07/14/2026
The "Semiquincentennial" 🇺🇸, my first forged knife from start to finish. 2 years in the making due to our family's humbling and temporary move to an apartment-a sacrifice that left me with no shop, forging outside in the elements in upper Wisconsin, no water or electricity on site, no realistic means to heat treat or temper, and no power tools. A house came on the market that fit our needs and we moved and settled in right before the holiday. On America's 250th Anniversary (Semiquincentennial) I did the heat treat/quench/tempering and just grinded an edge this evening using my belt sander for the first time. 45° plunge line cut to center to start and then a full flat grind for slicing capabilities.
Name: The "Semiquincentennial" or "250"
Steel: 1/8 in. thick 1095 High Carbon Steel
Inspiration: Spyderco's Bow River (but with a wider blade and M/L hand-size handle
Grind : Full flat grind
Handle: Black Walnut scale
Pins: Three medium sized classic brass pins.
*I'm super proud; A true Mountain Man trade knife, and officially the sharpest knife in the house besides my cut throat razors for shaving. No cracks while forging, no auditory pings while quenching, and no visible cold shuts. I will be testing this out with potatoes, carrots, meat (raw and cooked) and carving wood (soft and hard). It's a trade knife, a modern Green River-so kitchen and light camp tasks.
