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Look at my newest acquisition ....

This topic can be found at:
https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5021043/m/166109507

27 July 2007, 07:22
Afrikaander
Look at my newest acquisition ....
Well, I must admit that I am developing a dangerous fever for these outstanding handmade knifes made in damascus steels ...

I tried to find any anniversary to justify this latest purchase I did for myself, but I found none ... so I bought it just because I liked !

Bought aswell a good parfum and some flowers to give to my wife (I have learnt that it is much better to have her happy Roll Eyes with at least a representative present rather than to try her to understand the true value as an investment of a quality rifle or knife that would surely outlive me Wink) and gave myself this wonderful knife, with peace and armony reigning in my home and both her and me very happy Big Grin ...

Its handle is made from ebony, and the damascus blade (san mai) made from nickel and 1095 steel...

I do really like it !!










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Duc, sequere, aut de via decede.
27 July 2007, 16:47
mr rigby
That was a beautiful knife, very good handcraft on it.
27 July 2007, 20:06
Wink
I want one. What does "san mai" mean?


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AR, where the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history become the nattering nabobs of negativisim.
28 July 2007, 07:27
billinthewild
"San Mai" means very expensive..... clap
But this one is a beautiful work of art. All it needs now is a bit of boar blood.... horse

Martin. Who made this one? Is it Argentine?

If you like damascus, look at Steketee as well..... beer


"When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all."
Theodore Roosevelt
28 July 2007, 08:11
Afrikaander
quote:
Originally posted by billinthewild:
"San Mai" means very expensive..... clap
But this one is a beautiful work of art. All it needs now is a bit of boar blood.... horse

Martin. Who made this one? Is it Argentine?

If you like damascus, look at Steketee as well..... beer


You are quite near the practical definition, Bill Wink, in fact is was quite expensive, but worth ... and happily, I bought it for less than it really costs Smiler

I understand than "San Mai" means "three layers" in Japanese... in fact this technique is a sort of sandwich of three layers of different steels, the one of the center is a hard (usually high carbon) steel and the layers of the sides are lower carbon (but tough) steels, thus the san mai blades are supposed to offer a hardened edge to maximize edge holding ability aswell as tough steel on the sides for flexibility, to whitstand impact and lateral stresses ... and also in this particular case the components used offer a high contrast that makes the pattern very visible as you can appreciate from the photos I posted ... I must admit that I would never test the mechanical properties (edge holding & lateral and impact stresses performance) in the field, but the damascus is in fact very beautiful ... also it is a great work since apparently the nickel is very difficult to forge, even worse to paste it with other steels (so this knife have a great skill applied in it, which increases even more its value Cool)

It was made by a local (I mean argentine Wink) and young bladesmith, named Manuel Tacus thumb ...

I am afraid it is rather short for boar hunting,, my friend ... for that special task I have two different knives: a muela podenquero made in Spain, and an argentinian made Yarara Chanchero Cool Big Grin


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Duc, sequere, aut de via decede.
28 July 2007, 20:19
Edmond
Yes, san mai are Kanji symbols derived from Chinese meaning 3 layers.

Here is an interesting link that shows how it is done

http://sjaqua.tripod.com/sanmai.htm

HTH
29 July 2007, 02:04
billinthewild
It was made by a local (I mean argentine Wink) and young bladesmith, named Manuel Tacus thumb ...

I am afraid it is rather short for boar hunting,, my friend ... for that special task I have two different knives: a muela podenquero made in Spain, and an argentinian made Yarara Chanchero Cool Big Grin[/QUOTE]

I would enjoy meeting this man someday. His work is truly an art. My boar hunting knife is also a Muela...not sure what the model is, as it was a gift from a pal who bought it in Spain. It has an 8.5" blade and does the job very well. Time now for an afternoon coffee lot of rain this past week and today. We need it and it is most welcome, but a good reason to stay home and read. Sea bien, amigo


"When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all."
Theodore Roosevelt
29 July 2007, 08:19
Afrikaander
Argentina will surely show you all those good things she could offer, my friend ... specially to someone who shows that much satisfaction upon our idiosincracy and culture ... beer and of course it will be my pleasure to guide you (thou perhaps I am not the ideal one to that task Roll Eyes)

There are lots of excellent bladesmith in here, being myself discovering them, as I purchase their work (and art), while hearing their techniques and motives applied on those creations... you know what ? It still amazes me to discover that, thou these guys might know everything about forge, they might also ignore everything about the best shape a certain knife might have for a given task (hunt, for what concerns me) ... I have to tell them how would I use it, and then they will design that knife specifically for those tasks ... and those special characteristic considered make me feel part of that knife, whose value incresases a lot since it is also somehow my creation (shared, but it has my design in it) Smiler

Here is a pic of my podenquero (mine is almost like the one on the right, being the handle of my knife much better finished) Cool

http://www.muela.org/img.asp?imagen=g19.jpg&id=1


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Duc, sequere, aut de via decede.
29 July 2007, 08:40
Afrikaander
And here is a link to a pic of my yarara chanchero... in fact is very similar to the podenquero, just more "rustic"

http://www.filofiel.com/tienda/popup_image.php?pID=1574


Enjoy those peaceful moments reading by the fire, my friend ... I can't remember when was the last time I could actually enjoy the pleasure of reading for more than two hours at a time Frowner


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Duc, sequere, aut de via decede.
30 July 2007, 11:18
mr rigby
The Spaniards has always hd good knifes and swords.
It was the backbone of the roman armyas the gladius hispanicus . the Spanish sword.

They look wonderfull for various uses thoe Yarara and Pondenquero. I must get one of each some day.

How much will an fine knife like that cost in Argentina?
30 July 2007, 21:13
mete
There are some very fine knife makers in South America but sometimes they don't get enough publicity.A search of some of the knife forums will find them such a s www.knifenetwork.com
31 July 2007, 08:15
Afrikaander
quote:
Originally posted by billinthewild:
"San Mai" means very expensive..... clap
But this one is a beautiful work of art. All it needs now is a bit of boar blood.... horse

Martin. Who made this one? Is it Argentine?

If you like damascus, look at Steketee as well..... beer


You meant Craig Steketee ? In fact he makes very nice damascus !!!


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Duc, sequere, aut de via decede.
31 July 2007, 08:29
Afrikaander
quote:
Originally posted by mr rigby:
The Spaniards has always hd good knifes and swords.
It was the backbone of the roman armyas the gladius hispanicus . the Spanish sword.

They look wonderfull for various uses thoe Yarara and Pondenquero. I must get one of each some day.

How much will an fine knife like that cost in Argentina?


Both Muela and Yarara are factory knives, so they are cheaper than a custom one ... My Podenquero was a gift from my father, but its price might be around some 130 USD (the cheapest model), the yarara might be half that price... custom knives value varies depending the chosen metals and components, the needed handcraft, the skill (and fame) the bladesmith has, the chosen technique... you decide the quality & originality of that particular custom knife, and that quality also decides the resulting price Wink


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Duc, sequere, aut de via decede.
31 July 2007, 08:39
Afrikaander
quote:
Originally posted by mete:
There are some very fine knife makers in South America but sometimes they don't get enough publicity.A search of some of the knife forums will find them such a s www.knifenetwork.com


Look here for other amazing argentinian bladesmiths, ariel salaverria, mariano gugliotta and ruben calo, all of them posting in this site with certain regularity

www.ramanon.com

Search them in the forums , knives, custom knives creations


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Duc, sequere, aut de via decede.
01 August 2007, 04:27
tomo577
puma offers their white hunter model in 120 layer damascus .... price has been reduced $1,000 so now you can buy for only $4,000 such a deal !!!

they also offer a model with 540 layer damascus

you can probably buy a small house for what that must cost ! no price was listed


TOMO577
DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY
01 August 2007, 04:54
Charles_Helm
quote:
Originally posted by Afrikaander:


Look here for other amazing argentinian bladesmiths, ariel salaverria, mariano gugliotta and ruben calo, all of them posting in this site with certain regularity

www.ramanon.com

Search them in the forums , knives, custom knives creations


I have two of Mr. Salaverria's knives -- he is quite the artist -- and took one of them to Zimbabwe with me this summer. I have also admired Mr. Calo's work. Both of them post on Bladeforums.


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Some Pictures from Namibia

Some Pictures from Zimbabwe

An Elephant Story

02 August 2007, 08:24
Afrikaander
quote:
Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
quote:
Originally posted by Afrikaander:


Look here for other amazing argentinian bladesmiths, ariel salaverria, mariano gugliotta and ruben calo, all of them posting in this site with certain regularity

www.ramanon.com

Search them in the forums , knives, custom knives creations


I have two of Mr. Salaverria's knives -- he is quite the artist -- and took one of them to Zimbabwe with me this summer. I have also admired Mr. Calo's work. Both of them post on Bladeforums.


http://forum.ramanon.com/showthread.php?t=48137

Nice one !


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