Texas Knifemakers Supply

[koli]

Anyone have any information or opinions as to the quality of their "kit knives"?  Specifically the fixed blade models.  I am considering one of these in a drop point style or a Buck Alpha Hunter for a deer/hunting knife.

[Joel]

I've delt with TKS for years, but never bought one of the kits they offer.  Those kits, by the way, are also offered at other knifemaker supply houses.  One advantage to TKS is that they offer to cryogenically freeze the blades at a nominal cost.  This will generally help most(not all) blades in the area of toughness and edge retention.  Another site that is dedicated to kit knifes only is http://www.kitknives.com.  They offer many of the same kits that TKS and the others offer, at roughly the same price, but being dedicated to kit knives offer more in the way of options; especially if you get into the area of advanced kit knife construction.  The buck Alfa IMHO is the most disgusting knife ever designed by anyone.  It's construction is based on visual appeal to amatuers, rather than solid knife design.  You can get it in ATS-34, which is better that 420HC.

[koli]

I have done a lot of reading over the last couple of weeks and believe that I want either an ATS-34 or D-2 blade.  The Alpha being offered in ATS-34 was one of the reasons that I was looking at it.  That and I have read a lot of people swearing by (not at) Buck products.  Thanks for the link for the other kit site.  I do like having unique things but not paying a lot for them.  I also believe that in some things you get what you pay for.
Thanks again Joel.
koli

[armory414]

I got a couple blades from them last spring.  I had them cryo treated, and when I peeled back the sticker that said it was cryo treated was another sticker that said, "Made in Japan"

[Joel]

The fixed blades,especially those using 6A(AUS-6) and 8A(AUS-8) are made in Japan; those are Japanese steels.  Most of the straight carbon blades are Solingen(sp) steel and are probably made in Germany; although the Germans have been farming a lot of their work out to the Chinese lately.  The Japanese blades at TKS are probably( I haven't bought one) as good or bettre than anything made here. made of the equivilant steel....in this case 440A and 440B.  In fact the Japanese blades are a bit bettre in toughness and edgeholding since the equivilant AUS-6/8 contain a bit of Vanadium which increases toughness and edge holding.  I have bought the Solingen blades before, but not from TKS, and both blades I bought were extremely "soft"; Rc of maybe 45-50.  I  WAS talking to Jim( the previous owner of TKS) once and he happened to have a Solingen blade handy and his hardness tester, and when I mentioned that to him, he tested the blade handy and said,"hmmmmm 45, cain't believe that". He didn't say anything more.  I personally found them almost impossible to hold an edge; this is before I started knifemaking.  If for some reason I were ever to buy one again, I'd sure as heck re-temper it.  As far as the kits go, I personally hope the blades there are either Japanese or American....the Darrel Ralph Kits use AUS-8 steel, so the blade might be either Japanese or even Chinese.   The one Chinese knife I own so far, has a great stainless blade.  Depends on the Quality Control.....The Japanese take a lot of pride in their cutlery....the Chinese are learning.   The one German stainless steel knife I ever owned(Puma White Hunter), the blade shattered when I dropped it on the basement floor. Obviously the steel was too hard and brittle.  Never had a bad Japanese blade, made of Japanese steel.   I'm not saying that ALL Japanese blades are perfect and that ALL German blades are bad, I'm not quite that idiotic(I hope).  Just that , based on my experiences, I tend to trust the Japanese more accross the board.   For that matter, there are a lot of American made knives running around with soft steel blades(420 or the equivilant) labeled as just Stainless, or(a good one) Surgical Stainless or 420HC, 420J2...or other impressive sounding terms.  All of them work for a bit, none of them hold an edge worth a darn for too long. I"ve had personal experience with several of those kind, and know what I'm talking about.  Made in America, though.    When a manufacturer uses a good steel, they say so....when they don't, they play little games.

[armory414]

It kind of surprised me, that was all.  Not that TKS doesn't say where they're made, just that I found it odd that both blades I got had the "Made in Japan" sticker covered up by the cryo sticker.  Good to hear the steel is good.  The knives I'm putting together from these blades will be for using.  Overall I'm happy with them, but if I were putting together a knife for show, I wouldn't--uneven grind and tool marks were completely removed.  But these will be hunting knives that will be used, like I said.