I just recently re-visited a knife design that I have not made since '08.
I named that earlier design the "White Iron Hunter" after White Iron Lake.
This is a slight variation on that one, so to stay true to the original, I named this one the White Iron Hunter II.
This blade is a clay processed W1 with a stainless guard and a stabilized Franquette Walnut handle.
I only acquired a limited amount of Franquette Walnut about 5 years ago. And I don't have a large amount left. It has a truly unique quality to it, unlike any other Walnut. It has dark and black striations that are very striking.
I often refer to it as almost having a velvet quality.
The blade also has the distinctive "hamon" resulting from the refined differential hardening process I ued on my shallow hardening steels.

HAMON

So, for your viewing pleasure:

Beautiful work as usual.

Yet another unique and gorgeous knife. Thanks for the tutorial on the hamon. When you complete a knife such as this one I'm curious as to the Rockwell scale in the hamon area as compared to the steel in the spine. What is the difference - what is gained by the process?

My kids surprised me with a knife made with stabilized walnut in the handle and I agree with your description of the velvet quality.

Metallurgy - as regards the creation of simple carbon blades - is somewhat deep.
Volumes are written about it and has explored every day for centuries.
So, I will say this - the Rockwell scale in the area of the hamon is probably in the mid to upper 40s, whereas the working portion of the blade is 59-60.
The softer portion accomplishes two things:
1.) It is a bit difficult to control in the first place as it is achieved in only a small segment of the shallow hardening steels. So - it has 'cool factor'.
2.) Being a bit softer, it is far less likely to break and will act as a shock absorber from lateral stresses.
I would suggest that those properties are probably more desirable in battle-ready swords and longer blade tools, and may not be as necessary in blades this short. But, regardless, many customers insist upon having the hamon.
And, they're just darned fun to make.