The blade he produced really brought the design to life. The tapered blade, rounded handle profile, and the slightest hint of a pommel swell made for a great-purpose knife. Over the next few months it was used for camp cooking chores, fire starting, and just about every other cutting task I came across. Fast forward to Overland Expo East and I was chatting with Don from Expedition Joe Coffee Company. We talked about coffee, the event, the weather, and of course gear. Don mentioned he was considering commissioning a handmade knife for the coffee company and asked if I knew any makers. Of course, I presented him with my K-Paw which had been on my hip for the duration of the trip, and as they say, "that was that". By the end of the week, Don and Jason had made plans for a modified version of the original knife and the process of bringing the Expedition Joe Overlander to knife had begun.
The Expedition Joe Overlander is made from 1084 steel that is acid etched and stone washed. It measures 8.25 inches overall with a 4 inch blade. The handles are bone linen micarta that is attached with steel pins and epoxy. The whole package is handmade in East Tennessee. The entire knife is ground, heat treated, handled, and finished by Jason in the K-Paw Custom Knife. A few miles away Rick makes the sheaths from 7 oz. vegetable tanned leather and artificial sinew using only hand tools. Don requested a custom design burnt into the edge of the sheath, and it creates a rugged and personalized touch to the piece. It's the hope of the makers that this heirloom quality tool will be used for years to come. Over time it will take on a unique patina that will tell the stories of adventures it was carried on over the years.
Pros and Cons as we experienced our Expedition Joe Overlander:
Pros:
- The etched finish on the blade is very attractive, adding character while hiding scratches.
- The bone micarta scales feel secure in the hand allowing for great control while performing fine work.
- Completely hand made with love right here in America.
Cons:
- The blade could have been sharper upon arrival. Fortunately, this was easy to rectify and the blade was cutting paper ribbons in no time.
- The sheath allows for right hand carry only. So, if you are a southpaw, you will need to get creative, or perhaps ask if the sheath can be customized for left side carry.
DESCRIPTION (from Expedition Joe Coffee)
The “Expedition Joe Overlander” Camp Knife is an extremely durable knife capable of camp duties from scraping kindling for starting a fire to cutting vegetables on your cutting board for dinner. The knife is made from 1084 stone washed, acid etched high carbon steel. The cutting edge is extremely sharp and ground to a 40 degree angle. The scales (Handles) are Bone Micarta which is extremely durable and provides a good grip. The knife comes with a custom hand sewn vegetable tanned sheath in either right or left hand carry. A leather lanyard is provided to allow easy removal of the knife from the sheath. Due to the custom (bespoke) nature of this product there is a 3-4 week delivery time. We are confident that it will be worth the wait once you experience the quality of this custom hand made knife.
Knife Specifications:
Blade Material 1084 High Carbon Steel (Stone Washed / Acid Etched)
Overall Length 8.25″
Blade Length 4.00″
Scales (Handles) Bone Micarta
Weight 16 oz
You can get yours by visiting: www.expeditionjoecoffee.com
The guys responsible for the creation of the Expedition Joe Overlander knife:
