Another J & L Custom Cutlery Bowie
Jul 20, 2016 8:26:46 GMT
Post by Voltan on Jul 20, 2016 8:26:46 GMT
J & L Custom Cutlery Bowie Knife
By Jason L McEntee
Introduction
I, Voltan the Dark One, Lord of Cedar Mist Manor and Defender of the Black Gate of Laboordor, am among the chosen ones. I have been chosen by L Driggers (fallen) to review one of six bowie knives by Lyn & Jeri Driggers of J & L Custom Cutlery.
Full Disclosure:
I have a business relationship with the makers of this knife. I have had handles made for my own blades by J & L, and they are now my heat treaters for the blades I am making. I was given this knife free of charge, under the condition that I provide an honest and objective review. I do not work for J & L Custom Cutlery, as I live halfway across the country from them.
First Impressions
Beautiful yet deadly, with a rugged look while still holding graceful lines, I was impressed for certain upon unboxing the knife. Lyn had sent a photo of all the knives via PM prior to shipping, but I was still surprised by the quality of the piece once I had it in hand. My knowledge of bowies is limited at best, and most of the ones I've seen had guards. The lack of a guard gives this piece a unique style in my opinion, and gives it it's own personality if you will. Here's the pic Lyn took of them all together, with my knife being the second one from the bottom:
Specs
Overall Length: 12 & 3/4"
Blade Length: 8"
Grip Length: 4 & 3/4"
Blade Width at Grip: 1 & 1/2"
Weight: 10 oz
POB: -1/4" Under Grip
The Blade
Made from 5160 steel with a satin finish, the blade is flat ground with smooth and even grind lines. It is well shaped, with an aggressive point profile and a sharpened back edge. The edges are of the secondary bevel type, well executed and very sharp. They did not shave hair off of my arm, but with a flat grind, if the edges were any sharper they would be prone to rolling easily. The only thing I could nitpick about this blade would be that the plunge lines are a little uneven on the primary edge, and ever so slightly on the back edge. All in all, a VERY nice blade.
Primary Edge Plunge:
Back Edge Plunge:
The Grip
I am well familiar with the handle work from J & L. They've made five handles for me, all of which were above my expectations. This knife's handle continues in that regard. The scales are made from hard rock maple, and are held on by epoxy and two brass rivets. Unlike the previous two bowies reviewed, the rivets are flush with the scales. The contours of the grip eliminate the need for a guard, and the knife feels very comfortable in hand. For those with extra large hands, a finger choil was ground into the blade, but those with average size hands should find the grip feels just right. The grip did feel a bit tacky after cutting with it, as it got a little wet. As far as aesthetics go, I'll let the photos do the talking...
Handling/Cutting
With the POB just under the grip, this would make a better fighter than a chopper. Light and fast, the knife handles very well. I'm more accustomed to cutting with big swords, so any poor cuts were not because of the knife, but because of my technique (or lack thereof). That said, the knife performed well, and the edges proved to be quite sharp indeed.
Pros:
Light and fast
Excellent fit & finish
Unique styling
Good, sharp edges
Very clean work overall
Cons:
Slightly (very slightly) uneven plunge lines (a con to the perfectionist)
***No other cons to speak of***
Conclusion/Bottom Line
I've watched Fallen's work improve steadily over the years, and it keeps getting better. The price for one of these would have been $150, and $180 with a sheath. Worth it? Absolutely. This is not a cheap knife you'd find on Amazon or the like; this is a handmade, custom knife made in the USA. A wide range of custom work is available from this maker at VERY reasonable prices, and I would indeed recommend J & L Custom Cutlery for those considering a custom piece.
By Jason L McEntee
Introduction
I, Voltan the Dark One, Lord of Cedar Mist Manor and Defender of the Black Gate of Laboordor, am among the chosen ones. I have been chosen by L Driggers (fallen) to review one of six bowie knives by Lyn & Jeri Driggers of J & L Custom Cutlery.
Full Disclosure:
I have a business relationship with the makers of this knife. I have had handles made for my own blades by J & L, and they are now my heat treaters for the blades I am making. I was given this knife free of charge, under the condition that I provide an honest and objective review. I do not work for J & L Custom Cutlery, as I live halfway across the country from them.
First Impressions
Beautiful yet deadly, with a rugged look while still holding graceful lines, I was impressed for certain upon unboxing the knife. Lyn had sent a photo of all the knives via PM prior to shipping, but I was still surprised by the quality of the piece once I had it in hand. My knowledge of bowies is limited at best, and most of the ones I've seen had guards. The lack of a guard gives this piece a unique style in my opinion, and gives it it's own personality if you will. Here's the pic Lyn took of them all together, with my knife being the second one from the bottom:
Specs
Overall Length: 12 & 3/4"
Blade Length: 8"
Grip Length: 4 & 3/4"
Blade Width at Grip: 1 & 1/2"
Weight: 10 oz
POB: -1/4" Under Grip
The Blade
Made from 5160 steel with a satin finish, the blade is flat ground with smooth and even grind lines. It is well shaped, with an aggressive point profile and a sharpened back edge. The edges are of the secondary bevel type, well executed and very sharp. They did not shave hair off of my arm, but with a flat grind, if the edges were any sharper they would be prone to rolling easily. The only thing I could nitpick about this blade would be that the plunge lines are a little uneven on the primary edge, and ever so slightly on the back edge. All in all, a VERY nice blade.
Primary Edge Plunge:
Back Edge Plunge:
The Grip
I am well familiar with the handle work from J & L. They've made five handles for me, all of which were above my expectations. This knife's handle continues in that regard. The scales are made from hard rock maple, and are held on by epoxy and two brass rivets. Unlike the previous two bowies reviewed, the rivets are flush with the scales. The contours of the grip eliminate the need for a guard, and the knife feels very comfortable in hand. For those with extra large hands, a finger choil was ground into the blade, but those with average size hands should find the grip feels just right. The grip did feel a bit tacky after cutting with it, as it got a little wet. As far as aesthetics go, I'll let the photos do the talking...
Handling/Cutting
With the POB just under the grip, this would make a better fighter than a chopper. Light and fast, the knife handles very well. I'm more accustomed to cutting with big swords, so any poor cuts were not because of the knife, but because of my technique (or lack thereof). That said, the knife performed well, and the edges proved to be quite sharp indeed.
Pros:
Light and fast
Excellent fit & finish
Unique styling
Good, sharp edges
Very clean work overall
Cons:
Slightly (very slightly) uneven plunge lines (a con to the perfectionist)
***No other cons to speak of***
Conclusion/Bottom Line
I've watched Fallen's work improve steadily over the years, and it keeps getting better. The price for one of these would have been $150, and $180 with a sheath. Worth it? Absolutely. This is not a cheap knife you'd find on Amazon or the like; this is a handmade, custom knife made in the USA. A wide range of custom work is available from this maker at VERY reasonable prices, and I would indeed recommend J & L Custom Cutlery for those considering a custom piece.