11-15-2004, 09:58
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#1
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Bladesmith to the Quiet Professionals
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oregon, Land of the Silver Grey Sunsets
Posts: 3,886
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Applegate Fairbairn Design Question For Everyone
I would like everyone here to help me with a knife design question.
The Applegate Fairbairn Combat Folding Knife was designed by me about 10 years ago for the late Col. Rex Applegate and has been made by Gerber Legendary Blades in Portland Oregon for some time now. To date the only handle color has been black. A couple new features are in the works making this a new evolution of the A/F knife.
My question is, What would you folks think if the injection molded glass filled nylon handle was done in a new color? I was thinking a desert tan. Thoughts?
Picking a color should be easy right? It's not and I need help.
Thanks in advance.
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Bill Harsey is offline
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11-15-2004, 10:11
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#2
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
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Bill,
There is a trend towards color-coordinated gear now - people are painting everything and are very "Queer Eye" color conscious.
I think desert tan would be a great addition. Or maybe even a slightly darker color like coyote. Most gear seems to come in three colors, black, OD green and some shade of tan. A nylon sheath in some kind of coordinated colors would also be good. Mick has some good new ones from Eagle that might spark an idea or two. CSM, SOTECH etc all make good ones. I bought a Spec Ops brand sheath for my AF. Very good kit.
I am biting my lip so hard blood is flowing to keep from asking about the other new features.
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.
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NousDefionsDoc is offline
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11-15-2004, 11:44
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#3
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: San Diego
Posts: 231
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I would think that with all the work currently been done in desert environments, Tan/Coyote would be a natural. Something along the lines af the gunners grips. The A/F folder I have is a pretty big knife and so I carry it in a TAD gear sheath. The sheath is black and is generally carried on black webbing but other color choices woulds allow better blending.
Don't let FS loose on this one. You'll end up with red or tiger striping. You will have to start thinking about "accessorizing". Then she'll gloat around about how xy's are so color challenged. She'll mention that shoes and belts are made in colors other than black or brown or tan........Bringing up color, it is a slippery slope Mr. Harsey.  
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mumbleypeg is offline
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11-15-2004, 11:48
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#4
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Consigliere
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland (at last)
Posts: 8,841
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I think FrontSight would take one in "double-tap red" . . .
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Roguish Lawyer is offline
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11-15-2004, 12:49
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#5
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
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Focus gentlemen
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Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.
Still want to quit?
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NousDefionsDoc is offline
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11-15-2004, 14:23
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#6
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 4,535
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Me three for coyote. The light tan Boker used on its version of the AF fixed blade fighter was far too light, IMO.
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Razor is offline
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11-15-2004, 15:06
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#7
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Guerrilla Chief
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Vancouver (Not BC), Washington (Not DC)
Posts: 505
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I was screwing around with photoshop and came up with some so-so representatives just to see what it would look like. I also made one for Ms. FS.
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"How can a pacifist, tolerant anti-violence, anti-hunting, anti Second Amendment, anti-self-defense group turn to violence against a party that is pro- all of that?" - The Reaper, 11Oct04 14:42hrs
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Bravo1-3 is offline
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11-16-2004, 22:02
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#8
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Guest
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I would suggest Coyote Brown G-10 as the handle material. It provides great traction for the hand, is available, and is extremely durable. Also, I would suggest looking into Rob Simonich's Gunner Grip idea as well. My Simonich Gunner Grips on my 1911 are the perfect feel in the hand and provide unparalleled gripping power. Plus, I think Rob would look down and smile to see his idea at work on such a classic design. Good luck with the project...keep us posted.
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11-16-2004, 22:18
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#9
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Bladesmith to the Quiet Professionals
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oregon, Land of the Silver Grey Sunsets
Posts: 3,886
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Thanks Ryan, Ron Simonich was a pretty good knifemaking friend of mine. I'd known him since the first knife he'd made.
The only way I'd consider using his Gunner Grip pattern is if his family was willing to license out the design at some point. Even then I wouldn't be comfortable using Robs brilliant handle pattern that belongs to his family. I see another company has copied that and I don't like it at all.
For the A/F, we are going to keep using the same glass filled nylon handles which are injection molded. We can change the color of the plastic with this process.
Input on handle color noted.
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Bill Harsey is offline
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11-20-2004, 08:48
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#10
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Bladesmith to the Quiet Professionals
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oregon, Land of the Silver Grey Sunsets
Posts: 3,886
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What is Coyote Brown?
I spoke with the powers that be up at Gerber yesterday, Coyote Brown it is.
Thanks for your help because my quoting you made a difference.
Now for the big color question, what is Coyote Brown? What I mean by this is do we have a United States military standard for this color? Before anyone dings me for not doing my own homework, that's going on too but I haven't gotten an answer yet.
Is this a single color or does it refer to a subtle range of like colors?
I'm going to have to do some more homework. Any guidance would be appreciated.
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Bill Harsey is offline
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11-20-2004, 09:26
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#11
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
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I like the darker shade of Coyote for a knife handle. Think Gunner Grip or maybe even a shade or two darker. The gear makers probably know where there is a comparison pics of the shades side by side.
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.
Still want to quit?
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NousDefionsDoc is offline
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11-20-2004, 09:36
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#12
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
Posts: 24,823
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Bill Harsey
I spoke with the powers that be up at Gerber yesterday, Coyote Brown it is.
Thanks for your help because my quoting you made a difference.
Now for the big color question, what is Coyote Brown? What I mean by this is do we have a United States military standard for this color? Before anyone dings me for not doing my own homework, that's going on too but I haven't gotten an answer yet.
Is this a single color or does it refer to a subtle range of like colors?
I'm going to have to do some more homework. Any guidance would be appreciated.
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Bill:
If you Google Coyote Brown, you will get a lot of hits with a lot of variation on the colors.
CB in G-10 will likely be significantly different from CB fabric.
The CB color is a sort of dark or dirty looking khaki, IMHO.
Here is a pic of a Kifaru Pack from their site in CB, if that is of any help. They also have recently changed their color of CB, discussion here http://www.kifaru.net/MGcolors.htm, pic below.
The Marines have a new standard for CG that they are using for socks and underwear with the MARPAT cammies.
HTH.
TR
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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The Reaper is offline
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11-20-2004, 09:46
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#13
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
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I like the Kifaru shade. Paraclete's is good too.
http://www.paracletearmor.com/fabrics.htm
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.
Still want to quit?
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NousDefionsDoc is offline
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11-20-2004, 11:21
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#14
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Bladesmith to the Quiet Professionals
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oregon, Land of the Silver Grey Sunsets
Posts: 3,886
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I'm starting to learn about color standards but will have to get more detail.
Is Mil-Spec the same as Federal Standard (Fed Std 595 V1)? Mil Spec color means the colors are tested for deep red and close infrared to meet cammo specs. Then there is simply matching the visible color. I think I'm just trying to match the visible color. This is all open source information.
Now I just need to locate a copy of Fed Std 595 V1 and see if it has Coyote Brown.
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Bill Harsey is offline
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11-20-2004, 11:23
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#15
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Bladesmith to the Quiet Professionals
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oregon, Land of the Silver Grey Sunsets
Posts: 3,886
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by NousDefionsDoc
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Thanks for the link.
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Bill Harsey is offline
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