Kephart knife

[Snufkin]

I'm a fan of Horace Kepharts book "Camping and Woodcraft" and I'd always meant to get around to making a knife to his design. I took a couple of liberties, slight aesthetic changes, and convex grind where I'm sure his would have been flat ground.
So here it is 01 tool steel, 4" blade and I'm pretty sure elm for the handle (wood came from a coffin bottom, unused). Homemade fibre spacers, cotton cloth soaked in epoxy and clamped to the scales. It worked quite well.

Here is a link to the ad for the knife and an original (warning contains pictures of dead animals) http://www.wcu.edu/library/digitalcoll/kephart/onlineexhibit/outdoors/Hunting.htm

 

[JakeR]

Lovely job, well done...

 

[Shewie]

Nicely done Snufkin

 

[John Fenna]

As part of a coffin you could say it is "dead" good!

 

[British Red]

Loving the elm - thats lovely

 

[Templar]

Great job mate... top rate...

 

[jojo]

Good looking knife, Luke, well done. Sounds like a good idea to use cloth as liners directly on the scales

 

[stanley lake]

Good job nice idea using cloth soaked in resin

 

[Snufkin]

The cloth liners probably don't provide the expansion buffer that fibre liners do, it's more like a layer of "fake-arta." I just made sure everything was warm, glue, cloth and scales. I glued both scales up at the same time and clamped them together with a bit of polythene, well lubed with veg oil, in between them. When it came to gluing the knife up I gave the liners a good rough up with sandpaper.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Lovely knife Snuf. Makes you wonder where modern bushcraft designs come from. Maybe you could make a similar one with a scandi grind.

 

[Tye Possum]

Looks good, like a tool that's meant to be used, nothing too fancy but still looks good for some reason, probably those very reasons.

 

[caliban]

nothing too fancy but still looks good for some reason

Yeah, that's true. I really like it, there's definately something "Zen" about it

 

[Big Mark]

Looks cool...

 

[steven andrews]

I love the simple lines of the Kephart.

I have just had on made for me by Matt Lesniewski of ML Knives. That is a convex too, in 1095 carbon, with a tiger maple handle.

 

[Snufkin]

I love the simple lines of the Kephart.

I have just had on made for me by Matt Lesniewski of ML Knives. That is a convex too, in 1095 carbon, with a tiger maple handle.

Sounds good. I really like the look of his work. It was actually his interpretation of the Kephart that got me interested in making my own version. I'd seen the original ad for the Kephart knife several years ago but being new to knife making I was more interested in "flashier" designs. I'm now coming back to simpler stuff. I'd be interested to know how you get on with your ML version.

 

[steven andrews]

Yours looks great Snufkin .

Here are some pics of mine:

 

[Snufkin]

Yours looks great Snufkin .

Here are some pics of mine:

Fine looking knife. Love that maple .

 

[jojo]

Those knives are growing on me. I may have to follow your lead and make one!! I have ordered the book, as you make it sounds like it will be a good read

 

[Snufkin]

Those knives are growing on me. I may have to follow your lead and make one!! I have ordered the book, as you make it sounds like it will be a good read

Loads of great information in it. A worthwhile addition to anyones library, especially if you like natural materials and trad gear, so I'm sure you'll love it.

 

[steven andrews]

I am reading Horace Kephart's book too - it's quite old fashioned, but a lot of the content is still very relevant.