Show your SHTF knife

[DunRanull]

This is my go to every thing went to hell knife! It's incredibly sharp, stays sharp and is balanced so well, you hardly know it's as big as it is! It chops, slashes, and splits as well as any! They don't get much better then this!
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Ura... very nice fighter.. or GP knife as the case may be. A real beauty, I like that hand guard. You've a right to be proud of that.. what wood is that grip, and what is that steel?

 

[DunRanull]

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Replace the knife with a glass of cold water, and that was my Dad waking me up in the morning.

 

[s1xty7]

My always on me knife. A Syph007/SAKModder custom with titanium alox scales and my specified loadout. Been carrying this thing for a few years now. In my pocket as I type this.


My 72 hour pack has a Fallkniven S1. No glamour shot though so here's a stock photo:


Other than that, every vehicle and every emergency pack has a Victorinox Swiss Champ or Explorer. I went through a phase. I probably have enough Swiss army knives to arm a whole platoon of Boy Scouts. And a few Leathermen for good measure.

 

[3MTA3]

3mta3... interesting local khuk... What is the blade length, about a foot? I'll bet it has taken care of business from time to time as needed, and "The use (I) put it to" is what it was designed and built for... Im a khuk freak and am just drawn to them. Lotta good life left in that one. A new grip, some fine grit to restore the finish, and a trip to a fine grit sharpening belt.. be just like new!
Have you decided on what you will use as grip material? Many of the originals used shisham wood, a strain of Indian rosewood.. there are a lot of ways you could go with that. Even the right piece of elk antler... So many of the khuks ya see made for the local trade have incredibly small grips. Is that tang a rat tail or something longer/larger? I have trust issues with rat tail khuks but Ive never known one to break.
Good luck and may it live long and prosper.

The tang is a rat tail. I'd like to beef it up a bit if it can be done without affecting the blade. I usually like a full tang for strength. EDIT: Blade length from tip to grip is 12". I don't recall how long the tang is. The grip that I built up is 5".

The original grip did look like a type of rosewood, so likely shisham as you pointed out. It was definitely made for a smaller hand. Unfortunately I lost track of it even though I never would have wanted to use it I would like to have kept it. I've thought about using resin and fiber as I like the look and texture - this is a working knife so the grip will reflect that. Not completely decided on the material, but I will incorporate the butt swell of the original as well as the lesser swell of the front. I figure that design evolved for this type of blade for good reason - I'll just scale it up for a larger hand.

People who have seen it up close have recommended that I keep the patina which is mostly from hacking at wood as well as time. It's also never been sharpened and even after all its use I can shave with it. Amazing, because it probably started out as an old truck axle.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Ura... very nice fighter.. or GP knife as the case may be. A real beauty, I like that hand guard. You've a right to be proud of that.. what wood is that grip, and what is that steel?

Thanks!
Not sure on the blade steel, but the hand guard is Damascus steel, and the handle is Zebra Bone and Some type of Maple with Iron Wood accents. Got it from a knife dealer in London, was originally made in Pakistan!
The steel is quite good quality wise, it takes some work to dress the edge, and it holds it very well!

 

[DunRanull]

Thanks!
Not sure on the blade steel, but the hand guard is Damascus steel, and the handle is Zebra Bone and Some type of Maple with Iron Wood accents. Got it from a knife dealer in London, was originally made in Pakistan!
The steel is quite good quality wise, it takes some work to dress the edge, and it holds it very well!

Dude, that really is a "Go na Hellena Hambaskit" knife, kinda like Jim Bowie's knife at the Alamo (the actual Alamo, not the movie versions!)

 

[Ura-Ki]

I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to Bowie knives, but this one just did it for me, and I'm glad I got it! Bonus is that it's actually useful, and not just a wall hanger piece of art!

 

[Boboclown]

I don't have a knife...

 

[DunRanull]

I don't have a knife...

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ummmHUMMM... I don't think that clowns are allowed to possess knives in most jurisdictions...

 

[Geardo]

I have many, for many different purposes. However, I received a blank from my father in law that will be on my side permanently once finished.
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440c, will temper it and add scales soon, then sharpening. I likely won't polish it, but who knows.

Holes for handle scales not drilled.... Is it already hardened?

 

[OldTengu]

Holes for handle scales not drilled.... Is it already hardened?

I will drill the holes. I don't know if it's been hardened, and am waiting for a reply from the FIL on that before I start. I assume it hasn't, because he told me it will need tempering.

 

[Geardo]

I will drill the holes. I don't know if it's been hardened, and am waiting for a reply from the FIL on that before I start. I assume it hasn't, because he told me it will need tempering.

Oh ok. My limited under standing is that heat treat/hardening is where you heat the metal up and then quench it. Then you bake it or torch is at 300-400 F for an hour or so to soften/ temper it so it won't shatter.

So your use of the word temper confused me.

Not sure on the specifics of stainless.

 

[OldTengu]

Oh ok. My limited under standing is that heat treat/hardening is where you heat the metal up and then quench it. Then you bake it or torch is at 300-400 F for an hour or so to soften/ temper it so it won't shatter.

So your use of the word temper confused me.

Not sure on the specifics of stainless.

No worries, my understanding of these things is, at best, partial. It's likely I have both not studied up enough on terminology, and am using the wrong words.

 

[Geardo]

No worries, my understanding of these things is, at best, partial. It's likely I have both not studied up enough on terminology, and am using the wrong words.

Gotcha. Just be very careful drilling the holes. The blade has to be clamped down. Ot can catch the drill bit and swing around and slice you.

 

[JedB]

Bringing your own Danny Trejo to the SHTF is a good move!
Options!
Versatile!
Intimidating!

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[Wombat of Doom]

Oh ok. My limited under standing is that heat treat/hardening is where you heat the metal up and then quench it. Then you bake it or torch is at 300-400 F for an hour or so to soften/ temper it so it won't shatter.

So your use of the word temper confused me.

Not sure on the specifics of stainless.

Bake as torching is darn near impossible to do well. 440c is a pain in the arse to harden properly, (without having vast amounts of equipment) but I have read of enough folks doing it improperly with success I believe it is doable.

Mine would be one I made. It is essentially a fixed blade straight razor thats about 4 inches long blade and honed to an absolute vicious razor's edge. I made it from scrap 1095. It has a paracord wrapped little narrow tang. It is very lightly tempered. The thing makes scalpels look very dull and holds an edge very well.

 

[edzz]

Bake as torching is darn near impossible to do well. 440c is a pain in the arse to harden properly, (without having vast amounts of equipment) but I have read of enough folks doing it improperly with success I believe it is doable.

Mine would be one I made. It is essentially a fixed blade straight razor thats about 4 inches long blade and honed to an absolute vicious razor's edge. I made it from scrap 1095. It has a paracord wrapped little narrow tang. It is very lightly tempered. The thing makes scalpels look very dull and holds an edge very well.

My next door neighbors family has done a fair amount of heat treating. Lots of experience with 440c. They will heat treat your blade for a very reasonable price.
https://www.buckknives.com/about-knives/heat-treating/

 

[AshWilliams]

TBS Boar. Love this knife!

 

[revjen45]

M81 Glock
Takes and holds a good edge, reasonably priced - can't beat it.

 

[Boboclown]

Didn't pick up a second knife at all...



They ain't the sharpest, and may not the the best knives, but they're versatile enough. A spear (on a gun), a knife, a somewhat useful saw to get small limbs for firewood, wire cutters, and can openers. What else can ya want in just a knife?