Update: I have now cut out and heat treated 23 Kephart Pattern blades now. They have been 3.5/4.0/4.5/5.0 inch blades. The majority have been the 4 inch model. The 3.5 inch blade has a side carry or middle of back sheath design, which the shorter blade and handle allow. It has a 4.0 inch handle vs 4.5 inches. Actually got out and dressed my first Deer with my first knife after I got it back rom Sam. I traded him a 4.5 inch version for it. He has dressed and skinned some 17 animals, Deer and Hogs, with the two knives. He has talked up the design at the Ranch and I have made some 17 knives for friends and fellow hunters. I m still a Hobbyist with limited skills, in my mind. But the blades are around 61 Rockwell and hold an edge well.
I cut thru the breastplate on a little buck two days ago with no issues. The handle design gave me no problems and felt like I had never used another knife before. Bloody wet hands are no problem with the handle contour Horace Kephart used. I touched the blade up with the Crock Sticks after I got it back from Sam. I have a choil on the blade to help my old eyes with the plunge cuts. The Forced Patina is holding up well so far and folks seem to like it. I'm just trying to perfect my skills on this one pattern to the exclusion of all others. I cannot tell you how much I've learned since 18 October when I finished my first one. I am still learning techniques and uses of my OBM Grinder, what a marvel it is. My little one burner Hells Forge is doing fine as is the 1095 steel I've been hardening in it. Started coating the blades with WTP 641 before HT to reduce scale. Still experimenting with the convex grind and pre-heat treat polishing and blade truing.