Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

"Kochab" Fine Handmade Knife

• Size: Length overall: 7.9" (20.1 cm), Blade Length: 3.7" (9.4 cm), Thickness: 0.163" (4.1 mm)
• Weight: Knife: 7.3 oz. (207 grams) Sheath: 4.5 oz. (128 grams)
• Blade: 440C high chromium martensitic stainless steel blade, T3 deep cryogenically treated with triple tempering to 58 HRC
• Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, Mirror polished
• Handle: Petrified Sycamore Wood Gemstone (Washington State)
• Sheath: Hand-carved, hand-dyed Leather Shoulder inlaid with Tegu Lizard skin, Nylon Stitching
• Knife: Kochab is the original name for Beta Ursae Minoris, the brightest start in the bowl of the constellation of the Little Dipper. This knife design is a great small utility and skinning knife, a tough, durable, beautiful knife with a sweeping mirror polished grind and a full, wide handle. 
  • The steel I chose for this knife is Food Contact Safe 440C high chromium martensitic stainless steel, my most requested steel for a reason. When properly treated, it's a dependable, reliable workhorse of extremely high corrosion resistance, good toughness and high wear resistance. The high chromium of 440C along with the high carbon and moderate molybdenum results in profuse chromium carbides, increasing corrosion resistance as well as wear resistance. To bring this steel to its zenith, I used my proprietary T3 deep cryogenic process in heat treating this blade; it's a highly detailed, extremely sophisticated process that takes 33 individual steps and takes over a week long. The result of this is an incredibly wear-resistant blade that has extremely high carbide development, fine grain, and extremely high corrosion resistance. Asperity is reduced; the microstructure development is superior to any other typical handmade knife, and far above any factory or manufactured knife. This is, simply put, 440C at its very finest advanced condition. The grind for this knife blade is hollow, leaving a very thick and strong spine with a moderately thin, tough cutting edge. The point is designed similar to the lines of a "Nessmuk" skinner, a trailing, yet dropped point. This makes for a stronger point profile, and a knife that is easier to sheathe, since there is no sharp angle to accidently contact the sheath welts. I fileworked the knife completely around the tapered tang with a simple geometric pattern for handmade flair and reduced slipping of the finger along the spine. The thickness of the spine encourages pressure with the thumb in tough cutting use and tight control.
  • I bolstered the knife with large, zero-care 304 high chromium, high nickel stainless steel bolsters, which are contoured, rounded and finished for a comfortable feel. The bolsters are secured with zero-clearance peened pins and dovetailed to bed the handle scales. The rear bolsters are wide and support the rear quillon that locks the handle into the hand.
  • The handle scales of this knife are a beautiful pair of Petrified Sycamore Wood gemstones. This gem is the fossil Platanus from the Squaw Creek forest southeast of Kittitas, Washington, known for the beautiful feathery pattern that woodworkers would call quilted. This is a very hard and durable chalcedony, one of the toughest gemstones I use. The petrified wood takes a high vitreous polish that is smooth and glassy. A very classy material that will literally outlast the knife!
  • The knife feels robust in the hand, yet the blade feels light and easy to control, just right for a skinning knife of this size and shape. The sweep of the blade is perfect, and the point is strong and durable. The forward finger groove gives good control, and the butt of the knife fills the palm for a secure feeling. This knife is food-contact safe.
• Sheath: I wanted a strong design in the sheath, one with repeating patterns to compliment the beauty of the gemstone handle. I chose Tegu Lizard skin inlays with shapes that match the sweeping lines of the knife handle color. The 10 inlays rest in pockets hand-carved into 9-10 oz. leather shoulder, dyed dark brown. The sheath is stitched with heavy nylon thread and lacquered and sealed. It's a high-backed sheath that is deep and protective, thick and hardened leather shoulder makes it stiff and strong.
• A beautiful and durable working and skinning knife with a striking fossil gemstone handle.
• Price: $3295.00
• Status: Available. Email me at jayfisher@jayfisher.com to purchase this fine knife