooth
handle grip which is secured by a threaded pommel. For the guard and pommel, I went for a more traditional warm look of polished brass; the
guard has a deep quillon to protect the hand from the razor-keen edge, and the pommel is shaped for a smooth, comfortable feel. The handle has
significant weight for controlled working and good purchase, and is made of bedded segments of drilled and polished Serpentine gemstone and
Zebra wood, for an organic character with a splash of bright olive green.
Sheath: The sheath for this knife needed a nice touch, so I made a deep, protective sheath of 9-10 oz. leather shoulder, hand-stitched and
lacquer-sealed, and inlaid with real Teju Lizard skin. The lizard has a great color, and is smooth and even, very nice to the touch.
A great working tool fine enough for a collection.
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