Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

Included:

The Knife

• Size: Length overall max: 7.8" (19.8 cm), Width max at handle: 4.5" (11.4 cm), Blade Length at cutting edge: 4.5" (11.4 cm), Thickness: 0.250" (6.5 mm)
• Weight: 6.7 oz. (190 grams)
• Blade: ATS-34 High Molybdenum Martensitic Stainless Tool Steel, Hardened and Tempered, T3 Specialty Cryogenically treated to Rockwell C59.5, proprietary surface oxide treatment "Ghost Slate."
• Type/Purpose/Origin: Answering requests for an ultra lightweight yet tough and wear-resistant push-punch dagger that would function as a crossover between tactical/counterterrorism/combat use and daily working and carry, I designed my "Shrike" pattern. The name comes from a carnivorous bird of the Laniidae family, which is Latin for "butcher." It's a bird that wears a dark mask, and is also known as a "butcherbird," because of its aggressive feeding habits. It suited the knife pattern well.
• Blade Steel Alloy: The Shrike blade is made in ATS-34, a hypereutectoid, martensitic high molybdenum stainless tool steel. In this steel, there are three significant alloys that work together to make an extremely tough and durable wear-resistant steel with high corrosion resistance. First, there is carbon, at 1.25 percent, allowing significant hardening and forming of carbides. The second is chromium, and at 14 percent, it's a true stainless steel with high corrosion resistance. The third and most effective is molybdenum. ATS-34 has 4% of molybdenum, allowing a very high concentration of molybdenum carbide particles, which are extremely wear-resistant and contribute greatly to carbide formation at grain boundaries, leading to overall stabilization of the microstructure and leading to higher toughness overall. This means that ATS-34, when properly treated, is highly resistant to breakage, even at a high hardness. These three alloy elements combine to form very hard vanadium carbides and chromium carbides, particles so hard that typically diamond is preferred to sharpen this blade effectively.
• Heat Treatment: This Shrike has my T3 heat treatment, yielding an astounding blade in incredible condition through advanced processing protocols. How advanced is this treatment? It's a multi-stage cryogenic treatment, involving temperatures ranging in over 2000°F (1090°C) to -320°F (-196°C). The process is an evolution of my advanced heat treating processes, and consists of 33 dedicated and specific steps and takes 172 hours! This means that just to heat treat this blade takes over a week! The reason for this is scientific and critical, but yields the most stable, most wear-resistant, most durable and long-lived structure of this steel, profuse with fine multi-element carbides and a uniform and unbelievably robust structure. The result is an incredibly tough, very hard, very wear-resistant stainless steel. This is a testament to my determination to make the very best knives, steels, treatments and kits in the modern world. I know of no one else who has advanced the treatment to this level; it's unheard of in the metals and knifemaking field. This is, simply put, ATS-34 at its very finest advanced condition.
• Blade Design and Geometry: I double-hollow-ground the edges of this Shrike blade with a 3" contact wheel, something few, if any, other makers do, simply because it's very difficult to achieve. What this tight grind geometry produces is a blade that is extremely thin at the cutting edge, yet thick and substantial down the central spine, critical for support of a double-edged knife blade. This is a double-edged tanto design, so the secondary cutting apex of the tanto can be used to bear down when cutting in utility chores, and the tanto point is wide-angled and very strong, for the thin geometry. The blade has no choils to become trapped or snagged in any clothing, gear, or object being cut and the cutting edges simply taper to a stop in the grind for smoothness in motion. The blade has substantial quillons that are 2.5" (6.4 cm) at the widest that serve four purposes: one is to stop penetration of the blade at its limit, the second is to protect the fingers from any metal, edges, or projections, the third is to provide a smooth, rounded, contoured surface for the fingers for maximum grip security, and the fourth is to engage in the sheath retention method in the leather (described below). The blade is supported by a 1/4" thick and heavy central neck-ricasso to provide transfer of force from the hand to the blade edges and point, and the handle tang is full thickness in the palm for a solid, complete support.
• Blade Finish: The blade is finished in my flat, dark "Shadow" line of counterterrorism, rescue, and tactical knife finishes. Answering the request for completely subdued and non-reflective surfaces, I developed the Shadow Line with my Ghost Slate finish. This means darkening in a permanent fashion the stainless steel of the knife, with matching sheath. Read more about my Shadow Line and Ghost Slate finish on my Counterterrorism Knives page at this bookmark.
• Handle: I milled the tang in a skeletonized geometry, for ultimate weight reduction. The skeletonized handle tang is the lightest possible, and all surfaces are rounded, contoured, and smoothed for a comfortable, extremely lightweight grip. This type of handle results in a knife that is fully half of the weight of full tang punch daggers with handles. This results in a thinner, lower flat profile when sheathed, as well. The handle of the Shrike is designed with one of my "talon" palm heel points, used in my popular "Guardian" and "Ari B'Lilah" models. The notable thing is that this talon is comfortably concealed in the sheath, safe for the knife owner; he won't encounter the point unless the knife is unsheathed.
• Balance and Feel: The balance point of the knife is exactly at the quillons, and the knife feels extremely lightweight, yet strong, molded to the hand when gripped in the fist. By design, the fingertips engage the inside of the handle milling for extra secure grip. This knife was conceived for the wearer to be able to immediately put it in his hand, with the handle shank between the first two fingers, in closed-fist form, without an elaborate grip technique, and to use or defend his life with simple punching and and thrusting motion natural to human movement. No matter where the enemy is attacking, the blade will yield an extremely aggressive point and razor-sharp cutting edge with enough power behind it to drive through heavy clothing, around gear and equipment with tremendous force. The tanto design of the blade makes it a sure performer for daily carry and work as well.
• This is an serious defensive and tactical weapon for the most critical of counterterrorism and tactical close quarters combat situations, while being a fully functional daily carry useful utility tool.

Included:

The Sheath

The Positively Locking Leather Sheath

• Weight: 6.9 oz. (196 grams)
• Materials: 9-10 oz. Leather Shoulder, Nylon high strength thread, stainless steel Chicago screws, stainless steel dot snaps
• Description: I've created an advanced leather sheath for this model, based on client feedback and necessity of safety and strength for daily carry. My clients may typically wear a leather sheath for daily carry, so I wanted to create a leather sheath that was as close to indestructible as leather can be. I started with the thickness; this is thick shoulder, about 0.2" (5 mm) thick, as heavy as leather armor, and the heaviest leather straps for rigging, and twice as thick as the leather on a saddle. I hand-stamped/tooled the sheath in a bordered randomized design, and dyed it black. The first thing you'll notice about the sheath is the very high front, covering the knife blade and handle almost completely, protecting the wearer from the persuader point. It also shields the knife handle from view for privacy. On the sheath front are two "D" shaped tab stitched points; these are the locations of the two D-shaped tab retention points that engage specific locations on the knife handle. These tabs have stainless steel (corrosion-proof and very strong) dot snaps that snap to the inside sheath back. When the knife is in the sheath, these dot snaps are engaged, making two audible and tactile "snaps" that assure the wearer that the knife is secured. When snapped, it's impossible for the knife to be removed, to fall, to vibrate out, or to even be forced from the sheath. This makes this design a positively-locking leather sheath that can't be forced, even in the most violent and active situations. When the wearer wants to remove the knife, he pushes his fingertips into the handle, unsnapping and folding the front face of the sheath outward, unsnapping the tabs, moving them out of engagement points on the knife handle. Because the front of the sheath folds, it's made of extra-thick leather and it's reinforced at that critical point with two 304 stainless steel Chicago screws, which go completely through the sheath front, welts, and sheath back. This way, no stress is on the stitching at this point. What about the stitching? The belt loop I secured with double row stitching of nylon, for great strength and durability. The belt loop will accommodate a 2.0" wide belt. On the welts, back, and front, I stitched the sheath with double-row stitches, for extreme strength, stiffening, and durability. The sheath is rounded, contoured, smoothed, and sealed with three coats of lacquer for longevity.
• Casual and PSD wear: Clearly, most of my tactical and combat gear cannot be mistaken for utility wear. Heavy, solid kydex sheaths can be bulky and weighty to wear in the casual sense, nor are they meant to be. The Shrike sheath is different. Because it's hand-tooled leather, more common daily and casual wear is possible, traditionally on the belt. This makes the knife a good choice for PSD (Principal Security Detail, or Security Detail) work.
• Simply put: This is the most secure, durable, and well-constructed leather sheath possible.

Included:

Storage

• Envelope Bag: 1000 denier Cordura® ballistic black nylon, waterproof polyurethane coated, inside layered in heavy polyester felt. Stainless steel dot snaps, embroidered patch, removable embroidered name patch with hook and loop

Get the details about the bag at this link