Recommendations for someone to modify knife

[Janne]

Very useful graph.
I guess it applies to the average Western quality knife steels.

The Japanese kitchen knifes are hardened to a higher degree than ours, and they like to have an edge angle of 12 - 14 degrees.
I have some of those knives, various steels including where the core/edge steel is made from Powder steels.
The result is a scarily sharp edge, and weirdly enough it lasts well. I guess more prone to chipping though.

The Sandviken steel Morakniv uses is also us d by some Japanese knife makers, and they harden to a much higher level than M. does. Higher than Sandviken AB states should be done.
It is a science beyond me.

 

[Muskett]

Buy a Skrama, it will do all your camp and pole work; they are back in stock. Get the leather sheath or a British Army Bayonet Frog off the bay for £4. Use a Silky Saw to cut logs. Small Forest Axe if you must, but they are pretty specialised. Good tools don't have to cost a bomb.

You have bought yourself a monster chopper in that knife. Sadly they can't compete with an axe. They are also too unwieldily due to their bulk and make a poor knife.
An axe grind works because it chips out chunks of wood with force. Its got a 2lbs head on a long wooden shaft so wood is going to fly. No knife competes with this.
Fine thin machetes cut things because they are keen and going at high velocity. Too hard a wood and they ring ding and don't cut far. Best for brush or jungle foliage.

Sadly, there is a fashion for big brute thick knife blades. For all the effort and skill making them they really aren't much cop at anything. The big Busse and the ESSE Junglhas for all their popularity just aren't that useful, but they are bought because they are mean and manly! I really have a problem with this style, better off with a proper Billhook. These big blades can't chop like an axe. They are heavy so difficult to control and rubbish for smaller tasks. Heavy to carry far, so relegated to the truck. When sharp at best they are fair but takes real technique to get them to do any real work. In the swing difficult to control and poor at catching the cut on thin springy stuff. Once committed they are hard to stop. If they fail to bite they skid off and as dangerous as any axe. For a whole lot of effort they don't do anything much well. Even as a batton froe its rare to need that kind of thickness. Lastly, they may well be thick steel but if overly hardened, poorly heat treated, are as likely to break as anything else.
Sell it on to those who collect this fashion.
Just in case you think I'm giving you a hard time I do have a choice few high cost knives, but they are bought for their aesthetic appeal and the Custom maker skill. I don't use them much. Different hobby.

Spend your money on a good folder, Benchmade or Spyderco. Some on a nice 4 to 5" sheath knife (a Terava 110 is plenty good, and comes from the same place as the Skrama). A good Silky Saw F180. If you want to blow a wad then Titanium Cooking pots or a Titanium Canteen. Plenty of Gukki kit to spend money on. Best to spend it on the Adventure. Kit used gets a beating and pretty mucky, best to have proper work tools that are efficient at work.
I like the Skrama, but also have a Ben Orford Eban Parang which are very nice too (best for green woods, snedding).

 

[Janne]

I have two billhooks, one ancient ( Marttiini, mid 70's) made from Carbon steel, that cuts beautifully, and can be used as a knife (in worst case) then a modern Fiskars one ( 2010 or so) , that is virtually useless except for chopping branches.
I understand now it is not only the steel, but also the angle of the edge, the Marttiini has a much thinner edge area. It is lighter, shorter, but cuts much more efficiently.

 

[Muskett]

KnifeEater, forgot to answer your question.
To take your knife down to a sensible size, weight, and grind, someone is going to have to take a whole lot of metal off. As its been tempered its on the hard side so in truth a basic fresh start. Almost easier to start with a billet of steel.
Knife making is an art to get the balance and feel right so its not just whittling it down a bit, well not most of the time. Half is in the heat treatment. Every custom maker has their own methods to get the steel to do what they want; different steel different tricks. Well you hope they know how to get the best out of a certain steel. Thats why buying a custom knife is buying into the talent of the custom maker; why some makers have a higher reputation than others. Above the technology and steel a great maker adds some magic and hopefully some luck into his blades (the kind of luck that a knife can last generations).

Which is why I suggested selling it to someone who collects this style and wants an example from this maker. Many collection style blades are more fashion than practical. As a Zombie slayer it might well be perfection as is?!! Just what someone is looking for.

I put my suggestions for practical utility tools earlier. All efficient and effective for the woods and bushcrafty work.

Good luck.

 

[juliojordio1983]

Just another vote of confidence for the Skrama from me too. Its exceptional for the money. I too went for the basic sheath, and bought a frog bayonet sheath and slipped the whole thing into that. It could be pettier, but it can now be carried on your belt/strapped to a pack. I don't belt carry mine, I just pull it out my bag when I need it. Its excellent and chopping, snedding, splitting.

The dual grind is useful, but I don't tend to use mine for any of the finer tasks, its just there if I want something big, with good power, but I don't want to reach for my axe. I see the Skrama as a blade that sits in between my usual fixed blade on my belt (Fiddleback Forge Bushfinger) and my GB Scandi Axe.

In the summer months I can see me leaving my axe at home, and getting by perfectly with just the Skrama.

For £60 or whatever they cost, I can honestly say its the best £60 ive spent in YEARS.

 

[KnifeEater]

Just another vote of confidence for the Skrama from me too. Its exceptional for the money. I too went for the basic sheath, and bought a frog bayonet sheath and slipped the whole thing into that. It could be pettier, but it can now be carried on your belt/strapped to a pack. I don't belt carry mine, I just pull it out my bag when I need it. Its excellent and chopping, snedding, splitting.

The dual grind is useful, but I don't tend to use mine for any of the finer tasks, its just there if I want something big, with good power, but I don't want to reach for my axe. I see the Skrama as a blade that sits in between my usual fixed blade on my belt (Fiddleback Forge Bushfinger) and my GB Scandi Axe.

In the summer months I can see me leaving my axe at home, and getting by perfectly with just the Skrama.

For £60 or whatever they cost, I can honestly say its the best £60 ive spent in YEARS.

I think that come pay day I'll order a Skrama.

Also I'll put the chunk of steel up for sale. Thanks for everyone who contributed.