Review of farriers rasp knife by Kris Jackson (kristophish) by Rob Griffiths (DocG).
Blade 4 inch
Handle 4 1/4 inch
OAL. 8 1/4 inch
Scandi grind
Handle is bog oak with red and blue liners with stainless tubes
Sheath is horizontal carry quality veg tan leather sewn with artificial sinew.
Link: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120922
Greetings all. This is my first review. If I miss bits out its not intentional and the omissions reveal my faults and not the knifes or its makers.
I bought this knife from Kris a couple of weeks ago. This is the first knife I have ever been able to afford that has not been a production model. I felt a real thrill when Kris agreed to sell it to me.
When I opened the package my first thoughts were that the knife was beautiful to look at the marks on the blade left from the rasp made a pattern like fish scales on the blade. Also, the wooden handle was a delightfully dark chocolate brown, carved in flowing lines. The exposed pattern through the handle along the tang added to the knifes appearance. The photos in the original posting see link above do not do justice to the physical appeal of the knife.
I have to admit that I was a bit worried about the size of the handle when I first saw it as it is much smaller than other knives I have used, BUT since using it in sandy woods on hot, sweaty days as well as in the rain and indoors, I have experienced no hotspots or any other discomfort. Indeed, the knife has been more comfortable and effective than any I have previously owned or used.
So, how did the knife perform in a number of uses that I believe are useful indications of its suitability for bushcraft applications?
1/ Wood for fires. I found two fallen and dry Sitka boughs. After sawing them into convenient lengths, I split them as needed for a fire. There were no problems using the knife with a baton or splitting smaller pieces for kindling. I chopped up grasses and other bits for my tinder bundle too without problem.
2/ Fashioning camping items.
I made a set of walking sticks from willow and birch that could be used for a tripod as well as for walking and supporting a tarp.
The knife cut through Kochanski wrist thick willow and ash saplings with ease to produce boughs for a shelter.
All the wood was snedded with ease. Indeed, I had to be careful to position the limb so that the knife did not follow through into me as it whipped through inch thick pieces without problem.
I was able to peel the willow to make cordage, pushing the blade into a fallen trunk as a stable cutting edge for making even strips. The sharpness of the blade made the job easy.
I also fashioned a piece of green fir to make a handle for my 21 bowsaw blade. I used the saw on my SAK to cut the piece and make the end notches, using my new knife to sned the piece and generally tidy it up for use.
I had a first go at making a fish broiler as illustrated by Kochanski from the snedded pieces from the above tasks.
After all that cutting, I was still able to make feather sticks. The sharpness of the blade produced some problems for me as I was able to cut more easily than I have done before, so a fair number of curls bit the dust. As always, any faults in the jobs are mine, not the knifes.
3/ Carving. I attempted my first spoon using this knife. I split a willow root then used my SAK to saw in to stop splits as I worked on the basic shape of the spoon. Apart from the saw cuts and final sanding, I only used the knife to fashion the spoon. Although it has obvious flaws, I like it and will be using it for Scout camp this summer. I have a piece of hazel and a piece of scotch pine that I will be using to make other spoons soon. In the second picture I have tried to show the types of shavings that I managed to produce as I worked to carve my first spoon.
4/ Food prep. I filleted a rainbow trout for broiling. There was no problem in cutting through the backbone or tail. I was able to choke up on the blade so I could avoid the guts neatly. Any untidiness is my fault, not a problem caused by the knife.
I also prepared a number of vegetables including potatoes, onions, carrots, beans and broccoli. The photo shows that I was able to cut the onion in several ways, coarse to fine, without any problem.
I did the food prep last, after all the other cutting. The knife retained its edge so that it cut the vegetables neatly and safely. I have not done anything to the edge since I received the knife from Kris.
The sheath is a nice piece of work with a simple but elegant belt loop that can be used on the left or right. I follow Lofty Wisemans advice and always use a lanyard when working with a knife outdoors. I prefer to carry my knife on the left so I can draw it by putting my thumb through the lanyard, winding the lanyard round my hand then pulling out the knife whilst holding the sheath with my left hand. Previously I have used a dangler sheath, but the horizontal carry seems fine so far. (I loop the lanyard round the lower end of the sheath to prevent the knife from leaving the sheath if it catches on something while Im wandering about. This may not be necessary, but Im new to a horizontal carry so Im being cautious.)
As I hope I have shown, I think this knife has proved itself very useful for bushcraft applications I am certainly very satisfied. It has been a helpful companion for a series of bushcraft projects over the last fortnight or so. I look forward to doing more with it and I am sure it will meet my needs very well. I think it will meet the requirement of being a pry bar, a carving tool and a method to process animals for years to come.
I would like to thank Kris for making such a lovely and functional tool, and for selling it to me.
Right now I am having a fit of the Tolkiens and trying to find a name for my knife.
All the best,
Rob
Blade 4 inch
Handle 4 1/4 inch
OAL. 8 1/4 inch
Scandi grind
Handle is bog oak with red and blue liners with stainless tubes
Sheath is horizontal carry quality veg tan leather sewn with artificial sinew.
Link: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120922
Greetings all. This is my first review. If I miss bits out its not intentional and the omissions reveal my faults and not the knifes or its makers.
I bought this knife from Kris a couple of weeks ago. This is the first knife I have ever been able to afford that has not been a production model. I felt a real thrill when Kris agreed to sell it to me.
When I opened the package my first thoughts were that the knife was beautiful to look at the marks on the blade left from the rasp made a pattern like fish scales on the blade. Also, the wooden handle was a delightfully dark chocolate brown, carved in flowing lines. The exposed pattern through the handle along the tang added to the knifes appearance. The photos in the original posting see link above do not do justice to the physical appeal of the knife.
I have to admit that I was a bit worried about the size of the handle when I first saw it as it is much smaller than other knives I have used, BUT since using it in sandy woods on hot, sweaty days as well as in the rain and indoors, I have experienced no hotspots or any other discomfort. Indeed, the knife has been more comfortable and effective than any I have previously owned or used.
So, how did the knife perform in a number of uses that I believe are useful indications of its suitability for bushcraft applications?
1/ Wood for fires. I found two fallen and dry Sitka boughs. After sawing them into convenient lengths, I split them as needed for a fire. There were no problems using the knife with a baton or splitting smaller pieces for kindling. I chopped up grasses and other bits for my tinder bundle too without problem.
2/ Fashioning camping items.
I made a set of walking sticks from willow and birch that could be used for a tripod as well as for walking and supporting a tarp.
The knife cut through Kochanski wrist thick willow and ash saplings with ease to produce boughs for a shelter.
All the wood was snedded with ease. Indeed, I had to be careful to position the limb so that the knife did not follow through into me as it whipped through inch thick pieces without problem.
I was able to peel the willow to make cordage, pushing the blade into a fallen trunk as a stable cutting edge for making even strips. The sharpness of the blade made the job easy.
I also fashioned a piece of green fir to make a handle for my 21 bowsaw blade. I used the saw on my SAK to cut the piece and make the end notches, using my new knife to sned the piece and generally tidy it up for use.
I had a first go at making a fish broiler as illustrated by Kochanski from the snedded pieces from the above tasks.
After all that cutting, I was still able to make feather sticks. The sharpness of the blade produced some problems for me as I was able to cut more easily than I have done before, so a fair number of curls bit the dust. As always, any faults in the jobs are mine, not the knifes.
3/ Carving. I attempted my first spoon using this knife. I split a willow root then used my SAK to saw in to stop splits as I worked on the basic shape of the spoon. Apart from the saw cuts and final sanding, I only used the knife to fashion the spoon. Although it has obvious flaws, I like it and will be using it for Scout camp this summer. I have a piece of hazel and a piece of scotch pine that I will be using to make other spoons soon. In the second picture I have tried to show the types of shavings that I managed to produce as I worked to carve my first spoon.
4/ Food prep. I filleted a rainbow trout for broiling. There was no problem in cutting through the backbone or tail. I was able to choke up on the blade so I could avoid the guts neatly. Any untidiness is my fault, not a problem caused by the knife.
I also prepared a number of vegetables including potatoes, onions, carrots, beans and broccoli. The photo shows that I was able to cut the onion in several ways, coarse to fine, without any problem.
I did the food prep last, after all the other cutting. The knife retained its edge so that it cut the vegetables neatly and safely. I have not done anything to the edge since I received the knife from Kris.
The sheath is a nice piece of work with a simple but elegant belt loop that can be used on the left or right. I follow Lofty Wisemans advice and always use a lanyard when working with a knife outdoors. I prefer to carry my knife on the left so I can draw it by putting my thumb through the lanyard, winding the lanyard round my hand then pulling out the knife whilst holding the sheath with my left hand. Previously I have used a dangler sheath, but the horizontal carry seems fine so far. (I loop the lanyard round the lower end of the sheath to prevent the knife from leaving the sheath if it catches on something while Im wandering about. This may not be necessary, but Im new to a horizontal carry so Im being cautious.)
As I hope I have shown, I think this knife has proved itself very useful for bushcraft applications I am certainly very satisfied. It has been a helpful companion for a series of bushcraft projects over the last fortnight or so. I look forward to doing more with it and I am sure it will meet my needs very well. I think it will meet the requirement of being a pry bar, a carving tool and a method to process animals for years to come.
I would like to thank Kris for making such a lovely and functional tool, and for selling it to me.
Right now I am having a fit of the Tolkiens and trying to find a name for my knife.
All the best,
Rob
