Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

"Aldebaran" Custom Knife

• Size: Length overall: 10.1" (25.7 cm), Blade Length: 5.5" (14.0 cm), Thickness: .194" (4.93 mm)
• Weight: Knife: 9.8 oz. (278 grams) Sheath: 4.8 oz. (136 grams)
• Blade: CPM154CM High Molybdenum Powder Metal Technology Martensitic Stainless Tool Steel, Cryogenically Treated, Hardened and Tempered to 61.5HRC
• Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, hand-engraved
• Handle: Sunset Jasper Gemstone, California
• Sheath: Hand-carved leather shoulder inlaid with Ostrich Leg Skin
• Knife: The Aldebaran is named for an orange giant star in the constellation Taurus. This knife was custom made for a great client with a beautifully mirror polished, hollow ground CPM154CM high molybdenum martensitic stainless steel blade. This is a very special steel, made with powder metal technology process that creates an extremely well-balanced alloy with unique properties not available in traditional foundry steels. The steel is created as a finely powdered mass, with excellent and accurate alloy distribution, then fused into a solid bar with no segregation or density movement of the alloy components. I've employed deep cryogenic treatment in the heat treating and tempering process with liquid nitrogen at -325°F and a 40 hour cryogenic aging for the maximum precipitation and distribution of hard carbide particles in the crystalline lattice of the steel. I used additional deep thermal cycling in the tempering cycles at -325°F for the ultimate in high wear resistance with high toughness this steel offers. This is a gorgeous blade, with a smooth, even, appearance with no visible grain. The grinds are deep, with a nice lead-off at the grind terminations for plenty of spine strength, and the grinds are well-matched, and thin and durable at the cutting edge, with a fine, acute point. With the high hardness and increased toughness and cryogenic processing, this knife will hold its edge an extremely long time. The blade is fully fileworked throughout the tapered tang with a bold offset filework. The filework extends completely through the underside of the handle tang to the choil. The knife is bolstered in zero-care, high nickel, high chromium austenitic stainless steel, mounted with zero-clearance pins for absolute permanence. I hand-engraved the bolsters with a minute and finely-shaded design that reflects the complexity of the gemstone handle. This is a very small design, and the handle photos below are all significant enlargements. All of the bolster surfaces are rounded, contoured, smoothed, and polished for a very smooth feel. The handle scales are striking Sunset Jasper gemstone, a hard jasper formed under tremendous heat and pressure of the earth in millions of years of geologic processes. This jasper has the dark, rich reds and golden yellows of an intense sunset, with veins of milky translucent quartz and is profuse with black dendritic structures throughout. This is a stone that becomes even more fascinating the larger it's magnified. Look at the macro photographs below. This is a very tough, hard stone, and will outlast the knife and its owners! The handle feels solid and strong in the hand, and the balance point is at the middle finger position, at the junction of the front bolster and handle scales.
• Sheath: The sheath for this Aldebaran had to match the knife, so I designed the sheath using the same twisted leaf pattern I employed in the bolster engraving in a large, bold inlay pattern of burgundy Ostrich leg skin in the 9-10 oz. leather shoulder of the sheath. I also inlayed the belt loop and the sheath back with a matching design. The leather is dyed black, hand-stitched with black polyester, and sealed with acrylic.
• A striking, unique custom knife for a great client.

Thanks, J. K.!