Need to get my wife hooked on knives

[Chewy]

So that I can buy more, I'd like to get her started on her own small collection. I'm thinking that it needs to be nice to look at...no WM1 here, that's too stark. She is very tiny, so the knife should be small of handle, although not necessarily short of blade.

Can you give me some suggestions?

Oh, we're not hunters. This would be more on the line of kitchen use, making pointed sticks for marshmallows, and looking stylish in the woods. (No, I'm not being funny.) Since I'll be keeping it sharp, I have to say that I can sharpen a convex blade, but I struggle with bevels, and have never even tried a scandi. I sharpen by hand.

Thanks!!! I'm a long-time lurker, first-time poster.

 

[Toddy]

So that I can buy more, I'd like to get her started on her own small collection. I'm thinking that it needs to be nice to look at...no WM1 here, that's too stark. She is very tiny, so the knife should be small of handle, although not necessarily short of blade.

Can you give me some suggestions?
.

Hello

Now I'm going to take umbrage, 'cos there's no way my new knife is stark, and I've got little hands too, my wedding ring is a size K.
Have a look at this........
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23308&highlight=wm1

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Squidders]

Hi Chewy - what kind of budget did you have in mind?

 

[firebreather]

Have a look at John Millingtons work. He is called singeblister on here and he has a link in his sig. John has loads of really nice stuff and i have 5 of his knives now. His leaf knives are really nice to use and hold and would be perfect for making marshmellow sticks.
No financial connection to John, just mates and a very (5 knives and 1 axe) satisfied customer.
Greg

 

[jon r]

If you want to get her 'hooked' get her a spoon knife

 

[Squidders]

Generally, I'd say Gene Ingram as a good maker of smaller handled knives... I started out by getting my girlfriend a Helle Harding though and she loves it still.

Perhaps maker her one?

 

[Chewy]

Helle was kind of where I was leaning, too. What about the Odel or the Millstone knife?

 

[Squidders]

AAaaaahhhh! sounds like you already had an idea in your mind!!!

The Helle Harding has rose wood... it's always good to give ladies roses mate

 

[Chewy]

I did not know that!

 

[Chewy]

The Harding appears to have a pretty thick handle. My wife has tiny hands. What do you think about the Brusletto Norron?

 

[leon-1]

I think we need to know more.

If you are after custom built then there are a couple that I like and have handled, firstly I would agree with Squidders, Gene Ingram makes absolutely marvelous little knives, I like both the #5 and the #30. Secondly I have used and handled the Bushmans Pal made by Roger Harrington, a very nice well thought out little knife.

Factory produced, the quality that you get with the likes of Helle and Brusletto belies the cost of the knife, I have owned a Hennie for about 4 years and I have owned a Brusletto since the dawn of time.

Blade only, buy the blade, any blade type or style with full or stick tang. Fit whatever scales or handle materials you wish in whatever shape you want in whatever configuration you want. Then make a sheath to the style that you want.

The WM1 is only stark if you have not made one, but you would blow pretty much your total budget on the blade only option before paying for scale material, liners, pins / bolts and then looking at the leather craft and all of the consumables that go into making a knife.

Small stick tang blades like the Lauri PTX are reasonable as far as cost is concerned, the only thing I would worry about would be rust, so maybe a Helle blade, some buffalo horn, some nickel silver and some amboyna or afzelia burl, just to give a nice contrast and you can have a nice little knife that it is totally unique.

Something made specifically for your good lady will make a difference, something made by you to a high standard for her will make a world of difference. Consult her about the wood that you use, as you make it, about the feel of the handle and then finally about the style of the sheath.

 

[TheGreenMan]

...This would be more on the line of kitchen use, making pointed sticks for marshmallows, and looking stylish in the woods. (No, I'm not being funny.) Since I'll be keeping it sharp, I have to say that I can sharpen a convex blade, but I struggle with bevels, and have never even tried a scandi. I sharpen by hand.

I would have no hesitation in recommending a Helle Odel, it’s both beautifully decorative, and the handle is extremely comfortable for the smaller hand. As well as being a real ‘looker’ it’s a very, very sharp blade, and has a non-aggressive look. The only downside is that it can’t be used with a firesteel to generate a spark, as the outer layers of the triple laminated blade are to soft to spark. The other thing being that, as you mention, you are worried about sharpening a knife with a Nordic type grind (large flat bevels) then this too may put you off (actually, it’s a very easy type of grind to sharpen). Another thing to consider is that you mention that it will be used for a good deal of kitchen type duties, so, if you’re a bit of a neat freak in the kitchen department, you may find the ‘wedging’ action of a Nordic grind a little irritating when it comes to neatly slicing hard root vegetables, for instance (this isn’t high up on my personal list of priorities for an outdoor knife, but to many it is).

And so with that in mind, if you have no trouble sharpening a kitchen knife, then I would consider a Gene Ingram, they have a full-height, flat grind cross-section that is closer to a cook’s knife, this would produce much better results with food preparation, and they’ll easily generate a spark from a firesteel, if needed. The other benefit for you would be that they are incredibly stylish, with their minimalist aesthetics, and impeccable level of finish.

Best regards,
Paul.