Zeta
		
		
 	
	"Zeta" Fine Handmade Knife
		
			- Size: Length overall: 8.75" (22.2 cm), Blade Length: 4.25" (10.8 cm), Thickness: .160" (4.1 mm)
- Weight: Knife: 7.5 oz. (213 grams) Sheath: 4.9 oz. (139 grams) 
- Blade: O1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium tool steel, deep cryogenically treated, triple tempered, mirror finished, hot blued. 
			Hardness: 59.5 HRC
- Bolsters, Fittings: 304 austenitic stainless steel, mirror polished
- Handle: Sunset Jasper gemstone (Mexico)
- Sheath: Hand-carved leather shoulder Inlaid with black-gray rayskin
- Knife: Zeta is the sixth letter of the Greek 
				alphabet. My Zeta pattern is a very straightforward knife, a linear 
				form, surprisingly solid and smooth, clean, and consistent. This is 
				a great straight knife, without a lot of curves, a workhorse of a 
				knife that is made fine enough for collection. 
				
					- 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, actually 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 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 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 
						included some simple segments of filework on the spine for 
						the thumb.
- 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, feeling very 
						smooth in the hand. The rear bolster is wide and has a bit 
						of heel drop that helps the fingers to lock the knife into 
						the hand. 
- The handle scales I chose for the Zeta 
						are Sunset Jasper from Mexico. This is an incredibly hard 
						rock! This is one of the hardest, toughest, most difficult 
						to grind, shape, and finish stones I've worked with. It's a 
						true jasper, over 7 on the Mohs scale, a cryptocrystalline 
						quartz with bold flowing bands of red and golden yellows in 
						a field of gray. This is a material that will last 
						eternally, simply because it is so hard and tough. I bookmatched the scales and polished them to a 
						vitreous finish. 
- The knife feels extremely solid and 
						stout in the hand; it's a thick, strong feel, not a 
						lightweight knife at all. The simple angled file cuts on the 
						spine give the thumb or forefinger a good purchase, and the 
						smooth handle feels great in the hand. The balance point is 
						just behind the front bolster, the knife feels like a spear 
						in the hand. Because the blade is fairly straight and 
					with the drop point, the knife is incredibly easy to sheath. 
 
- Sheath: I wanted to make a distinctive yet 
				commensurate sheath for the knife, so it's a stout one made of thick 
				9-10 oz. leather shoulder. I did full panel inlays of rayskin, a 
				very tough material of interlocking bone. This particular rayskin 
				has a black background with light gray "tips" at the surface 
				which matches the gray and black of the knife well. The front and 
				back panels are full, and the strip of inlay at the belt loop is an 
				elegant stripe. I stitched the sheath together with black polyester, 
				dyed the leather black, and applied three coats of lacquer for water 
				resistance and longevity. 
- A beautiful and incredibly strong knife at home in any collection; a knife that begs to be used!
Thanks, B. H.!
	
		Jay,
			The Zeta arrived today. Absolutely impeccable work! Amazing fit and balance in the hand, and you are right, 
			it seems to beg to be used. It practically screams indestructibility when held. The blade shape and finish are 
			amazing, and I especially like the thinned taper at the tip. I was not expecting the sheer beauty of the O1 
			steel after your hot bluing process. I've never seen anything like it. Great choice on the Sunset Jasper handle 
			scales. Simply gorgeous with so many dimensions. All in all I love this knife! It is now the centerpiece of 
			my collection. I look forward to the next order with you!
			Thank you, and please keep up the great work!!
		--B.
	 
	
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