SPECIFICATIONS:

The name of the knife: RASPBERRY DRINK knife handmade by the master of the MV Knify studio, buy to order in Ukraine, CPM S90V steel, 63 HRC
Knife type: Fultang, fixed blade

Model: RASPBERRY DRINK knife handmade by the master of the MV Knify studio, buy to order in Ukraine, CPM S90V steel, 63 HRC
Model number: 010
Country of birth: Ukraine
Craftsman: Master Valkevych Mykhailo (MV Knify), Sambir, Ukraine Handmade knife workshop of the master of the MV Knify studio
Best use: Multi-purpose: hunting, fishing, cutting, slicing, etc
Knife condition: New
The price is indicated with the sheath.

A sharpened knife is not a cold weapon.

Our knives are very sharp, so open and use very carefully. We are not responsible for injuries related to the use of our knives.
Our products are intended for legal use only by responsible buyers. We will not sell our products to anyone under the age of 18.

Availability changes regularly, upon confirmation of your order, we will inform you about the availability or when the product will be ready. The product may differ slightly from the one shown in the photo.

CPM S90V steel. Composition and properties.
CPM S90V steel is a stainless tool powder steel made in the USA. It was first introduced in 1999 by Crucible Industries. A good, fairly strong and wear-resistant steel with a hardness of 56-59 HRC. The carbide content is about 22% (see below). It is based on 420 steel with the addition of a large amount of vanadium and an increase in the carbon level. There is conflicting information about the cutting properties of CPM S90V - some (probably sellers) praise it, while others say that with such hardness you can look at simpler steels. I will not argue here - you can always look, but CPM S90V offers a significant improvement in wear resistance compared to the simpler 440C and D2, with corrosion resistance equal to or better than 440C. The high vanadium content in S90V helps to form harder vanadium carbides than chromium carbides, leaving more free chromium for corrosion resistance. When sharpening CPM S90V it makes sense to use diamonds, elborons or silicon carbide stones. When using natural whetstones for finishing I would look towards stones that are not too hard.

Similar analogues:

(CPM™) is a patented technology of Crucible, invented in 1970. Without going into the details of the production, a brief list of the advantages of the CPM process: small grain size, improved toughness, wear resistance, grinding, expected response to heat treatment, etc.

Steel composition CPM S90V, %
C Cr Mn Mo Ni P Si SV Other
2.3 14 0.5 1.0 - 0.03 0.5 0.03 9.0 0.4(W)

PROPERTIES OF STEEL ELEMENTS:

• Carbon (C): improves edge retention and increases toughness; increases hardness and wear resistance; reduces ductility; at high values, reduces corrosion resistance.
• Chromium (Cr, Chromium): increases hardness, tensile strength and density; increases corrosion resistance (>11% makes the alloy stainless).
• Manganese (Mn, Manganese): increases calcination, wear resistance, and toughness; used as a deoxidizer and degasser to remove oxygen during metal melting; in high % increases hardness and brittleness.
• Molybdenum (Mo, Molybdenum): increases hardness, strength, calcination and density; improves machinability and corrosion resistance.
• Nickel (Ni, Nickel): adds toughness; improves corrosion resistance; reduces hardness.
• Phosphorus (P, Phosphorus): Considered a harmful impurity. Dissolves in ferrite, thereby increasing strength, but reducing ductility and impact toughness with an increased tendency of the steel to become brittle. In low-alloy carbon steels, about 0.1% phosphorus increases strength and resistance to atmospheric corrosion. Considered a harmful impurity.
• Silicon (Si): increases strength; used as a deoxidizer and degasser to remove oxygen during metal melting.
• Sulfur (S, Sulfur): usually considered a harmful impurity that affects the plasticity, toughness, weldability, corrosion properties, surface quality of steel, etc. The harmful effect of sulfur reduces the presence of manganese in steel. The sulfur content in quality steels does not exceed 0.02-0.03%.
• Vanadium (V, Vanadium): increases strength, wear resistance, increases density and toughness; increases corrosion resistance by increasing the oxide film; vanadium carbide inclusions are very hard.
• Tungsten (W): adds strength, toughness, and improves hardenability; maintains hardness at high temperatures.
• Cobalt (Co, Cobalt): increases strength and hardness, allows hardening at higher temperatures; enhances the effects of other elements in complex steels.
• Niobium (Nb, Niobium): limits carbide growth; limits machinability; creates the hardest carbides.
• Nitrogen (N): used instead of carbon in the steel matrix (nitrogen atoms function similarly to carbon atoms, but have advantages in corrosion resistance).

The online store  Knife.net.ua  offers handmade knives, exclusive custom-made knives for demanding men and hunters, made by the hands of the best craftsmen in Ukraine for use on the hunt, in non-standard situations at a favorable price on order or to choose from in our store. A high-quality tool for individual use in the field or on the hunt. Delivery is carried out throughout Ukraine and the World within a few days. Knife.net.ua is the best selection of knives in Ukraine from handmade masters.

Well,  you can buy a knife made of powder steel  on our website  knife.net.ua  or by contacting us by phone +380674072030

It is worth remembering that if you use the knife for its intended purpose and treat it with care, it will last you a very, very long time.

Maple burl

A cap is a growth on a tree trunk; it has a much denser structure with a completely unique cross-sectional pattern.

The cap is highly durable, the cap wood does not burn well, and is well processed and polished.

The dimensions of the blanks are approximately 135-45-30 mm.

Stabilized wood blocks are great for creating standard knife handles with through and insert mounting.
Stabilized maple cap is also great for carving, creating miniatures, jewelry, as well as various pendants, amulets, toys and crafts.
It is convenient to work with stabilized maple cap for both experienced craftsmen and beginners.
Stabilized wood of any color is straight, even blocks of real wood - maple cap, impregnated with a special composition.
The wood stabilizer completely fills all small pores, due to which all air and moisture comes out of the wood, turning it into a polymerized block of stabilized Karelian birch, only with improved properties.

Stabilized wood is several times heavier and much denser. It is not affected by moisture, does not change its color under sunlight, remaining a much stronger and more reliable material.
All this makes stabilization an ideal material for creating objects that are exposed to all physical and climatic loads - knife handles, cutters and various tools.

Stabilized maple sapwood polishes beautifully, giving a surface as smooth as glass or stone. Uncoated, stabilized bars have a faded appearance when dry, but their bright, deep texture is revealed under finishing compounds.

For its unique beauty, the cap is called wooden malachite!

In general, the smaller the pattern and the larger the size of the mouthguard, the more expensive it is.

The value of this unique material is evidenced by a historical fact given in the book "The Cap Box" (authored by Nadezhda Perminova): "... in 1837, up to fifty rubles were paid for a twenty-pound cap (a little more than 8 kg)... a thoroughbred bull was valued at the same amount at an agricultural exhibition.

Today, on the world market, the price of Kapo wood (solid wood and veneer) is many times higher than the price of any other wood, including: oak, elm, walnut, mahogany, and any exotic species.

The unique combination of material properties, limited supplies, and the uniqueness of the cap pattern in each product ultimately determined the generally recognized, high aesthetic value and corresponding consumer price of products made from this wood, which is used in the decoration of the most luxurious interiors.

Kap and suvel  are growths on tree trunks in the form of characteristic rounded inflows. To obtain such a workpiece is a dream for everyone who works with wood, and here's why. The fibers in such growths have a special deformed structure: their winding and chaotic growth creates a unique texture, which is called swill. But this is not the swill that is characteristic of, for example, maple. In the growth, it is very confused and has a number of features, thanks to which an incomparable wooden texture is obtained. With its pattern and characteristic sheen, it resembles marble, mother-of-pearl or moire pattern. Such material is a real treasure for everyone who works with wood.

Cap and suvel are similar in nature, but they are not the same. They differ in structure, texture pattern, formation features, and a number of other points that we have collected in this table.

Now about all this in more detail.

Bag

The people call the kap a “witch’s broom.” There really is something repulsive about it, but only if you don’t know what miracle nature has hidden under the thick layer of bark.

What does a cap look like?

Location on a tree
Unlike the suvella, caps are rare. They usually occur on tree trunks or in the basal part. They are much less common on branches. Basal growths (cap roots) have a flattened shape, while stem or butt growths are more like a ball, often asymmetrical in appearance. As a rule, caps are located on one side of the trunk as a characteristic influx; less common are growths that cover the tree around the entire circumference. There are both single specimens and entire cap colonies that cover the tree trunk in small groups.

Formation and structure
The fundamental difference between a cap and a suvel is in the structure. If you look at a cap in section, it will be filled with small wooden knots - these are the so-called kidneys. While a suvel is simply deformed and chaotically intertwined annual rings. Thus, a cap growth represents a kind of reserve bundle of unopened kidneys, created by nature as a reserve. Why? Dendrologists do not have a single opinion on this.

Under the thick layer of bark, the cap and the suvel are practically indistinguishable from each other. The only thing that the cap can give out is the small green twigs growing on its surface. This is part of the same dormant buds that have only become active for some reason. Without the bark, the difference between the cap and the suvel becomes obvious. The surface of the cap is covered with cone-shaped protrusions, while the suvel is completely smooth.

The sizes
of caps vary greatly: from walnut growths to truly gigantic formations. The largest of the documented caps in the territory of the former USSR was discovered on the bank of a flat-leaved oak growing on Sakhalin. Its height was 1.4 m, and the circumference was 10.8 m. The sizes of caps depend on the location on the trunk and the tree species. The largest are traditionally considered to be basal caps, but their extraction turns into a difficult task and is impossible without sawing the tree. Large caps, weighing 300 kg or more, can often be found on walnut, downy oak, Mongolian oak. They grow 3-4 times slower than suvel and are very rare.

Texture
Kapov wood has a characteristic texture, thanks to which it is quite easy to distinguish it from souvel. On the kapo cut, dormant buds seem to be wrapped in numerous layers of wood fibers. Such nodules are somewhat similar to the texture of a “bird's eye”, but in the kapo they are not distributed so evenly. Here everything is chaotic: the buds merge with each other, penetrate each other, are absent in some areas, and accumulate very densely in others. All this creates complex lace abstractions, somewhat reminiscent of a malachite pattern.

Bird's eye (maple sapwood) and cap texture

The more dormant buds, the more complex and richer the wood pattern. Larger buds have fewer buds, so their texture is closer to suvels.

The biological role of caps
Both caps and suvels are often called diseases. This position is not entirely scientific, but it cannot be called unequivocally erroneous, at least because the biological role of the growths is still not understood. There are various hypotheses on this subject. For example, caps are considered a reserve supply of kidneys from which the tree can regenerate, for example, in the event of drought or partial loss of the crown. There is also an opinion that the growths increase the mechanical strength of the trunk, protect it from damage or prevent pathogens from entering. There are many assumptions, and all of them are convincing to varying degrees. However, most dendrologists agree that the ability of trees to form caps does not have a clear function - it is a kind of side effect of evolution, which was once more important than now.

Suvel

Suvel is a growth without dormant buds. Sometimes such formations are called "suvelval" or simply "svil". Unlike the cap, the structure of the suvel does not have woody knots, and all the beauty of the texture here is created by chaotically intertwined vessels. From such deformed fibers, a ball or drop-shaped influx is formed on the trunk. It grows three to four times faster than the cap and is found on trees much more often.

What does a suvel look like?

It is quite easy to distinguish a suvel from a kapa. Neither small twigs nor buds break through it. Under a thick layer of bark, the surface is absolutely smooth without conical bulges, like a kapa. The whole beauty of the texture here is formed by the chaotic release of intertwined fibers. It does not just go in light waves, like in some tree species, but is gathered into dense folds, bundles, and plaits. The whole beauty of the pattern is enhanced by a special ebb, reminiscent of marble, mother-of-pearl, or a moire pattern. A kapa does not have such pronounced overflows.

Suvel changes its appearance more after finishing. For example, when deeply impregnated with colorless oils and carefully polished, the wood acquires a special “bone” texture. Because of this, suvel is sometimes even called wood bone. In some breeds, after processing, the svelte veins literally show through the structure of the material. This effect is highly appreciated by knife masters: most often they make knife handles from birch, walnut, and ash suvel.

The density of the souvel is lower than that of the cap. In this respect, it significantly exceeds the hardness of the trunk wood. Processing of the souvel of birch and other species requires certain skills, since, like the cap, it is not the most pliable material. But despite all the difficulties of working with it, there is no incomparable pleasure. The souvel is always a mystery: it is impossible to predict what amazing beauty the pattern will reveal after the next pass of the cutter.

Where to find valuable growths

Caps and suvels occur on all species, but deciduous trees are more prone to their formation. In our latitudes, such growths are most often found on the shore, and all its species. Maple, rowan, walnut, ash, hornbeam, oak, elm are also considered prone to cap formation. But, let us repeat, this does not mean that they do not occur on other deciduous trees.

Conifers have a much lower ability to form growths. They are more likely to be found on European spruce, Siberian larch, and some other conifers. Pine suvel is inferior in beauty to the growths of deciduous trees, but there are much more hassles with harvesting and processing here, due to the high resin content and tendency to crack.

It is better to go looking for burls from April to May. Firstly, at this time the forest is not yet covered with greenery and the growths are clearly visible. Secondly, it is during this period that the active movement of sap begins in the trees, thanks to which the bark from the cut growth is removed much easier. This is especially true for burls, which, as we have already found out, are distinguished by conical bulges, which make it difficult to remove the thick bark.

But harvesting sapwood in the spring involves some difficulties. First of all, at this time the wood is very saturated with moisture and it is more difficult to saw it. Secondly, sapwood or souvel with excessive moisture can present many “surprises” during the drying process: from severe mold to complex through-cracks that will hopelessly spoil the valuable material. For this reason, many craftsmen prefer to go in search of sapwood in September-October, when the intensity of sap movement in the trees decreases.

Caps and suvels are more common in deciduous forests. Moreover, foresters note a certain pattern: there is a greater chance of finding woody growths in areas with sparse undergrowth, and especially those that are flooded in early spring.

For those who are serious, it is better to get acquainted with foresters and agree on the supply of material. Here you should understand the following. By the standards of industrial woodworking, caps and souvels are considered a marriage. They are not made into moldings, and not all enterprises have a line for the production of, for example, the same veneer. Also, caps are not used as firewood - they are not pliable in processing and smolder more than they burn. Of course, most likely, a forester understands what he is dealing with. But if a person does not do carving or sharpening himself, he is unlikely to prepare and store dimensional blanks. As a result, caps and souvels often have a share of ordinary waste during logging, so it is usually not difficult to agree on supply on mutually beneficial terms.

Another working scheme is to search for growths in the waste of sanitary fellings. Tree crowning in yards, squares, and along roads is a systematic procedure in most large cities. You can use this. Moreover, it is often much easier to get along with utility workers than with the same foresters. Having examined the waste and found a valuable growth, most likely you will easily agree to have it sawn off right on the spot.

Provision

With the growths on fallen trees, everything is relatively simple: they are cut down along with the trunk section, and then the homeowners, in a calm atmosphere, decide what the blanks will be used for and how to cut the massive stump more rationally. But finding a fallen tree with valuable growths is like winning the lottery.

Much more often, you have to cut the trunk and branches from a growing tree. Doing it with a chainsaw is a very barbaric method. And walking through the forest with such an accessory can cause a lot of misunderstandings when meeting with a forester.

How to cut suvel and kap?

The most delicate and at the same time effective method is to use a bow saw. We would like to note the importance of a high-quality blade with the correct tooth spacing. Otherwise, the saw will wedge and bind in the "cap wood", which will turn an already difficult sawing on a scale into a real test.

The second tool that will not be superfluous is a small axe: it is used to carefully chop off the bark around the growth. On thick trunks, it is better to saw strictly tangentially. This reduces the useful size of the workpiece, but allows you to avoid hopeless jamming of the blade during the sawing process. On relatively thin trees, the saw line can be slightly deepened towards the trunk. Of course, it is better to lay an arc within reasonable limits, especially if you still take up a chainsaw.

Seven sweats have come, and the desired stump has finally been cut. Now the most important thing! You need to close the wound on the tree to prevent it from dying. For covering, it is often recommended to use garden pitch or ordinary clay. These are working methods, but they are not reliable enough (especially clay). It is better to cover the cut with oil paint.

How to dry a mouthguard without cracks. Two ways

Those who work with slatted wood know well that the most difficult thing when working with this material is not finding or even cutting off the desired growth, but drying it properly. So that the workpiece does not turn out to be hopelessly spoiled by mold, warping, or through-going cracks.

Just in case, let's remind you: you can only work with wood in a dry state. The moisture content of the workpiece should reach at least 15%, and even better - 10-12%. This is important for any type of processing: turning, carving, joinery. Raw wood is poorly processed and is almost guaranteed to bring "surprises" in the form of cracking, warping and even mold. In general, wood needs to be dried, and kap or suvel is no exception.

It is not difficult to guess that due to the anomalous structure of the fibers, the drying of wood growths is significantly different from that of ordinary lumber. The internal stress here is much stronger, and the nature of their manifestation is completely unpredictable. Because of this, the blanks often have deep cracks, or even completely split into pieces.

Let's say right away that there is no 100% working scheme that will help avoid the unpleasant consequences of drying. Each cap or suvel is unpredictable. Plus, a lot depends on the size of the growth, the type of tree, and the time of cutting. Nevertheless, we will focus on the two most effective ways to dry birch and any other cap without cracks.

Seasoning

This is standard atmospheric drying, but with its own minor features. The general algorithm of actions is approximately as follows.

1. The cut area (the back of the cap or souvel) is covered with an improvised sealant. This can be oil paint or, for example, PVA glue. This is necessary in order to slow down the accelerated exit of moisture through the end. Rapid drying leads to a sharp imbalance of internal stress and increases the risk of cracks. Thus, in the case of atmospheric drying, time is sacrificed in favor of the stability of the wood.
2. The place where the workpiece is drying should be well ventilated. At the same time, it is necessary to provide protection from direct sunlight and moisture. Plus, there should be no dampness. From spring to autumn, such conditions are easiest to provide outside, by making an improvised rack with a protective flooring for drying. This is especially important if there are a lot of workpieces.
3. It is better to place two square spacer slats under each workpiece so that air currents can blow it from all sides. However, for the winter period, it is still better to move the caps and souvels indoors.

Atmospheric drying is a slow process. And this is its main drawback. It takes about a year to dry a medium-sized workpiece to 15-17%. At the same time, during the entire drying period, you should carefully monitor that no foci of biological activity appear on the wood. Timely antiseptic treatment, which we discussed in detail in a separate article, helps to prevent this problem. But after such treatment, for obvious reasons, it is better not to use the caps for making spoons, dishes, boards and other utensils.

Accelerated drying

Here we come to the question of why boil a suvel. Boiling in a saline solution is one of the methods that helps to quickly remove moisture from a wooden workpiece, minimizing the likelihood of its cracking. That is, it is a kind of stabilization technology. Now about how to boil a cap and a suvel. But let's start a little from afar. Back in 2005, a user of one of the weapons forums under the nickname Serjant shared his method of accelerated drying of a suvel. The method itself turned out to be so successful that it is still being passed around the Internet in various variations, and old-timers call it "drying according to the Serjant method." We will briefly summarize its essence as much as possible:

1. I place the entire workpiece in a container and pour water so that it covers the log by 2-3 cm. It is advisable to first clean the growth from the bark for better penetration of the salt solution.
2. Salt is added to the water at the rate of 2 tablespoons (with a slide) per liter.
3. In the classic version, the author also suggests adding sawdust of resinous rocks to the water. This can be omitted. The sawdust broth does indeed give the workpiece a pleasant ocher hue, but only on top. Inside, the texture remains ordinary.
4. Place the container on the fire and cook the stew over low heat   for 6-8 hours  , periodically adding water and salt.
5. After cooking, the workpiece is dried for one or two days. No need to use any newspaper wrapping. Follow the standard rules of atmospheric drying discussed above: use spacer bars, hide the workpiece from the sun, provide natural ventilation.
6. The cooking-drying cycle is repeated   2-4 times   , depending on the size of the workpiece. The total cooking time should be at least 12 hours.
7. After the final cooking, the workpiece is dried for one to two weeks.

It cannot be said that this method is so fast. And it requires a lot of trouble. But such stabilization is not a year and a half of atmospheric drying. Also, with boiling, you can worry less about cracks. Salt effectively displaces not only free, but also bound moisture that is in the cells of the tree. This ensures deep, fast and, most importantly, uniform drying of the workpiece. The tree is stabilized with a minimal imbalance of internal stress, due to which the risk of cracks is significantly lower.

Why do you need birch cap and suvel? Features of processing

Carving on a suvel and a kappa is very different from working with ordinary wood. It requires special skills and an understanding of this non-standard material. The usual Bogorodsk knife or a carving board will not help much. The high density and chaotic arrangement of fibers make it difficult to process with a hand tool. Even sharp chisels are not suitable for this material. Therefore, today, processing of wood growths is more often carried out using electric tools. Processing of small parts in products and other decorative items is done with a Dremel, with various crowns, small discs, and burrs.

What can be made from a cap and a ruler?

Wood growths are widely used in decorative and applied arts. There is even a separate direction of artistic craft - root plastic. From the cap and the souvel they make elegant boxes, cigarette cases, jewelry and much more. The same cap root is usually considered the best material for making smoking pipes.

In industrial woodworking, burl is mainly used for veneer production. It is also used to inlay furniture: headboards, tables, sideboards, and other items. This material is especially appreciated by gunsmiths: burl and suvel are the best material for knife covers and rifle stocks.

The hotel direction of cap processing is the creation of dishes and turned products. Turning in a special way reveals the beauty of the already unique structure of this material.

Bowls, plates, dishes, and other turned products look like full-fledged works of art, designed by nature and sculpted by man.

Traditional dishes are also made from tree growths. For example, the famous stump - a Finnish bowl that accompanies the inhabitants of the north throughout their lives and is a kind of amulet - is carved from the bark of a birch tree.

Cutting boards deserve special mention: they are so unique in their beauty that, while they are not used as utensils, they serve as self-sufficient designer decor.

Source: https://woodschool.com.ua/kap-i-suvel.html