Heron by Chad Kelly ... collab?

[PeaceInOurTime]

That Piute is stunning! And it's a "Salt"??
Truly a special knife with a special story.

[RamZar]

Here's my "Piute" that has been my EDC folder for the past 2 years. It's a Ti frame with marbled CF and paper micarta scales. This particular version uses all Ti. hardware, Ti back-spacer, Vanax blade, Vanax lock bar, Ti lock bar pivot and a special CF spring that I developed. The idea with the material choices on this particular build was to make it completely corrosion proof.

Rare to see such attention to extreme corrosion resistance in a folder like Piute with aesthetics to boot!

It just so happens that I had been waiting for a particular knife maker to get more of such a folder in stock and it became in stock on Friday just a couple of hours after the Spyderco MagnaCut Mule Team went on sale. I was lucky enough to score both.

The specs on that utilitarian folder (full titanium frame lock with steel lock bar insert and dual thumb stud opening) with attention to extreme corrosion resistance in all details:

• Blade Length: 2.98 inches
• Blade Thickness: .090 inches
• Body Length: 3.94 inches
• Open Length: 6.94 inches
• Blade Type: Drop Point (Stonewashed)
• Blade Grind: Flat
• Blade Steel: Vanax SuperClean
• Body Type: 6AL 4V Titanium
• Hardware: 6AL 4V Titanium (T8)
• Pivot: 6AL 4V & SST
• Lock: Frame lock
• Pocket Clip: Tip-up marine SST
• Lock bar insert: LC200N/Z-FiNit
• Detent: Ceramic
• Washers: Phosphor bronze
• Weight: 2.6 oz internal milling

[Xplorer]

That Piute is stunning! And it's a "Salt"??
Truly a special knife with a special story.

Thank you!

And yes, there's nothing to corrode on the one I carry. The design doesn't necessarily have to be fully corrosion proof, but I like that it is.

[Ngati Pom]

Have you considered making a fixed blade with the Piute silhouette?
It’s such a nice looking knife.

Thank you.

The Piute is originally derived from my first compact fixed EDC design I call the Tolokot.



But I was never quite happy with it. As time passed I would mess with it for while, and then hang it back on the wall..then mess with it again ..etc and it changed a lot over about two years. Eventually it had become something totally different from the Tolokot. Using the Piute then influenced my thinking while designing the Coop, which influenced the Heron, etc.. it's all connected one way or another.

Here's a sort of evolution chart of how it changed over time..


It took a lot to get it to where it is today. Even still, this one I carry is only the final prototype. The finished version will have the plunge line moved back, a boye dent, a slightly more acute tip and the frame will be a little bit thinner overall.

Thanks for sharing the genealogy of your knives.
You can definitely see the progression in your design process Tolokot to Heron.

[Cl1ff]

Hi ChrisinHove,

Slip-joint doesn't need a lock release well. So to be "proper", we need to make scales with no lock release well.

sal

I know this isn’t exactly on topic, but I have an old Endura that I’m fairly sure used to be a normal lock back. For some reason, when it came into my possession (I found it in a drawer), the back lock doesn’t actually lock anymore, so it’s just a slip joint with a well.

It’s my most used knife and I actually enjoy the fact that the lock well makes one handed closing familiar to my regular back locks and super easy. Just figured I’d share that.

A slip joint with a lock well may not be such a bad thing, if you ask me.

——-

On a different note, any knife that might come out of this collaboration is sure to be a sweet one, but I will be team fixed blade for life.
I’d like to think Spyderco fixed blades have every bit as much potential as the folders do.

I can really appreciate the folder route, though!
Having attempted to draw a folding knife with a functional mechanism, I can say… well…
like I said, it was an attempt at least.
That wooden model is honestly pretty cool in its own way

[ChrisinHove]

I’m loving the integral backspacer/ spring on the Perspex models. I’ve not seen that before. Clever.

Cl1ff’s observation of how useful a spring release can be on a slipjoint is also interesting, and makes a lot of sense. Butchered Dragonflys & Chaparrals into slipjoints are not unusual here but I’ve not handled one to judge the spring strength.

[Freediver]

Count me in. Beautiful work sir.

[Xplorer]

I know this isn’t exactly on topic, but I have an old Endura that I’m fairly sure used to be a normal lock back. For some reason, when it came into my possession (I found it in a drawer), the back lock doesn’t actually lock anymore, so it’s just a slip joint with a well.

It’s my most used knife and I actually enjoy the fact that the lock well makes one handed closing familiar to my regular back locks and super easy. Just figured I’d share that.

A slip joint with a lock well may not be such a bad thing, if you ask me.

——-

On a different note, any knife that might come out of this collaboration is sure to be a sweet one, but I will be team fixed blade for life.
I’d like to think Spyderco fixed blades have every bit as much potential as the folders do.

I can really appreciate the folder route, though!
Having attempted to draw a folding knife with a functional mechanism, I can say… well…
like I said, it was an attempt at least.
That wooden model is honestly pretty cool in its own way

I truly have no idea how well slip joints are typically received by Spyderco customers compared with locking knives and that might or might not be important.

Nonetheless, I am a fan of knives in general and spend a lot of time reading about knives of the past and related history. Slip joints have a long history and have served people well for around 350-ish years. The design goes all the way back to the mid 1600 in England. Also, here in the United States the man widely recognized as the original bushcrafter and father of ultra-light backpacking George Washington Sears wrote a book in 1884 called Woodcraft & Camping under the pen name "Nessmuk" where he included a drawing of his recommended set of tools. In this drawing there are 2 knives. One is credited as being the first American bushcraft knife (although the only evidence it ever existed is the one drawing below) and the other is not surprisingly...a slipjoint.



A little off topic as well...coincidentally, I was in the middle of building my own "nessmuk" design fixed blade when this thread started...Now it's on hold for the moment


Thank you for your supportive comments about this collaboration and I can appreciate and relate to your passion for fixed blades.

Making a new folding knife mechanism work is just one of those things that gets easier the more times you do it. My first happened to be a back-lock and about 3 months into that project I was kicking myself for underestimating just how difficult it was really going to be. It took 3 or 4 months to get something that was sort of close but, it was almost 2 years later before I finally really understood the last little details I was missing. That might sound like I'm an idiot, but I refused to copy a lock and insisted on figuring out how to create it on my own and I'm not embarrassed to say it took as long as it did. And..for choosing to do it the hard way...turns out I might really be an idiot.?

Thanks for the compliment on the wood knife . I just needed to hold the size and shape in my hand before I continue drawing. That was the quickest way to answer some questions I had.

[Xplorer]

I’m loving the integral backspacer/ spring on the Perspex models. I’ve not seen that before. Clever.

Cl1ff’s observation of how useful a spring release can be on a slipjoint is also interesting, and makes a lot of sense. Butchered Dragonflys & Chaparrals into slipjoints are not unusual here but I’ve not handled one to judge the spring strength.

That integral spring on the clear models gives the models some functional tension on the lock so they act somewhat like the real thing. Although you can certainly build the actual lock springs like that, there are limiting factors with regard to material choices.

[PeaceInOurTime]

40,000 flexes, let alone 75,000 or 150,000, sounds impressive for carbon fiber.

[Xplorer]

40,000 flexes, let alone 75,000 or 150,000, sounds impressive for carbon fiber.

Compared to my first attempt 40,000 was looking pretty good, but it was still about half the life I felt I needed at minimum. There are a lot of details that i don't want to talk about but to state the obvious..voids are deadly in this application. I've concluded that with what it takes to ensure a reliable spring this is not likely to ever be a seen in a production knife. But, for a custom it's entirely doable and a fun little custom touch IMHO.

[Ramonade]

What an exquisite read on this thread ! I'll keep lurking !

PS : very nice designs, I can't speak for the use or ergos but the aesthetics are top notch on every designs. The Spiute is magnificient !

[curlyhairedboy]

I really like that small folder design. I could see that being very popular in contoured g10 and lc200n….

[RamZar]

Some of your fixed blades could do well in the Spyderco Ethnic series made in Taichung. For instance, the Puukko.

[RamZar]

I also like your small fixed blades of classic American heritage, that is, Small Bowie and Loveless City Knife homage.

[PeaceInOurTime]

40,000 flexes, let alone 75,000 or 150,000, sounds impressive for carbon fiber.

Compared to my first attempt 40,000 was looking pretty good, but it was still about half the life I felt I needed at minimum. There are a lot of details that i don't want to talk about but to state the obvious..voids are deadly in this application. I've concluded that with what it takes to ensure a reliable spring this is not likely to ever be a seen in a production knife. But, for a custom it's entirely doable and a fun little custom touch IMHO.

I never would have thought carbon fiber could be used for a spring, that's really neat and an impressive innovation, even if only used in custom knives.
Curious, have you also tried G10? Not sure how different they would be to serve that function.

[Dazen]

Love them All and would love to see a collaboration! A horizontal belt carry fixed blade would be my top choice.

[Xplorer]

It just so happens that I had been waiting for a particular knife maker to get more of such a folder in stock ...

• Blade Length: 2.98 inches
• Blade Thickness: .090 inches
• Body Length: 3.94 inches
• Open Length: 6.94 inches
• Blade Type: Drop Point (Stonewashed)
• Blade Grind: Flat
• Blade Steel: Vanax SuperClean
• Body Type: 6AL 4V Titanium
• Hardware: 6AL 4V Titanium (T8)
• Pivot: 6AL 4V & SST
• Lock: Frame lock
• Pocket Clip: Tip-up marine SST
• Lock bar insert: LC200N/Z-FiNit
• Detent: Ceramic
• Washers: Phosphor bronze
• Weight: 2.6 oz internal milling

I didn't see this earlier. This is going to be a sweet knife for sure! Congrats!!

[Xplorer]

What an exquisite read on this thread ! I'll keep lurking !

PS : very nice designs, I can't speak for the use or ergos but the aesthetics are top notch on every designs. The Piute is magnificent !

Thank you very much!

[Xplorer]

I really like that small folder design. I could see that being very popular in contoured g10 and lc200n….

Thank you! I can see that too .