Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

"Bellatrix" Fine Custom Handmade Folding Knife

• Size: Length overall: 6.5" (16.5 cm), Blade Length: 2.6" (6.6 cm), Thickness: 0.078" (2.0 mm)
• Weight: Knife: 4.3 oz. (122 grams), Sheaths: Black Basketweave 2.4 oz. (68 grams), Black Patent Leather: 1.2 oz. (34 grams), American Bison: 2.6 oz. (74 grams), Brown Tooled: 2.2 oz. (62 grams) Complete roll with knife and all sheaths: 2 lb. 4 oz. (1.02 kg)
• Blade: ATS-34 high molybdenum martensitic stainless steel blade, T3 deep cryogenically treated with triple tempering to 59 HRC
• Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, polished, hand-engraved
• Handle: Roostertail Agate (Pata de Gallo) Gemstone (Durango, Mexico)
• Sheaths (4):
  • Black basketweave: 5-6 oz. hand-tooled leather shoulder, nylon stitching, stainless steel dot snap
  • Black Patent Leather: 3 oz. leather side, nylon stitching, stainless steel dot snap
  • American Bison (Buffalo) Skin: with 5-6 oz. leather shoulder, nylon stitching, stainless steel dot snap
  • Brown Random Tooled: 5-6 oz. leather shoulder, hand-tooled, nylon stitching, stainless steel dot snap
• Roll: Triple-layer cotton canvas duck with double-layer pockets, nylon and polyester stitching, brass-plated steel dot snaps, 11.5" (29.2 cm) wide, 49" (124 cm) long
• Knife: Bellatrix is a new folding knife design that I made and named for the bright star on the left shoulder of the Orion constellation. The name comes from the Latin word for "female warrior." I wanted to create a light, bright, and beautiful folding knife for my client, one that had plenty of visual punch and comfortable options. The knife is a linerlock design, with a strong titanium locking design and elegant touches. The blade has a slight trailing point profile to create the thin, accurate tip.
  • The steel I chose for this knife is Food Contact Safe ATS-34 high molybdenum martensitic stainless steel, chosen for its durability and toughness. Because it has high carbon and high molybdenum, this results in profuse molybdenum as well as chromium carbides, and high toughness (resistance to breakage), as well as wear resistance. To bring this steel to its zenith, I used my proprietary T3 deep cryogenic process in heat treating this blade; it's a highly detailed, extremely sophisticated process that takes 33 individual steps and takes over a week long. The result of this is an incredibly wear-resistant blade that has extremely high carbide development, fine grain, and extremely high corrosion resistance. Asperity is reduced; the microstructure development is superior to any other typical handmade knife, and far above any factory or manufactured knife. This is, simply put, ATS-34 at its very finest advanced condition. The grind for this knife blade is hollow, with a very thin, tough cutting edge and an extremely fine point. I fileworked the knife completely around the spine and liner with a vine pattern, completely including the inside of the spine, seen only when the blade is opened. The spine is also hardened and tempered for strength.
  • The knife is bolstered with zero-care 304 high chromium, high nickel austenitic stainless steel bolsters, which are contoured, rounded and finished for a comfortable feel. I hand-engraved the bolsters with a fine scroll design, and all the fasteners are also 304 stainless steel. I engraved those, too. This includes the thumb studs in the blade and the pivot, which are set with faceted garnets. I put thumb studs on both sides of the blade for easy opening and control, and I hand-set each garnet in stainless steel with full bezels, something rarely done due to the difficulty of working with the materials. This makes them extremely durable and zero-care.
  • The liners are 6AL4V spring titanium and are fileworked and differentially anodized, meaning that the liners and the file cuts are different colors, gray and blue. This is very striking with bright light and motion. Just a fine and subtle statement of care.
  • In nature's most eternal and durable material, stone, the handle scales of this knife are hard and tough Roostertail Agate-Jasper, a fine-grained chalcedony gemstone mined in Durango, Mexico. They call it "Pata de Gallo" and it has brilliant reds, golds, and crystal and clear areas of agate throughout, taking a high vitreous polish that is smooth and glassy. Like many of the gemstones I use, this is a handle that is more fascinating the closer and more intensely it's scrutinized; see the enlargements below. It requires zero care, maintaining the appearance indefinitely.
  • The knife feels light and solid in the hand, the blade is thin and sharp. It smoothly opens and locks solid, and pulls and holds closed with a hidden detent arrangement. The lock is easily released with the thumbnail. A classy work of art for light carry and high class.
• Sheaths: I wanted to give my client a variety of wear options; it's better to have and not need than need and not have. I made these pocket sheaths with marine-grade stainless steel dot snaps and full coverage flaps for security. They should accommodate most standard belts. The mainstay (his request) was black basketweave, a tough standard in the field. I added an extremely lightweight patent leather sheath for dress wear (light duty only), without being ostentatious. A heavier bold American Bison Skin (American Buffalo) makes a strong statement. I also added a random-tooled pattern dark brown sheath for a lighter color tone. All of them are stitched with heavy #346 nylon thread and sealed with saddle lacquer for longevity.
• Roll: Welcome to my new roll! My client didn't request a stand or hard case, but he still needs a home for everything, so I created this new roll design. The material is all cotton canvas duck, stitched with nylon and polyester heavy thread. I chose a warm cocoa brown with a bold red for contrast. I made the central red pocket, lined with polyester felt for the knife, and the brown pockets are for the sheaths. The knife will be protected in the center of the roll layers. The edges are all overstitched to prevent unraveling, and each pocket has two independent layers. The knife and sheaths fit snugly inside, the knife pocket is lined with polyester felt, and all of the pockets are secured with brass plated steel dot snaps for security. I added my patches inside and out, and the body of the roll is triple layered. That way, the dot snaps and heavy stitching goes through two layers of the canvas, and is hidden by the third layer. This means that when in the roll, the sheaths are protected by five layers of cotton canvas duck and the knife by six layers (including the polyester felt)! I know I'll be making more of these, it just makes sense to complete the ensemble.
• An elegant, striking, and handy folding knife with a full compliment of useful sheaths; be sure to look over all the pictures below; I just fell in love with this knife, and wanted to be able to see it again and again!

Thanks, R. N.!