"Kapteyn"

Size: Length overall: 12.13" (30.8 cm), Blade Length: 7.4" (18.9 cm), Thickness: .178" (.45 cm)

Weight: Knife: 12.7 oz.  Sheath: 7.5 oz.

Blade: 440C High Chromium Martensitic Stainless Tool Steel, Hardened and Tempered to Rockwell C58, hollow ground and mirror polished

Fittings/Bolsters: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, mirror polished

Handle: Polished Antelope Jasper Gemstone

Sheath: Ringmark Lizard Skin Inlaid in Hand-Carved Leather

The Kapteyn is a proven field combat knife, and though I usually make the Kapteyn in an all-duty flat combat finish with  a low-key handle, I decided to make a top-flight collector's grade knife in this great pattern style. The Kapteyn is a large, yet sleek knife (over a foot of steel from tip to butt), and being ground from medium weight stock yields a thin, razor-sharp, yet strong and imposing blade. The blade is fully hollow ground and brightly mirror finished, with crisp, clean grind lines and a half-length top swage to reduce point profile without sacrificing strength in the spine. The 440C is a low-care, tough, great-looking knife steel, and I use it on most of my knives, whether in combat or collections. The knife tang is fully tapered, for good balance and weight control. The knife has a comfortable and useful thumb rise, an elegantly filed and worked choil, and my "sunrise" filework pattern fully around the blade and tang. This substantial blade is controlled by a handle with deep front and rear quillons, reinforced with zero-care 304 high nickel, high chromium austenitic stainless steel bolsters. The rear bolster has a 5/16" lanyard hole through the bolsters and tang for extra security if desired. The bolsters are dovetailed and hold bedded scales of solid Antelope Jasper gemstone, a very tough, hard, and beautiful rock. The jasper has nice flow banding, a good range of complimentary colors, with no inclusions or voids. This gem will literally outlast the blade.

This knife needed a great sheath, so I took some serious time and hand-carved this unique patterned, deep sheath that has 15 inlays of brown Ringmark Lizard skin, with alternating tooled triangular geometric shapes. The carvings are bounded with spaced cuts that echo the banding in the jasper, and even the polyester sinew hand-stitching has a nice alternating pattern. The belt loop is double-stitched for strength, and will accommodate up to a 2" wide belt. The sheath body is made from 9-10 oz. leather shoulder, dyed a deep burgundy brown color to blend with the gemstone, lacquered and sealed. The sheath is made for right side wear, edge down, so the knife can be drawn for right side tactical grip. This knife could even be worn in the back, and drawn on the right side, with traditional grip.

Thanks, D.T.!