Felleskap!!

[Croc]

Earlier in this thread there was mention made of the pros and cons of stick & full tang blades and why anyone should ever want to ask a Norwegian Knife Maker to produce a full tang blade.

Well as it was I who asked Trond to make a woodloreish blade in the first place I guess I’d better explain.

1. I have only been on the British Blades and Bushcraft forums for a few months.
2. I did not realise that I was committing a knife etiquette crime in asking a Scandi Maker to produce such a blade.
3. I had seen blade blanks available from a few different sources and always fancied making a knife, even if only putting on the handle.
4. I became aware of Trond’s work, checked out his web-site and thought I’ll buy some (stick tang) blade blanks….then though I wonder if he could make me something similar to this Woodlore Knife that there all raving about on B.B. (so I bought both the Felleskap… and a few stick tang blades)
5. Most (if not all) of the fixed blade knives that I have are full tang, and I guess that I never considered a stick tang knife, or the issues of strength.
6. Insulation from the cold is not an issue for me (if its cold I’ll wear gloves).
7. I work in a Herpetarium where the rooms are kept at 28c (to keep the snakes happy) and if I’m overseas it will be Desert or Rainforest conditions.
8. I know what I like in a knife and what works for me.
9. Although I have seen many of the Ray Mears programmes, I was unaware that there was much interest in Bushcraft here in the UK (until I joined the forums).
10. Bushcraft seems to be a cold climate activity?
11. I may not have done any “Bushcraft” per se, BUT I have done plenty of field, research & volunteer work in some very remote areas (Cameroon & Nigeria for example) where I am carrying blades all the time both as working tools and for protection…..generally, I sleep with a fixed blade in my bed or hammock.
12. I have been taught by the local people where to get water, start fires (and keep them going) and other skills that would be called Bushcraft.
13. I don’t have a problem with cross over pieces (look how popular the Americanised Tanto became)….I just hope Trond is not banished for his sins.

I am very pleased with my Felleskap, it is the first knife that I have made (OK, put handle on). I have enjoyed doing it and I hope that everyone else has as much fun.

 

[Martyn]

Earlier in this thread there was mention made of the pros and cons of stick & full tang blades and why anyone should ever want to ask a Norwegian Knife Maker to produce a full tang blade.

2. I did not realise that I was committing a knife etiquette crime in asking a Scandi Maker to produce such a blade.

There's no breach of ettiquete, there is no ettiquete.

A knife maker will make anything you want, within certain limiting factors. Scandinavian makers tend to make pretty homogenous knives that are rooted in centuries of tradition, but that doesnt mean they are unwilling or incapable of other styles. Some of them may be unwilling to diversify, but that would be more likely because of the change in working practice making it more difficult to complete your request within a certain price point. Others, may not be able to complete your request, because of technical difficulties. Stick tangs are generally easier to make than full tangs, not that full tangs are difficult. When looking at the fors & againsts, you have to remember it's largely an academic argument and you shouldn't carry over any implications for ettiquete or any such thing.

It is an absolute fact that a full tang knife is a stronger construction method than a stick tang, to suggest otherwise is ludicrous. The debate is not about which is the stronger construction method (that's a given), it's about whether it makes any difference. Most well constructed stick tangs will take more abuse than you would ever normally throw at a knife, so it real terms, it makes no difference which you choose. The makers and sellers of stick tang knives are very keen to point this out, and do so with passion because it's their business. They just want to make sure people understand that there are no real world practical benefits of one type over the other. It boils down to your personal preference as a consumer.

For me, I like the "built like a tank" sense of confidence you get from a full tang blade, that I know will take an insane amount of unrealistic and OTT abuse. For that reason, they will usually be my first choice. Even though I'm fully aware that in real terms, there is no practical benefit of one style over the other. That's my choice as a consumer. If I want someone to make me a full tang knife, I have no qualms whatsoever about asking for one, whether they are from Scandinavia, America or the moon. It's my money!

 

[Trond]

Wel, first of all i would like to take the opportunity to thank Crock for giving me the kick in the a** to make a fuller blade. I have beene thinking about making a full tang blade for some time, but just never got the time to make it, cause there was so many orders on stick tang blades. When he askede me to make a "woodloreìsh" blade, I thought id make a blade that was not a copy of woodlore, cause i do not make copys, dont like to make copys of other peoples work, the blade shape, is not a original shape from woodlore, that shape i have made hundreds of blades before. The handle on the other hand, with the guard i had not made before, and i wanted a handle that in my mind looked a litle more designed, than the woodlore wich i find the shape to be a litle to "stiff" I tried to have the lines from the blade continue into the handle, and made the handle a litle more "weak" in the back where the landyard hole is, this to give the knife more balance. If I succeded is not up to me to judge, that is up to all the kind people that bought the blade.
Now, let it be said straight away, that there are several makers in norway, denmark and sweden that makes fuller blades, and there is no banning for making such blades.

And to Martyn, IMH it is not easier to make a stick tang blade, it is a different method, and i can make three stick tangs at the same time as i make one fuller. But, as i wil show in the hammerin, to make a stick tang blade is not easy, the stick tangs that i make are forged, tappered three layers, while the full tang is stock removal. (And i love to forge, and i hate to grind)