{"product_id":"kephart-knife-hand-forged-oak","title":"Kephart Knife, Hand Forged 4.5 Inch Blade with Oak Handle","description":"\u003cp\u003eYou sit on a log and take the bark off a stick, then cut a length of cord because the last one went somewhere. Most of a day in the woods is slicing, not chopping. That is what this knife is set up for. The blade is 4.5 inches of 1095 high carbon, ground with the bevel high up the side. The handle is oak, long enough to fill a hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9.25 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4.75 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1095 high carbon\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHand rubbed satin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGrind\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHigh flat grind\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSpine\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSquared ninety degrees\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull tang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOak, three brass pins, brass lined lanyard hole\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStamped leather belt sheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEngraving\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 dollars per blade\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMade in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForged and finished by hand in High Point, North Carolina.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarranty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifetime warranty against defects, free sharpening for life.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe blade\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe steel is 1095 high carbon, forged down to thin stock and finished in a hand rubbed satin. The grind is flat and taken high up the side, so the steel thins from the spine down instead of dropping off near the edge. That leaves less metal behind the cut, and it parts wood rather than shoving it apart. The Kephart outline is plain on purpose, a straight spine with a long gentle belly. Carbon steel darkens into a grey patina with use, and it spots if you put it away wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOak is hard and open grained, and it takes a knock without denting like a soft wood. The tang is full, running the length of the handle with oak scales either side, held by three brass pins peened over and sanded flush. A brass lined lanyard hole goes through the butt. At 4.75 inches the handle is almost as long as the blade, which is what makes it read as a woods knife. Choke up on the ricasso for fine work, or sit back for a long draw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe leather sheath\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sheath is vegetable tanned leather, cut and hand stitched here, with a stamped face and a welted edge so the stitching sits inside the seam where the blade cannot saw at it. It is cut around this blade's own outline, so it holds the knife without a strap. It rides on a belt. Leather darkens as it gets handled and takes on the shape of the knife it lives around.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is for the person who worked out that a heavier blade mostly means more work per cut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople who carve more than they split\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone tired of a thick blade that wedges in the cut\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers who want a plain pattern with nothing styled onto it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSharpeners happy to work a flat bevel on a stone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Kephart knife\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe stamped leather belt sheath\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEngraving quote\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eEvery piece is different\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery blade is forged, ground, heat treated and sharpened by hand, so runs stay small and no two come out alike. The oak may be lighter or darker than the photographs and the grain runs where it wants. The satin lines land their own way. Yours will not be a copy of the one on this page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWipe it dry after use, every time. Do not leave it in a wet sheath overnight, that is how spots start. Before it goes in a drawer, wipe a light coat of oil over the steel. Sharpen on a stone and finish on a strop, following the flat of the bevel rather than rolling your wrist at the end of the stroke. More on our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/knife-care-sharpening\"\u003eknife care and sharpening page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003ePut a name on it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaser engraving is 20 dollars per blade and you add it on this page. Around 30 characters fits, so a name, or a name and a date, or the year you were given it. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. Engraving is free on orders of 10 or more. The \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/engraving\"\u003eengraving page\u003c\/a\u003e covers the rest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow long does shipping take?\u003c\/strong\u003e Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it rust?\u003c\/strong\u003e It can. 1095 is carbon steel, so it darkens with use and spots if left wet. Dry it and oil it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does a high flat grind do?\u003c\/strong\u003e The bevel runs from near the spine down to the edge, so there is less steel behind the cut. It slices where a thick blade wedges.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs thin stock strong enough?\u003c\/strong\u003e It is thin behind the edge, not thin everywhere. The spine is full thickness and the tang runs the whole handle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy is the spine squared off?\u003c\/strong\u003e A sharp ninety degree corner scrapes a ferrocerium rod and throws sparks, and it shaves tinder off dry wood. A rounded spine will not. The rod is not included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat makes it a Kephart?\u003c\/strong\u003e Kephart was an outdoorsman and the pattern carries his name. Straight spine, simple belly, no guard, no styling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe same outline in pattern welded steel is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-kephart-knife-black-micarta\"\u003eDamascus Kephart with a black micarta handle\u003c\/a\u003e. A wider curved blade is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/nessmuk-knife-hand-forged-rosewood\"\u003ehand forged Nessmuk in rosewood\u003c\/a\u003e. The rest live in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bushcraft-survival\"\u003ebushcraft knives\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/high-carbon-1095\"\u003e1095 high carbon steel\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hunting-knives\"\u003ehunting knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44144334569590,"sku":"VEF-BSK-HC-1103","price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/bushcraft-knife-03-carbon-oak_57f0f288-df13-4811-9309-cc439ab2fcfb.jpg?v=1788840242","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/kephart-knife-hand-forged-oak","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}