mav

Due to all the military adventurism over the last decade, I have become pretty much a noninterventionist over the last couple of years.  I have also become so distrusting of our government and disgusted with our media that I don't even watch tv/cable news anymore (haven't done so for over a year).  By doing so, I have become a little slow in picking up the lastest occurences happening around the world.  For example, I only read yesterday about the Yazidi people in Iraq being trapped on a mountaintop.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHQCPF9Bz44   This is heartbreaking.  While I loathe to get involved, if we don't do something, especially considering we pretty much broke/destabilized this country, we deserve whatever fate lies in our future.  I don't want to hear Obama this or Obama that.  Yes, he shares a lot of responsibility on this issue.  However, Congress can force him to take action and help these people.

I talked to the maker this morning and he informed that my knife is one of a kind. It has been the only one where he used sheep horn material. Not that it really matters, I thought it was pretty cool.

Okay, I said I would post a comparison pic so you could get an idea on the size of this folder. From top to bottom: Chris Reeve Pacific Todd Fischer Archangel XL Hinderer XM-24 ZT-300 Protech TGO knife Chris Reeve/Wilson Combat large Starbenza

  Surprisingly, it is very nice.  I knew this was gonna be a big knife, but I had no idea it was gonna be freakin' huge.  When I first saw it this morning, I smiled and laughed at the size of it.  I got a little worried at first that it would be too big for my hands, but it is just right.

  I have a few knives that I will not use only because of their rarity, and I don't want them to lose value.  This knife will be a user.  I spent too much money not to use and enjoy it.  If I mess it up I can always send it in for a spa treatment, and it will be made to look new again.

  Me too.  The blade shape is what attracted me to the knife in the first place.  It is just really appealing to my eye.

Those are very nice knives.

    That is all fine and good, and I honestly respect your ability to make knives from scrap material (I can't do that).  However, stop thread crapping.  This thread is not for that discussion.

Well...Nobody correctly guessed on what I got. That is okay as I am sure that only a few people on the forum have ever heard of this maker. Those in the custom knife community know him well, and he has been sought out for decades by top collectors. His knives are pretty much considered top shelf; you really can't get any better. He is Todd Fischer, and the knife I got is an Archangel XL. I became familiar with the Archangel a little over a year ago when a fellow coworker showed me his 3.25" Archangel. I was absolutely floored at the precision. I have never seen any folder that well machined. It was an incredibly overbuilt knife, but it was also a meticulous piece of art as well. It was a little on the small side for my taste at 3.25". However, when I found out he made an almost 5" XL version, I had to have one. I tried getting Mr. Fischer to make me one, but unfortunately his books are closed until 2017. I was sort of surprised by that at the time considering his table price is a lot higher than most (Marsh and Rexford are two that I can think are higher). Now, it doesn't surprise me at all. These knives are entirely made by Mr. Fischer, and he puts a lot of time in their manufacture. Here are the specs on my knife: Blade length: 4.75" Closed length: 6.5" Overall length: 11.25" (Holy cow) Blade steel: S90V :) Handle material: Sheep horn with orange peel titanium bolsters Weight: 12.7 oz Guys, I wish I had a better camera and knew how to take better pictures so you could really appreciate the quality of this knife. Anyway, enough of my rambling, here are some pics. I wish I had a few other knives with me to compare this too, but I am at work so these pics will have to do. This is the largest and most precise folder I have seen. Enjoy.

It has arrived. :D  I will post pics when I get a sec.    All I can say at the moment is wow.

Nice.

Nope, not Randall.    The knife coming is a folder.   (edit) - I would also add that his son makes knives too and they are in very high demand.

  Nah. I canceled my Yuna order.  He makes really nice stuff, but there are so many makers out there that make more appealing stuff to me.   This probably won't be of help (maybe to a few it might be).  The maker is somewhat considered a legend in the custom knife community and he lives in Florida.

Anyone want to read a good book on the subject, try Richard Preston's The Hot Zone.  I reread it about a year ago, and it was pretty darn scary the second time.

I couldn't believe what I found last Friday.  I found my grail knife in almost the exact configuration I had talked to the maker about making for me.  I bought it today.  This will be the last knife, outside of Graham's next midtech, that I will buy for quite a while.  I should have it Wednesday, and I will post pics when I get it.  I am very excited.  Anyone want to take a guess on what it is?

I do like the grind on that.

  Just sent it to mine.  She will get a kick out of it.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5W7vhlewxQ

Oh, I find blade style very utilitarian.  From a tactical perspective, it is crazy sharp, so you can easily stab with it.  You can easily cut someone with a backhand swing without rotating the knife or your hand.

As some of you are aware from Cap's thread http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/80608-jon-graham-gmt-ss3-razel/ a lot of people are pimping their Jon Graham Razel midtechs. Well, today was the day I got mine pimped out. I am fortunate enough to have a friend who is friends with Jon, so I got to go up to Graham's shop and watch him pimp-out my Razel exactly how I wanted it. He is a really great guy with some amazing skills. He anodized the scales green, stonewashed them, and then came back with a bronze anodizing. He also bronzed the clip, standoffs, and screws. He then acid washed the blade, stonewashed it, and put a razor sharp edge on it. I have already cut the crap out of myself with it. Here are the results. I think it turned out pretty awesome. This is the first, but not the last Graham knife in my collection.

I saw that on USN.  It looks really good.  I should be pimping my Razel in the next few days.  I will post some pics when I get it finished.

I guess I am no fun.  I was carrying my Starbenza today.

Nice one.

I am currently watching Mexico vs. Cameroon.  It is almost over. Looks like Mexico is gonna win.

Well, I just spent $2500 on a refrigerator yesterday, so I will not be attending Blade this year.  :)