Heads Up: New RM "Bushcraft Knife" made by SWC

[Chris the Cat]

Scandi David.
Chris.

 

[sasquatch]

Yes to the handle and choil definitely, as for the WS, that's off getting a new sheath made for it so you'll have to wait for that answer.

Is this going to be decked out in some proper vintage leather to match some recent work then Martin? Sounds like Cliff's got his work cut out for him! That'll look great if all your sharps are done in matching leather...

 

[DavidJT]

Scandi David.
Chris.

Thanks. Just wanted to check, because the website says the AW is Scandi too, but it's actually very slightly hollow.

 

[PeterHW]

Until you start sharpening them I think it is very hard to tell whether the scandi grind is straight or slightly hollow....although I have never heard of SWC doing a slight hollow grind edge so it is probably straight...

 

[DavidJT]

Until you start sharpening them I think it is very hard to tell whether the scandi grind is straight or slightly hollow....although I have never heard of SWC doing a slight hollow grind edge so it is probably straight...

Exactly, you don't realize until you start sharpening. I think AW's thinking was that it would make the edge easier to sharpen initially (using the techniques taught at Woodlore), and would eventually sharpen out to a full-flat Scandi.

 

[MartinK9]

Is this going to be decked out in some proper vintage leather to match some recent work then Martin? Sounds like Cliff's got his work cut out for him! That'll look great if all your sharps are done in matching leather...

None left, It all belongs to Cliff

It'll have to stay in its original sheath for now

 

[addo]

Im forging my own for free!!

Great knife though. My first proper knife was a WS Woodlore and did me well. When I learnt how there made I lost interest other peoples knives. Woodlore and Allan Wood started me and many others out enjoying these types of tools, so glad to see them still being produced.

 

[sasquatch]

None left, It all belongs to Cliff

It'll have to stay in its original sheath for now

PM me if you want a piece of leather Martin, I've got a spare piece the perfect size just sat here...go on,pimp that chib!

 

[durulz]

I dont think it is a Woodlore clone fella.. A more suitable description would be the SWC Woodlore, similar to the WS Woodlore..

I think it is. Here's what the Woodlore site says: 'The Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife, with a blade made to the exact same specifications as the original Woodlore Knife'.

'Exact'. The handle may be a different colour, but so what? Don't see what it matters whether it is or isn't a clone anyway. But Woodlore seem to think the two are 'exact'. All those 'bushcraft knives' look the same to me anyway.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Strikes me that Woodlore have gone out of their way to use uninteresting handle material but looking on the bright side this should make for a nice little earner for someone capable of offering a replacement scales service.

Why not "personalise" your RM knife and with no less than the great man's material of choice that I understand is "stag antler" for grip? Then there is mammoth ivory, walrus p***s bone .............................

Cheers

 

[Woodwatcher]

Damn these computers. We had a bit of a tech failure over the last week and only just got back to the forums. What do i find RM has a new knife and no sooner than its out but its out of stock. No surprises there though. nice to see its given us something else to drool over. So what else is new on here then.

 

[Siberianfury]

You're right. I don't know anything about your experience. I apologise.

I meant full tang scandi production knives. To my knowledge, there's the enzo trappers aaaaand that's about it.
Not everyone can afford the time or cost for a custom knife.

Also, I don't feel that spyderco has "cashed in" on the bushcraft scene. To my knowledge, no bushcraft schools or custom makers are providing free services, or doing it just for the love of the job.

As regards the exorbitant prices on the spyderco in the UK, why not buy from the states?

Thankyou to everyone who posted pics of the new SWC knives. They look great.

thats fine mate, i know what you meant.

i dont realy get the diffrent prices of the spyderco, over here its £280, id take the woodlore anyday.
however im fully contented with sharps........for the moment

ATB
Josh

 

[MartinK9]

Snip> however im fully contented with sharps........for the moment

ATB
Josh

Hah,

I said that last Month

 

[eraaij]

Damn these computers. We had a bit of a tech failure over the last week and only just got back to the forums. What do i find RM has a new knife and no sooner than its out but its out of stock. No surprises there though. nice to see its given us something else to drool over. So what else is new on here then.

Sterling Hair and Bushcraft supplies probably bought them all

 

[PeterHW]

Strikes me that Woodlore have gone out of their way to use uninteresting handle material but looking on the bright side this should make for a nice little earner for someone capable of offering a replacement scales service.

Why not "personalise" your RM knife and with no less than the great man's material of choice that I understand is "stag antler" for grip? Then there is mammoth ivory, walrus p***s bone .............................

Cheers

I have considered this...many times...I rang Alan, years ago, when I got my Woodlore to ask if he could re-handle it in Antler...ideally Sambar Antler from India which is thicker and shows less blood distortions...and he said he could'nt...later I learned that Antler was reserved for instructors...

However in fairness my own "user" bushcraft knife is a Hattori knife in Cowry X done by Ichuro himself and which I modified a lot.

Personally after buying enough knives to settle a third world national debt and trying most of them out I found the steel in this knife and the comfort of a hidden tang to be the ultimate in using a knife....

I do find the choil a pain though and love the closeness to the handle of bushcraft knives for fine work...I end up choking up on the grip to do this work but in fairness it is no real big issue....the general use benefits are more than made up for in the knife and it's comfort...although if I were to consider the investment aspect I would change the grips...both on the SWC and the Woodlore to Samber Antler...it just makes the knives so much more asthetically appealing...but given that I use them I am happy that they are both comfortable...they are my next choice after the Hattori knife...

Mick Wardell would be my choice for changing the grips...no specific reason...it perhaps is because Mick is an ex-para and we get on well together...and I have a lot of time for someone who does work for the special clients Mick does and to the standard he makes his knives to...frustratingly for him his knives are moved on by others for tens of thousands of pounds more than he can sell them for individually....but it gives an idea of his "fit and finish"....

 

[Siberianfury]

Hah,

I said that last Month

LMAO, and look where we are now, mr 3 woodlores

 

[PeterHW]

Well I took the SWC Bushcraft knife out today for a bit of a play today...also took the Woodlore....thought I would try an edge retention test by doing fuzz sticks...not enough daylight I'm afraid....the edges on these knives are both excellent and outlasted me....after a few hours at it...about 1hr 30 mins each....I had a huge pile of these which are now burning away in my stove with more to spare...so I am nicely stocked up for the weekend.

My impressions were that I found the slimmer grip on the SWC more comfortable around the bird beak pommel/lanyard hole...my Woodlore might need a little wet and dry round the eyelet as it is a little rough there in comparison...and the wood on the SWC is better quality...hard as nails...very much like desert iron wood....despite the church pew looks I am definately becoming a fan of this stuff...it is better wood than the Woodlore grips.

The wood on the Woodlore is a fair bit softer and can show dinks and finger nail marks in comparison. Really am thinking about changing these grips. The SWC ones are "top notch" though.

But that is about all I could determine...the blades seem to be each as good as the other...and both have very good edge retention....doing normal tasks you would need a fair few days at it to find which was best. Maybe "cardboard" would sort it out quicker but someone else can do that....I don't see the point....when they are good they are good ..... You can comfortably do a day's work with either and then restore the edge of an evening...which is all I need.

It was raining hard up in the Pennines ( as it often is where I live ) so the digital camera stayed in the rucksack...in hind sight I should have got a waterproof model...

I believe we are due some sunshine over the weekend though and will post some more pic's if I can....