Sheath: Hand-carved leather inlaid with Tegu Lizard Skin
Knife: The knife "Wasat" is named for a star in
the constellation Gemini, with a proper name of Delta Geminorum.
This is a medium-sized knife with a fine
trailing point, super sharp and pointed. I made this Wasat in O1
high carbon tungsten-vanadium alloy tool steel, an improved O1 oil-hardening tool steel with added tungsten and vanadium for increased
wear resistance. I heat treated and quenched and aged this steel
with shallow cryogenic process, with deep cryogenic cycling between
multiple tempers. This results in a very wear resistant and tough
blade, an improvement of 400 percent better wear resistance than a
conventionally treated blade in the same steel! I then mirror
polished and hot-blued the blade for a glassy black appearance, and
increased corrosion resistance to the surface. The knife has full
filework in a simple vine pattern, bold and accurate throughout the
fully tapered tang. I bolstered the knife in 304 high nickel, high
chromium austenitic stainless steel for zero care, mirror finished.
I then hand-engraved a bold leafy pattern with cross-hatch shading
on the bolsters for a distinctive and darkened look. The knife is
handled in black jade from Australia, a beautiful and extremely
tough nephrite that is so dark a green as to be almost black (thus
the name). In various lighting, it is hard to tell if it's green at
all, because it's so dark. This nephrite is one of the very toughest
gemstones there are, and will, simply, outlast the knife in every
way. It's smooth and comfortable and solid in the hand, with the
balance point at the union of the front bolster and handle scale.
I've included several differently lit photos, with and without
reflectors, so you can see the darkness of the handle and the
boldness of the engraving.
Sheath: I made the sheath to match this knife in
9-10 oz. leather shoulder, into which I hand-carved inlay pockets in
the same leaf pattern that is on the bolsters. It is inlaid, front,
back, and in the belt loop with 19 inlays of green Tegu lizard skin.
The leather was dyed black, hand-stitched with black polyester, and
sealed against the elements. The sheath is deep enough to protect
the razor-keen blade and the knife owner, yet displays enough of the
handle for beauty and easy access.
A very clean, handsome, dark, and exquisite knife with full
embellishment.
Copyright 1996-2024 by The Jay Fisher Company. All rights reserved. Federal copyright law prohibits unauthorized reproduction by any means and imposes fines up to $25,000 for each violation.
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