J&L Custom Cutlery Pattern-Welded Knife.
Jul 9, 2017 7:07:32 GMT
Post by Adrian Jordan on Jul 9, 2017 7:07:32 GMT
Introduction:
Oh, hello. I didn't see you come in. Welcome to the review.
You may recall this blade from L.Driggers(fallen)'s threads in the Sword Making Discussion sub-forum. I saw the bare blade and was pretty attracted to it. I contacted him and inquired what a blade like that would cost, and his reply was, amazingly, within my budget at the time. He confided that this was his first 100% successful pattern-welded blade, so that's a pretty neat little feature, and I was happy that he was willing to let it go despite it having some sentimental value attached to it.
Full Disclosure:
I've known Lyndle for several years. I've bought several knives and axes from him, as well as received items from him to review at no cost. I did pay for this knife, though I did pay a discounted price.
Specifications:
Blade Length: 5 and 7/8".
Blade Materials: 1095 and 1018 pattern-welded jacket over 1095 core.
Handle Length: 5".
Handle Materials: Tamboti wood, brass guard and pins.
Weight: 7 and 1/4 oz.
First Impressions:
Sweat.
Blade:
The blade is 5 and 7/8" long and has a full flat grind. The steel is made of a pattern-welded jacket of 1095 and 1018 steel with a 1095 core. Each jacket side has 208 layers, and with the core we get a total layer count of 417. The blade has a fairly significant secondary bevel, but the edges are well centered and shaving sharp. The pattern is very handsome, and while very clear it hasn't been etched to death. I'm not a huge fan of etches so deep that the blade appears blackened so I was happy to see that it's etched enough, but not super deep. I do not know the name of this type of pattern, so if somebody does then I'd appreciate the education. The spine starts out very slightly below 3/16" and tapers to the point. The edge grind terminates slightly above the other on one side, but not enough to effect performance.
Handle:
The handle, including the guard, is ever so slightly over 5". It is made of Tamboti wood, which is very nice. The scales are fitted over a hidden tang, and are fitted so well that it was a challenge for me to find the seam. The pins are slightly offset to each other, which is the only flaw I was able to find in the handle. They are ground totally flush with the scales, though. Very comfortable and attractive. The guard is 3/16" thick brass. Guard slot looks like it was ground very slightly too thick, with a gap of slightly less than a mm on each side. Epoxy is visible in the gaps. There is no movement at all.
Handling:
Point of Balance is directly at guard. Very easy to wield. No real testing beyond cutting paper and shaving hair off of my arm has been done, nor will it likely be.
Sheath:
Sheath is currently a folded piece of butcher paper. I did not ask for a sheath.
Final Thoughts:
Man, I like it. Lyndle says that this is his first successful pattern-welded blade, and he hits all the high notes with it. Everything is nice and tight and attractive. Any flaws are small and should not effect performance should it be pressed into use. There are no flaws in the welds or delaminations. Edge is keen. I'm a happy camper.
A similar blade to this would run in the $250 range. To purchase a blade from J&L Custom Cutlery you can contact him here on the forum via his member profile, sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/user/26392.
Thanks for reading.
Oh, hello. I didn't see you come in. Welcome to the review.
You may recall this blade from L.Driggers(fallen)'s threads in the Sword Making Discussion sub-forum. I saw the bare blade and was pretty attracted to it. I contacted him and inquired what a blade like that would cost, and his reply was, amazingly, within my budget at the time. He confided that this was his first 100% successful pattern-welded blade, so that's a pretty neat little feature, and I was happy that he was willing to let it go despite it having some sentimental value attached to it.
Full Disclosure:
I've known Lyndle for several years. I've bought several knives and axes from him, as well as received items from him to review at no cost. I did pay for this knife, though I did pay a discounted price.
Specifications:
Blade Length: 5 and 7/8".
Blade Materials: 1095 and 1018 pattern-welded jacket over 1095 core.
Handle Length: 5".
Handle Materials: Tamboti wood, brass guard and pins.
Weight: 7 and 1/4 oz.
First Impressions:
Sweat.
Blade:
The blade is 5 and 7/8" long and has a full flat grind. The steel is made of a pattern-welded jacket of 1095 and 1018 steel with a 1095 core. Each jacket side has 208 layers, and with the core we get a total layer count of 417. The blade has a fairly significant secondary bevel, but the edges are well centered and shaving sharp. The pattern is very handsome, and while very clear it hasn't been etched to death. I'm not a huge fan of etches so deep that the blade appears blackened so I was happy to see that it's etched enough, but not super deep. I do not know the name of this type of pattern, so if somebody does then I'd appreciate the education. The spine starts out very slightly below 3/16" and tapers to the point. The edge grind terminates slightly above the other on one side, but not enough to effect performance.
Handle:
The handle, including the guard, is ever so slightly over 5". It is made of Tamboti wood, which is very nice. The scales are fitted over a hidden tang, and are fitted so well that it was a challenge for me to find the seam. The pins are slightly offset to each other, which is the only flaw I was able to find in the handle. They are ground totally flush with the scales, though. Very comfortable and attractive. The guard is 3/16" thick brass. Guard slot looks like it was ground very slightly too thick, with a gap of slightly less than a mm on each side. Epoxy is visible in the gaps. There is no movement at all.
Handling:
Point of Balance is directly at guard. Very easy to wield. No real testing beyond cutting paper and shaving hair off of my arm has been done, nor will it likely be.
Sheath:
Sheath is currently a folded piece of butcher paper. I did not ask for a sheath.
Final Thoughts:
Man, I like it. Lyndle says that this is his first successful pattern-welded blade, and he hits all the high notes with it. Everything is nice and tight and attractive. Any flaws are small and should not effect performance should it be pressed into use. There are no flaws in the welds or delaminations. Edge is keen. I'm a happy camper.
A similar blade to this would run in the $250 range. To purchase a blade from J&L Custom Cutlery you can contact him here on the forum via his member profile, sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/user/26392.
Thanks for reading.