Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives
New to the website? Start Here
"Vindicator" with Lapis Lazuli Gemstone handle
Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives |
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New to the website? Start Here |
"Vindicator" with Lapis Lazuli Gemstone handle |
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This is a sophisticated evolution of my counterterrorism knife line, one that is as specialized as a knife can be. This Hooded Warrior is created with counterterrorism use and defensive tactical combat, rescue, and stealth in purpose and adapted for a very special client. The Hooded Warrior incorporates a new and exciting progression of this distinctive type of knife with specific features highly detailed below. The knife includes the most sophisticated, expansive, and adaptable modular sheath wear system made in the world.
This knife accessories of this particular model is made in my new "Shadow" line of counterterrorism knives; this is a very special knife. I've created the Shadow line because my counterterrorism clients have repeatedly requested completely subdued packages, full accessory compliments that are dark, flat, minimized, and with minimal visual imprint. While these could be called stealthy, that wouldn't quite be accurate since these are highly effective, substantial, and imposing weapons and tools that are not easily hidden! It has taken a lot of research and experimentation to come up with the processes that define the Shadow line. I start with my effective and well-recognized combat and counterterrorism knife designs, and add as many features and accessories possible so that these ensembles will interface with all the gear, in every situation, as dictated by my combat and counterterrorism clients. They have given me the guidance to create this gear, and I believe it is the best of its field in the entire world. I know of no other knife maker or manufacturer that has even come close, and none that have even tried.
In addition to the black "shadow" appearance of the sheaths, and accessories, I've also included a complete Coyote Tan (or Coyote brown) set of the entire compliment of accessories. This I've done because depending on the situation, mission, wear, environment, and particular case, my tactical counterterrorism clients need different color sets to match their gear, in order to remain in camouflage. Details below.
Additionally, I've made and included the complete set of modular sheath wear system components. This is absolutely the finest, most durable, most comprehensive and complete wear system made in the world today. The modular system allows complete and fast integration of the knife/sheath combination to be worn as an independent, quickly donned and doffed, integrated unit, made of the most durable materials possible. The wearer can quickly and easily switch between belt loop wear, wear at the sternum, handle down, or even wear behind the spine. Please see the linked videos listed below for complete instructions and wear applications of these devices.
One more special application of this particular knife package is my PSD, or Principle Security Detail sheath wear system. As described on my Counterterrorism Knives page at this link, these uncoated, undyed leather sheaths are made to be worn underneath expensive suits and clothing, to keep the knife secure and yet immediately accessible without the possibility of staining the clothes.
Creating a substantial CT (counterterrorism) knife is just the start, and even that is a continual evolution of process, conversation, field trials, and feedback from the guys who absolutely use these knives in the most serious action and scenarios one can imagine. I give special thanks to our United States Military; specifically USAF Pararescue, Army Infantry, Special Operations, Navy SEAL Teams, and Marines that have guided and influenced my work. Additionally, special counterterrorism recognition must go to the Israeli Defense Force/National Police Force YAMAM members for their input and advice in creating this evolving line. It is because of these men that I continue to strive to provide what they ask for and need. It is a huge honor.
The evolution of this line includes sophisticated designs, complicated and lengthy heat treating and cryogenic processing of highly evolved knife blade steels, careful attention to high strength blade-to-handle and hand-to-knife design for maximum application of force with high security in grip. The evolution includes unique serration geometries, puncture, piercing, and breaching features, and strengthened points and edges with the maximum geometry that balances strength and cutting ability. Continue this with unique and brutally tough sheaths, the very best in the world, with positively locking, or hybrid tension-locking, with variable retention and release options. Evolution of the metal components of my sheaths, mounting, and wear options are high strength materials, corrosion resistant materials, aluminum and titanium alloys which are anodized, hard surfaced with the wear resistance of ceramics. All included accessories, mounts, and designs have evolved, too.
The color and reflectivity of these packages is important. CT and military clients requested non-reflective, flat, dark hardware, mountings, and fittings. In addition, they requested inclusion of complete Coyote Tan assemblies to interface with their existing camouflage gear. They needed extremely high corrosion resistance, and the durability my sheaths and accessories are known for. This was particularly challenging, and I worked, experimented, built, tested, and refined my processes to bring the Shadow and the Coyote line of knives to being. Every ordinarily visible component on the Shadow package is darkened, subdued, non-reflective and obscure. Every ordinarily visible component on the Coyote package is darkened, subdued, non-reflective and obscure. How have I done this?
The Hooded Warrior was initially designed with direct input of a sniper in the 101st Airborne, for his wear and use in Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is a true combat knife, and though the style in this particular knife has progressed to a 6" long blade and a slightly larger handle, it is not much different from that original design. This is a great pattern and I encourage you to examine the many Hooded Warrior knives I've made over the years detailed on my website. The only way this knife could be better was to add the sophisticated components described below.
The deep belly of the blade, the aggressive point and the two-thirds length top swage were incorporated to offer a serious piercing point with a generous amount of slashing curvature for defensive and counterterrorism tactical use.
The knife blade of the Hooded Warrior is very thick and strong, and it's made of ATS-34 a high molybdenum stainless steel, which means it is extremely tough, and resistant to breakage. It has plenty of spine to support the large and deep curving sweep of the blade. The substantial spine continues throughout the knife, full tang, and though the tang is fully tapered, I've left plenty of reinforce for the most demanding of intensity. The tang is fully fileworked with a punctuated pattern, informing the handmade nature while increasing grip security and distinctness.
This blade is ATS-34 martensitic stainless tool steel, a long-proven favorite of my counterterrorism clients for several reasons. The first is its high toughness; this is one of the most break-resistant steels I use. So durable is this steel it was originally designed as the material for turbine blades. It has very high corrosion resistance, and it's suitable for immersion as long as it's dried afterward. I've heat treated and cryogenically processed this steel to result in its most durable and dimensionally stable state, with deep cryogenic quenching and aging of over 40 hours, followed by three tempering cycles alternated with deep cryogenic thermal cycling at -325°F. This results in extremely fine and profuse chromium carbides, fine asperity, superior wear resistance, and increased toughness of the steel over conventionally treatment methods. Simply put, this is the best condition this steel can be for this application. Additionally, my mirror polish increases the corrosion resistance, as dirt and debris simply does not stick to the surface.
The hollow grinds of the blade are accurate, concise, and matched side to side, and the spine of the knife offers a good thumb rise with deep bold filework for control of the grip. The bolsters are 304 high nickel, high chromium austenitic stainless steel, and the front bolster is rounded and domed for easy cleaning. I've engraved a custom Mountain Lion paw print set in all the bolster faces, in deep relief, with special meaning for my great client. The bolsters are dovetailed to bed a pair of stunning Australian Tiger Iron gemstone handle scales. This is a very tough, durable, and beautiful gemstone that will absolutely outlast the knife, and I smoothed and polished the handle to a high, glassy luster. Australian Tiger Iron is a favorite; it is a silicified crocidolite, with chatoyance (cat's eye effect) in the golden-colored areas, layered with metallic gray hematite and red jasper. This is a beautiful set of matched scales, and I oriented them for a curved drop of the flow banding that works with the recurve of the blade and the angle of the handle.
The handle is smooth, hard, and extremely durable and solid in the hand, and the balance point is right at the forefinger quillon point, giving the blade a substantial feel. This is clearly a counterterrorism, PSD, and combat knife
I included a fine sheath for display and wear in black glazed ostrich leg skin inlaid in heavy leather shoulder, dyed a burgundy color to match the gemstone handle. I hand-stitched it in a zigzag pattern with polyester, it's finished front and back and sealed for longevity.
The locking sheath is absolutely the finest made in the world today, and has been for many years. I first designed these by request of USAF Pararescuemen in the early 1990s, and in the hundreds I've made, I've never had a failure of a single one. This is because they are extremely well-built, tremendously durable, and highly corrosion resistant. They are completely waterproof, with all surfaces and components either treated, naturally waterproof, or stainless steel. The sheaths are built of double thickness (.125" thick) kydex (methyl acrylate and polyvinyl chloride) over a welt-frame of black or coyote tan anodized 5052H32 corrosion resistant high strength aluminum alloy. I've meticulously anodized all of the aluminum surfaces, even through holes, of each welt component, mount, fitting, and fixture for extremely high durability, ultimate corrosion resistance, strength enhancement, and muted or matching camouflage appearance. If you're not familiar with anodization, it's a chemo-electric process that creates a near-ceramic hard surface on the aluminum alloy, a surface that increases wear resistance tremendously, and a surface that can accept permanent dyes that are sealed in place. For my black kydex sheaths, the anodized aluminum color is black for low reflectivity and matching appearance, and for the coyote tan sheaths, the aluminum closely matches the sheath kydex and modern desert camo gear. For high durability, the anodized surface is a full 1 mil thick, and is sealed with a process that resists sunlight bleaching to the highest degree. The sheath is bonded with waterproof cement and bolted together with all appropriately colored or darkened 304 stainless steel Chicago screws for zero care and extreme corrosion resistance while being minimized and non-reflective.
The locking sheath comes with two pairs of belt loops (footman's loops) that are die-formed and anodized 5052H32 aluminum alloy. One pair is high profile for .250" x 1.5" belt sizes and the other pair is low profile for thinner .190" x 1.5" sized belts. The belt loops are able to be moved to multiple locations as well as either side of the sheath frame. On this particular knife, the belt loops have 8 different locations with multiple combinations for versatile wear. I also include heavy vertical/horizontal clamping straps in anodized aluminum that allow the sheath to be rigidly clamped to belt, webbing, PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System), straps, body armor gear, and anywhere there is a need. Also included are reversible horizontal belt loop plates, to allow the sheath to be worn horizontally along the belt line. Included are vertical clamping straps of anodized 5052 aluminum, and horizontal clamping straps as well. These allow rigid clamping of the sheath to webbing and gear in virtually any orientation, with all the clamping hardware included. All of the mounting assemblies are reversible, as is the spring retention for the tension-lock sheath, so the versatility of this sheath is unsurpassed. It's also completely and absolutely waterproof, for zero worry about exposure. The knife can be unsheathed by thumb pressure moving the locking tang only; the knife is otherwise solidly locked in the sheath. This is an extremely durable sheath and mechanism, the best in the world.
This knife package also includes the PSD (Principle Security Detail) trio of undyed leather sheaths, with stainless steel anti-rotation security straps for the horizontal models. These are secure sheaths that wear underneath suit jackets, in the small of the back, facing either side.
This intensive and packed kit includes my entire modular sheath wearing system: the belt loop extender, the sternum harness and the spine harness. This allows fast changes between setups and wear modules by simply loosening and replacing four thumbscrews on the sheath. With entire modular systems included in both black and coyote, this is the absolute best knife sheath wear system made in the world. All of it is handmade with the highest quality components in my studio. Look at the videos listed below and I'm certain you'll appreciate the thought, background, and input of my counterterrorism clients, my tactical, military, and law enforcement clients who have been so generous with their ideas, evaluation, and testing of the components.
Accessories: This is an example of my commitment to the entire knife experience, from design to working service, with some of the finest professional knife users in the world. Since the bolt pattern of the sheath matches my 2.5" bolt pattern for my accessories, most of my accessories can be used on this sheath, including any new ones I develop. At the request of the counterterrorism professionals, this knife comes with the most complete bunker of attachment, wear, and useful accessories made in the world today! I even hand-make the heavy 1000 denier duffle bags to hold the entire kit. The kit includes my modular sheath wear system components, in both coyote and black:
This is the finest professional counterterrorism knife kit made, designed with and for professional use, in the most modern and best treatment and construction possible, with the widest-ranging and most durable materials and accessories made.
Thanks, S.!
