This blog is primarily about the knives I make: knives as tools (not weapons), knifemaking and the traditional crafts that require their use. Knives are used in bushcraft, hunting, wood carving, leather work, whittling, cooking, etc

The knife is a tool that's been around for millenia, used by countless number of people. Knives today are as relevant as ever, and undispensable to many craftsmen and women, be they wood carvers, gardeners, leather workers, cooks, basket makers, hunters or Bushcrafters.
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21 July 2011

A simple knife, inspired by H Kephart

I used Horace Kephart's own knife as the starting point for this version. The shape of the blade, the 3/32" (about 2.3mm) thichness, the size, about 3 1/2" blade and 4" handle, is pretty much the same, as far as I can ascertain from the few photos available. The shape of the handle is a bit  different. I wanted a very simple knife with a comfortable, more rounded  handle. I used some old Teak that came from a old Victorian warehouse in London for the scales, epoxied on and riveted with two steel pins. There is a lanyard tube and  a leather lanyard, which is absent on Kephart's knife. I chose the teak for its very oily properties, it also has a nice patina.

The sheath is completely different from his too. I made it deep, as simple as I could think. To that effect, the narrow (1/2") leather forms a loop and is part of the hand sewn welt. Actually, the sheath can be used either left or right handed, without any modifications. It hangs at a small angle, but that's no problem. The long narrow loop is also quite  flexible, which I find more comfortable when on the belt.

The new knife and sheath
In the deep sheath, wide soft leather lanyard

2 replies from readers:

Gorges Smythe said...

I like it!

Fimbulmyrk said...

Nice one, and I like the handle material.... it looks a very manageable knife, too!