New Old Pattern, The P1 Reimagined.

[Stuart Mitchell]

Not the most recent new old pattern project, this one was started a few months ago and was born of this message...

Your recent post got me thinking, I wondered if you would care to re-imagine the ‘P1’ that I’ve carried with me for the last 30 years, and make me your version for the next.
I would like similar dimensions and as I spend many an hour in uncomfortable high seats I’d like a horizontal sheath."

The P1, back in the day, was by far and away the best selling knife in our portfolio, it had/has a blade of around 2.75" and a tad over 6" overall.

From the catalogue... P1, Compact Hunter, an extremely compact practical knife suitable for a wide variety of tasks from skinning to stick dressing and carving, Produced from 1/8" stock steel making it also a lightweight backpackers tool.

I have mentioned previously that the Portland Series was a change of approach for us and I was heavily involved in it's concept and design, if I were designing it today this new version knife would very likely be it. The slight problem with that is that the new version unticks a few boxes, the design and shaping of the handle makes it a more complicated thing to make, that adds time and money of course, adding to the cost is very anti Portland Series ethos.

Attached are a few photos of the old brochure that I referred to.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

The profile is exactly the same, the new one in fact was scribed using the same template as the 30 year old original, that is pretty cool.

The differences are all mainly around the font of the handle/plunge of grinds, obviously the handle lengthened with the timber creating a bit of a guard, seating area for your forefinger.

Omitting the large sharpening nick in favour of a much more discreet version allows more blade edge from the same size blade.

The new one gets the same 1/8" steel, this time the grade of steel is SF100, the original would have been SF77, the new one a little more carbon.

The new one gets stabilised Walnut for the scales, offcuts supplied by a very well known gunmaker, old version would predominantly have been Rosewood or Cocobolo, those scales are fitted over red liners and a tapering tang this time too, again very un Portland Series, but hey ho!

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

I only have one P1 in the workshop and it is this unfinished version, this is also the Guthook version which although very Marmite was still an extremely popular knife.

The side by side shot will give an idea of the main differences though.

What a pleasure this project has been.

 

[deerstalker.308]

That’s lovely

 

[malmick]

Very nice project and interesting solution for the sheath

 

[Fabnosh]

I really really like that knife.

FN

 

[long_range_rob]

Nice sensible working knife.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Cheers fellas, much appreciated

 

[fizzbangwhallop]

That must make these a pair of P1’s? Albeit with 3 rivets and a slightly different handle shape to the gut hook….


Although…..now looking back at the catalogue page above, they are probably P2’s

 

[fizzbangwhallop]

In which case….that must make this a P1?

I’m thinking I should have bought it as a full blade without the gut hook now though
cheers

fizz

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Yep, 2 x 2's and a 1 you have there

 

[Farmerjoe]

Beautiful Stuart.

 

[Puds]

Superb work

 

[RifleTuner]

Hey mate, thats really nice work. Marmite is feking horrible, but your work is always excellent.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Hey mate, thats really nice work. Marmite is feking horrible, but your work is always excellent.

I’m not a fan of Marmite either, or Bovril

Thank you.