Reeder Custom Guns

Maybe one of you guys can help me. I recently acquired a used knife made by Reeder. Its a beautiful bowie with some animals engraved on it and a makers mark that says Griz with a bear paw under it. It is serial # GNR-035 and has Gary Reeder on the blade. Love the balance of the knife and its sharp as hell!

My question: What's it made of (I know the current ones are L-6). How do you heat treat them? Is it intended to be used(e.g. I want to go stick a pig with it).

Thanks in advance for your help!

Jim

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Can tell you Gary and I share a belief in "No Safe Queens."

Use the knife...

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such because I can't shoot them as well as I'd like, so if they sit for a year or so I sell them to finance something I'll shoot. Only current gun on "Queen" status is a SW .32 WCF HE. I like shooting it-just seems like I never have (or take) time to load for it...

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They are chrome moly steel so they will rust if not taken care of and blood will stain them but that just gives them character.

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HEAT TREATED! Don't try to heat treat this knife or you will ruin a perfectly good blade. L6 is a very tough knife steel and will take a lot of punishment. It is NOT stainless steel like 440C or ATS34. Use it and it will show the color change from the action of the blood or hot juices on the surface of the blade but it does not harm it unless you never clean your knife after using it. The knife when built was heat treated in accordance with the white sheet that the steel manufacturer publishes for his steels. L6 hardens to around RC57 to RC59 so it will retain an edge quite well and will not break when you need it the most. If you want to preserve it before use you can put a light coat of Renaissance Wax on it and buff with a soft cloth. Do not store the knife in the sheath. Put it in a secure box with cotton cloth around it in a temperature controlled environment like your gun safe with a golden rod or other humidity control. If you do not have one, don't put anything around it, just wax it and let it set in a secure place where kids, pets, wives etc can't get their mitts on it.......

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Knife...

I can't answer much of that, BUT....

Too funny. My "safe queens" usually become

all our knives are L-6 tool steel and are meant to be used.

The knife is made of L6 and IS ALREADY