Quetzal
	
		 
		 
		 
	"Quetzal" Fine Handmade Knife
		
			- Size: Length overall: 12.0" (30.5 cm), Blade Length: 6.5" (16.5 cm), Thickness: .240" (6.1 mm)
- Weight: Knife: 17.3 oz. (490 grams) Sheath: 8.3 oz. (235 grams) 
- Blade: O1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium tool steel, deep cryogenically treated, triple tempered, mirror finished, hot blued. Hardness: 60 HRC
- Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, Hand-engraved, Mirror polished
- Handle: Pilbara Picasso Jasper (Australia), Red River Jasper (Africa) Gemstones
- Sheath: Hand-carved Leather Shoulder Inlaid with Shark skin
- Knife: My first of this design; this is a 
				fantastic knife: stunning, bold, and imposing. I named it Quetzal, 
				for the striking highland forest bird of the trogon family, 
				considered to be one of the most beautiful birds in the world. The 
				long tail, the curvature of the bird's body, all reflected in the 
				form of this knife blade and handle pattern. I went all-out in this knife, please 
				look at every photo below to experience this great piece!
				
					- The steel I chose for the knife is O1. 
					O1 is an actual tool steel. It's not just an improvement on 
					standard carbon steels, it is a workhorse of the steel tool 
					trade, a fine steel, technically classified as a cold work tool 
					steel. It's used for die-forming other steels, to make taps, 
					cutters, broaches, and shears, a steel that has a proven 
					reputation of performance. While O1 steels vary, this is a 
					premium low manganese O1 steel, with substantial amounts of tungsten and 
					vanadium, forming wear-resistant complex carbides. Add to 
					that my deep cryogenic processing of this steel at -320°F 
					and triple tempering cycles, and this steel has a 
					significant transformational performance curve, with several 
					times the wear resistance of conventionally processed O1. 
					I've tempered the blade at 60HRC, so it's very hard and 
					wear-resistant. I've mirror polished the hollow ground blade and performed 
					my hot bluing of the surface, creating a corrosion 
					inhibiting surface with the appearance of black mirrored 
					glass. The tang is fully tapered for balance and I've fully 
					fileworked the knife in a bold, distinctive pattern. The 
					blade is deeply hollow ground for a thin, keen cutting edge 
					that's just .020" thick behind the cutting edge. Consider 
					that the knife is about 12 times thicker at the spine than 
					at the relief (behind the cutting edge) and you'll get an 
					idea of the radical hollow ground and finished in the 
					geometry of this knife. The blade is large and wide, very 
					resilient and stout, yet razor-keen with a good length of 
					belly and a substantial dropped point (lower than the spine) 
					that makes the knife easy to sheath as well as strong at the 
					point. Like all of my knives, the grinds are well-matched 
					and radiused at the termination, and the finish is 
					incredible.
- Note about the photos and the finish: Since this knife 
						is hot blued, I took two sets of photos 
						showing the blade (the obverse and reverse sides). One set 
						of photos has a photographic light reflector above the knife, so you can see the 
						hollow grind and the grind lines. Those are the photos that 
						show the bolsters in lighter gray or white. The other set is done without a 
						light reflector above, and in those photos, the bolsters are black 
						or subdued. In those photos, you can get an idea of the 
						actual black, glassy, slick surface appearance of the hot 
						blued blade. You can also tell which is which by the 
						alternate text shown when your cursor hovers over the photo. 
						Hot blued mirror finishes on knife blades are 
						the most difficult to photograph well, so this is the best 
						way to demonstrate their appearance in varying light 
						conditions. 
- I bolstered the knife with zero-care
						304 high chromium, high nickel stainless 
						steel bolsters, which are contoured and polished for a 
						comfortable, smooth feel. The bolsters are secured with 
						zero-clearance peened pins and dovetailed to bed the handle 
						scales. The front bolsters are wide and flat, with a concave 
						bolster face to make the most use of the hollow grind while 
						reinforcing the spine. They also cover the forefinger 
						quillon, and are rounded, contoured and polished, feeling 
						very silky in the hand. The rear bolsters incorporate a 
						substantial quillon that that helps lock the handle into the 
						hand while balancing the weight of the blade.
- I chose an incredible set for the handle scales. This is 
						Pilbara Picasso Jasper from Australia, a rich, black field 
						filled with geometric angular lines of orange-tans and 
						clouds of rusty reds with small fortification areas and 
						amazing features the closer they are examined. There are 
						even some small cloudy white agate areas; examine the 4.5 
						power magnifications below. There is no stone that looks like this 
						on earth. The jasper is a cryptocrystalline quartz, very 
						solid and hard, tough and durable, an eternal handle. I 
						mounted the handle scales in a doublet, with Red River 
						Jasper from Africa. The red of the jasper layer creates a bold 
						line at the tang, matching the reds of the Pilbara Jasper, a 
						fantastic display. Please look over all of the photos below!
- The knife feels large and imposing in 
						the hand. This is no small knife; it's a big knife for a big 
						hand, just what I wanted. The balance point is right at the 
						position of the forefinger, the handle seems to wrap into 
						the hand while the thumb rests perfectly along the wide 
						front bolsters at the spine. It feels as good as it looks!
 
- Sheath: I wanted a masculine, strong sheath 
				that wouldn't detract from the knife, but protect it well with 
				style. I chose large, full shark skin panel inlays for the heavy 
				leather shoulder, and double-row stitched the welts with black 
				polyester. The sheath is sealed with three coats of lacquer for 
				longevity and resistance to moisture and the elements, and protects 
				the knife well with a high back and deep pocket for the blade. 
- A fantastic, exciting, bold knife: a unique fusion of premium 
				materials!
Thanks, J. N.!
	
	
		Hi Jay,
			Quetzal arrived this afternoon.  This a beautiful and really awesome knife!  I have never seen a handle 
			like this.  With the Picasso Jasper accented with the Red River Jasper, it is all so seamless with both 
			Jaspers and the bolsters.  I don’t know how you make it all come together so perfectly.  The handle fits 
			my hand perfectly and has a really solid feel to it. I also like the file work all the way around.  I think 
			it helps take the knife out of the ordinary and helps make it something very special!   The feel of the 
			knife is solid and the overall appearance is where it all comes together and makes a truly great knife that 
			is going to make everyone to wish they owned it.
			Outstanding job and an outstanding knife. Thank you for this great knife Jay!
		--J.
	 
	
	Please click on thumbnail knife photos
	
			
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			 
		
			