Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

"Thuban" Fine Handmade Custom Knife

• Size: Length overall: 7.6" (19.3 cm), Blade Length: 3.5" (8.9 cm), Thickness: .144" (3.7 mm)
• Weight: Knife: 6.0 oz. (170 grams) Sheath: 3.8 oz. (108 grams)
• Blade: CPM154CM High Chromium, Molybdenum Powder Metal Martensitic Stainless Steel, Hardened and Tempered with T3 Cryogenic Process to Rockwell HRC 62, Mirror Polished
• Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, Hand-engraved, Mirror polished
• Handle: Blue-gray Moss Agate Gemstone (Texas)
• Sheath: Hand-carved, hand-dyed Leather Shoulder Inlaid with Gray Frog skin
• Knife: This is an exemplary knife, custom made for my client. The Thuban is named for the pole star that was the northern guiding star 5000 years ago, when the Egyptians built the pyramids. My Thuban design is a popular model because it's an excellent knife: a sturdy, tough, and comfortable drop point that is not only extremely useful, but is also quite striking and a great canvas for art. My client directed the design, finish, steel type, and handle selection of this knife, and I'm extremely proud of how it came together, truly one of my very best knives.
  • The steel my client chose for his knife is CPM154CM, a powder metal technology tool steel, a high technology steel known for extremely even distribution of alloy elements and a uniform microstructure. It's a high molybdenum stainless steel, and the molybdenum aids in forming nucleation sites for complex carbide development. The moly also increases the toughness dramatically, resulting in a blade that's extremely durable. This allows me to temper the steel at a higher overall hardness, for great wear resistance as well. The high chromium and high carbon results in profuse chromium carbides, increasing corrosion resistance as well as wear resistance. To bring this steel to its zenith, I used my proprietary T3 deep cryogenic process in heat treating this blade; it's a highly detailed, extremely sophisticated process that takes 33 individual steps and takes over a week long. The result of this is an incredibly wear-resistant blade that has extremely high carbide development, fine grain, and extremely high toughness. Asperity is reduced; the microstructure development is superior to any other typical handmade knife, and far above any factory or manufactured knife. This is, simply put, CPM154CM at its very finest advanced condition. The grind is deep and even, with well-curved grind terminations and a bright, beautiful mirror polish. The blade has full filework in a sculpted vine style, blackened at the handle for contrast. The tang is fully tapered for balance, and the single bevel cutting edge is razor-keen.
  • I bolstered the knife with zero-care 304 high chromium, high nickel stainless steel bolsters, which are contoured, rounded and finished for a comfortable feel. The bolsters are secured with zero-clearance peened pins and dovetailed to bed the handle scales. The front bolster covers the quillon for protection and comfort; the rear bolster is light and wide and presents a great canvas for the engraving artwork. To complement the complex handle material, I engraved a highly detailed, tight, small leafy pattern on the bolsters. The photos below are illustrative, but it's good to remember that every single photo on this page is at least a 1.5 power enlargement. The handle enlargements below are over 5 power magnifications!
  • The handle scales are a sight to behold; there simply is no other material like this on earth! This is a special agate that was acquired from Texas decades ago, and in all my years of lapidary, I've never encountered any of this agate again! I only had a small rock of this moss agate, and I only had enough for two small handles. This handle is the very last of my stock; you will likely never see this stone again. This is the mystery and magnificence of gemstones; many are absolutely unique. The gemstone is classified as a moss agate based on its appearance, but it is a brecciated stone that was formed, broken apart, reformed and created deep in the earth's crust, with fascinating results. The moss agate is blue-gray, with some white outlines, brown inclusions, and a ridiculous bold pattern. The agate is a cryptocrystalline quartz, very tough and hard, and has a great vitreous polish. I wish I had more, but I'm glad my client has requested this stone on his knife.
  • The knife feels extremely solid and tight in the hand, the contoured shape locks the grip while the handle shape is swallowed in the palm, and the blade is smooth, even and keen. The filework and engraving complements the gemstone perfectly.
• Sheath: The sheath had to match the knife in every way, so I chose a tough, deep layered type design, made of 9-10 oz. leather shoulder, stitched with heavy brown nylon thread throughout. The artwork for the sheath reflects the leaf patterns in the engraving, and the carving is intermittently inlaid with 20 gray frog skin inlays. The gray frog skin in brown leather reflects the grays and browns in the gemstone handle. The sheath is deep and protective, with a high back, the entire sheath is sealed with lacquer for longevity.
• A beautiful, wonderful custom made knife in premium materials and elegant and detailed artwork.

Thanks, J. W.!