Outdoor Adventure USA

This week’s net is all about tools that have sharp edges. In this category are Knifes, Axes, Saws, Multi tools, and maybe shovels. It is doubtful we will have time to cover all areas. A feature they all have in common and perhaps of interest to everyone is how to sharpen an edge.
The topics we hope to cover are: sharpening; folding knives and fixed blade knifes; edged tools impact on survival; favorite edged tools; multi-tools;
Some related subjects if we have time: edged tools (weapons) and the law; bush craft

Web sites - Some useful web sites
o http://www.equipped.org/devices4.htm (Doug Ritter on Knives)
o http://www.agrussell.com/Knife_Encyclopedia/a/74/
o http://www.equipped.org/sources.htm (Companies that make knives)
o http://sharpeningmadeeasy.com/knives1c.htm
o http://sharpeningmadeeasy.com/Juranitch1977Feb.htm



Last Net: 5-17-12 viewtopic.php?f=70&t=3197

One of the most important things to master, when it comes to edged implements, is how to keep or create a good edge. Normal use usually means that eventually you will need to sharpen them. When it comes to knives, the Edge Pro Company, out of Hood River Oregon (http://www.edgeproinc.com/), makes some of the finest sharpeners on the market, but what makes EP even more exceptional is their online resources for teaching the correct methods to sharpen almost any knife. From their "Sharpening Tips section to multiple videos, they have almost every type of knife covered.

EP offers two grades of sharpeners, both with lifetime warranties:

The Professional Model - Price range $375-$650
The Apex Model - Price range $165 -$245

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One of the most important tools you can carry with you in the wilderness is a knife. Which one is best is the stuff of which endless debate is made. In most cases, the advice of the ages is usually true - you get just what you pay for. In the case of knives however, there is one notable exception - Mora Knives.

Mors Kochanski is a Canadian bushcraft and wilderness survival instructor, naturalist and author. His knowledge and advice in the area of outdoor skills has made him a sought after expert by both military and civilians in Canada, the US, the UK and Sweden. In his book, "Bush Craft", he describes the knife as:

the smallest and most portable of all cutting tools. Light weight and unobtrusive, the knife is readily available for hundreds of everyday tasks in bush living

Kochanski goes on to describe what a good general purpose knife should have:

The blade should be of a good quality carbon steel, from two and a half to three millimeters thick and about two to two and a half centimeters wide. The size of the blade is light in weight, yet difficult to break. The steel should be soft enough to be maintained at a shaving edge with common sharpening tools, without frequent sharpening. Such steel is found in Mora (Sweden)....... (page 110 and 296-S of Bush Craft)

Today, Mora knives are readily available from places like Amazon for around $15.00. You can spend a lot more, but it is very, very difficult to beat the price and quality of the Mora Knives. Mora also offers a stainless steel knife of very high quality for about the same price.

MORA KNIFE
Kochanski acknowledges that there is one knife that is an exceptional general purpose, everyday knife, made by Rod Garcia of Whitefish Montana and is made under the name of the Skookum Bush Tool (http://www.skookumbushtool.com/). The SBT is as well made and attarctive as it is durable. This You-Tube video of Kochanski, gives a very interesting insight into the simplicity of the knives that he has used over his lifetime, including the Skookum knife: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BXKHRzn_yE


SKOOKUM BUSH TOOL
Kochansk's book, "Bush Craft", is excellent reading for anyone who spends time in the wilderness, especially remote locations. You can find it at Amazon here for about $14.00: http://www.amazon.com/Bushcraft-Outdoor ... +bushcraft .

A Tale of Two Knives:

This is as much a story of "edged implements" as it is about good friends and the "code" or "creed" fostered by these relationships.

It all started when I first joined the US Army as a teenager and my high school buddy followed by becoming a Marine. Rambo, First Blood was the hit movie at the time and that knife inspired my buddy to build me a knife that was a true behemoth of a blade at 9.75" long and it was "purdy." Not to be out done I never gave him anything back because I never had a blade that was "in-kind" worthy of a reciprocal gift and I struggled with that for over 25 years. I was behind in my offering of a worthy gift but I knew that one day I would even up the score.

In 2004 I took a National Guard field trip to Bosnia. I was introduced to the Anza knife line and saw promise in a knife made from high carbon file steel. Charlie Davis, once of Buck Knives, was making blades out of files and I thought they were unique with the file serrations left as part of the finish. They anneal the files to soften the steel and when done working the steel they re-harden and finish the blade. These are, in a single word, TOUGH and as Charlie says, a blade for the "workingman." Back to the story...I started a dialog with Charlie asking for 6" blade, the profile of his COL Boddington blade with thumb jimping and green micarta handle. He made the blade and sent it to me in theater, I was happy. Later, while on a second deployment, I again, found myself carrying this knife. I carried this knife more than my Randall Special Fighter knife and it was definitely a talking piece when I showed people how darn sharp this blade could get. I could shave the hair of a gnat's...butt. It was definitely a working Soldier's knife.

In 2006, upon my return from Iraq I met my high school buddy for a hike down to Phantom Ranch's Grand Canyon get away. We discussed a lot and it was like we had never had a break from our friendship such as marriage, careers, kids and the normal things that young Bucks deal with as they set their course through life. We did the hike, came out and had a large family get together at a camp in Prescott, AZ that his brother managed. At the bonfire, with my family and his gathered around, I told the story of my Anza blade and what I did to acquire this knife while deployed, custom made for me and how I carried this exact knife in two theaters of operation. This was my presentation knife for my buddy and as intended, he made a display rack for it but uses it exactly as intended, as a "workingman's" knife.

And now, the rest of the story... Anza later went on to market this blade as their "Ranger" model (although I did not see it on their website on this look, they are out there).
http://anzaknives.biz/store/

The Red Head 8" Ceramic sharpening rod has become a favorite for me when a quick dress up is necessary. It ain't high tech, but it sure gets the J-O-B done.

http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-8-Round- ... /10207415/

Stropping a blade on a leather belt has become a new technique that required a vise and a scrap leather belt. Still working that technique and I hope to perfect it. I clamp one end of the belt in the vise and run the blade across from there. Need to experiment with polishing compound but it does put a refined edge on a blade. It is also a very proven way to dress up a fine edge as proven over several years but like most things, a lost art one usually expects to see at a classic, old school, barber shop.

More on the topic of edged implements than knives, one favorite item that has accompanied me on most of my outdoor trips for the past 35 years is a Finnish bill hook.

This has been great tool dealing with wood "processing" in camp, anything under about 2" in diameter.

I had looked for many years to find another, though only because my original had a long handle and I wanted something shorter. (My original is still going strong). A few years ago, I noticed that http://www.kellamknives.com offered the original red billhooks with wooden handle in three sizes, so was finally able to acquire a short-handled bill hook.

For $90 - $105 these are not exactly machetes, but their sharpness, lightness, and high quality steel make them a joy to wield. For almost anything short of splitting, I find them superior to hatchets, though can't replace a hatchet for tougher tasks.

These are razor sharp, cutting easily through soft woods, but shouldn't be used on very hard woods due to the fine edge geometry.

BTW, Kellam also offers more expensive but beautiful Puukko-style (e.g., Mora) knives.

Paul KK6DYO

Paul - thanks for bringing up the hook. I looked on the site and didn't see a sheath for the hook. Do they offer one? How do you transport it. I assume it is very sharp.

here is a link to Amazon for the Light My Fire Swedish Fireknife. They show a price of just over $28.

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Fire-FireKn ... +fireknife

Using the top of the truck's window seems to be a great method for sharpening knives too. Does anyone have any experience with it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zleVA9y ... FX6BtvsAyL

Roger