Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

"Raptor" Double Edged Kerambit

The Raptor is a unique style of knife and a challenge to make. The Kerambit design is based on a Sumatran 16th century small hand scythe or sickle used to harvest rice, and adapted into a weapon and now a modern knife form. Unlike most other kerambits, the Raptor has a double edged blade. The convex side of the profile is hollow ground with a small contact wheel to preserve a thick and strong central spine while creating a thin and sharp cutting edge, and the concave side of the profile has a taper ground and thicker edge, but a cutting edge all the same. The knife is made from 1/4" thick 440C high chromium martensitic stainless tool steel, and has a tapered tang for weight balance. The tang is fully fileworked, and has a one inch contoured and polished finger ring for security. This knife also has a talon (skull crusher) at the butt, and the handle has deep finger grooves for a great feel in either forward or reverse grip styles. The knife is bolstered with 304 high nickel, high chromium austenitic stainless steel for great toughness and longevity, hand-engraved with a simple flame pattern. The flames go well with the fiery Red River Jasper gemstone, which is very hard, tough, and long lasting, taking and keeping a bright, glassy luster. The gemstone is dovetailed and bedded to the tang for permanence and solid fit. The sheath to match the Kerambit is its own level of challenge, and is full of complex curves and difficult forms. I made this one from 9-10 oz. leather shoulder, dyed black, hand-stitched with polyester sinew, and inlaid it with Red Stingray Skin inlays in the hand carved leather, shaped like the flame curves in the bolster engraving. The sheath design protects the wearer from both cutting edges and point, while displaying the bright handle through a double armed retention strap.

This knife was featured in the February 2006 issue of Blade Magazine. Details here.

A challenging knife to make, and worth it!