UltraLight EDC - new knife design

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2001
Messages
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Working with Gary from Fibermascus - we came up with this idea:

An UltraLight EDC made from fibermascus laminated to steel (in this case, O1). While not an entirely new concept...we think what we're proposing is surely to be a hit...both with buyers and makers.


Here's the first prototype:

UltraLight1.jpg


UltraLight2.jpg


Well...what do you think?


This knife weighs just 1.4 oz....:eek: :eek: :eek:

Yet has a solid core of O1, hardened to 61 HRc.


Overall length is 7 inches, with a 3" blade. Thickness is around 3/16".
Handle is laminated orange G10 & carbon fiber (by Fibermascus)

Kydex sheath will be offered in neck-carry or with merc-harness. :thumbup:


All opinions/suggestions/ideas welcome!!!

Daniel Koster
 
I like the design, and the weight (1.4 oz is hard to beat). I'm not a fan of flashy colors in my knives, so the orange doesn't strike a chord in me. Make it all black, and I'll buy one.
 
Overall shape looks good.

I can't say I like the design of that particular fibermascus, but I checked Gary's website and some of them are really interresting.

But I like the idea of laminating fibermascus to steel.
 
that is freakin awsome! i would make a couple of changes though.

first would be make it in a diferent color (blue would be cool) and make the blade a lil bit longer (around 4").

btw, how much would one of these wind up costing?
 
I think this is a cool idea (it certainly looks cool) but I wonder (not knowing a thing about fibermascus) about durability. How securely is the fibermascus laminated to the steel? If I use the knife to cut ... oh say a few years worth of cardboard boxes, wood, cheese, apples and such ... would it start to peel back with use and time?

I also wonder if you included some sort of pattern in the handles ... a checkered pattern or some such ... that would show the various colors of the fibermascus if that would not look cool as well.

My $.02 ... please don't ask for change.
 
This is an interesting design for a self-defense knife, as the mercharness option indicates. That might work better in more subdued patterns. But as a light utility, especially for outdoor use, go for it: orange, neon green, red, white & blue!

I can also agree with offsetlover that a 4" blade would be really nice on a handle like that.
 
I too like the idea of a little narrower, little longer blade. The big kicker for me though is could the handle be another 1/2 to 1 inches long (around 5 inches)? Sometimes those four inch handles are ok and sometimes they are just too short.

Case in point, I was recently able to score both a Busse Game Warden and an Active Duty. The handle of the GW is just too short. The AD is only a smidgen longer but it makes all the difference in the world, at least to me. I also like the blade configuration on the AD a little better too.

Any different colors available?

Also, I'd like to see some sort of a thumb rest on the back of the handle. Just a small one of one fashion or another. Even if it's only a few serrations
 
So far, I have 4....all different handle materials. CF seems to be the best option, since it adds lateral strength...and will help resist deflection.


Price hasn't been set yet....I'm going to send this one through a passaround first to get some feedback. If it needs more work...it needs more work. If it passes....I'll move forward with pricing, etc.

Thanks for all the interest so far! :thumbup:

Check the passaround forum if you want to see this one IN PERSON.....for FREE. :D :p
 
Interesting. I like the blade style. Making sure a four finger grip works on the handle would be key for me. Anywhere between 3 ro 4" works for me. I really like it.
 
I like the concept, but I don't think that the materials would do what I want. The fiber composite would wear and would drag in a lot of material (cardboard for example).

I would like it best if it was done with a hard glassy material. If there was something like obsidian, only tougher, that would be really interesting.

I would even find a multilayer steel laminate blade kind of an interesting touch. Maybe an ultrahard core under a medium layer, under a soft layer might have possibilities.
 
I like the concept, and color scheme. I think I'd rather see it in s30v though. not necessarily any bigger. I don't like the solid carbon fiber handle I can tell but I would like the carbon fiber handle rough, without the shiny coating.
 
I think the overall shape is very good.
Really nice thinking. Very different and cool.

Ever think of doing all CF (no cloth or G-10) so it looks like a big piece of CF with a little shiny edge?
 
The 1.4 ounces is appealing. I like the knife a lot but for my own I think I'd prefer more of a bird and trout type blade, or even better a Wharncliff style with a good splinter picker point on it. The 01 scares me a bit. I'm sure it would perform well but I'd like something a little less likely to pit and corrode on acid veges and food prep chores with less staining to tarnish the looks of the handle. I'm not familar with your Mercharness set up but Esav's statement about concealment caught my attention. I like kydex and I always loved Dozier's horizontal sheaths for that reason.

I think the looks alone will appeal to a lot of folks and carbon fiber is in now anyways so thats a hit with a lot of folks as it is. Some texturing like Spyderco did to their CF Military would be a hit I think in a field knife.

STR
 
I'm also wondering about the colors could more be availible? not that Idon't like the orange
 
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