Wow! Two years this thread has been dormant... 's okay if I interrupt the peaceful slumber?
I'm brand new to T.M. Hunt's work... I saw some hints of the M18 on the Becker forum and it really captured my interest; so just working from an untitled photo I googled it to discover what it was and viola`I'm led to
http://www.tmhuntcustomknives.com/ and finally I understand what that awesomely peculiar knife is! After a bit more investigation and several Youtube videos later I come to the realization that I will never know edged steel-peace until I have one of these elite M18's!
Soon I'm on the hunt (pardon the pun) for any examples available for sale and to my delight I find a selection available @ SMKW... in the time it takes to click the PayPal button I had one in the mail to me pronto and in a few agonizing days it finally arrived! Needless to say, holding the real-deal in my hands is as satisfying and awe-inspiring as I imagined; the M18 is one impressive display of metallurgical magic!
Now...thing is, though...I've had this baby in my hands for more than a week now but have not had opportunity to actually
use it!
1. Between the weather here being an unending series of thunderstorms and downpours and my job demanding more hours and days of my life than my old USAF enlistment did, I've had only an all-too-brief moment to venture outside between storms to snap a few photos with it
(being careful to gently bite it into the tree stump for photographing.)
2. Also, I've been a bit uncertain to commit to using it because I'm concerned if I may actually need to return it to SMKW... reason for that is: I'm kind of confused with the condition of my M18. See, thing is- fresh from the box I noticed a couple of odd physical aspects of it that gave me pause to wonder:
"Have I been sold a previously used/returned knife?"
The reasons I'm having that thought are two-fold; 1. The blade came out of the box with noticeable sheathing-scratches and a couple other more minor blemishes to the finish (which are clearly visible in the photos) and; 2. The edge is NOT particularly sharp and has an undeniable burr on one side. In a simple copy paper slicing test it performed an almost tearing-like rough cutting action. Now, I realize I could simply resharpen the edge to a keener profile and put an end to that caveat
(but, that's kinda the rub ya see?...I shouldn't have to face these sort of discrepancies with a brand new knife; esp. a custom product like this one.)
So, as thrilled as I am to have the wondrous M18 I'm also a bit dampened by this particular specimine's seemingly questionable state.