Menkar
Menkar
- Size: Length overall: 6.8" (17.3 cm), Blade Length: 3.25" (8.3 cm), Thickness: .204" (5.2 mm)
- Weight: Knife: 6.1 oz. (179 grams) Sheath: 4.5 oz. (153 grams)
- Blade: CPM154CM Powder Technology Martensitic High Molybdenum Stainless Tool Steel, Cryogenically Treated, Hardened and Tempered to Rockwell HRC60.5, Mirror Polished
- Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel
- Handle: Dendritic Agate Gemstone (India)
- Sheath 1: Hand-carved, Hand-dyed Leather Inlaid with Green Ray Skin
- Sheath 2: Hand-stamped, black dyed leather in
basketweave pattern, acrylic sealant
- Knife: The Menkar is named for the
second-brightest star (also known as Alpha Ceti) in the
constellation of Cetus, the whale. The curvature of the blade
reminds me of a whale's form, upswept and dropping at the point, a
variation of a Nessmuk-style utility, working, skinning, and
dressing blade, popular for centuries. This is a tight, strong and
bold knife, small in stature yet stout and durable, with a feisty,
bold character. I made the blade in CPM154CM, a powder metal
technology version of high molybdenum 154 CM tool steel, an
extremely tough steel with high wear resistance and high corrosion
resistance. This is a beautiful steel, some of the best modern
technology can produce. The finish and grain on the steel is super
smooth and uniform, due to the powder metal technology process, and
my best heat treating process applied. I quenched this steel at
-325°F for maximum martensitic conversion, and aged this steel in
deep cryogenic processing, with 43 hour aging for the maximum
precipitation of eta-carbides. This was followed by triple tempering
with deep cryogenic soaks in between tempers for the most stable
allotrope possible. Consequently, this is an extremely tough, very
hard, very corrosion resistant and beautiful blade that will
literally last for generations. I tapered the hollow grind in the
blade, for a very thin and penetrating point, while leaving the
hollow grind near the ricasso thicker, reflected in the cutting edge
relief, getting wider near the handle. This is done to increase
strength at the blade to handle area, yet have the same sharpening
angle for easy sharpening when necessary. With the eta carbides and
treatment, sharpening should be very seldom! The knife has full,
deep, yet simple alternating filework to give a good purchase at the
blade spine, and the tang is fully tapered for balance. The handle
style is a three-fingered handle, where just the index, middle, and
ring finger are wrapped around the handle and the dropped profile at
the butt of the handle rests in the palm. It's a very comfortable
knife to hold in this fashion. I bolstered the knife with high
chromium, high nickel 304 stainless steel, for absolute corrosion
resistance and high toughness, a steel that is zero care. The
bolsters are rounded, smoothed, contoured and polished for comfort.
The bolsters are dovetailed and bed a pair if Dendritic Agate
gemstone handle scales. This is very hard, tough agate that will
literally outlast the knife. The agate comes from the Aurangabad District,
in Maharashtra, India, and has fascinating green, mossy
dendrites throughout the white and gray cryptocrystalline quartz.
I've polished the agate to a bright, glassy finish and it's smooth
and appealing, with fascinating patterns that are even more
interesting under magnification. The knife feels solid and tough in
the hand, and the balance point is at the front bolster-handle scale
junction, making the blade feel light in the hand.
- Sheath 1: I wanted a special, bold sheath for this knife, so I built a
deep, high-backed sheath in 9-10 oz. leather shoulder, hand-carved
complex inlay pockets in front, back, and the belt loop, and applied
tonal gradation hand-dying for a rich, toasted look to the leather
around the inlays. I inlaid the sheath with green rayskin forms,
reflecting the dendritic (leaf and tree) forms in the gemstone
handle. I used a meandering, casual stitch line of tight brown
polyester sinew, and sealed the sheath in lacquer for longevity.
- Sheath 2: My client requested an additional
sheath that was all work, a utility sheath that was less
ostentatious and muted for work or daily wear. He requested black
basketweave, so this sheath I made in 9-10 oz. leather shoulder,
with a solid, regular design and a durable, utilitarian acrylic finish.
The belt loop has double-row stitching in heavy black nylon for durability and the sheath
is deep and protective for the knife and the wearer.
- The knife and sheath are a tough combination of extremely fine
modern high technology stainless tool steel, hard and eternal agate,
and a robust and tough sheath to match. A great piece.
Thanks D. B.!
Hi Jay,
I am now pleased to be able to confirm that your package, with the Menkar and sheaths, has arrived.
The Menkar certainly exceeds my expectations, which were already rather high, based on the specs and photos. The design is much more impressive in proprietary persona than in the photos, and I am not sure why you did
not call it Diphda, unless that already belongs to ‘a larger fish’. As you had indicated, it has excellent
balance and a lovely feel, and I look forward to using it as a practical and elegant tool.
My thanks, and best regards,
D.
Please click on thumbnail knife photos