ZNAKHAR II knife, handmade by master Pavlo Goncharenko, K110 steel with stainless steel damask lining 61 HRC

SPECIFICATIONS:

The name of the knife is ZNAKHAR II, an exclusive handmade knife by studio master Pavlo Honcharenko, order to buy in Ukraine (Steel - Austrian high-carbon steel k110)
Knife type: Fixed blade
Brand: Pavlo Honcharenko's Handmade Knives Studio

Blade material: Blade - made of Austrian high-carbon steel k110 in stainless damask covers.
Steel sheet: One-piece, through-mounting on screed and epoxy resin.
Blade sharpening: Sharpened at 36 degrees
Blade hardness: 61 HRC
Total length: 275 mm
Blade length: 145 mm
Blade width: 30mm
Blade thickness: 4.2 mm
Length of the handle: 130 mm
Handle thickness: 33 mm
Grinding of the blade: ground, etched
Material of guard and back: From Asian water buffalo horn
Handle: Asian water buffalo horn guard and buttplate, neuselber, g10, stabilized mammoth tooth, amber hybrid with loofah plant in acrylic, stabilized maple and hornbeam endcap, mosaic butt tube. Strap made of 3mm leather cord, hybrid beads and maple cap.
Handle color: Dark green
Impregnation of the handle: Yes
Handle cover: Yes
Hole for a shoelace (for a lanyard): Yes
Strap: Strap made of 3mm leather cord, hybrid beads and maple cap.
Scabbards: Maple toned, Italian genuine vegetable tanned calf leather, finished with a waterproof finish and impregnated with protective solutions, hand stitched with waxed thread. Hand carved wood and artistic painting, wooden insert in the middle. The suspension is removable, the insert is made of hybrid.

Model: ZNAKHAR II exclusive knife handmade by studio master Pavlo Honcharenko, order to buy in Ukraine (Steel - Austrian high-carbon steel k110)
Model number: 073
Country of birth: Ukraine
Craftsman: Master Pavlo Honcharenko, Ivankiv, Ukraine ("Knives handmade by Pavlo Honcharenko")
Best use: Hunting, cutting, cutting
Knife condition: new
The price is indicated together with the scabbard.

K110 steel for knives - features, pros and cons
At the moment, there are many possible materials for the production of knives. Depending on the purpose of production, different materials are used. Moreover, the content of the main substances of different grades of steel can differ significantly. The most typical grades of steel are high-carbon types of steel. Among them, you can find many types of materials that differ among themselves in the number of additional elements. One of the best grades of steel for hunting knives is K1100 from the Austrian company Böhler.

Composition and features
Böhler K110 steel is a high-carbon composition with a high chromium content. The metal is stamped by the method of cold stamping. Metal is produced by one of the largest metallurgical concerns in the world. Factories are located in Europe, North and South America.

In the production of K110, the technology of electroslag remelting is used. Due to this, the quality of the material increases significantly. Due to the presence of various undesirable impurities, serious defects may appear during mechanical forging. To avoid this, the method of electroslag remelting is used. During electroslag remelting, before the start of hardening, the melt is passed through a layer of special slag, which removes foreign elements from the molten metal, such as phosphorus, sulfur, and much more.

The method of electroslag remelting provides the final result with low levels of segregation, purity and homogeneity of the structure. In Böhler K110, the percentage of harmful impurities is significantly reduced and the compounds of metals and non-metals with carbon are evenly distributed.

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

 "Damascus" and "bulat" what are these tacos and how do they differ?
What is Damascus steel?
Damascus steel is called steel that has a clear, clearly visible surface pattern, which is a consequence of its heterogeneous, layered internal structure. The drawing stands out in the form of light steel lines on a gray or black background. It becomes especially noticeable after etching the product with a weak acid. But sometimes it happens that the pattern appears after the polishing process.
Since long ago, swords with such a pattern were attributed exceptional qualities: high sharpness, flexibility and strength. Sometimes (especially against the background of products of imperfect medieval technologies) it was so. We'll talk about why "sometimes" below.

In the photo: Knife "Enchanting Damascus" (damask).

Why is Damascus steel needed and why is it like that?
As you know, real iron is actually usually an alloy of iron itself with carbon.

• If the carbon in the alloy is less than 0.3%, the metal will be soft, ductile and refractory. It was usually called "iron". The quality and properties of this alloy can be judged by evaluating the mechanical properties of an ordinary nail.
• With a carbon content of more than 0.3%, but less than 1.7%, steel is obtained. Ordinary steel is very similar in its properties to iron. But it has one important difference: it can be hardened. That is, when heated and then sharply cooled, steel acquires great hardness. Unfortunately, along with this, it becomes fragile. In ancient times, when the technologies of obtaining steel and its hardening were still properly developed, many products made of it (sometimes, even swords and armor) differed little in quality from, for example, a file of Soviet production. This file is strong and hard, but try to drop it on the floor or hit it and it will most likely flake.
• Well, if the carbon content in the metal rises above 1.7%, cast iron will be obtained. Cast iron melts easily, is good for casting, but is hard, brittle and not malleable. A cast-iron pipe, which fell even from a small height, is blown to pieces.

As a result, we see that iron gives plasticity to the alloy and increases its melting point. Increasing the carbon content in the metal gives hardness, up to brittleness, and makes the material more malleable.

Blacksmiths and metallurgists have always sought to combine in their products these two conflicting qualities - plasticity and hardness, so that they complement, rather than contradict, each other. In addition, an extremely important property was considered to be elasticity, which none of the mentioned alloys originally had.

In the old days, tools made of pure iron were too soft, and made of overheated steel of that time - very fragile.

We do not know what genius thought of combining these two alloys in a kind of "sandwich" and thereby combining the properties of different materials in one product. But it was clearly a genius similar to the inventor of the wheel or the bonfire.

Thus, when making a blade, a layer of hard steel was laid between two layers of soft iron and forged. As a result, a product was obtained, which, thanks to such a "layered" structure, was stronger than purely iron and plastic, than hard, but fragile due to unsuccessful tempering, steel of those years.

Tools and instruments from pure iron were too soft, and from pure steel - too brittle. Therefore, to make, for example, a sword, it was necessary to make a sandwich from two iron plates, between which a steel plate was placed.

Such steel was called welded.

In the photo: Hunting knife "Sea drop". The blade is made of mosaic damask.

Damascus is a further development of this technology. Someone (probably in India) thought that if the product had more alternating layers, it would become even more flexible and strong.

The method of obtaining such steel was quite time-consuming - the iron billet was forged in length, folded in half, then forged again and folded again. This action was repeated sometimes dozens of times. Thirty or forty repetitions would not surprise anyone. Although hardly anyone would start sharing such subtleties of technology. For a long time, the masters kept it in the strictest secret.

In the future, other, slightly (somewhat) less time-consuming methods were invented. But the principle of action always remained approximately the same.

The result was a blank in which many of the thinnest high- and low-carbon layers created an amazing structure with new properties. It is the mixing of layers that creates the beautiful pattern that distinguishes Damascus steel. It is the structure and special arrangement of the layers that determine the quality of the blade. Determine the combination of strength and flexibility in it.

By the way, for the untrained eye, the picture began to say a lot. Thus, the famous medieval Arab connoisseur of weapons Al-Kindi wrote: "Looking at the patterned steel, you see it both outside and inside." And, perhaps, one of the best European connoisseurs of damask and Damascus steels, P.P. Anosov claimed that "... an experienced Asian will not make a mistake in choosing a blade and one in 

vision will determine whether the connection is strong or fragile, hard or soft, elastic or weak."

It is interesting that modern specialists often claim the exact opposite, saying that "the quality of steel has nothing to do with the pattern on it." Most likely, this interesting curiosity is connected with the fact that long-known methods of chemically and mechanically applying a damask pattern to the surface of any piece of steel, even an ordinary iron, which never lay near a blacksmith's mine. Of course, nowadays such fakes have become extremely common.

In addition, from under the hammer of the "master", who does not know all the peculiarities of production, blanks with a pattern may well come out, like a real damask, but do not rise in terms of their characteristics above completely ordinary steel. And here, to figure it out, you probably have to be a real connoisseur, no worse than Anosov or Al-Kindi.

So, first of all, from all that has been said, we can conclude that Damascus steels can be of different quality, and it depends on the internal structure of the layers and, of course, the skill of the blacksmith.

And secondly, we note that along with the word "damask" the word "bulat" is also used. This is probably worth talking about separately.

In the photo: Hunting knife "Mosaic Damascus"

What is "bulat" and how does it differ from "damask"?

There was no single terminology in ancient times, but there were many different local traditions. In addition, the means of transmission were very imperfect. For this reason, words and concepts were constantly changing and distorting, creating an unimaginable variety of confusion and illogicality.

We, who are used to the unambiguity of the terms, should constantly remember this when we deal with the various concepts and ideas of our ancestors.

Road and high-quality steel were called differently in different countries and different times. "Damascus", "bulat", "vutz", "kharalug", "taban", "khorashan", "sham" - these names cannot be listed.

So, for a long time, steel of the highest quality in the territory of the Russian Empire was called exactly "bulat" (bulat steel). And, apparently, they did not think at all that this word comes from the Iranian "pulad", which meant  cast steel.

As V.N. Khoreev writes in the book "Weapons from Damascus and Bulat": "Bulat is a steel with an abnormally high (about 2% or more) carbon content, which has a complex of properties incompatible with ordinary metal, namely - the maximum possible hardness and density combined with the same high plasticity. Natural bulat is obtained by melting, when a small ready-made ingot comes out of the furnace, which initially carries a magical internal structure.

In the photo: Hunting knife "RYS 3" (damask).

The word "damask" may (but not exactly) come from another Arabic word "damast", meaning "wavy", "stream". It is possible that this name comes from various associations with the East and the colorful pattern of the famous damask fabrics. As always in such cases, no one can say for sure.

The main thing that we see is that bulat and damask were obtained using completely different technologies. Since most regions of our planet did not know how to melt iron for a long time, bulat was even rarer than welded patterned steel.

For this reason, the use of the term "bulat" for "damask" is a clear result of confusion and, most likely, a consequence of the fact that the real bulat in the territory of the Russian Empire was not seen at all.

By the way, a drawing on a cast pumice stone can also be beautiful and pleasing to the eye. It is believed that it was deposited during the crystallization of the ingot. This happened because iron and carbon, as we have already written, have different melting temperatures. Later, during forging, this drawing could turn out in one way or another. But, by the way, some experts claim that it was the fine-grained, unpatterned type of cast wootz (as the Hindus themselves called it) that were the best.

Unfortunately, in the place of the invention of bulat - in India, the secrets of its production were hidden so carefully that in the end they were completely lost. A. Vasylenko in his article "Bulatna steel" states that: "Even by the end of the 12th century, blades made of cast bulat of the highest quality... could not be made either in India, nor in Syria, nor in Persia."

At the end of the 18th century, Indian metallurgists were ruined by the import of cheap iron from England, and all hopes of restoring the lost tradition to its homeland evaporated completely.

Since that time, metallurgists of many countries have been looking for the secret of obtaining "the same bulat". From time to time, joyful declarations were heard that the secret of the legendary "woot" had been solved. But whether it is really the same alloy, no one will tell you.

However, even nowadays, some manufacturers produce limited series of knives, the blades of which are declared as bulat. It rarely happens, knives are so extremely expensive. One such manufacturer is, for example, Herbertz Limited Edition.

In the photo: Knife "DEER" (damask).
 

Are knives made of boiled Damascus these days?

Yes, they do. It is forged damask, thanks to its beauty and surrounding legends, which is still extremely popular. In addition, the method of its production has long been no longer a secret.

You can see and buy some knives made of real forged Damascus in the Grand Way online store, and relatively inexpensively. For a very reasonable sum, you can become the owner of a knife for which in ancient times you would have given a small herd of horses or a considerable plot of land.

We have a separate category for Damascus knives.

What is damask?
Working with damask, it is possible to obtain many different patterns. There are almost no limits to the master's imagination. Blacksmiths working with Damascus steels usually do not stop experimenting, looking for new patterns and methods of obtaining them.

Different types of damask are distinguished primarily by the features of the pattern. Yes, striped, mesh and wavy damasks are distinguished.

A knee pattern across the entire width of the blade was considered quite rare and therefore very valuable in the old days. In the East, the Taban ("shining") and Khorasan ("sunrise") varieties were most distinguished. These were very high-quality damasks, with a surprisingly beautiful pattern: on a dark background with a golden tint, there were clearly visible, clear light lines that formed a large knee-shaped or mesh pattern.

In general, a whole tree of variants and forms diverges from the specified main types. Masters do not stop experiments and searches, therefore the variety of drawings only grows.

In the photo: The blade of the BEAR PAW knife (damask) is an excellent example of the so-called striped damask.

Does Damascus steel have any disadvantages?

Of course, everyone has flaws in this world. There are no exceptions.

The main disadvantages of damask at all times were the laboriousness of production and the high consumption of material. It is believed that in the course of dozens of repeated forgings of the medieval masters, the blanks lost up to 85% of their weight until they finally turned into damask.

Due to such a significant expenditure of material, time and effort, products made of such steel have always been very expensive. In addition, the increase in price was influenced by the secrecy of technologies and the limited number of craftsmen capable of making such swords.

The second disadvantage is the considerable susceptibility of damask to corrosion. The reason for this sad fact is the high carbon content and almost complete absence of alloying elements in these grades of steel.

Therefore, Damascus swords, like expensive stallions, have always required particularly careful care.

After use, they must be thoroughly wiped dry. Keep away from moisture. And if rust appears, immediately remove it with available means (kerosene, sandpaper, etc.)

Are there nowadays better steels than damask and bulat?

Perhaps, the most obvious secret of bulat was revealed to modern civilization by the same Anosov in 1830. Many minds in Europe fought over this problem, but only Anosov had Tagil magnetite at hand for experiments.

However, shortly after this discovery, more advanced, technological and cheap methods of obtaining steels combining the properties of strength and elasticity were developed. These types of steel may and may not have always been better than cast bulat in all respects, but they definitely provided a more convenient alternative to it in production.

Progress does not stand still. The technologies of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, as well as the deep knowledge of modern scientists in physics and chemistry, gave us steels and alloys simply incredible and unimaginable for ancient blacksmiths. Not only that, they made products made of these steels available not only to kings and shahs, but also to almost all of humanity.

For example, in the Grand Way store, you can find many models of knives that are as good as many blades from ancient legends and stories.

Yes, the blade of the CH 3510 folding knife from CH Knives is made of 154CM - an excellent American high carbon steel. This brand of steel was originally developed for the production of turbines. But the combination of its characteristics turned out to be so attractive to knifemakers that this steel is now firmly established in the knife industry. The 154CM is used by knife brands and individual craftsmen around the world.

The fact is that the structure and chemical composition of this grade of steel allows it to be hardened to high hardness values ​​(usually around 60HRC) without loss of viscosity. At the same time, the steel does not become brittle. Therefore, such a blade can be made extremely sharp, but it will still perfectly resist both painting and mechanical stress.

Of course, 154CM, like all high-carbon steels, can rust if exposed to water or aggressive environments for a long time. But with proper care, one hundred and fifty-four shows itself from the best side.

The 154CM steel blade allows the CH3510 knife to rightfully occupy a place in the list of really top, premium models sold in the  knife.net.ua online store.  It is worth noting that the quality level of assembly of this knife is also adequate for its high status.

The S3 puukko flipper knife from Real Steel is no less interesting in this regard. His sword is made from Böhler M390 premium martensitic chrome powder steel. This steel is characterized by high indicators of the ratio of strength and viscosity, it keeps the sharpness of the cutting edge well and resists mechanical loads. And most importantly, despite all this, it perfectly resists corrosion!

Böhler M390 is the highest grade steel. Knives from it are produced in a limited edition (according to Real Steel knives USA, the S3 puukko flipper series - 600 pieces). Therefore, a personal serial number is printed on both of each copy, which is also written in the passport attached to the knife.

Does damask retain its meaning in our time?

Yes and no. Moreover, the romantic "yes" clearly outweighs the dry, practical "no" here.
Of course, obtaining forged damascus is no longer the only available way to obtain quality blade steel.
But what has not gone anywhere is the aesthetic and cultural significance of this steel. A damask sword knife is still a very good thing. A welcome addition to the collection and a prestigious, valuable gift.
The legends surrounding Damascus steel swords only add to their exclusivity and significance in the eyes of people. After all, when you buy such a knife, you are not just buying a high-quality cutting tool, you are buying a part of a legend, a small piece of the glorious history of mankind, a reminder of the times of brilliant blacksmiths, great kings and glorious heroes.
Such values ​​are eternal and probably cannot be counted in money.
CPM-S90V steel knife

Steel knife CPM-S90V

Thus, the exclusive handmade knives of knife.net.ua are highly durable and can withstand fairly heavy loads and at the same time perfectly retain their sharpness. They have excellent anti-corrosion properties and do not react with most alkalis and acids, that is, these knives do not require special care, which makes them a huge plus when used in nature, hunting, fishing and/or in extreme conditions*. Perhaps the only disadvantage of knives made of M398 steel is their cost, which is quite high and you have to be prepared for it.

It is worth remembering that when using a knife for its intended purpose and with careful handling, the knife will serve you for a very, very long time.

You can buy knives on our website knife.net.ua or by contacting us by phone +380961711010

maple burl

A cap is a growth on a tree trunk, it has a much denser structure with a completely unique cut pattern.

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

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

Bars of stabilized wood are great for creating standard through-mount and countersunk knife handles.
Also, stabilized maple sap is excellent for carving, creating miniatures, jewelry, as well as various pendants, amulets, toys and crafts.
It is convenient to work with a stabilized maple cap for both experienced craftsmen and beginners.
Stabilized wood of any color is straight, even bars of real wood - kapa maple impregnated with a special composition.
The wood stabilizer completely fills all small pores, thanks to which all the air and moisture come out of the wood, turning it into a polymerized bar of stabilized Karelian birch, only with improved properties.

Stabilized wood is many times heavier and much denser. It is not exposed to 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 stresses - knife handles, cutters and various tools.

Stabilized maple sap is perfectly sanded, giving a surface as smooth as glass or stone. Without a coating in dry form, the stabilized bars have a faded appearance, but under the finishing compositions their bright deep texture is revealed.

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

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

The value of this unique material is told by a historical fact given in the book "Kapov Skrynka" (author Nadiya Perminova): "... in 1837, up to fifty rubles were paid for a cap growth of twenty pounds (a little more than 8 kg)... the same amount was estimated thoroughbred bull at an agricultural exhibition.

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

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

G10 — in Pavel Honcharenko's handmade knives: quality, style, modernity

What kind of material is this?

G10 is a light and hard material characterized by a textured surface and special practicality. It is used to create handles on various types of knives - complex and integral, with additional elements.

The basis is a compound reinforced under pressure with fiberglass. The fibrous structure gives the material rigidity. In order to increase the important operational characteristics during the manufacture of handles, special strengthening chemical compounds are additionally added to the composition. The material is non-combustible, has higher strength characteristics - for bending, tearing and impact.

G10 is formed in layers. This allows you to paint the overlay in one or more colors, creating interesting visual effects of the product's multi-layering. Outwardly, it resembles  micarta  — another popular material from which RoS handmade knife covers are made

Features of the production of linings with G10

Most manufacturers subject finished G10 pads to sandblasting, which exposes the structure of the fiberglass. As a result, the handle acquires a rough surface, which prevents slipping in the hand and ensures comfortable and safe use of knives. After the finishing treatment, the surface of the pad may become dull. To restore a bright, spectacular appearance at the last stage of production, it is covered with oil or polished.

The craftsman uses G10 handle pads with various knife steels - ATS 34, CPM154CM, D2, 440C, CPM S30V, 40X13.

Advantages of the material

This modern material has the following advantages:

• easily withstands flexibility and stretching loads;
• has resistance to shock loads;
• does not absorb moisture;
• differs in high density;
• resistant to radiation and chemicals;
• has low electrical conductivity;
• does not dry out and does not deform;
• resistant to high temperatures.

Another advantage of this material is an excellent ratio of mechanical strength and light weight. This makes it possible to obtain strong linings with good operational characteristics that do not burden the knives.

High-quality and original inserts made of G10 became a wonderful decoration of exclusive and unique knives of the Studio  "Handmade Knives of Pavel Honcharenko"  (Ukraine), which offers to order and buy online store  https://knife.net.ua

What is a sea hornbeam. Deciduous hornbeam tree and its unusual properties
Description
Characteristics of wood
Black hornbeam
Before using any types of fasteners, the material must be pre-drilled. It holds screws and nails perfectly, which is good for securing furniture joints and complex parts.

When using fresh wood in everyday life, it is recommended to cut and turn the product until the material is dry - in this form it is easier to process.

Despite its natural high density and wear resistance, hornbeam is considered a rather difficult and impractical breed, as it gets wet quickly and is prone to damage by fungus and other biological pathogens. It cannot be used without additional etching and decoration, and it is not suitable for outdoor work either. The twisted structure of the fibers and the low ability to glue do not allow hornbeam to be used as a structural building material: plywood or glued timber. It is not used for external works. Indoors, the hornbeam surface should be covered with protective impregnations and thick layers of varnish. Do not use the material in rooms with high humidity.

Spheres and peculiarities of application
This wood finds its purpose where resistance to shock loads is required: in the manufacture of decorative elements, parts of mechanisms, sports objects. It is used to produce:

golf clubs, billiard cues;
weaving boats;
agricultural tools;
bodies and elements of necks of violins, guitars, details of grand pianos, other musical instruments;
cutting boards, knife handles;
boxes, toys, souvenirs, frames for paintings, panels and photos;
furniture, parquet, interior design details.
Due to its noble light-pearl color and strength, hornbeam wood has a high artistic value and is used in the creation of mosaic designs, friezes and decorative elements.

Parts of propellers in aircraft construction are made from hornbeam.

On average, the price of 1 m³ of wood, depending on the manufacturer, is 645–800 dollars.

It is believed that furniture or decoration made of this type of wood relieves fatigue, provides physical strength, helps coordinate thoughts and actions, and gets rid of a bad mood.

Black hornbeam
The light structure of the tree with an understated natural pattern makes it attractive for the manufacture of various imitations. By the method of etching the material, black hornbeam is obtained, which in terms of properties and appearance is similar to ebony. Nigrozins are used for high-quality dyeing - special mixtures based on aniline, nitrobenzene and hydrochloric acid, dissolved in water or alcohol. They give the material a clean, bright color that is not afraid of direct sunlight. Professional etching involves coloring the entire thickness of the material through, rather than surface application of paint. It is not recommended to self-etch wood, because when using self-burning chemical dyes, it can lose strength, become loose or unevenly colored. Masterfully crafted, black hornbeam, imitated as ebony, has a very dark purple shade that does not burn out and does not fade over time, does not smudge under mechanical impact on the surface. Hornbeam is sold in small batches as small bars.