# Glestain Full Spa Treatment



## Dave Martell (Mar 26, 2016)

Glestain knives are said to work fairly well in releasing food due to the large kullens ground into the outside face of the blade yet they're thick, clunky, have rough fit 'n finish, and are very handle heavy. The owner of this knife tasked me to fix all of the problems as best as possible and to make some changes. This project started out small and grew to a full on spa treatment.

The blade has been thinned from both the front and back sides to reduce wedging yet the kullens still remain and the blade has been polished. The choil has been reshaped with additional curving cut into the profile for comfort. The front bolster has been reduced in length (front to back) and rounded/smoothed over. The rear bolster has been ground away and the full tang (which was very thick) was reduced to a hidden tang style to reduce ass end weight. Stock pakkawood scales were replaced with stabilized premium quality two-toned amboyna burl accented with G10 spacers and a single mosaic pin. The handle shape was inspired from a combination of Glestain/Nenox/Hattori, sort of a mix up, definitely something different for me. 

This represents one of the greatest transformations I've seen in a factory knife. It went from being a fat ass'd clunker to sleek race car. I really like the weight distribution now, it's forward of the handle as it should be and the handle feels perfect in many positions. The customer has waited a long time to get this knife back, he's been patient and helpful, I just hope he's as happy with it as I am.

Glestain Full Spa Treatment.....


----------



## aboynamedsuita (Mar 26, 2016)

This is a cool project, I absolutely love the handle too


----------



## El Pescador (Mar 26, 2016)

That looks great Dave.


----------



## lifeis11 (Mar 26, 2016)

Very nice work, sir


----------



## ecchef (Mar 26, 2016)

I thought after mine you vowed never to do another one! 

Pretty sweet handle profile. Is that something we might see again in the future?


----------



## Dave Martell (Mar 27, 2016)

tjangula said:


> This is a cool project, I absolutely love the handle too





El Pescador said:


> That looks great Dave.





lifeis11 said:


> Very nice work, sir



Thanks gents!





ecchef said:


> I thought after mine you vowed never to do another one!
> 
> Pretty sweet handle profile. Is that something we might see again in the future?



Yeah I don't know what I was thinking and did in fact, at one point, regret taking this on but going with a hidden tang saved the day. I'll never do another Glestain scale replacement job again though - NEVER!


----------



## aboynamedsuita (Mar 27, 2016)

Dave Martell said:


> Glestain scale replacement job



Looks like it'd be a PITA with the double bolster, similar to a Gude


----------



## daveb (Mar 27, 2016)

2nd best looking knife you've done!


----------



## Mrmnms (Mar 27, 2016)

Love to see it Dave!


----------



## Dave Martell (Mar 27, 2016)

tjangula said:


> Looks like it'd be a PITA with the double bolster, similar to a Gude




I've never done a Gude but I bet it's similar for sure. What makes the Glestains a pain is more than the back end bolster though, it's the joints between the bolsters and tang and that the front bolsters are curved on the backside and differently shaped on each side, as if done individually freehand - so strange indeed. Even with making this knife into a hidden tang I had to square up the bolsters on the back side to get a flush fit.


----------



## Dave Martell (Mar 27, 2016)

daveb said:


> 2nd best looking knife you've done!





Mrmnms said:


> Love to see it Dave!




Thanks guys.


----------



## andre s (Mar 27, 2016)

really like seeing this. that looks great Dave!


----------



## Johnny.B.Good (May 11, 2016)

This looks awesome. 

I remember Tinh saying how much he liked a Glestain that he did a bunch of work on...


----------



## Dave Martell (May 11, 2016)

Thanks!

BTW, where has Tinh been hiding?


----------

