Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

"Starling" Fine Custom Handmade Folding Knife

• Size: Length overall: 7.9" (20 cm), Blade Length: 3.2" (8.1 cm), Thickness: 0.132" (3.4 mm)
• Weight: Knife: 5.4 oz. (153 grams), Sheaths: Black Patent Leather: 3.0 oz. (85 grams), American Bison: 3.5 oz. (99 grams), Brown Tooled: 2.8 oz. (79 grams) Complete roll with knife and all sheaths: 2 lb. 2 oz. (964 grams)
• Granite Case: Size: 6" (15.2 cm) long x 2.4" (6.1 cm) wide x 1.5" (3.8 cm) tall, Weight: 1 lb. 6.4 oz. (635 grams)
• Blade: ATS-34 high molybdenum martensitic stainless steel blade, T3 deep cryogenically treated with triple tempering to 58.5 HRC
• Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, polished, hand-engraved
• Handle: Rio Grande Agate (New Mexico)
• Sheaths (3):
  • Black Patent Leather: 5-6 oz. leather shoulder, nylon stitching, stainless steel dot snap
  • American Bison (Buffalo) Skin: with 5-6 oz. leather shoulder, nylon stitching, stainless steel dot snap
  • Brown camouflage-pattern Tooled: 5-6 oz. leather shoulder, hand-tooled, nylon stitching, stainless steel dot snap
• Roll: Triple-layer cotton canvas duck with double-layer pockets, nylon and polyester stitching, brass-plated steel dot snaps, size 11.5" (29.2 cm) wide, 40" (101.6 cm) long
• Knife: Starling is a new folding knife design that I made and named for the iridescent bird we admire in our southwest skies. When I designed the knife, it seemed like the bird form, and that worked for the name. My client wanted a medium-sized folding knife, a unique and striking original. I also wanted to give him plenty of options for storage, display, and wear. The folding knife is a linerlock, with a strong titanium locking design and elegant touches.
  • The steel I chose for this knife is Food Contact Safe ATS-34 high molybdenum martensitic stainless steel, chosen for its durability and toughness. Because it has high carbon and high molybdenum, this results in profuse molybdenum as well as chromium carbides, and high toughness (resistance to breakage), as well as wear resistance. To bring this steel to its zenith, I used my proprietary T3 deep cryogenic process in heat treating this blade; it's a highly detailed, extremely sophisticated process that takes 33 individual steps and takes over a week long. The result of this is an incredibly wear-resistant blade that has extremely high carbide development, fine grain, and extremely high corrosion resistance. Asperity is reduced; the microstructure development is superior to any other typical handmade knife, and far above any factory or manufactured knife. This is, simply put, ATS-34 at its very finest advanced condition. The grind for this knife blade is hollow, with a reasonably thin, tough cutting edge and working point with a lot of height for strength and a workable belly. I fileworked the knife completely around the spine and liner with a vine pattern, completely including the inside of the spine, seen only when the blade is opened. The spine is also hardened and tempered for strength.
  • The knife is bolstered with zero-care 304 high chromium, high nickel austenitic stainless steel bolsters, which are contoured, rounded and finished for a comfortable feel. I hand-engraved the bolsters with a fine shaded leaf design, and all the fasteners are also 304 stainless steel. I engraved those, too. This includes the thumb studs in the blade and the pivot, which are set with faceted blue amethyst gemstones. I put thumb studs on both sides of the blade for easy opening and control, and I hand-set each blue amethyst in stainless steel with full bezels, something rarely done due to the difficulty of working with the materials. This makes them extremely durable and zero-care.
  • The liners are 6AL4V spring titanium and are fileworked in a fine vine pattern and differentially anodized, meaning that the liner surface and the file cuts are different colors: blue-gray and gold. The golden highlights are very striking in bright light and any motion. I wanted to add this for a fine and striking statement of quality, and it really stands out brilliantly.
  • In nature's most eternal and durable material, stone, the handle scales of this knife are hard and tough Rio Grande Agate, a fine-grained chalcedony gemstone. This is a stone that I found on my rock hounding treks through the badlands of west-central New Mexico, near Ladron mountain in Socorro County. Because it was a personal find in a remote area, it's unlikely I'll ever see any of this again, once my stock runs out. This agate takes a high vitreous polish with purples, maroons, oranges, and some white agate inclusions. Like many of the gemstones I use, this is a handle that is more fascinating the closer and more intensely it's scrutinized; see the enlargements below. It requires zero care, maintaining the appearance indefinitely.
  • The knife feels substantial and solid in the hand, the blade is tough and wide. It smoothly opens and locks solid with a loud click, and pulls and holds closed with a hidden detent arrangement. The lock is easily released with the thumbnail. This is a very nice knife, and I'm sure the pattern will be requested again, but there is only one first piece!
• Sheaths: I wanted to give my client a variety of wear options; it's better to have and not need than need and not have. I made these pocket sheaths with marine-grade stainless steel dot snaps and full coverage flaps for security. They should accommodate most standard belts. I included a durable and clean patent leather sheath for dress wear and simplicity, without being ostentatious. A heavier bold American Bison Skin (American Buffalo) makes a strong statement. I also added a camouflage-tooled pattern dark brown sheath for a lighter color tone. All of them are stitched with heavy #346 nylon thread and sealed with saddle lacquer for longevity.
• Roll: Welcome to my new roll! My client didn't request a stand or hard case, but he still needs a home for everything, so I created this new roll design. The material is all cotton canvas duck, stitched with nylon and polyester heavy thread. I chose a black contrasting with gray for the colors. I made the central gray pocket, lined with polyester felt for the knife, and the black pockets are for the sheaths. The knife will be protected in the center of the roll layers. The edges are all overstitched to prevent unraveling, and each pocket has two independent layers. The knife and sheaths fit snugly inside, the knife pocket is lined with polyester felt, and all of the pockets are secured with brass plated steel dot snaps for security. I added my patches inside and out, and the body of the roll is triple layered. That way, the dot snaps and heavy stitching goes through two layers of the canvas, and is hidden by the third layer. This means that when in the roll, the sheaths are protected by five layers of cotton canvas duck and the knife by six layers (including the polyester felt)! I know I'll be making more of these, it just makes sense to complete the ensemble.
• Granite Case "Sarcophagus": This knife is so special, it deserves a protective, unique case as well as the roll, and I wanted my client to have every option.  I designed and made a stone case, sometimes called a sarcophagus, in white granite with ugrandite garnets. This is a material mined in Brazil, and is a hard, tough stone used in fine architecture. The name "garnet" comes from granatum which means "pomegranate." The deep red garnets are carried throughout the large feldspar phenocrysts of the granite and black hornblende. I made the case with stainless steel lid pins that assure proper lid alignment, and topped them with polished cabochons of the same Rio Grande Agate that I made the knife handle with. The bottom of the case has inset neoprene feet to prevent scratching, and the inside is lined with polyester felt for the same purpose.I think my client will appreciate this substantial granite case.
• A breathtaking knife with a unique handle material, heavy granite case, safe, useable sheaths and protective roll; a complete package. I took plenty of photos below, including macro enlargements, so I could enjoy this knife myself for the rest of my days and I hope you do, too!

Thanks, T. D.!