Argiope
"Argiope" Fine Handmade Knife
- Size: Length overall: 12.75" (32.4 cm), Blade Length:
7.5" (19.1 cm), Thickness: .240" (6.1 mm)
- Weight: Knife: 17.0 oz. (482 grams) Sheath: 8.6 oz. (244 grams)
- Blade: ATS-34 High Molybdenum Martensitic Stainless Steel, Hardened and Tempered with T3 Cryogenic Process to Rockwell HRC 60.5, Mirror Polished
- Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, Mirror polished
- Handle: Spider Web Jasper (Oregon) gemstone
- Sheath: Hand-carved, hand-dyed Leather Shoulder
Inlaid with Black, Red Rayskin
- Knife: This is my "Argiope" pattern, named
for a large, imposing spider in the southeastern United States. This
is an exciting large knife, with a radical handle-to-blade angle, sometimes
called a "gun" handle due to the orientation. The design was
originally created as a tactical knife made to be unsheathed in
reverse grip fashion, for defense at the rear of the knife owner.
The design is a fascinating study in curves, geometry, and superb
finish, fantastic for use, fine enough for collection.
- The steel I chose for his knife is
ATS-34, a high molybdenum, high chromium martensitic
stainless steel, very tough and wear resistant. It's so
durable that it's used as a main steel in my
counterterrorism knives. It's a high
molybdenum stainless steel, and the molybdenum aids in
forming nucleation sites for complex carbide development.
The moly also increases the toughness dramatically,
resulting in a blade that's extremely strong. This allows
me to temper the steel at a higher overall hardness, for
great wear resistance as well. The high chromium and high
carbon results in profuse chromium carbides, increasing
corrosion resistance as well as wear resistance. To bring
this steel to its zenith, I used my proprietary T3 deep
cryogenic process in heat treating this blade; it's a highly
detailed, extremely sophisticated process that takes 33
individual steps and takes over a week long. The result of this is an
incredibly wear-resistant blade that has extremely high carbide
development, fine grain, and extremely high toughness. Asperity is
reduced; the microstructure development is superior to any other
typical handmade knife, and far above any factory or
manufactured knife. This is, simply put, ATS-34 at its very finest
advanced condition. The grind is deep and recurved, with
well-matched grind terminations and a bright, beautiful
mirror polish. The spine has a half-length top swage,
and is thick and strong, at nearly
1/4", and the blade has full, deep, and bold filework in a
"spider fang" style. The tang
is fully tapered for balance, and the single bevel cutting
edge is razor-keen. The forefinger quillon is large and
protective, and the rear finger ring is contoured, smoothed
and polished for comfort in a forward or reverse grip.
- I bolstered the knife with zero-care 304 high chromium, high
nickel stainless steel bolsters, which are contoured, rounded and
finished for a comfortable feel. The bolsters are secured with
zero-clearance peened pins and dovetailed to bed the
handle scales.
The front bolster is sculpted to fit the geometry of the
grinds and thumb rest. The rear bolster is light and
sculpted to contour to the rear finger ring.
- The handle scales I chose are Spiderweb
Jasper from Eastern Oregon, also called Spiderman Jasper.
There are orange-red lines running in every direction
throughout the black jasper, creating a striking network of
color and pattern. The jasper is hard and tough, and a
brilliant contrast to the mirror polished blade and
bolsters.
- The knife feels large and imposing in
the hand, durable and solid. The angle of the blade to the
handle orients the knife aimed away from the knife user at
all times. It's created to allow the wrist to lock in a
natural position (called "square" in martial arts) without
putting undue stress on the wrist joint. This is a serious,
imposing knife.
- Sheath: The sheath I created for this Argiope
had to be large and complimentary, and I chose to follow the bold,
deep spider fang filework pattern for the inlays in the sheath
front, back and double belt loop. I used matched red rayskin and
black rayskin for the 26 individual inlays in the hand-carved 9 - 10
oz. leather shoulder. I stitched the entire sheath in double-row
black polyester for durability and rigidity, and triple-coated the
entire sheath in leather saddle lacquer for longevity.
- A tremendous, exciting, imposing tactical art knife with a
magnificent geometry and finish, an absolutely superb knife and
sheath.
Thanks, D. S.!
Jay,
This blade has a story it depicts, I will need more time for a proper response...
All my prayers,
--D. S.
P.S. It is far-more than expected... but a creation from the caliber of a person I see you to be... "Intense" might do for now...
Please click on thumbnail knife photos