CC survival tool
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Certainly wouldn't fancy digging/hacking out a fire pit with a 300 quid knife like I have a couple of times with a machete. The way it goes through wood is pretty impressive though.
That said I like Cuban cigars which is literally money up in smoke so I guess it's all relative.
In passing cool avatar pic Zorro (aka Spartacus)
That said I like Cuban cigars which is literally money up in smoke so I guess it's all relative.
In passing cool avatar pic Zorro (aka Spartacus)
Most flights from the UK only allow 20kg of baggage now... If you're off to the jungle It would eat a big hole in your allowance. If you think you may need a parang the best bet is to buy a native one for about £5 locally and be assured it's been made by the people who's very lives depend on a good knife sutable for the terrain you're travelling in.
Agreed you don't need expensive parang to have functionality of a parang/survival tool should have. This cheap parang would do just fine even better than expensive one. this one only cost less than 50 Ringgit Malaysia around 7pound UK
this parang picture is from my site at http://rainforestoutdoor.com . I bought one at Tamu Kota Belud Market, Sabah during my expedition to Mount Tambuyukon Sabah Malaysia in November 2010. very good and sharp parang indeed for camping and outdoor activities...
£300 for a sodding parang. - no thanks.
I can think of a thousand things I would rather spend that amount of money on.
as said - fiver for one made out there - job done.
Andy
I can think of a thousand things I would rather spend that amount of money on.
as said - fiver for one made out there - job done.
Andy
OK, now things are getting interesting... something original? I doubt it but I am waiting to hear all about it 
Well what are the general thoughts on his New Chris Caine CC-SK
A bit more info on this is needed methinks.
come across it while booking another course details can be found athttp://www.wildernessessentials.co.uk/ChrisCainesurvivalknife.html
I've been carrying the CC-ST since Mid-February on most of my journeys into the woods here in Canada. The blade doesn't feel heavy or off-balance, but from what has been educated to me, experience + strength + body weight = what feels balanced. I'm a 6 foot tall man that has handled axes my entire life. I'm also heavier set than most folks that you see teaching wilderness skills, so that could also have something to do with the balance. However for me this style of parang swings like a precision tool.
I can speak for the edge retention, as I took it to everything other than rock just to see if I could damage it. So far there has only been one chip, and it was so minuscule it took a magnifying lens to find the damage. Bone, Cherry, oak, beech, ash, hickory, hemlock and maple all split and carved well under her edge, and yet I could carve delicately afterwards. Made half a dozen deadfall triggers and gutted 15 trout right after chopping down poplars, basswoods, ash and hemlock.
I had the poles for an entire family-sized wigwam gathered in less than half an hour, while my colleagues' machetes and kukris were barely getting the job done in twice the time. All edges were sharpened equally, but the CC-ST had the weight behind her. She also handled the peeling of bark, cutting of thatching and the carving of small items such as spoon blanks, tent pegs and even a small mask. You want balance? That was balanced.
I have an entire review on the blade on a website I work for, but I won't spam on here, so if anyone wants to know more, just pm me and I'll send you a link.
Honestly? I love it. Some people may want to split hairs about what sort of blade it is, what kinda name it has, who designed it originally versus who innovated it, yadda yadda.. but really.. it does the job incredibly well, and I've actually substituted my Gransfors axe, all my tomahawks and my Nepalese Kukri with just this one knife.
I can speak for the edge retention, as I took it to everything other than rock just to see if I could damage it. So far there has only been one chip, and it was so minuscule it took a magnifying lens to find the damage. Bone, Cherry, oak, beech, ash, hickory, hemlock and maple all split and carved well under her edge, and yet I could carve delicately afterwards. Made half a dozen deadfall triggers and gutted 15 trout right after chopping down poplars, basswoods, ash and hemlock.
I had the poles for an entire family-sized wigwam gathered in less than half an hour, while my colleagues' machetes and kukris were barely getting the job done in twice the time. All edges were sharpened equally, but the CC-ST had the weight behind her. She also handled the peeling of bark, cutting of thatching and the carving of small items such as spoon blanks, tent pegs and even a small mask. You want balance? That was balanced.
I have an entire review on the blade on a website I work for, but I won't spam on here, so if anyone wants to know more, just pm me and I'll send you a link.
Honestly? I love it. Some people may want to split hairs about what sort of blade it is, what kinda name it has, who designed it originally versus who innovated it, yadda yadda.. but really.. it does the job incredibly well, and I've actually substituted my Gransfors axe, all my tomahawks and my Nepalese Kukri with just this one knife.
The price of the parang has dropped significantly since this thread was started, it is now £194.
http://www.chriscainesurvival.com/tool.shtml
http://www.chriscainesurvival.com/tool.shtml
I have to say that they way this thread went irked me slightly, the question was about the tool, nothing else.
From what I can gather, the design was one that both Lofty and Chris came up with, yes it is a lot like the Oakwood survival knife, which isn't manufactured any more.
Unlike most who posted, I have one, it is reasonably heavy but I find the forward weight assists in the chopping action, there are various grips that can be used for a number of different tasks, the limitation is more with the user than the blade itself. The quality of manufacture is excellent and the customer service is second to none. Not every Golok or Parang will perform the same as this one, certainly not the military issue Golok that is affectionatley known as a 'tree beater'. I know it isn't very good because I used it in the jungle for 6 weeks and thats the reason that those who go to the jungle don't use them, they get locally made ones. No blade is going to be all things to all men and so no, not everyone is going to like it, but I happen to. As for the cost, its horses for courses, I don't intend to buy another one because this one should last me a life time, so its an investment.
As someone else pointed out, who has a Woodlore or a Woodlore clone that they paid hundreds of pounds for, I do. I have an Alan Wood woodlore that I don't use because I don't like the handle shape, my main user is a Wilkinson sword Woodlore with a mikarta handle that SWMBO got me one Christmas, which for me is perfect.
I have no connection with Chris Caine, I have never me the bloke, but I like the CCST and I found some of the comments churlish and unnecessary.
Brian
From what I can gather, the design was one that both Lofty and Chris came up with, yes it is a lot like the Oakwood survival knife, which isn't manufactured any more.
Unlike most who posted, I have one, it is reasonably heavy but I find the forward weight assists in the chopping action, there are various grips that can be used for a number of different tasks, the limitation is more with the user than the blade itself. The quality of manufacture is excellent and the customer service is second to none. Not every Golok or Parang will perform the same as this one, certainly not the military issue Golok that is affectionatley known as a 'tree beater'. I know it isn't very good because I used it in the jungle for 6 weeks and thats the reason that those who go to the jungle don't use them, they get locally made ones. No blade is going to be all things to all men and so no, not everyone is going to like it, but I happen to. As for the cost, its horses for courses, I don't intend to buy another one because this one should last me a life time, so its an investment.
As someone else pointed out, who has a Woodlore or a Woodlore clone that they paid hundreds of pounds for, I do. I have an Alan Wood woodlore that I don't use because I don't like the handle shape, my main user is a Wilkinson sword Woodlore with a mikarta handle that SWMBO got me one Christmas, which for me is perfect.
I have no connection with Chris Caine, I have never me the bloke, but I like the CCST and I found some of the comments churlish and unnecessary.
Brian
Its good to hear from a couple of owners/users of something like this, thanks for your input fella's.
Rob
Rob
But a knife is a knife, a good cigar is a smoke!
Do you think it was a weight thing? Ie because of the weight it works more like an axe or billhook?
Or did technique/experience/ability play a part?
Anyone use a folding saw?
Did you let anyone else use it, and they got the same results. More importantly, have now bought one?
That was the big thing for me, was there a trade of between the weight, and the userabillity. Which it seems not.
Been thinking about a Kukri or a machete, but this makes me think stick to your Billhook.
For me, cost is very important.
Also there is no way, in any way shape or form, I would want to screw over Lofty!
Sell it, have you seen the prices?
That is the thing that scares me about these high end items, to have something like that arrive, and then hate it.
Which brings me back to my other point, if you going to part with this sort of money, see a maker.
The problem, I think, for some of the posters was this is basically another design, which was branded to someone else.
I really agree that it is good to hear from people who have them, and like them. One of the main problems with these threads is often they go round and round because the people who know the answers do not post.
Minatour,
Fair one about the price mate, yes it is fairly expensive, but less so than many hand made knives that are much smaller. Less than both Woodlore knives currently in production, the SWC version sold out in under 2 1/2 hours this week, how many of those who purchased them had ever handled one? I work thousands of miles away at the moment and only get a few months off a year, so I don't really have the time to visit designers to get one made at the moment mate.
The CC ST is similar to the original version made for Lofty Wiseman. I'm sure it used to be on Chris' site that the knife was designed by him and lofty using lofty's years of experience, so its going to resemble the parang design in some way, shape or form.
The Woodlore knife has been copied by numerous designers but there doesn't seem to be the same critisism of those knife makers does there, that was one of the things I found strange.
Yep, I have seen the price of Woodlores mate, might sell one day.
Brian
Fair one about the price mate, yes it is fairly expensive, but less so than many hand made knives that are much smaller. Less than both Woodlore knives currently in production, the SWC version sold out in under 2 1/2 hours this week, how many of those who purchased them had ever handled one? I work thousands of miles away at the moment and only get a few months off a year, so I don't really have the time to visit designers to get one made at the moment mate.
The CC ST is similar to the original version made for Lofty Wiseman. I'm sure it used to be on Chris' site that the knife was designed by him and lofty using lofty's years of experience, so its going to resemble the parang design in some way, shape or form.
The Woodlore knife has been copied by numerous designers but there doesn't seem to be the same critisism of those knife makers does there, that was one of the things I found strange.
Yep, I have seen the price of Woodlores mate, might sell one day.
Brian
Minotaur,
I let a few students and colleagues handle the CCST, so far it's all been thumbs up.. well.. except for one colleague who jokingly said "I still prefer my Mora, cuz that's all anyone will ever need".. jokingly because he knows you can't split cord wood with a mora easily, no matter how much any of us wish!
They all noticed a good balance to her, and many of them were new to using large blades. Others compared her to the blades we had at hand (several axes, machetes and again, a kukri) and they have all said this Parang seems to have the best for them. Now of course, I know such a tool won't meet everyone's needs, but to have that many people that impressed with her? Well that said something to me. Was it just my size and experience? Maybe in certain circumstances, but we had short, tall, light, and heavy people of both genders use it and they all liked the CCST, so I don't know. It just seems to feel right to most folks.
From my experience with folding saws (Bahco, Japanese saws, cheap saws, Trailblazer, etc), they are convenient for detailed notching and sawing of small wood. However in the long run if I am to remain in the woods, I want a non-folding saw, that is as long as my arm and at least as handspan and a half. Either a bucksaw or a bowsaw. From my research even Mors Kochanski seems to agree. However, yes, we had one person cutting wood with me, using his saw while I used this parang design. Though in an inexperienced hand, I would agree the parang would be more dangerous, I was doing detailed chops with no danger to myself or others. Am I master of big blades? No, and I doubt I ever will be. But I have experience with them, and that is what matters. I was outcutting him by a landslide.
I like Billhooks, axes, and all other "large blades". I'm never going to say the end-all be-all is a CCST, or else I wouldn't still own my other knives and axes. But at this time, I am perfectly comfortable with her, even in the thick of the Canadian Boreal.
I let a few students and colleagues handle the CCST, so far it's all been thumbs up.. well.. except for one colleague who jokingly said "I still prefer my Mora, cuz that's all anyone will ever need".. jokingly because he knows you can't split cord wood with a mora easily, no matter how much any of us wish!
They all noticed a good balance to her, and many of them were new to using large blades. Others compared her to the blades we had at hand (several axes, machetes and again, a kukri) and they have all said this Parang seems to have the best for them. Now of course, I know such a tool won't meet everyone's needs, but to have that many people that impressed with her? Well that said something to me. Was it just my size and experience? Maybe in certain circumstances, but we had short, tall, light, and heavy people of both genders use it and they all liked the CCST, so I don't know. It just seems to feel right to most folks.
From my experience with folding saws (Bahco, Japanese saws, cheap saws, Trailblazer, etc), they are convenient for detailed notching and sawing of small wood. However in the long run if I am to remain in the woods, I want a non-folding saw, that is as long as my arm and at least as handspan and a half. Either a bucksaw or a bowsaw. From my research even Mors Kochanski seems to agree. However, yes, we had one person cutting wood with me, using his saw while I used this parang design. Though in an inexperienced hand, I would agree the parang would be more dangerous, I was doing detailed chops with no danger to myself or others. Am I master of big blades? No, and I doubt I ever will be. But I have experience with them, and that is what matters. I was outcutting him by a landslide.
I like Billhooks, axes, and all other "large blades". I'm never going to say the end-all be-all is a CCST, or else I wouldn't still own my other knives and axes. But at this time, I am perfectly comfortable with her, even in the thick of the Canadian Boreal.
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