Jay Fisher - World Class Knifemaker

"Kapteyn" Fine Handmade Tactical, Collector's Knife

• Size: Length overall: 11.6" (29.5 cm), Blade Length: 7.0" (17.8 cm), Thickness: .211" (5.4 mm)
• Weight: Knife: 13.2 oz. (374 grams) Sheath: 5.8 oz. (164 grams)
• Blade: 440C High Chromium Martensitic Stainless Tool Steel, Hardened and Tempered to 58HRC
• Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel
• Handle: Cobra Jasper (India Script Stone) Gemstone
• Sheath: Hand-carved Leather inlaid with Burgundy Ostrich Leg Skin
• Knife: The Kapteyn is one of my proven and solid tactical combat knives, and I decided to create a new and unique Kapteyn to showcase a stunning gemstone handle material. This Kapteyn is very clean and sleek, with a nearly 1/4" blade thickness at the spine, the deep and beautiful hollow grind is crisp and clean in the mirror polished 440C high chromium martensitic stainless tool steel blade. This blade has the highest corrosion resistance of any stainless tool steel, and it's no wonder that 440C is industry's and the military's choice for highly wear resistant ball bearings, valve seats, and cutting tools. The blade has a tough point with a half length top swage and a substantial thumb rise that is backed by full and solidly mounted 304 austenitic stainless steel bolsters. This is the same stainless steel that is used to create nuts, bolts, and fasteners, and with high nickel and high chromium, is highly corrosion resistant and requires no special care at all. The knife has a fully tapered tang for good balance, and the handle is not too large, fitting most medium-sized hands with comfort. In fact, the snug handle seems like it belongs there, with the smooth finish in all areas, slick and polished tang, contoured bolsters and rounded and polished gemstone handle scales. The front bolster is sculpted to span from the thumb rise to the forefinger quillon, and canted at an angle to the blade for easy cleaning and a nice flowing look. The rear bolster is smooth and polished, and the rear quillon hooks nicely around the little finger in a forward grip or around the forefinger in a reverse grip style. The handle material is very special; it's called Cobra Jasper or Script Stone and comes from India. The maroon-burgundy field is filled with yellow-orange swirls of compacted material, and when viewed at various angles looks like ancient mystical writing, thus the alternate name. There isn't really a lot known about this stone in print, but I can tell you what I believe it to be. When viewed under the microscope (a very neat thing for any of my gemstone knife handles) you can clearly see the growth rings and layers inside each piece of what appears to be fossilized seashells. There are shell forms, ridged outer surfaces, round, ring-like forms appearing to be crinoid-like fossils, and tiny, jet-black bands of hematite, as well as clear agate crystal voids and milky quartz. These look like pockets in the original material that were filled at a later time. So you can imagine a very ancient (hundreds of millions of years ago) sea where the shells of mollusks have accumulated in a muddy sediment, and they are eventually (tens of millions of years later) replaced by stone. The sediment has a higher iron content, and thus the reddish color. Fascinating stuff! Other lapidaries have had problems finishing this material, but I find it cuts, shapes, sands, and finishes well, smooth and hard, and is very solid taking a near glassy finish. And the colors and patterns: striking!
• Sheath: The sheath for this beautiful knife was a challenge, as I wanted to match the character of the stone and enhance it's natural beauty. I chose 9-10 oz. leather shoulder as my canvas, and created 18 individual carved inlay fields for burgundy Ostrich Leg Skin inlays. They are curved to echo the curves of the fossilized shell, and rest in bright beige-yellow died leather, hand-stitched with polyester sinew, lacquered and sealed. The sheath displays the striking handle yet protects the owner from the blade's razor edge.
• A unique and striking knife with some great character and color.

Thanks, T.S.!