I finally got around to breaking out and using Artisan Cutlery’s Sea Snake.
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| Artisan Cutlery's Sea Snake |
I came across it at the 2021 Blade Show and it followed me
home. I’m sorry I waited so long to
break it out.
Artisan Cutlery is a Chinese company making innovated blades as well as using interesting steels. My Sea Snake was crafted from AR-RPM9, a proprietary powdered metal steel.
The formulation?
Well, it’s proprietary, but few compositional secrets remain secret for
long. Here’s what I found on the
Internet:
0.9% Carbon,
18% Chromium,
1.0% Molybdenum,
0.45% Manganese,
0.1% Vanadium,
0.30% Cobalt,
0.2-0.8% Silicon,
less than 0.40% Nickle,
less than 0.05% Rare Earth.
I’ve never seen anyone list or express concern about rare
earth composition.
Chemical analysis can tell you what’s in a product, but not
necessarily how it performs. Looking at
these numbers, I could do this analysis with a half decent SEM and EDS. There are no significant elements below 0.1%. But like Coca-Cola, it’s how it’s cooked that
makes the difference. That would take some
real research into metallography to unwrap those secrets.
In any case, enjoy this steel, because I am.
The 3.15 inch flat ground Wharncliffe blade is fixed to a
G-10 clad handle giving the knife a total length of 6.78 inches long. The blade has a RHc value of 59-61.
I like the feel of the knife in my hand and I can’t stop
playing with it. The balance point is
back in the handle and the finger groove provides plenty of grip and prevents
you from sliding onto the blade. That’s
always important to me. There is a
secondary finger groove carved into the blade shortening the actual cutting
edge to just under 2.5 inches. Using the
two finger grooves and the jimping on the blade’s spine locks the knife in my
hand and gives me fine control over the blade.
The knife is designed by Mike Embler. Mike is from eastern Ohio and spent 18 years
in the Navy. He studied multiple forms of self-defense,
including Japanese swordsmanship while stationed in Japan. This helped shape his views on knives as
tools and weapons. It was in Japan he
discovered the joys of flat grinds.
You should keep an eye out for him, I think you’ll be
seeing more of his work.
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| Dressed up and ready for a night out. |
I got the green G-10 handled knife in the khaki green sheath. It seemed like the right color for a Sea Snake. But the black para cord it came with was the pits. Not content with that, I dug out some woodland camo paracord and found an almost matching green and orange glass bead and dressed up the sheath.
Neck knives are becoming a fashion accessory for men; women
too!
Yes, I know they started out as a hidden weapon, worn under
a shirt or blouse, a tool of last resort, likely to be missed in a fast
pat-down. But really, those days are
gone. Everyone checks around the collar for
the tell-tale cord, pats the chest and under the arms. Then there’s the metal detecting wand. Just wear it as a fashion accessory.
Besides do you really want to go into combat with an
unbreakable noose around your neck?
You can get you’re Sea Snake at https://www.artisancutlery.net/sea-snake-atz-1842b-g10-ar-rpm9?search=sea%20sNAKE&description=true
for $39.98. They currently have a
limited issue made with S35vn steel and another with a carbon fiber handle at
prices reflecting the more exotic materials.
