Project Double Knife - Concept and Beginnings

For a while now I have been looking to set up a two knife rig that would work for me in the field and integrate with my existing kit. After hashing it out on paper a dozen different ways from Sunday, I came up with the concept I'll be using. I think it's a reasonable assessment to say that while an average knife will handle the batoning and abuse that comes with chopping, every one is better served to have a knife fit for game prep and small work and a larger one, made mostly with an eye to chopping and more abusive chores. I'll be testing that idea with these, BTW :-) Should be fun.

So pictured below here is 'the bear', so named mostly because if it's shape. As size goes it's not all that long but has some serious mass in steel. It's 6.5" long and 1.5" wide. Made of 5/32 O-1, it's packing all sorts of weight. I did a full distal taper on the blade and reduced it pretty dramatically but it's still not something to drop in your pocket or on your toe. It is, in fact, going to be a necker when I am done.

Here it is convex ground and ready for sanding and drilling. I am still up in the air about handle materials. It's a good problem to have though. I have sooo many things on the bench right now. I am thinking Dymonwood just because it is tough as heckles and looks pretty nice.

Next up.... Drilling, normalizing, and Heat Treating