In Search of the Perfect Knife, continued Currently in testing... When I went to pick up the new knife from Johnny I expected for him to have prepared for me a cut down version of test knife #2. I should have know better. What I took him was an old rusty machete. What I got back was a display worthy handmade knife, made to my specifications. Talk about getting a silk purse from a sow's ear. He had cleaned away all the surface rust and discoloration and reblued the blade to give it an authentic vintage look. The black walnut handles came from a tree in Johnny's mother's backyard in Georgia. They had an silky oiled finish, dark and rich and All-American. Saddle rivets were used to expand on the vintage theme. The edge on this knife seemed even keener that test knife #2, but that may have only been a matter of perception. I felt like I was holding something brand new from a hundred years ago. This knife was about as far removed from today's tactical knives as you can get. My first thought was that it was going to be a shame to put this beautiful knife through the punishment I had planned for it. I quashed those feelings quickly but reluctantly. A knife that can't be carried and used is nothing but a space taker-upper. I thanked Johnny profusely and assured him that I was going to use the knife and not set it on a shelf. As beautiful as it was, I knew he wanted me use it, abuse it, and tell him how it did. I slept with the knife by my bed and carried it in a deep cargo pocket in my pants the next day. I could hardly wait for the afternoon and to get into the woods to test it. The JMK Kephart worked like test knife #2, like a charm, and I quickly began to see why Kephart preferred the more narrow 1 inch blade. It had the same cutting power as test knife #2, but was able to make more precise cuts deep into the wood, being able to turn or radius the blade more widely in the cut. The smaller width also made the knife much lighter and handier. The new knife averaged about one minute each for cuttng tent pegs. About the same time for pieces of green maple mortised as to make a figure 4 trap trigger.  The proverbial hot knife through butter.    |
  The Johnny Martin Kepart knife. About as far from modern tactical knives as you can get, just the way I like it.     Pone and Molly Moo watch the woods diligently while I do my thing with the JM Knives Kephart.  Molly Moo sticks her big nose in everywhere. |
