Reworked CF Kiwi

[hiredgun]

Not the best photo in the world, but I thought I'd share a recent project for your viewing pleasure. I had a Carbon Fiber Kiwi and there was a chip in one of the scales so I decided to send it off to Bill Wirtel at Santa Fe Stoneworks and had them put on Dinosaur Bone scales. I like how they polish up the matte bolsters too. Anyway, I've always wanted something in Dino Bone and here it is. I'm very happy with the job they did. I must say I miss the original Kiwi. I hope Spyderco brings it or something like it back.

[jossta]

Holy crap. I now will not rest until I have something with dino bone. That is awesome.

[jackknifeh]

Not the best photo in the world, but I thought I'd share a recent project for your viewing pleasure. I had a Carbon Fiber Kiwi and there was a chip in one of the scales so I decided to send it off to Bill Wirtel at Santa Fe Stoneworks and had them put on Dinosaur Bone scales. I like how they polish up the matte bolsters too. Anyway, I've always wanted something in Dino Bone and here it is. I'm very happy with the job they did. I must say I miss the original Kiwi. I hope Spyderco brings it or something like it back.

That is beautiful. I just bought a Kiwi3 slip joint with the sole purpose of making inlays from different materials. Seeing yours makes me want to get started even more. My work will not even be close to as gorgeous as the work Mr. Wirtel did but that goes without saying. One day I saw a Kiwi with mother of pearl and was thinking of paying the rediculous price they were asking because I liked it so much. If I had been looking at yours I'd have paid without the second thought that kept me from getting the MOP knife. I envy you the ownership of the knife. Forget about the CF. Your "new" knife is definately trading up IMO.

Jack

[Mwalle6]

is that real dinosaur bone? or is that something a clever marketing guy came up with?

[tonydahose]

looks nice, and yeah that is real dino bone. there are a few sites that sell fossils for knife making, gun handles etc.

[jackknifeh]

looks nice, and yeah that is real dino bone. there are a few sites that sell fossils for knife making, gun handles etc.

I don't mean to pry but I am curious. How much does that stuff cost? Forget labor, just bone. Dinobone must be kind of rare, dinos being out of the picture for a few million years.

Jack

[tonydahose]

the one site that i knew use to carry it is only carrying mammoth tooth now but i just did a search on ebay with "dinosaur bone" and got close to 1400 hits.

[spyderfly]

I recently done a :spyder: kopa with dino-bone, very hard material to work with but came out nice

[jackknifeh]

Spyderfly: Yours did come out very nice. It has a different color. I guess it was only a matter of time so I'll ask. What type dinosaur did your bone come from. Brontosaurous, T-Rex or what? :) Is this info known or is it just dino-bone? Please forgive my dino-spelling. :rolleyes:

Jack

[hiredgun]

Mine came with a certificate of authenticity certifying that my scales are petrified dinosaur bone. The age of the bone is somewhere between 125 million and 160 millions years old based on the calculated age of the rock formation in which it was found. This sample was from an Apatosaurus (Brontosaurus) found in the Four Corners area of northwestern New Mexico. It could have been from Utah or Colorado. Colorado would be fitting since the company behind the knife is from Colorado too. :D

[The Deacon]

Looks great. Dinosaur bone varies considerably in color and pattern. From what I understand, the first is dependent on the minerals that fill the air spaces and replace the calcium and the second is dependent on the nature of the original bone and the direction in which the piece is cut. Reddish browns are the most common. Lighter colors, like yours, are less common and extremely attractive.

[tonydahose]

i made a few kopas with a mix of dino bone and resin. Link

[jossta]

That yellow one is sweeeet. I might see if I can find someone to do this with my Persian instead of the Wood or Mammoth Ivory I was planning.

[jackknifeh]

Mine came with a certificate of authenticity certifying that my scales are petrified dinosaur bone. The age of the bone is somewhere between 125 million and 160 millions years old based on the calculated age of the rock formation in which it was found. This sample was from an Apatosaurus (Brontosaurus) found in the Four Corners area of northwestern New Mexico. It could have been from Utah or Colorado. Colorado would be fitting since the company behind the knife is from Colorado too. :D

At first I was thinking dino-bone would be rare and very expensive but it seems others are playing with it also. It is one of the many things I didn't realize was out there. Can you tell me where you get dino-bone?

Jack

[The Deacon]

That yellow one is sweeeet. I might see if I can find someone to do this with my Persian instead of the Wood or Mammoth Ivory I was planning.

Just keep in mind that dinosaur bone is essentially stone, and thus heavier than wood or ivory and considerably more fragile. On something the size of a Kiwi, or even a Kopa, the weight difference is trivial, the double bolsters offer a good bit of protection, and the relatively short liners are extremely rigid so cracks due to flexing are unlikely. On a larger knife stone of any kind can be more problematic.

[jossta]

Blarg! Thanks for the heads up, guess I have to find a Kopa!

[jackknifeh]

Just keep in mind that dinosaur bone is essentially stone, and thus heavier than wood or ivory and considerably more fragile. On something the size of a Kiwi, or even a Kopa, the weight difference is trivial, the double bolsters offer a good bit of protection, and the relatively short liners are extremely rigid so cracks due to flexing are unlikely. On a larger knife stone of any kind can be more problematic.

Oh that's right. Stone. Hadn't thought about that. My Dremel and I were going to go into the dino-bone knife handle business. Another dream down the toilet. :D

Jack

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

I recently done a :spyder: kopa with dino-bone, very hard material to work with but came out nice

That looks amazing...almost like leather but so obviously not.

[hiredgun]

At first I was thinking dino-bone would be rare and very expensive but it seems others are playing with it also. It is one of the many things I didn't realize was out there. Can you tell me where you get dino-bone?

Jack

Well, I'm not too sure of a specific place to secure Dino bone and according to Michael Hoover of Art in Stone knives, he believes it has become very difficult to find it. Of course he only works with superior gem grade materials. Allow me to quote him from a listing on his website for a Buck 110 he did up in stunning Dino bone:

"This Dinosaur Bone is from a Dinosaur Bone with a beautiful mix of colors and good cell structure. Dinosaur Bone is some of the most beautiful stone ever found and is quickly becoming practically unavailable at any price."

His work his definitely worth a look.

[The Deacon]

The real stuff is relatively expensive and, like many other "semi precious" decorative materials, quality and size determine the price. Reconstituted material is much cheaper.