Back in the latter part of this past summer I was given the opportunity to purchase and test this prototype (leather slab handle) Bushlore from a man named Rick Marchand, founder of Wildertools In Wheatly, Ontario Canada.
Rick Marchand
Wildertools
Wheatley, Ontario
Canada
www.wildertools.com
rickmarchand@wildertools.com
With me having a major fondness for leather handled knives and having both seen many photos of Ricks work and having heard many good things said about it by people who'm I know for a fact know what a working knife is supposed to be like, I of course jumped at that opportunity.
I have only had the knife for a few months, and Winter is just now upon me here in this part of the world so the tests are far from over but I am very pleased with the results so far
Upon opening the package I was very impressed with the simple elegance of what I saw. I love the graceful lines of the Scandi style sheath which, while being simple in design,is obviously made by hand with painstaking care by a true craftsman with just enough small details as to be pleasing to the eye and not be overly busy or complicated. The stitching is done in superb fashion and the rivets are in perfect placement in the locations that will receive the most stress over time. I absolutely love the shades of the mottled color pattern which create a natural camouflage pattern which looks right at home out in the natural world.
Upon drawing the knife from it's sheath I was firstly very impressed with how perfect the fit was, Rick does an amazing job at forming his sheaths to their blades. Secondly I was immediately aware of how good the knife felt in my hand. The handle feels really comfortable in the hand and has a great shape for a firm but comfortable grip. Then upon feeling the edge I was very pleased to learn of Rick's ability, of which I had previously heard, to put an amazing edge on a blade. The density I feel in the hand forged 01 steel blade is fantastic and after moving it around in my hand a bit and feeling the heft that belies the size of the knife my first words were "now this is a knife". The positive energy Rick puts into his blades is obvious upon looking and to me even tangible in the feel. Even with the wonderful heft and density of the blade in the hand on the belt one could easily forget they are even carrying a knife except for the subtle movements while walking.
Since that day I have used this knife for many tasks and chores for which the angle of the blade to the handles seems to be perfectly suited...this knife is very user friendly.
I have used this knife to make tinder for may fire demonstrations...
and Sarah, my oldest daughter for whom the knife was originally bought (that is now subject to change change ) has used it to practice her fire craft a few times as well.
I have used it more than once for food prep in my kitchen
and for whittling and notching cooking sticks for out door cooking
I have even used this knife in the gathering,and cutting of wild onions which I often use in my cooking.
and those are just the times that I had a camera handy. I have used this knife to cut cordage and rope, cloth and leather and as a steak knife on a couple of occasions. Yes this knife has gone on many hikes with me and performed many tasks in the past few months and I have been very well pleased at how well it performed them all. In the thirty six years that I have been crrying fixed bladed knives, having grown up in a family of hunters, trappers, and fishermen where much of what people call bushcraft was simply our way of life, I have never been more pleased with a knife purchase. Hopefully it will get to process some fish for some fire grilling soon and we will see what all else after that.
Awesome job bro, very well done! Thanks for making such an outstanding tool.
Rick Marchand
Wildertools
Wheatley, Ontario
Canada
www.wildertools.com
rickmarchand@wildertools.com
With me having a major fondness for leather handled knives and having both seen many photos of Ricks work and having heard many good things said about it by people who'm I know for a fact know what a working knife is supposed to be like, I of course jumped at that opportunity.
I have only had the knife for a few months, and Winter is just now upon me here in this part of the world so the tests are far from over but I am very pleased with the results so far
Upon opening the package I was very impressed with the simple elegance of what I saw. I love the graceful lines of the Scandi style sheath which, while being simple in design,is obviously made by hand with painstaking care by a true craftsman with just enough small details as to be pleasing to the eye and not be overly busy or complicated. The stitching is done in superb fashion and the rivets are in perfect placement in the locations that will receive the most stress over time. I absolutely love the shades of the mottled color pattern which create a natural camouflage pattern which looks right at home out in the natural world.
Upon drawing the knife from it's sheath I was firstly very impressed with how perfect the fit was, Rick does an amazing job at forming his sheaths to their blades. Secondly I was immediately aware of how good the knife felt in my hand. The handle feels really comfortable in the hand and has a great shape for a firm but comfortable grip. Then upon feeling the edge I was very pleased to learn of Rick's ability, of which I had previously heard, to put an amazing edge on a blade. The density I feel in the hand forged 01 steel blade is fantastic and after moving it around in my hand a bit and feeling the heft that belies the size of the knife my first words were "now this is a knife". The positive energy Rick puts into his blades is obvious upon looking and to me even tangible in the feel. Even with the wonderful heft and density of the blade in the hand on the belt one could easily forget they are even carrying a knife except for the subtle movements while walking.
Since that day I have used this knife for many tasks and chores for which the angle of the blade to the handles seems to be perfectly suited...this knife is very user friendly.
I have used this knife to make tinder for may fire demonstrations...
and Sarah, my oldest daughter for whom the knife was originally bought (that is now subject to change change ) has used it to practice her fire craft a few times as well.
I have used it more than once for food prep in my kitchen
and for whittling and notching cooking sticks for out door cooking
I have even used this knife in the gathering,and cutting of wild onions which I often use in my cooking.
and those are just the times that I had a camera handy. I have used this knife to cut cordage and rope, cloth and leather and as a steak knife on a couple of occasions. Yes this knife has gone on many hikes with me and performed many tasks in the past few months and I have been very well pleased at how well it performed them all. In the thirty six years that I have been crrying fixed bladed knives, having grown up in a family of hunters, trappers, and fishermen where much of what people call bushcraft was simply our way of life, I have never been more pleased with a knife purchase. Hopefully it will get to process some fish for some fire grilling soon and we will see what all else after that.
Awesome job bro, very well done! Thanks for making such an outstanding tool.
.
