Horace Kephart's knives

[jojo]

I have wanted to make those knives since Snufkin (used to be a member here) mentioned the name of the man.

I finally got around to finishing these two, my interpretation of his knives.

The knives together, with his book.

The fishing knife. The "teeth" on the spine are not intended to be a saw, they were intended to de-scale the fish, after he'd caught them, presumably!

The fishing knife, in hand. That handle is really nice to hold and manipulate.

The bush knife. The handle is somewhat different from the original, couldn't resist a few mods!

The steel is 01, 3/32 thick (about 2.5mm) The scales are made of Ash. First time i used Ash for handles, and will definitely use it again.

The fishing knife is 218 mm long, the blade, 95 mm long and 25 mm wide. The bush knife is 200 mm, blade,100mm by 27mm wide. Both are convex ground, the first time I have used this grind on my knives, so not perfected as yet. They are sharp enough though..

I have used my vinegar/chopped garlic etch on the blades.

I think with a few minor mods, the fishing knife will make a very good bushcraft knife...

Comments welcome

 

[spoony]

really like the fishing knife, would make a good all round hunting knife,

 

[Tengu]

Im a big fan of Kephart

 

[Shewie]

Very nice Joel

 

[sandbender]

I like the fishing knife, great work.

For anyone with an interest in the life and works of Horace Kephart, there is a wealth of information, documents and pictures to be found on the website of the Western Carolina University Hunter Library here.

 

[Rick S]

I read Horace Kephart all the time and have all his books. Lots of information and I enjoy them very much. On the negative side he walked off and left his family to pursue his own interests. A little hard to respect that.

 

[VtBlackdog]

...and, his effort to create a national park resulted in about 5,000 people being evicted from thier homes. I used to be a fan until I found that out.

But, really nice job on the knives!

 

[Hoodoo]

I read Horace Kephart all the time and have all his books. Lots of information and I enjoy them very much. On the negative side he walked off and left his family to pursue his own interests. A little hard to respect that.

Was that before or after he found his wife in bed with another man?

 

[Rick S]

Well that would make a man take to the woods. Wasn't explained in the forward of one of his books. Just stated that he abandoned his family.

 

[jojo]

For God's sake... I start a thread about a couple of knives I made.. And what do we get? the start of a argument about the personality of the bloke who used them about a century ago... People are weird....

 

[Bravo4]

For God's sake... I start a thread about a couple of knives I made..

My neighbor's cousin's ex-boyfriend knew a guy who said he also kicked dogs. We humans are so,,,human.

Beautiful work, jojo, as always.
Thanks for posting

 

[jojo]

Can't find that other Klingon holding his head in despair.... so a good scream will have to do...

AND he kicked dogs.....welll, that's it then, he's definitely no good as a woodsman then....:BlueTeamE

 

[Pcwizme]

I really like the knives, did you have fun making them?

Im seriously considering getting my self some steel from cromwells and trying to make me a knife!

 

[Wilderbeast]

looking good mate, they're quite no frills aren't they but that's how he's like em i guess!

 

[Noddy]

...............

 

[jojo]

Thanks gentlemen.. Indeed, no frills, Ash scales handles, no liners, no filework, thinner blades, just some simple knives. Also my first go at making convex grind blades. Not as easy as they seem I am discovering. I have been rubbing shoulders with our americans friends at Bushcraftusa and convex is beginning to grow on me! I am beginning to think they maybe better than scandis......okenest:

 

[bushwacker bob]

Kephart was one of the original bushcrafters (that recorded what he did) I think Mr Mears was largely influenced by him, scandinavian natives and the desire to use a knife for weight training when he came up with his knife design.okenest:
Those are fine examples Jojo, especially the spearpoint which looks very close to the original. I like your french dressing etch and I like convex grinds. We had a long thread about them on here in the distant past.