Kwakster's Collection

[kwakster]

The Kershaw 1031 Camp & Stream is a high quality fish filleter with semi-flexible blade, and was only produced between 1980 and 1985.
Like new condition and complete with original box & papers.
The factory edge on this knife is still "tree-topping" sharp, meaning it can shave hair above skin level.











Specs:

Overall length: 26,6 cm
Blade length: 15,9 cm
Blade thickness: 2,0 mm
Steel: sub-zero quenched AUS8 stainless
Hardness: 57-59 HRC
Handle material: ergonomically shaped Phenolic resin & brass bolsters
Weight: 147,0 grams
Sheath: Leather

 

[kwakster]

The Puma 6362 Mariner is a high quality fish filleter with semi-flexible blade.
It was made in 1987 and is still new and complete with seawater resistant sheath, yellow/green box & papers.











Specs:

Overall length: 27,7 cm
Blade length: 15,3 cm
Blade thickness: 2,0 mm
Steel: Stainless steel
Hardness: 57-61 HRC
Handle material: Artificial rubber with aluminium guard
Weight: 125 grams
Sheath: Vinyl

 

[kwakster]

A hunting folder from the 50's or '60's made by the Solingen, Germany based firm of G.Grafrath.
The company existed from 1869 up until 1961 when it became part of Hubertus, another famous German knife manufacturer.
The knife has a locking main blade, a gutting blade, a saw with bottle opener & screwdriver tip, and a corkscrew.
Stag grip panels & nickel silver bolsters on brass liners.





Specs:

Length open: 18,5 cm
Length closed: 10,5 cm
Main blade length: 8,0 cm
Steel: stainless
Backsprings: carbon spring steel
Handle material: Stag & solid nickel silver bolsters
Weight: 170 grams

 

[kwakster]

The Strider DB-L was designed at the request of an L.A.P.D. Tactical Officer (who participates in various forums with the name "Nyeti"), who wanted a handy backup knife suitable for any task demanded of it.
The tanto blade is capable of prying open most doors, and the compact design lends itself well to concealed carry.
The knife is also quite popular with various US Army units serving in remote area's, and it has even got it's own NSN number ( officially: Knife, Fixed, Camo, National Stock Number: 1095-01-531-5023)











Specs:

Overall length: 20,8 cm
Blade length (from end of finger choil to point): 10,6 cm
Blade thickness: 6,25 mm
Steel: CPM-S30V stainless
Handle material: G10
Weight: 219 grams
Schede: nylon

 

[kwakster]

A Swedish Erik Frost Mora knife, probably from the 1950's, with zero edge scandi grind carbon steel blade.
The leather sheath has a metal rim (painted red)
The knife was basically new & unused when i got it, but it had been sheathed for quite a few decades.
This is how it looked when i got it, and part of the edge still had a visible burr.



I renewed the edge on my Tormek T7 and gave the rest of the blade somewhat of a satin finish.
The fiber in the guard and below the butt had swollen a bit, so i sanded it flush with the brass and did some polishing.



Specs:

Overall length: 23,5 cm
Blade length: 12,1 cm
Blade thickness: 3,2 mm
Steel: Carbon steel
Handle material: Stag grip panels, brass & fiber guard, aluminium butt.
Weight: 140 grams
Sheath: Leather with red metal rim

 

[kwakster]

A modified Cattaraugus 225Q from WWII which i bought for cheap several years ago because it was missing part of the tip and had no sheath.
Reground the tip into something bowie-like, changed the saber grind into a hollow grind zero edge, then applied a 40-ish degrees inclusive convex microbevel & sanded the leather handle to fit my hand.
Also managed to find a sheath for it.
Now it's one of my favorite and one of my most used outdoor knives, as the edge cuts very well and even stands up to hacking through wrist size green wood without any edge damage.






Specs:

Overall length: 25,7 cm
Blade length: 14,5 cm
Max blade thickness: 4,54 mm
Steel type: Probably 1095 carbon steel
Handle materials: Steel guard & hammer pommel, leather washers

 

[kwakster]

Vintage Al Mar 3004A SOF Attack from the '90's.







Specs:

Overall length: 26,4 cm
Blade length: 14,5 cm
Blade thickness: 4,0 mm
Steel: AM-6 (AUS-6 stainless)
Hardness: 57-59 HRC
Handle material: Micarta on fiber & stainless bolsters
Weight: 240 grams
Sheath: Black leather with sharpening stone in pouch

 

[kwakster]

The Puma 126480 Defender was designed in the early 90's by German knifemaker Richard Hehn, and built by Puma as a limited edition of only 500 pieces.

It's a pure fighter with heavy metal handle & double hollow ground 154CM blade (top not sharpened), and the point of balance is just in front of the first steel rivet.
The guard is embellished on both sides with a Puma logo medallion, and the bottom picture shows the security mechanism; a steel pin with mushroomed head that clicks directly into a hole in the handle.











Specs:

Overall length: 28,6 cm
Blade length: 15,8 cm
Blade thickness: 5,8 mm
Steel: 154CM stainless
Handle material: polished stainless steel inlayed with Grenadille (African Blackwood)
Weight: 297 grams
Sheath: Leather
Complete with wooden box

 

[kwakster]

This Kershaw 1050 Folding Field was on my "wanted" list since the early '80's, when i first saw it at my dealer but couldn't afford it.
A few years ago we had a forum gathering and there it was on a vendors table: for a good price & in mint condition, complete with leather belt sheath and original box.

The latest steel ?: no
Lightweight grip maybe ?: not really
Tactical appearance ?: nope
Lowrider pocketclip then ?: nein, nein, nein.

What i did get for my hard earned cash ?

Just a very sturdy folder with a beautiful design and the build quality with the fit & finish of a custom, including a very powerful and absolutely playfree backlock for which the name "bankvault" comes to mind.

Take a look, and click 2 x for maximum detail:










Specs:

Overall length: 21,2 cm
Blade length: 8,6 cm
Blade thickness: 3,9 mm
Steel: AUS 8 stainless
Handle material: Polished brass with ergonomically shaped phenolic resin inlays.
Locktype: backlock
Weight: 235 grams
Sheath: Leather

 

[kwakster]

The Warrior knife was designed in 1978 by Bob Taylor and Randy Wanner, both of whom had extensive training in Close Quarters Combat and between them had amassed over forty years of training and teaching.
The late Michael Echanis was also doing research on the failings of "Combat Knives".
Echanis's research and theories reinforced what they already knew, "Combat Knives" available at that time were only rehashed ideas of the Bowie, Tanto, and Dagger, which were centuries old with no major changes.
The problem with these designs was that they weakened the grip and/or provided limited motion.
The Warrior was designed as a pure combat knife used primarily in the reverse grip style, and it increased the strength of the user and added full range of motion.
The serrated secondary edge, the "soft handle" and the curve of the Warrior were unheard of at the time.
After building the first non-working prototype Mr. Taylor took the basic design and utilized a HP-3000 Main Frame computer and maximized the angles to even further enhance the Warriors capabilities.
A number of working prototype's were produced by a number of custom makers and the Warrior became a reality.
Unfortunately the Warrior design was deemed impossible to build with the manufacturing capabilities of that time, and none of the factory makers even wanted to attempt to make the Warrior.

In 1991 Al Mar, a innovator in the industry and radical designer himself, decided to attempt to manufacture the Warrior, as he figured that manufacturing technology had caught up with the design.
That's when AMK started to manufacture their version of the Taylor/Wanner design in Japan.

This is my own example, a black blade / camo handled version made by Al Mar, mint in original box:









Specs:

Overall length: 13.2 inches (33,5 cm)
Blade length: 7.1 inches (18,0 cm)
Blade thickness: 0.2 inches (5,93 mm)
Steel: AUS-6 stainless
Handle material: artificial rubber with finger grooves and grip-enhancing texture
Guard: steel (5,0 mm thick)
Butt: Steel striking pommel
Weight: 530 grams
Sheath: Leather

 

[kwakster]

Vintage John Ek Model 3, made in Richmond, Virginia, USA (1982-1993)
In original box & complete with booklet "Your Silent Partner"









Specs:

Overall length: 31,5 cm
Blade length: 16,5 cm
Steel: HCS-1718 stainless
Handle material: Rock Maple with copper rivets
Sheath: Green Nylon Webbing

 

[kwakster]

Vintage John Ek Hunting knife, made in Richmond, Virginia, USA (1982-1993)







Specs:

Overall length: 25,0 cm
Blade length: 12,4 cm
Blade thickness: 4,5 mm
Steel: Stainless
Handle material: Pakkawood with brass guard & fasteners
Sheath: Leather

 

[kwakster]

This vintage Rigid R9 Apache folder was made at the end of the '70's - early '80's.
An old school (hunting) folder best comparable to a Buck 110 on steroïds.












Specs:

Length open: 22,0 cm
Length closed: 13,0 cm
Blade length: 8,9 cm
Blade thickness: 3,2 mm
Steel: 440C stainless
Hardness: +/- 60 HRC
Handle material: solid brass frame with walnut inlays
Weight: 276 grams

 

[kwakster]

A few years ago i found this mini-stiletto on an auction site for basically spare change, i think mainly because the blade was scratched up from bad sharpening attempts.
I'm still in the process of fixing that, but most of it is already gone with the help of a 600 grit diamond stone.



This knife is a little bigger than those keychain stiletto's and also of quite good build quality, with real stag handles, nickel silver bolsters on brass liners and a comparatively thick blade.
There is also practically no bladeplay, and the handle houses quite a strong spring for such a small blade.





The main difference lies in it's mechanism, which is different from most that i've seen.
As you know, normally you push the button, the blade flies open, and is locked with a backspring with a hole in it.
Closing it requires you to swivel half of the guard with your thumb, which in turn pushes the back spring away, allowing you to close the blade.
On this stiletto however the opening button also controls the locking mechanism, comparable to a leverlock.
Both parts of the guard are fixed: you push the button to open the blade automatically & push the button again to unlock the blade to fold it back into the handle.



One side of the ricasso reads "Patent" while the other side reads "Inox":



My guess was Italy around the 60's or 70's time frame, and according to a Bladeforums member it was indeed made in the early '60's.
He also stated that this type is called "button open / button close".

 

[kwakster]

Vintage Al Mar Combat or Grunt made by G.Sakai, most likely in the late '80's.









Specs:

Overall length: 33,7 cm
Blade length: 19,7 cm
Blade thickness: 5,95 mm
Steel: Most likely AUS6
Handle material: Leather washers, brass guard, stainless pommel
Weight: 367 grams
Sheath: Leather

 

[kwakster]

Vintage FBI Wild West dagger from the late '80's / early '90's.
Full tang construction, double hollow ground blade with narrow fuller & stabilized wood handle with brass hardware.
Quality like this never goes out of style.









Specs:

Overall length: 24,0 cm
Blade length: 13,0 cm
Blade thickness: 4,52 mm (ricasso)
Handle length: 10,6 cm
Steel: AUS-6
Handle material: Pakkawood with inlayed brass monogram shield & rivets & brass guard
Weight: 169 grams
Sheath: Leather

 

[kwakster]

Al Mar SERE/ATTACK I 3001-A folder from the early '80's, complete with sheath, box & papers.
This version is also known as the baby-SERE, and relatively rare.











Specs:

Overall length: 17,0 cm
Blade length: 7,3 cm
Blade thickness: 2,5 cm
Steel: AM-6 (AUS-6)
Hardness: 57-59 HRC
Handle material: "Camo Green Micarta" & stainless bolsters on brass liners
Locktype: Al Mar Frontlock
Sheath: Nylon

 

[kwakster]

Hattori 983 Ultra Dagger.
Double hollow ground blade with fuller, tapered tang, and polished black linen Micarta handle.












Specs:

Overall length: 23,9 cm
Blade length: 13,0 cm
Maximum blade thickness: 4,95 mm (ricasso)
Steel: AUS-8 stainless
Handle material: Linen Micarta
Weight: 174 grams
Sheath: Leather with steel clip

 

[kwakster]

A Round Eye Knife and Tool (REKAT) Pioneer II from around the year 2000.









Specs:

Length open: 18,7 cm
Length closed: 11,5 cm
Blade length: 7,7 cm
Blade thickness: 3,09 mm
Steel: ATS34 stainless
Handle material: G10 on hardened steel liners
Locktype: Rolling Lock (hardened 440C steel)

Although i find the story a bit hard to believe, American knifemaker Warren Thomas once did some testing with a Pioneer model:

"At the 1998 Las Vegas Classic I acquired four REKAT Pioneers on a trade with Bob Taylor, as i was very curious to see if their claims of lock strength were blown out of proportion.
Sunday night at the motel I decided to test the Swept Point version.
I took my boot and hammered the knife into the door, a standard steel motel door (hope the motel manager isn't reading this) and hung my weight (225 pounds) off the handle against the lock.
I did manage to start slicing the door with the blade with no effect on the lock, that was impressive in itself.
When I returned home I took the same Swept Point into the back yard and stuck the blade into the cloths line T bar.
I did pull ups off the handle and bounced my weight on the knife over six times still no effect.
Bouncing up and down should have done something.
While throwing isn't scientific I then threw the knife hard about sixty times into a plywood garage door sticking it 75% of the time, and one of the screws in the handle stripped out sometime during this.
The knife functioned fine still I figured it was time to get serious.
I taped the handle into a piece of thin wall pipe three feet long and struck the back of the knife at the tip six times against the concrete curb as hard as I could, i did chip concrete and bend the pipe with no effect into the lock.
This was getting frustrating I then got a welding glove and duct taped a piece of micarta to the back of the glove in case the lock failed.
I proceeded to beat the tip of the knives against the curb as hard as I could, after about thirty hard shots I felt movement and it wasn't as solid of a hit so, I checked the knife, at long last, the knife while being in locked position could be unlocked like a slipjoint.
Unbelievably the knife was as functional as a slipjoint knife.
I have broken fixed blades with less abuse and every factory folder I have owned until this wouldn't have lasted past the motel door.
REKAT has achieved a lock that works off of shear strength.
I sent Josh Burbank the knife and told Josh what I did to it he was also amazed at what it took."

Original Rolling Lock patent: http://www.google.com/patents/US5685079

The original Rekat website is long gone (+/- 2001-2002) but with the Waybackmachine you can still take a peek there:

About this Pioneer II folder: http://web.archive.org/web/20000530100649/http://rekat.com/pioneer.html

About the Rolling Lock: http://web.archive.org/web/20001027053928/http://www.rekat.com/about-rollinglock.html

 

[kwakster]

An early SOG Trident S2 Bowie,











Additional info from http://www.sogknivescollectors.com/

Here's the *second* ever knife that SOG produced, and one of those good old SOG knife models.
Building on its branding with the US Special Forces, SOG produced the 'Trident' knife in honour of the US Navy SEALs.
This knife bears a striking resemblance to the original S1 Bowie, except that it uses a different blade steel and micarta handles - a very much modern make-over of the S1 Bowie.
The Navy SEAL emblem can be found engraved on the right side of the blade.
Unlike other old SOG bowies, the Trident does not have 'S.M.CA' or 'EDM.WA' engraved below the SOG logo which some other knives may have.

The Seki-Japan made SOG Tridents have been discontinued, but a similar version is currently being produced in Taiwan (renamed as 'Trident 2.0'), along with the majority of SOG's fixed blades.
The model we are talking however was produced in Seki, Japan.
Older versions of the Trident can be identified by the "Seki Japan" engraving on the knife and the thicker white (oldest versions have aged yellow) washers on the handle.
Also note that the newer Taiwanese produced 'Trident 2.0' has a longer 6.4" length and a smaller thickness of .240".

Specs:

Overall length: 28,0 cm
Blade length: 16,2 cm
Steel: AUS-8 stainless
Hardness: 57-58 HRC
Blade thickness: 6,96 mm
Blade finish: Satin-polished
Handle material: Micarta with stainless guard & pommel
Weight: 358 grams (without sheath)
Sheath: Cordura
Manufactured in Japan by Hattori