Alan Wood/Ray Mears Woodlore knife

[MMarshall]

Hello all, just wondering if there might be any interest in an old Alan Wood Woodlore that I've had stored for what must be 15+ years? It is the hollow grind version which dates it specifically I believe if one reads up Alan Wood's own commentary on the history of this knife on his website.

It was delivered unsharpened which I thought odd at the time, and it remained unused until I attended a few Woodsmoke courses a few years later, at which point on the 3rd course (Axe workshop) I sharpened it using my newly acquired skills and used it during that 2 day course. Perhaps Ironically I met Ben Orford on that course (he was lead instructing the workshop and I might add is a truly outstanding bloke and superlative instructor) who showed me his own personal Antler handled knife and agreed to make me one just like his. Needless to say - perhaps - I was over the moon when I eventually took delivery of Ben's knife which has been my main working knife ever since. The Alan Wood/Ray Mears has remained unused but meticulously cared for ever since.

I have come close to offering it up for sale many times over the years, since it is just wrong that such a quality piece of work remain unused, yet something has always stopped me each time. It is just very very difficult to part with, I guess partly due to it's psychological significance to me.

Anyway, the time has come, due to financial pressures as well as a gnawing guilt that never goes away that it really must go to someone who will actually use it as it was intended to be, rather than gathering dust in a drawer feeling sorry for itself!

I will describe it's condition as EXC+++ . This is NOT a mint, unused article, and it is not the boxed version that came years later. It is one of the much earlier versions - though not the earliest Scandi grind versions - and as stated was used once for one weekend some 10 years ago and has been very carefully stored ever since.

Not sure if I can post pictures yet, though I have lots, but will do so as soon as I can. I am NOT desperate to sell, so will only let this go at what seems a 'Fair current market price'. If you are serious and interested I would invite private offers. I would much prefer to make the sale/exchange in person/cash and would be prepared to travel to some extent to do so.

Any questions do fire away. Best regards to all.

 

[Dave]

Hier mate, no criticism intended, but its a forum rule you gotta post a price......Cheers.

Good luck with the sale.

 

[MMarshall]

Hi Dave, apologies and thanks for steering me right!

OK - deep breath - and sorry for any offence not intended, I will say £600.

 

[Wigate]

Any pictues please. Thanks.

 

[Toddy]

I know he said he's prepared to travel, but Hong Kong might just be a 'tad' far

M

 

[Wigate]

Haha. Paypal and such. Nothing RM couldnt fix. Its for a newly joined bushcraft member on this forum. A business friend who is German. I only recently knew that he akeen bushcraft person and a top Chef.

 

[Wigate]

I knew him as a Chef for 20 years. But never knew his keen interest in Bushcraft.

 

[Wigate]

He also lives in HK

 

[MMarshall]

Hi, here's one to be going on with - seem to have misplaced the others temporarily. Sorry Wigate, you've lost me for the moment...a joke I'm not in on?!

 

[Macaroon]

Am I missing something here? Is that a Scandi grind in the picture or a Hollow grind?

 

[MMarshall]

Greetings Macaroon

Check the top line of my OP >>

 

[Macaroon]

Greetings Macaroon

Check the top line of my OP >>

I did read it - and I read the Alan Wood history page in which there seems to be a picture of one like yours and another which looks like a hollow grind; yours looks to me like the Scandi one.

I'm no expert, that's why I asked whether there's something I'm missing..........Scandi grind is sort of unmistakeable, I always thought?

 

[Klenchblaize]

Am I missing something here? Is that a Scandi grind in the picture or a Hollow grind?

You can't miss "£600"!

K
past

 

[Bluebs4]

Alan has said it was slightly hollow , iv tried to sharpen mine on a flat stone and you do get that effect (as in the chaps photo) in which you can see the hollow grind .

 

[AndyP]

Am I missing something here? Is that a Scandi grind in the picture or a Hollow grind?

Its 100% a scandi grind.

I'm unsure if the OP is thinking that the 'Scandinavia grind' is actually slightly hollow, which would be correct as you can see the sharpening wear at the top and bottom of the grind.

A true 'flat' scandi grind and you wouldn't see these marks.

 

[MMarshall]

Oh dear, already inciting controversy on the board inside my first 10 posts!

Thanks for the supporting experience Bluebs4

>AndyP/Macaroon - if it helps at all, I did consult on this very matter with far far more experienced/talented individuals than myself while on the aforementioned Woodsmoke Axe workshop - specifically Ben Orford and Ben Mcnutt - who specifically told me it was a hollow grind..! To be perfectly honest, I would have been none the wiser otherwise! I am simply passing on exactly what the '2 Bens' told me...

 

[Macaroon]

Oh dear, already inciting controversy on the board inside my first 10 posts!

Thanks for the supporting experience Bluebs4

>AndyP/Macaroon - if it helps at all, I did consult on this very matter with far far more experienced/talented individuals than myself while on the aforementioned Woodsmoke Axe workshop - specifically Ben Orford and Ben Mcnutt - who specifically told me it was a hollow grind..! To be perfectly honest, I would have been none the wiser otherwise! I am simply passing on exactly what the '2 Bens' told me...

Fair enough, MM; I wasn't trying to be at all controversial, but I think I understand now.....................................

 

[MMarshall]

Just been back to the AW site to re-read/examine the page in question:

Macaroon, are you referring to the top picture with the Woodlore knife above the Tufnol handled knife that he states he originally loaned to Ray in the early development process? If so, perhaps you are confusing the very obviously different appearance/grind of these 2 knives. Obviously in this case, my knife looks clearly akin to the Woodlore above the Tufnol version.

The hollow grind we are referring to on the knife in my possession is of the type referred to by Alan later in the article - about midway through, where he states: "Given that these early blades were in the hands of practising bushcraft people I had a few returned for reconditioning of the edge bevel and found people weren’t laying the whole bevel flat on the hone during sharpening so creating a thick secondary bevel which destroyed the cutting ability. I decided that it would be best to supply the blades with a mild hollow grind similar to that produced when a knife is reground on a Tormek or similar machine. This would allow users much speedier sharpening sessions in the early stages when they weren’t so skilled or patient."

Hopefully to clarify further, the 'Hollow grind' is actually not visible on an unsharpened specimen without close examination in the flesh so to speak; it is as Alan says "a mild hollow grind" . It becomes more apparent to the trained eye on a sharpened example (until the hollow is eventually sharpened out with repeated sharpening, hence Alan's point about "..speedier sharpening sessions in the early stages when they weren’t so skilled or patient."). I hope this clarifies matters rather than confusing them further!

 

[AndyP]

Just been back to the AW site to re-read/examine the page in question:

Macaroon, are you referring to the top picture with the Woodlore knife above the Tufnol handled knife that he states he originally loaned to Ray in the early development process? If so, perhaps you are confusing the very obviously different appearance/grind of these 2 knives. Obviously in this case, my knife looks clearly akin to the Woodlore above the Tufnol version.

The hollow grind we are referring to on the knife in my possession is of the type referred to by Alan later in the article - about midway through, where he states: "Given that these early blades were in the hands of practising bushcraft people I had a few returned for reconditioning of the edge bevel and found people weren’t laying the whole bevel flat on the hone during sharpening so creating a thick secondary bevel which destroyed the cutting ability. I decided that it would be best to supply the blades with a mild hollow grind similar to that produced when a knife is reground on a Tormek or similar machine. This would allow users much speedier sharpening sessions in the early stages when they weren’t so skilled or patient."

Hopefully to clarify further, the 'Hollow grind' is actually not visible on an unsharpened specimen without close examination in the flesh so to speak; it is as Alan says "a mild hollow grind" . It becomes more apparent to the trained eye on a sharpened example (until the hollow is eventually sharpened out with repeated sharpening, hence Alan's point about "..speedier sharpening sessions in the early stages when they weren’t so skilled or patient."). I hope this clarifies matters rather than confusing them further!

Thats what I said...

 

[MMarshall]

Umm, OK, didn't quite read that way to me but fair enough!