Raven PK1 Knife

[JonathanD]

I think you should at least ask.

I will, but lets face it, Paul's gonna see my reviews of blatant knife barbarity and love of an orange plasticky looking crazy knife, and then see your reviews conducted in the bog. The only thing we will get is the middle finger, besides, you covet one so might not give it back

 

[wasteoid]

I've had a fiddle with Pauls chopper and I have to say it certainly feels quite special in the hand. ;-)

To be fair, the raven armoury pk1 is atually a nice looking and feeling knife, I have yet to see how it performs in a long term test, but on the face of it, the fit finish and quality are up there with the best I have owned and used.

Chris.

 

[Elines]

............................no extra for RWL 34 blade ????????????? considering the RWL is alone 10x the cost of the O1 and its HT of RWL is a similar factor or more


Duncan

(I am not into knives and am asking just out of interest, so sorry if it is a really Noddy question)

Is there something special about this type of stainless steel - 10x the cost of 'ordinary' steel seems a lot to me. My wife has stainless steel cooking knives and I just find they are impossible to sharpen - whereas on my cheapo Mora I can get a sharp edge relatively easily.

 

[JonathanD]

RWL is a highly corrosion resistant stainless steel that closely resembles 01 in use. In fact it is virtually corrosion proof if hardened to a high Rockwell. It's easier to sharpen than most other stainless steels and holds its edge for longer too. It was also developed specifically as a knife steel. I've now had a sample of hardened RWL outside for over four years and it is still as shiny and clean as the day I put it there. It's been left in the woods, under water and buried.

 

[Elines]

RWL is a highly corrosion resistant stainless steel that closely resembles 01 in use. In fact it is virtually corrosion proof if hardened to a high Rockwell. It's easier to sharpen than most other stainless steels and holds its edge for longer too. It was also developed specifically as a knife steel. I've now had a sample of hardened RWL outside for over four years and it is still as shiny and clean as the day I put it there. It's been left in the woods, under water and buried.

Thanks for that - I can now see why it should be a lot more expensive

 

[FGYT]

Thanks for that - I can now see why it should be a lot more expensive

yes which is why i dont understand that its a NO extra cost Option

tho for a scandi ground woodworking blade 12C27 is probably a better option but isnt as Fashionable as RWL34

ATB

Duncan

 

[Retired Member southey]

perhaps they are spreading the cost amongst the all the sales, though if everyone went for the RWL 34 option it would be sensible to make it a costed extra? and have to say after playing with Jon's in RWL I cant see why you wouldn't choose it?

 

[FGYT]

perhaps they are spreading the cost amongst the all the sales, though if everyone went for the RWL 34 option it would be sensible to make it a costed extra? and have to say after playing with Jon's in RWL I cant see why you wouldn't choose it?

no looks to me that you are paying RWL prices for the O1 blades

RWL is great stuff grinds nice (just doing a few Full flat now came in for the Vidio camera see if i can get some sparks on Ytube)

ATB

Duncan

 

[AlanW]

Hi Guys,
First post here as I have been mentioned. Didn't get a chance to have a close look at Paul's work even though he was opposite me at the Tortworth show. However, this looks like a well made piece. Don't care much for the shape as there is not enough point for utility and choils, large or small, cause more problems than they solve.
I have to agree the pricing is strange. Apart from the difference in purchase price of O1 and RWL-34 there is also the fact that the latter is much more expensive to heat treat properly including a cryongenic quench.
Also, anyone pushing a Scandi (I prefer the term Nordic) ground knife as suitable as a hunter's tool is deluding themselves and their customers. Of course you can gut, skin and butcher a deer with one but there are much better grinds for these jobs.
JonathanD (my unauthorised biographer apparently) please note: I have a few bushcraft knives ready for the Midland Game Fair this weekend; O1/ Tufnol "Mybush" £265, 12c27/stabilised box elder "Mybush" £295, Textured RWL-34/stabillised Amboyna Border Bushy £325 and Woodlore pattern in Ladder Damasteel/ironwood £425
Cheers.

 

[JonathanD]

Hi Guys,
First post here as I have been mentioned. Didn't get a chance to have a close look at Paul's work even though he was opposite me at the Tortworth show. However, this looks like a well made piece. Don't care much for the shape as there is not enough point for utility and choils, large or small, cause more problems than they solve.
I have to agree the pricing is strange. Apart from the difference in purchase price of O1 and RWL-34 there is also the fact that the latter is much more expensive to heat treat properly including a cryongenic quench.
Also, anyone pushing a Scandi (I prefer the term Nordic) ground knife as suitable as a hunter's tool is deluding themselves and their customers. Of course you can gut, skin and butcher a deer with one but there are much better grinds for these jobs.
JonathanD (my unauthorised biographer apparently) please note: I have a few bushcraft knives ready for the Midland Game Fair this weekend; O1/ Tufnol "Mybush" £265, 12c27/stabilised box elder "Mybush" £295, Textured RWL-34/stabillised Amboyna Border Bushy £325 and Woodlore pattern in Ladder Damasteel/ironwood £425
Cheers.

Hi Alan, and welcome aboard. Long time no speaky.

I know you made knives at the price points you quoted above (I should, as I've bought enough off you directly over the years). I was referring to the same specs of the PK1 with bolsters. Is that something you would sell for less than £300, even in 01?

What are the Mybush models? Have I seen those?

 

[Retired Member southey]

if you made one knife in O1 and charged £100, then the same style and furniture in RWL34 what would the normal price difference be?

Welcome to the forum Mr Wood, why not nip into the intro section and tell a little about yourself:theyareon

 

[salad]

yes which is why i dont understand that its a NO extra cost Option

tho for a scandi ground woodworking blade 12C27 is probably a better option but isnt as Fashionable as RWL34

ATB

Duncan

Hi Duncan

I was wondering why 12c27 is a better steel for the knife you described than RWL34, I have a full flat ground knife if RWL34 and a scandi in 12c27 , I was just curious as to your reason

Cheers Phil

 

[salad]

Hi Guys,
First post here as I have been mentioned. Didn't get a chance to have a close look at Paul's work even though he was opposite me at the Tortworth show. However, this looks like a well made piece. Don't care much for the shape as there is not enough point for utility and choils, large or small, cause more problems than they solve.
I have to agree the pricing is strange. Apart from the difference in purchase price of O1 and RWL-34 there is also the fact that the latter is much more expensive to heat treat properly including a cryongenic quench.
Also, anyone pushing a Scandi (I prefer the term Nordic) ground knife as suitable as a hunter's tool is deluding themselves and their customers. Of course you can gut, skin and butcher a deer with one but there are much better grinds for these jobs.
JonathanD (my unauthorised biographer apparently) please note: I have a few bushcraft knives ready for the Midland Game Fair this weekend; O1/ Tufnol "Mybush" £265, 12c27/stabilised box elder "Mybush" £295, Textured RWL-34/stabillised Amboyna Border Bushy £325 and Woodlore pattern in Ladder Damasteel/ironwood £425
Cheers.

Hi Alan

I dont think those knives will sell, You should just put them all in a box and send them to me for umm safe keeping

 

[FGYT]

Hi Duncan

I was wondering why 12c27 is a better steel for the knife you described than RWL34, I have a full flat ground knife if RWL34 and a scandi in 12c27 , I was just curious as to your reason

Cheers Phil

thro discussion with a few other makers and woodworkers who know and do a lot more using and testing than i do plus a little testing on my end to see for my self

12C27 seems to give a tougher edge for the fine grind that you get with a scandi and is a lot happier in wood say in hard wood knots etc i.e. less micro chipping than RWL (may not matter so much for bushcraft but is noticable in carving tho carbon steels are far better than both at that)

where as RWL with a full flat and a tough wider secondary angle copes better on butchery when it hits bone etc also had good hard use edges on RWL with a chunky convex grind .

**** other peoples opinions may vary ****


ATB

Duncan

 

[salad]

Thanks for that Duncan

 

[Elines]

(Can't believe I'm writing about knife grinds)

Re use of skandi grind rather than any other sort this presumably follows from the parameters set in designing the knife, which include:


"The knife had to be able to easily attain a razor-sharp edge in the field as well as on bench stones."
http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2011/the-raven-pk1-knife/


Most people (?all) think skandi grind is the one most easily sharpened in the field, and by people not experts at knife sharpening eg;

http://backyardbushman.com/?page_id=13

 

[Retired Member southey]

I still think a convex edge weather full or micro bevel is the easiest to sharpen any where, I am starting to think that the scandi grind is probably only best suited to wood work, where as if you going to use one knife for a whole host of tasks the convex is much better,

 

[Retired Member southey]

but then i guess the grind is also dependant on the metal used to give you the best of what you want weather its durability, easy to maintain ability to hit razor sharp, resistant to chipping,

 

[Elines]

For me the most important points made are probably:

- the utility of the point
- value or otherwise of choils

NB the quotes below are from:
http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2011/the-raven-pk1-knife/


On the 'point', it seems that it will be ok for practical uses in the field, but maybe not for detailed carving of wood spirits etc, as in the spec it says:

"it had to be handy enough for practical carving jobs such as making spoons and other camp utensils."

so I guess that it has been designed and tested to ensure it does this. If the shape of the point is to do with butchering of animals then that will probably be irrelevant to many people.

The rationale for the choil is:

"One of my bugbears with the flat-ground bevels on most bushcraft knives is that it is impossible to sharpen all the way along the edge towards the handle. The solution to this was to add a choil."

?what problems do they cause - the spec makes no mention of any downside

EDIT and no downside mentionned here
http://www.knifeart.com/cusknifen.html

but does have upside:


"Choil

The choil is an unsharpened section of the blade. If a guard is present, the choil will be in front of the guard on the blade itself. The choil is often used as a way to choke up on the blade for close-in work. The index finger is placed in the choil, and this close proximity to the edge allows for greater control. In addition, the choil is just in front of where the blade itself becomes part of the handle, an area often prone to breakage due to the blade-handle juncture. The choil leaves this area at full thickness and thus stronger"

I think the first part of the quote is irrelevant because the choil on this knife (the Raven PK) is too small to put your finger in it and is solely there to ease sharpening.

 

[FGYT]

(Can't believe I'm writing about knife grinds)

Re use of skandi grind rather than any other sort this presumably follows from the parameters set in designing the knife, which include:


"The knife had to be able to easily attain a razor-sharp edge in the field as well as on bench stones."
http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2011/the-raven-pk1-knife/


Most people (?all) think skandi grind is the one most easily sharpened in the field, and by people not experts at knife sharpening eg;

http://backyardbushman.com/?page_id=13

actually full flat or Hollow is far easier to sharpen theres a fraction of the metal to remove to get it back to a good edge

scandi is a good wood carving grind as its easy to plane it is also easier to sharpen and maintain the correct angle RWL34 at 61Rc will be noticeably harder tho due to the wide flat 6-8mm you have to wear off compared to Carbon in a full flat its not so noticeable a difference as the flat is maybe 1m max
(one reason i came up with the Flandi grind it halves the flat you need to wear but keep enough so it planes for woodwork)

another reason Scandi is popular ( other than Mr Wood and RM setting the O1, scandi ground, drop spear-point , mantra) is for a maker its the easiest to grind with the removal of the least amount of material to get a sharp edge (however hats of to Raven and Stu M and others who hand grind it as its IMO the hardest to get right and neat by hand no jig)


ATB

Duncan