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Jean Wilke’s “Cub” Knife for Mr. Nico van der Merwe Snr

About the “Cub” Design

In 1902, a game warden by the name of Harry Wolhuter working in the now Kruger National Park was attacked by 2 male lions. He killed one of the lions with his knife and managed to hide in a tree until help arrived. This story is famous around the world. His tale is related in this book “Memories of a Game Ranger by Harry Wolhuter”

I learned how to make a replica of this knife on a course at Heavin forge in Belfast and immediately fell in love with the simple, unassuming lines of this little knife.

I later found out that I am a distant relative of Harry on my mothers’ side, which made it even more special. To honour the great man, but still put my own spin on the knife, I designed a 2/3 version of the knife, calling it a “Cub”. I have made numerous lions and cubs over the last two years and everyone is special in its own way. The South African Bladesmiths Association Junior League has also hosted a challenge where this knife was built.

The Nico van der Merwe Snr’s knife.

I was commissioned to make a birthday knife for another great man, Mr. Nico van der Merwe (Oom Nico) as we know him. Oom Nico is not only a devoted Christian and successful businessman, but also the founder of Eduplex, a school that lay the foundations for any success I might have had up to now or might have in the future.

So, what knife to make… I decided on a “Cub” and here is why…

I am a product of Eduplex, so I just felt I had to put something of myself in the knife in the form of my own design.

The Story of the Lion knife and the South African wildlife is as intertwined as Oom Nico’s story about Eduplex and God’s role in it.

Both knives might immortalise the deeds these great men did that will be remembered, long after they have joined the Maker in heaven.

Since it was the first knife I made since my acceptance into the Knife Maker’s Guild of Southern Africa (KGSA) – IT

HAD TO BE SOMETHING SPECIAL!!!

As a result, I made the knife as follows:

I stuck to the 2/3 ratio but retained the lines of the original Lion knife, so that it is recognisable anywhere in the world.
The blade was formed out of 1070 carbon steel * as a symbol of the simple, yet life-changing message God gave Oom Nico all those years ago, that made Eduplex possible.
I retarded the hardening process on the spine of the blade using clay to form a Hamon line, ** symbolising that even hard steel can have a softer side. So does the hard businessman have a softer side when he works with the learners of Eduplex.
On the spine there is a section of “rope filing” for the way the pulls everybody together. From his family in their business, to the staff of Eduplex. “This man has the lead rope firmly in his hands.”
I added polished brass shims that had subtle, but symmetrical file-work all the way around the handle, as this is how I see Oom Nico. Always a picture of neatness and gentlemanliness. An example to all.
The stabilised and coloured giraffe bone handle signals that we do not know what God’s plan with us is. Who would have guessed when that giraffe died, that its bones will live on in this little knife?
The sheath is made of genuine bovine leather with Ostrich leather overlays… as anyone (birds of all feathers) are welcome at Eduplex.

I dedicate this knife to Oom Nico. I cannot express my gratitude to him and his dogged determination that made Eduplex possible, ensuring that my life and that of my classmates, had the best possible launch pad possible.

“Thanks a million, Oom Nico. I know God will continue to bless you!”

A knife of firsts

There is so many “firsts” associated with this knife that it is a true collectors’ dream.
It is the first knife commissioned by Eduplex from a scholar
It is the first knife I made after being admitted to the guild
It is the first knife, by the youngest guild member in the 40-year existence of the guild.
It is the first knife made by a guild member that is still in school.

Appendix 1. A bit more technical info

* 1070 is an alloy of iron and carbon, containing an average of 0.7% carbon. No chrome or nickel is added (as in stainless steel). As a result, a simple, yet VERY efficient so-called knife steel is obtained. A knife made from 1070, will have superior edge retention and a super-sharp cutting edge.

** A Hamon line or quench line is formed when the quenching (hardening) process is interrupted on a part of the blade. The blade now has softer and harder parts in the same blade.

To get into a bit of detail:

Each metal or alloy has different crystal structures (as snow has different flake structures)
Each structure has certain properties. Some are desirable, some not.
As knife-makers we strive to obtain the best combination or compromise between all, to make the best possible knife

When we start with a piece of steel, we normalise it by heating it up to a certain temperature and letting it cool down very slowly.

This process forms a crystal structure called Perlite.
Now we can drill, grind or file the metal as easily as mild steel.
We can forge (heat and beat with a hammer) and mould it into the shape we want
Although very malleable, this structure is too soft to be useful as a knife
So, we need to harden it

We heat the steel up to a very precise temperature (830⁰C) for 1070 and cool it down rapidly in a special oil.

Now another structure called Martensite forms.
Martensite is extremely hard and makes a perfect cutting edge, but is very brittle, so the knife will break.
We go through various temper cycles in order to reduce the brittleness, yet retain the hard edge
It is knife-makers’ and metallurgists’ life-long quest to make the perfect blade that has extreme hardness, yet retain ultimate flexibility

One way to get the best of both worlds is to differentially heat treat the blade, as I have done here.

I packed clay on the spine
When I quenched it, the steel under the spine did not form Martensite, but rather Perlite.
This means that the cutting edge is hard, but the spine is soft so the knife will not break
BEST OF ALL… it makes a REALY cool looking line on the knife.