Kochel
"Kochel" Custom Art Knife
- Size:
Knife: Length Overall: 19,25" (48.9 cm), Blade Length:
11.5" (29.2 cm), Thickness: .232" (5.9 mm)
Stand: Length: 24.75" (62.9 cm), Depth: 6.0" (15.2 cm), Height
(with knife): 8.75" (22.2 cm)
- Weight:
Knife: 1 lb. 12 oz. (794 grams)
Stand: 2.0 lbs. (907 grams)
- Blade: O1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium tool
steel, hardened and tempered to 58HRC, mirror polished, hot blued
- Bolsters, Fittings: 304 austenitic high nickel,
high chromium stainless steel
- Handle: Polished Polvadera Jasper Gemstone
- Stand: Hand-carved American Black Walnut,
Wenge, Honduras Rosewood, Cocobolo Hardwoods, Polvadera Jasper
Gemstone
- Knife: The knife Kochel was named for The Smith
of Kochel, a legendary metal smith who became a soldier, and armed
with just a bar of steel, stove in the gates of Belgrade. Had the
Smith of Kochel had
the chance to refine his bar, this knife is what I envision for him.
This striking art knife project started with the input and drawings
from my client, who wanted a custom piece with certain specific and original
features incorporated into the design. From his original design, I
refined the design, created the pattern and made Kochel. The knife blade has some
unique features. The steel is O1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium high
alloy tool
steel, and I've mirror-polished the knife throughout and hot blued
it to a deep, penetrating black, glassy finish. The large blade
(over 11 inches long) has several hollow ground areas, with a 3"
length of grind at the ricasso sporting my vampire rip tooth
serrations, and over 8" of regular hollow grind, upswept to the
large and aggressive swage area. This area has four deep, large
serrations, and including all serration faces, the knife blade
has 58 individual grind faces and about 340 file cuts! Bringing all these together was quite
a challenge. Bringing them all to mirror finish goes way beyond what
I had originally envisioned for Kochel, but I think the effort was
worth it. The spine of the knife is strong and thick, with full
filework throughout. The tang was left at full thickness for
balance, and has multiple variable-sized finger rings that are fully
contoured, smoothed, polished, and blued for a comfortable grip. The
blade has a wide bolster-guard area with full coverage in sculpted,
contoured, and mirror-finished bolsters in 304 high nickel, high
chromium austenitic stainless steel. At the butt of the knife is a talon
point (also called a skull crusher),
bringing the point home that this is a substantial weapon and piece
of art. The handle was an equal challenge to the blade to make. The
material is solid Polvadera Jasper (with some Agate areas) from the
Polvadera mountains in New Mexico, and the scales are sculpted,
carved, and finished to match the tang and extend down the finger
rings. They are dovetailed and bedded to the bolsters and tang. With a bright polish, this hard, tough, and solid jasper will
outlast the knife. The handle feels very comfortable in the hand;
the balance point is just at the tip of the sculpted bolster face,
and the center of percussion is right at the main sweeping grind.
- Stand: Kochel had to have one of my original
and unique stands, and I thought it would be best served with a
Black Forest-type of dark, carved and woody flavor. I carefully calculated the balance
point, position, and lines of the knife and designed the stand to
compliment and accentuate the bold look. I hand-carved the stand in
American Black Walnut hardwood with two claw feet with the members mounted crossways
to each other. At the apex, the Walnut is bored and holds two turned
and polished pegs of Honduras Rosewood, which are capped with
Polvadera Jasper, matching the handle material of the knife. The
pegs are retained with tapered pegs of polished Cocobolo hardwood.
The Walnut carved claw feet rest on wormy Wenge African hardwood, chosen
for its dark, intriguing grain and small wormholes, giving an
ancient appearance. The knife balances on the first and third finger
holes on two cannelures in the rosewood pegs. All of the woods in
the stand are either polished or lightly oiled and are their natural
color. The blade is suspended
along the main leg of the stand, guarding it from contact. To top
off the piece, I made a name stand of polished Cocobolo hardwood
which holds a reversible black lacquered brass and red lacquered
aluminum engraved plate for display options.
- A striking and original work of knife sculpture, custom made for
a special client.
Thanks, A. V.!
Jay…
I can’t wipe the stupid grin off my face. You have gone far and above the call on this one, and have
exceeded my expectations in every way! (which were already very high)
I really like how the stand came out as well, and like the added touch of the jasper on the mounting
pegs and the carved claw feet.
P.S. – I know you weren’t sure of the jasper as a handle material – but I thank you for making it
work for me. ever since I saw it on another of your knives, I knew it was something I wanted to
have on this one.
Thank you for making this knife for me.
-A.
Please click on thumbnail knife photos