Reeder Custom Guns - I’m not a big knife guy, but a woodsman needs a good camp

Blade. Our I.T. Guy is an amateur knife maker. Several of the guys have contracted a build from him. He has a bunch of kids, likes the hobby, and I know can use the extra bucks. It’s probably too much but it’s a good cause, and custom.

We drew up a rough design.
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I wanted a really thick and robust camp knife that could take abuse and do it all. We modded the front part of the scales from this rendering as I told him I’d no doubt snap off the wood where it got thin. I need robust.
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I wanted a “skull crusher” and lanyard hole too. The scales I ordered special from Bethlehem Israel, book end matched native olive.
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Zach is leaving us soon but going to push through the build. He got it cut out, heat treated, and doing some shaping. I know little about knives. But I need a simple to sharpen edge with a tip I won’t snap off. The lanyard should help me keep better track of it. Thought you might find it interesting.

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Probably shoulda drilled it before heat treating. Olive wood is great to work with. Good figure and finishes easy. I have gone away from Cocobola and others like it due to its harshness on the lungs. Even though I wear a respirator, Ive known too many bowyers who have bad lungs from some woods and are now very allergic to them. Olive, hickory, cherry, walnut and the like make great handles and the scraps I throw in the smoker.

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But the novelty was fun. I think I paid like $20 delivered for the scales. I thought a fair deal. He told me the steel but I forgot, he’s pretty well versed on that. I do hope the lanyard and pins go well. It’s not his first time by a long shot though.

I probably goaded him into making it too thick. It’s a beast. I don’t like how it narrows toward the front of the grip but it’s sort of his trademark. I also told him I’d prefer more chunky handles compared to too thin. I’m crap with knives but wanted a robust trail piece that I could probably keep a consistent angle to sharpen.

I hear olive wood sort of smells like roses while sanding and working?!

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He said that blank was "01" steel?! He used the differential hardening technique. With such a thick spine the focus on hardening was the blade and edge. Hopefully this will allow easier drilling of the lanyard and pin holes. Plus he could anneal the handle much like we do brass cases if he needed to I guess.

I sure don't need another hobby, but I find it interesting.

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It is a tool steel that has been used by knife makers for many years. Some what susceptible to forming rust or a patina. Just take care of it.

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who tested out a lot of designs and steels, settled on 01 for the bets overall steel for a bug out knife. Even though it can rust, it has enough carbon in it to keep if fairly stain free. I will post some knives tomorrow of what I have been working on.

I’m not a big knife guy, but a woodsman needs a good camp

What steel? And dont forget to drill the lanyard hole.

There are some beautiful Italian and CA olives

Ok, this will mean more to you than me...

O-1 is a good oil hardening steel.

01 makes a good tough knife. One bushcrafter

I wish I could have kept my custom knife maker

Nice design Scotty, looks very practical.