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