Show us your cutting tool trios!

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Clouston98

Woodsman & Beekeeper
Aug 19, 2013
4,364
2
26
Cumbria
Nice one green weasel :).

Fantastic stuff dave mate!

I've just got one of the silkys myself and its a really great saw :).
 

Dark Horse Dave

Full Member
Apr 5, 2007
1,739
71
Surrey / South West London
(Just worked out how to post decent sized images!)

I've got a little selection for you. First off, my "standard" set if you like. Here we have my Condor Bushlore (a later version one, and which I really like. I managed to pick up an old sheath from Chris Claycombe which fits it perfectly), a bog standard Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet, and a Bob Dustrude Quick Bucksaw with its Duluth case:

Bushcrafttriostandard2.jpg
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Next, here's my more modern kit, I guess you might call it. The Fiskars (branded Wilkinson Sword) axe is my go-to one for splitting larger bits of firewood. I never liked the hard plastic mask / handle thing that came with it, and knocked up this rough leather one, which does the job OK and is less bulky); then there's my Silky Pocket Boy and lastly my BK11 Becker Necker (which I know is "tacticool", but it's a great little knife that sits nice and flat under my shirt or whatever, and keeps a good edge):

Bushcrafttrionew2.jpg
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And here's my final set, and which I'm enjoying playing with at the moment. I call it my "traditional" set, which vaguely describes it I guess. The knife is a Dave Budd blade I handled (with a bit from an old oak table leg!) along with a sheath I made; there's a standard Laplander handsaw, and finally a little Gilpin hatchet which I found in a box of junk from a house clearance. I put a new haft on it - just a ready-made one - and made this belt-hanging mask for it at this year's Bushmoot, under the expert instruction of Eric Methven.

Bushcr5afttriotrad2.jpg
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BlueTrain

Nomad
Jul 13, 2005
482
0
77
Near Washington, D.C.
I have neither the technical know-how or ability to post pictures but my three include a Hudson's Bay pattern axe that I bought about 35 years ago, a Swedish bow saw that I bought about 45 years ago and a Finnish-made sheath knife that I bought about ten years ago. All are still going strong.

But when I actually want to use something, I pick a large folding Buck pocketknife that I bought maybe 35 years ago (same place I got the axe, I think) and a Schrade pocket knife with a 2 1/4-inch blade. It cost four dollars and is worth it. Plus the Swede saw. Everything else is just for show.
 

Clouston98

Woodsman & Beekeeper
Aug 19, 2013
4,364
2
26
Cumbria
I have neither the technical know-how or ability to post pictures but my three include a Hudson's Bay pattern axe that I bought about 35 years ago, a Swedish bow saw that I bought about 45 years ago and a Finnish-made sheath knife that I bought about ten years ago. All are still going strong.

But when I actually want to use something, I pick a large folding Buck pocketknife that I bought maybe 35 years ago (same place I got the axe, I think) and a Schrade pocket knife with a 2 1/4-inch blade. It cost four dollars and is worth it. Plus the Swede saw. Everything else is just for show.

They sound fantastic mate! I really like Hudson Bay patterns, have always fancied one of them :)
 

BlueTrain

Nomad
Jul 13, 2005
482
0
77
Near Washington, D.C.
The one I have is a Norlund, if I'm not mistaken. It's a good all-round axe for camping and back country use but way too light for logging or splitting wood. There are heavier ones of the same pattern that are good for splitting wood. It used to be common where I'm from (the land of used-to-be) to buy slabs cut to the right length for stove use direct from the local sawmill but you still had to split them. Some people like to use a short-handled axe for splitting wood; short so you can use the axe with just one hand. A light axe like the one I have needs to have a really sharp blade for you to get anything done with. Not the least bit tiring to use because of the lightness, you still have to put some muscle in it to get through a thick log. It's easier once your hands get toughened up, too.

I use saws a lot more, however.
 

Ruud

Full Member
Jun 29, 2012
670
176
Belgium
www.rudecheers.wordpress.com
p1070359.jpg


For hikes and short trips I take my Laplander and the Skookum. A smaller axe is mostly packed by a friend of mine.

For longer trips or when staying longer periods on the same place I take the Gransfors SFA, my selfmade bucksaw and the Toby Platts Trappeur Bushcraft. The Laplander does fit in my smock without a problem so it rides on me all the time actually.

The Dyson Vacuumcleaner (upper right) just takes too much room, too bad.
 

BlueTrain

Nomad
Jul 13, 2005
482
0
77
Near Washington, D.C.
Bucksaws are rather unusual anymore, at least the ones like you made. I have one I inherited from my late father-in-law, along with a heavy-duty cross cut saw with two handles. He lived by the Chesapeake Bay and both were fairly rusty when I got them. He got them from his father, I believe, along with a number of chisels, drawknives and spoke shaves, most of which I got. Of all the things I got from him, I use the heavy duty crosscut the most. It cuts better than a German made heavy duty crosscut saw that I purchased a few years ago. I frequently use chisels, rarely axes. He had some real antiques.
 

BlueTrain

Nomad
Jul 13, 2005
482
0
77
Near Washington, D.C.
If you were referring to the old tools I described, they are interesting and still very useful but not quite fantastic. He had a lathe but someone else got that. The lathe was fantastic.

I mentioned a spoke shave. I think what it was is better described as a really small curved drawknife. I've never seen another like it. There were also two large wooden bodied planes but I've seen a lot of those. Half of his tools came from his father and he and his father were both engineers. He once told me a year or two before he passed away that he didn't want us boys (I was already past 60 by then) fighting over his tools. There was a son and three son-in-laws and four male grandchildren. There were enough tools for everyone to have all they wanted with plenty left over. One tool box containing a set of wrenches was marked "damn metric tools." That tells you everything you want to know about my father-in-law.
 

Clouston98

Woodsman & Beekeeper
Aug 19, 2013
4,364
2
26
Cumbria
If you were referring to the old tools I described, they are interesting and still very useful but not quite fantastic. He had a lathe but someone else got that. The lathe was fantastic.

I mentioned a spoke shave. I think what it was is better described as a really small curved drawknife. I've never seen another like it. There were also two large wooden bodied planes but I've seen a lot of those. Half of his tools came from his father and he and his father were both engineers. He once told me a year or two before he passed away that he didn't want us boys (I was already past 60 by then) fighting over his tools. There was a son and three son-in-laws and four male grandchildren. There were enough tools for everyone to have all they wanted with plenty left over. One tool box containing a set of wrenches was marked "damn metric tools." That tells you everything you want to know about my father-in-law.

I'd love to get a lathe set up one day- would be great! I can imagine how you were all keen to get some of the tools too, I've recently been given my grandads toolbox, who I never met unfortunately and I've been tidying it up, cleaning it out and restoring (in a way) some of the old tools. I've only just started but it's been great fun :).
 

Dark Horse Dave

Full Member
Apr 5, 2007
1,739
71
Surrey / South West London
Just breathing a bit of life into this old thread - mainly because I've been playing with this new little combo.

This is Goldenberg take-down hatchet / tomahawk, a Condor Kephart and a Rough Rider trapper. All relatively cheap and cheerful but pretty decent nevertheless.
0bbc015c456358bd99b3d9fec1f61144.jpg
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
Maybe you saw these. Adze blades from Kestrel. Adze handles sizes by the Kestrel Constant. 7/8" for me.
The upper change from yellow to black whipping on the elbow adze is the Holm Constant.
Where my index finger rides to carve all day at my heart rate.
The snail is a reminder to slow down and not to hack like a fool.

The planer knife is my design for smoothing split surfaces. Began as a Mora #181 double edged farrier's knife.

Kestrel17_zps3875ccc7.jpg
 
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PiterM

Tenderfoot
Jul 7, 2009
85
7
49
Poland
Yeah, classic thread...

1. my personal favorite set:
ness_trio_kubben_web.jpg


2. classic nessmuk set:
council_ness_01.jpg


3. ultralight (but very effective) set:
gmf2ness_web.jpg
 

KenThis

Full Member
Jun 14, 2016
825
121
Cardiff
Really nice sets.
Damn, every time I see a picture of a gransfors hand hatchet I start to drool and double check my wallet.
Sorry to go way off topic but does anyone know if they are significantly cheaper in Sweden?
 

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