The 1a Set is Safe and Sound

UNRL Ghandi

UNRL Ghandi

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
975
I'll post something a lot more robust tomorrow when I get a chance. In the meantime, just wanted everyone to know that 1a is safe and sound and quickly making friends.

Until tomorrow...pics, because it happened!

Love,
UNRL Ghandi

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I solicited Garth for some info on this set and he graciously provided the following response. I thought it would be good for everyone to hear from the maker himself.

Sharpening was done free hand so can't really give you an exact angle. Generally on a thin fine ground hollow like these have I go with a 20-22 degree edge. You want to leave a little meat in the edge as the geometry takes a nose dive right behind the edge and actually thins out a bit. These were ground to very close to a zero edge to begin with so a slightly shallower angle is what you want.

As far as time on this build it surpassed tracking hours a long time ago. This was measured more in bottle consumption. This set was roughly 3 months and somewhere around 5 bottle of Cabo Wabo, 2-3 shots at a time. Many times I would work for a few hours and then have to walk away, other times I would spend all day and not realize it. Somedays I would sit down to start working on one of them and realize that it just wasn't the right time so I wouldn't even start.

These are, to date, the most difficult blades I have finished. Some other stuff in the works that may actually be the death of me, but as far as finished these are at the top. At a certain point I feel like I need to push my limits to improve.

Garth, masterful work!
 
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Reserved for tomorrow.

Okay, it's tomorrow so here's some more info on these beauties. As everyone knows these were part of the Ham Hockoganzaaa. For historical reference here's the link to that thread:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...anzaaa-wed-8-14-19-at-9-00pm-eastern.1678713/

Specs are the same as the normal FMV8 and FMV14:
Force Multiplier V8 Specs:
Overall Length: 13"
Blade Width: Approx. 1.35"
Blade Thickness: Approx. .250"
Steel: INFI
Hardness: 58-60 Rc
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...and-pricing-coming-wednesday-1-17-18.1545118/

The Force Mama V14 Specs:
Blade Length: Approx. 14 1/8"
Overall Length: Approx. 20 1/2"
Blade Width: Approx. 1 3/4"
Blade Thickness: Approx .250"
Steel: INFI
Hardness: 58-60 Rc
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...018-at-9-00-pm-eastern.1583261/#post-18084900

Biggest glaring difference in the 1a Set aside from the obvious grind difference is that they are significantly lighter due to being hollow ground. They are made of the same stock as the V8 and V14 but here's how they compared on my kitchen scale:

FMV8 = 15.5 oz; FMV14 = 1 lb 15.9 oz
1a V8 = 12.3 oz; 1a V14 = 1 lb 8.7 oz

These are over 20% weight reductions. You can feel the difference in the V8 but you can FEEL the difference in the V14. It feels like a completely different blade. I measured the balance points from the talon holes toward the tip of the blade and the balance points for each were:

FMV14 = 2.71"
1a V14 = 1.28"

The weight reduction in the 1a V14 moves the balance a full 1.5" closer to the handle which makes it feel SOOOO much lighter and faster in hand. It's quite amazing actually.

Check out those shiny blades! Mmm...
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I really lucked into these. I live in a rural area of Western MD and have to use satellite internet so I'm not normally able to be first on the draw, but last week I had a huge project at work that required me to live at the office three hours away for three days where we have super fast internet. The first day happened to be Wednesday and I had almost forgotten about this ganza because I was so preoccupied with work. Thankfully I had entered a calendar reminder as soon as Bossman posted the ganza thread. I called the calendar event "Busse Sale" and scheduled it for 8:30pm. And at 8:30pm the reminder popped up. I dropped everything I was doing, drafted my email to Amy and Garth, set two follow-up alarms on my phone, then waited. And waited. Annnnnddd waited. Waiting a half hour to send an email at exactly the right second is stressful, especially when the clock says 8:59:25...26...27...then 48...49...50...51...(heart rate is up at this point, breathing is fast and shallow, eyes focused trying not to blink)...52...53...54...55...56...(hands are shaking in anticipation now, hovering over the mouse - double check the pointer is over the "send" button, okay we're good)...57...58...59...(all muscles are contracted, I'm leaning into the computer face 3 inches from the screen staring at the clock)...THEN...9:00:00! BAM! Click click click click! SEND!!!!!!!! Oh good it did. Heavy sigh of relief. Check the sent folder to make sure everything went through and the time stamp wasn't too early or a tenth of a second too late. Comcast you better not fail me!

Thursday morning comes and goes. I'm working like a crazy so I didn't have time to stew over it but it was a noticeable silence. They have a lot of emails to work through I told myself, thinking I could be reassured that I hand't missed out on this one. It didn't work. I ate lunch and still no email or call. Went to a meeting. Didn't get back until around 2pm and I checked my email. At 12:40pm I had received an email from Amy. Subject: HAM HOCKoganzaaa. Dear Lord it feels like it's 8:59:56 again. But I didn't hesitate too long to open it. The message received?

Nathan,

Happy HAM HOCKoganza!!!!!!


You scored 1 A!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooooooooo Hoooooooo. I started kissing and hugging co-workers and they are dudes. I didn't care.

Of course then reality set in that I didn't actually WIN these, I won the opportunity to buy them. Uh, how much do I owe you again. **GULP** Let's use a different credit card for that...

Amy warned me that it would take some time to get these boxed up and shipped because they had to wipe all the drool off them before shipping. So I impatiently waited all weekend and received my shipping notice Monday. One week from the ganza they would be at my door. Sweet! So you better believe I was waiting for that big brown truck. I heard him backing down my gravel driveway and I was standing at the back of the truck before he had it in park.

Each stage of the unboxing was like 8:59:xx. The anticipation kept growing as each piece of shipping material was removed. Then, there they were. So beautiful.

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Super happy to have gotten these. Apologies to all who tried and didn't. We've all been there. I was super disappointed when I missed the CS Gladius that went at a ganza but thankfully a year or so later it hit the exchange and I snagged it. Now I wouldn't hold my breath for that to happen here because these babies are on my Grave Knives list. :)

I do sincerely hope there is a release of these one day so more people can have them even in the standard micarta/g10 handles. FMV8 and 14 LE would be a huge hit if you liked the original offerings because the hollow grind on these are hands down more superior in feel.
 
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Amazing score! love seeing they went to one of the good guys :thumbsup:


Apocryphiliac said:
And to think that I only had to give up my left nut for my collection. Granted, it’s not as spectacular as this one, but I feel that I got off light. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Don't sell yourself short, I am sure your left nut was spectacular and at least of average weight :p:D:p


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