A couple of Benghazi Warfighters

I had a couple of customers who are friends who wanted Benghazi Warfighters from me.  The one had already gotten a War Chief tomahawk, and the other wanted the blade on his to be extra long.

Both were forged from 1/4" 5160, both got black canvas Micarta handle slabs.

The regular-sized one is 11 1/8" overall with a 6 1/2" blade.

Both also got black Kydex sheaths with TekLoks.

Here it is with the War Chief.  I think they go well together.

The oversized one has an overall length of 12 3/4" and a blade length of 8 1/8".

By way of comparison:

In spite of the significant difference in blade length, they both balance at about the same point at the choil.  That's because I left out the lightening holes in the tang of the long one.  The new owner commented on how lively it is, "feels like an extension of my hand."  :)

 Both gentlemen have served in the armed forces, Air Force and Marines respectively.  Thank y'all, fellows!

Preacher's knife

I had wanted to be able to give this knife to my preacher the day he performed my wedding ceremony, but just flat ran out of time (and Kydex) to do so.  I got it finished up after the honeymoon and handed to him yesterday.  He does a lot of deer and feral hog hunting and recently used some other knives he had gotten from me to process out six feral hogs while I was out of state.  Very satisfied with them, and was quite happy when he saw his latest addition to his sharp-and-pointy collection.  :)

This one was forged from 3/16" 1084, with mesquite handle slabs and brass hardware.  The light shining off the lanyard hole's brass flared tube makes it hard to see.

Black Kydex sheath with a TekLok to match the sheaths on the other knives he got for his kids.

I know it'll get put to good use.  He sent me home with some sausage and pork steak from the six feral hogs.  :)

Corn-handled Benghazi Warfighter

The customer for this knife wanted a green handle with yellow liners.  After looking through the various handle options, he chose a material that I'd been wanting to play with: Warwood.  It's a Micarta-esque material built entirely from corn waste products and plant resins, originally used in the hulls of MRAP (mine-resistant, ambush-protected) military vehicles as part of their armor to protect against IEDs.  The yellow liners are standard vulcanized fiber material.

6" blade of 5160, stainless steel flared tube rivets.

Kydex sheath with TekLok.

It was one of the blades I took on my honeymoon to work on finishing up.  I finalized the sharpening and installed the TekLok in Moab, Utah, and took pics in Arches National Park, by Park Avenue Canyon.

And today he sent me this picture of it whacking off branches from a willow tree in his yard:

I commented that it did all right for a knife that wasn't built primarily as a chopper.  His response:  "It's just so damn sharp!"  :D

Much appreciation to him for his patience in dealing with my distracted mind while getting ready for the wedding.

Home again

I'm back home after an AWESOME honeymoon that spanned much of the Southwest.  My wife and I are working on consolidating households, which means turning my barbaric burrow of bachelorhood into a semi-barbaric abode of quasi-civilized co-habitation.  Curtains in the windows and everything!

In the meantime, I'm also working on catching up on e-mails.  Please continue to be patient with me as I try to get back with you.  If you haven't heard back yet, feel free to give me another ping.