Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

"Zosma" Fine Handmade Knife

• Size: Length overall: 8.5" (21.6 cm), Blade Length: 4.2" (10.7 cm), Thickness: 0.190" (4.8 mm)
• Weight: Knife: 6.9 oz. (196 grams) Sheath: 4.9 oz. (139 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: Moss Agate Gemstone (West Texas)
• Sheath: Hand-carved, hand-dyed Leather Shoulder inlaid with Frog skin, Nylon Stitching
• Knife: Zosma is the original name for Delta Leonis, a star in the constellation of Leo. This design is a great one, a tough and durable drop point knife with a full and comfortable handle. I've performed a great hollow grind on the blade, a full mirror polish, and attached a hard, extremely durable gemstone 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 thin, tough cutting edge. The point is thin enough for fine and accurate work, the cutting edge is single-beveled and ready for heavy cutting chores. I fileworked the knife completely around the tapered tang with a punchy geometric alternating pattern for handmade flair and reduced slipping along the spine. The thickness of the spine encourages pressure with the thumb in tough cutting use.
  • 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 handsome and tough. This is West Texas Moss Agate, very hard and durable chalcedony, one of the toughest gemstones I use. The clear and translucent white areas are filled with dendrites, caused by manganese and iron oxides left behind with water infiltrating the crystal lattice, early in its formation. The Moss Agate takes a high vitreous polish that is smooth and glassy. This is a handle that is more fascinating the closer and more intensely it's scrutinized; see the enlargements below. It requires zero care, maintaining the appearance indefinitely.
  • The knife feels extremely solid and substantial in the hand, with a sure grip in the handle shape, guidance applied by the front bolster finger groove. The butt of the knife is heavy and tough; this is one long-lasting workhorse of a beautiful knife. This knife is food-contact safe.
• Sheath: To match the bold pattern in the stone, I chose a complicated inlay of 15 individual inlays of Frog skin, in gray and black. This was a substantial piece of work; I even inlaid the belt loop. The inlays are set into hand-carved 9 - 10 oz. leather shoulder, dyed black, with black heavy nylon stitching. This is a deep sheath, with a high back, to protect the knife and the wearer from the cutting edge of the blade. while allowing a low wear position on the belt. The rear finger quillon helps pull the knife from the sheath and the drop point makes sheathing easy and fast. The thick, hard sheath is sealed in a thick coating of lacquer for longevity.
• A handsome, tough, durable working knife with class and beauty, and West Texas style
• Price: $3495.00
• Status: Available. Email me at jayfisher@jayfisher.com to purchase this fine knife