It was another beautiful day in Missouri today. I again attended the Shepherd Hills Cutlery Show and Blade Sports International Competition.
Donavon Phillips (one of Spyderco's sponsored cutters) won overall, with a fantastic performance.
For those interested, here is a video of some of the comp runs, and an exhibition after the competition.
[video=youtube;LBng4zzYjFc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBng4zzY ... ure=colike[/video]
Congrats to Donavon Phillips (Spyderco Sponsored Cutter)
Congrats to Donavon Phillips (Spyderco Sponsored Cutter)
Thanks,
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.
There was a mini-peanut butter cup on a golf tee, a bendy straw (that had to be cut above the accordion), and a can of soda that we tried to cut rings from (like shown here...its harder to do in the stress of competition).1623 wrote:Really interesting...I've never watched a cutting comp before.
If there's a way to do it, have the plank cuts ever been measured for force of impact?
Also, the delicate cuts, what's the material? Wood dowels?
[video=youtube_share;cgIHBWyXT_Q]http://youtu.be/cgIHBWyXT_Q[/video]
regarding force measurement...I am not sure it has ever been done. Force, precision, and accuracy are all very important...but you must have all three to do well
Thanks,
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.
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tonydahose
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that looks like fun...so what knife is Donavan using? did Sal and gang make a special knife with a super secret steel? just wondering.
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The Mastiff
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I'm wondering too. I always enjoy hearing what they selected, why, and how it's doing.hat looks like fun...so what knife is Donavan using? did Sal and gang make a special knife with a super secret steel? just wondering.
maybe someday.
Joe
"A Mastiff is to a dog what a Lion is to a housecat. He stands alone and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race" Cynographia Britannic 1800
"Unless you're the lead dog the view is pretty much gonna stay the same!"
"Unless you're the lead dog the view is pretty much gonna stay the same!"
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chuck_roxas45
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It is a custom made chopper made by Big D Knives (Donavon Phillips). He makes his choppers from CPM-M4. Ted Ott used his own design/creation (also M4). Gary Bond used a Warren Osborne custom chopper (also M4), and I believe the rest of us all used the 171 chopper (also CPM-M4)...(some of us modify the profiles slightly). The differences between the knives are quite subtle...and primarily weight differences.The Mastiff wrote:I'm wondering too. I always enjoy hearing what they selected, why, and how it's doing.
maybe someday.
Joe
Some of us take profiling and sharpening a little more seriously than others, and clever grinding can offer some small advantages...but the real difference between the winner and second place (or last place, for that matter) lies entirely in the person holding the blade.
The competitors are very friendly with one another, and most experiments (probably ALL experiments) are discussed and shared freely amongst other cutters. It really is a fun meeting of like minded knife lovers...so equipment advantages are pretty much available to all, and the best cutter with the best game/luck will win. As always, I am VERY happy to be part of this group, and would invite EVERYONE who is interested to check it out for yourself. Come on out...BSI cutters are some of the nicest guys you will ever chat with about knives.
Thanks,
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.
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phillipsted
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defenestrate
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Congrats to Donavon and nice vid. I wish I'd made it to some of these when I was in Memphis, as a lot is done pretty near to there. I can attest to how different it feels having to do fine dextrous work like the straw cuts after gross work like chopping a 2x4 - interesting how the body and mind gear to a task and take time to dial into another.
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The Mastiff
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Thanks for taking the time out to run through that with us Ken. Do you know anything about hardness and such?
Joe
Joe
"A Mastiff is to a dog what a Lion is to a housecat. He stands alone and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race" Cynographia Britannic 1800
"Unless you're the lead dog the view is pretty much gonna stay the same!"
"Unless you're the lead dog the view is pretty much gonna stay the same!"
Not for sure. I think probably a lot of them are around 62-64...but different batches of the 171 were reported to be lower or higher. They are no longer made...so most of us are transitioning to customs that have tighter tolerances perhaps. There is a delicate balance between hard enough and a damaged knife that gets you DQed
Thanks,
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.
For anyone interested:
Here is the layout of the course and the scoring.
1. vertical 2x4 (must cut board in half) 5 points
2. Horizontal 2x4 (must cut in half, if the blade strikes the board (even once) within 10 inches from the end, it is a NO CUT) 5 points
3. Mini peanut butter cup on golf tee. *Must cut horizontally and expose peanut butter *5 points
4. 2 inch diameter hemp rope...though yesterday it rained and the rope swelled to about 3 inches and was really tough. *Must be cut between the tapes, if tape is touched it is a NO CUT *5 points*
5. water bottle half full. *Must cut from top to bottom and cleave into 2 separated pieces. *Must cleave the CAP and the BASE of the bottle for points 5 points
6. 1.5 inch hemp rope (note the smaller target zone) same rules as other ropes 5 points
7. *soda can rings. *cutter scores points for each ring he can cut from an unsupported can 5 points per ring
8. *six-soda can pyramid. *Cutter gets 3 points for each can cut in half (cannot breach the top or bottom of the can) 3 points per successfully cut can
9. *Packing tube. *Thick cardboard tube stuck into a hole. *Cutter attempts to cut as many unbroken rings from the tube as possible 1 point per ring
10. 1 inch hemp rope (note the MUCH smaller target zone) same rules as other ropes 5 points
11. two rolling golf balls. *Cut must expose the core and result in 2 separate pieces. *5 points per ball
12. *VERY heavy cardboard tube. *This thing was about 1/4 inch thick and 4 inches long. *Had to cut into two pieces...if you exited through the side of the tube - NO CUT 5 points
13. *Hospital bendy straw. *Must cut a section of straw above the bendy (accordion) part, and below the top of the straw 5 points
14. *Horizontal 2x4 (must cut in half, if the blade strikes the board (even once) within 10 inches from the end, it is a NO CUT) 5 points
Time starts when the knife touches the first board, and stops when the last board falls. *The total time in seconds is added to 100, and points are subtracted from this number. *Lowest score wins.
My time was 55 seconds, and I scored very well. *I got through all the boards very quickly, I missed the butter cup, got all the ropes but clipped the tape on the 1 inch rope. *I cut the bottle, but missed the cap (only one cutter got it), *cut only one ring from the soda can (no one got more than 1), cut every can in the pyramid (not as easy as it may sound), got 4 washers on the tube (never practiced this cut before), got both golf balls...but left a chip hanging on the second one, exited the side of the heavy tube about 1 mm from the bottom (dang it!!), and got the straw cut properly.
It is a very fun competition, and I was very happy to be part of it. *I was basically competing against my expectations and I exceeded them...so I am thrilled with the outcome. *I also was given some of the 2 inch rope to take home. *Every time I look at it, I smile. *That stuff is tough. *I was in charge of that station and when someone failed to get through it, I had to finish their cut with my Military...that exercise REALLY put it into perspective...it is a phenomenally tough materiel, and a guy that can cut 6 and a half strands of the stuff in one swing has some serious power! I was thrilled to cleanly cut my single strand of it within the target zone.
I really enjoyed being the crowd favorite as I was the only representative in the comp from Missouri. It was nice to have the extra cheering
Here is the layout of the course and the scoring.
1. vertical 2x4 (must cut board in half) 5 points
2. Horizontal 2x4 (must cut in half, if the blade strikes the board (even once) within 10 inches from the end, it is a NO CUT) 5 points
3. Mini peanut butter cup on golf tee. *Must cut horizontally and expose peanut butter *5 points
4. 2 inch diameter hemp rope...though yesterday it rained and the rope swelled to about 3 inches and was really tough. *Must be cut between the tapes, if tape is touched it is a NO CUT *5 points*
5. water bottle half full. *Must cut from top to bottom and cleave into 2 separated pieces. *Must cleave the CAP and the BASE of the bottle for points 5 points
6. 1.5 inch hemp rope (note the smaller target zone) same rules as other ropes 5 points
7. *soda can rings. *cutter scores points for each ring he can cut from an unsupported can 5 points per ring
8. *six-soda can pyramid. *Cutter gets 3 points for each can cut in half (cannot breach the top or bottom of the can) 3 points per successfully cut can
9. *Packing tube. *Thick cardboard tube stuck into a hole. *Cutter attempts to cut as many unbroken rings from the tube as possible 1 point per ring
10. 1 inch hemp rope (note the MUCH smaller target zone) same rules as other ropes 5 points
11. two rolling golf balls. *Cut must expose the core and result in 2 separate pieces. *5 points per ball
12. *VERY heavy cardboard tube. *This thing was about 1/4 inch thick and 4 inches long. *Had to cut into two pieces...if you exited through the side of the tube - NO CUT 5 points
13. *Hospital bendy straw. *Must cut a section of straw above the bendy (accordion) part, and below the top of the straw 5 points
14. *Horizontal 2x4 (must cut in half, if the blade strikes the board (even once) within 10 inches from the end, it is a NO CUT) 5 points
Time starts when the knife touches the first board, and stops when the last board falls. *The total time in seconds is added to 100, and points are subtracted from this number. *Lowest score wins.
My time was 55 seconds, and I scored very well. *I got through all the boards very quickly, I missed the butter cup, got all the ropes but clipped the tape on the 1 inch rope. *I cut the bottle, but missed the cap (only one cutter got it), *cut only one ring from the soda can (no one got more than 1), cut every can in the pyramid (not as easy as it may sound), got 4 washers on the tube (never practiced this cut before), got both golf balls...but left a chip hanging on the second one, exited the side of the heavy tube about 1 mm from the bottom (dang it!!), and got the straw cut properly.
It is a very fun competition, and I was very happy to be part of it. *I was basically competing against my expectations and I exceeded them...so I am thrilled with the outcome. *I also was given some of the 2 inch rope to take home. *Every time I look at it, I smile. *That stuff is tough. *I was in charge of that station and when someone failed to get through it, I had to finish their cut with my Military...that exercise REALLY put it into perspective...it is a phenomenally tough materiel, and a guy that can cut 6 and a half strands of the stuff in one swing has some serious power! I was thrilled to cleanly cut my single strand of it within the target zone.
I really enjoyed being the crowd favorite as I was the only representative in the comp from Missouri. It was nice to have the extra cheering
Thanks,
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.
Ken (my real name)
...learning something new all the time.