The perfect Bushcraft knife!

[British Red]

Bjorn,

Happy to do it, just want to check first with sal - I think hes quite open to ideas on the trad (wood handle) model but has some clear ideas on the modern version. There may be necessary design limitations like using only stabalised wood, diamondwood or micarta to avoid shrinkage.

Micarta is stablised linen or paper (bonded with something like fibreglass resin). I'm sure there are more accurate explanations but it makes nice patterns, doesn't shrink, can be many colours and can be shaped (feels okay too). That gives the steel junkies an opportunity to correct me

Red

 

[Martyn]

Perhaps a good time to draw peoples attention to this excellent thread...
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=10436

 

[C_Claycomb]

I was just thinking of that thread Martyn

The original Woodlore was intended to have handles made of British fruit wood. That was not available, so maple, with a Forest Stewardship Council stamp stating it was from a renewable source was used.

Wood like curly birch may not be as common as it is now. Speaking to "Cod12ie" from BB, I was told that Masur birch was very much harder to get now than it was in the recent past.

As has been stated. Even woods that cause allergies when worked are safe for all but extremely sensitive people when finished on the knife. This is a non-issue.

If you are going to have a carbon blade, I don't see that a synthetic handle is needed. A well finished handle will stay stable long after the blade starts to rust. The expedition version is another matter.

Micarta is a phenolic resin/cloth (or paper) laminate generally used in industry for electrical insulation, tooling, and fixtures. For use as slab handles it is by far the most popular synthetic available, being strong and easy to shape and finish. Many other synthetics are moulded rather than ground to shape.

 

[Martyn]

I have a strong liking for Ironwood myself failing that burr oak would look nice. Dark browns or reds I feel (not olive wood or anything Ikea like please). I'm not wild on walnut unless you get real exhibition grade stuff.

Red

Ironwood is like that though, unless you have a good burl, it's rather plain. It used to be my favorite but I've started to think the heavy burls are a bit "in yer face". I've seen some gorgeous walnut handled knives recently (One of em by Mr Claycomb) and the deep, rich wood has a beautiful figure but a real understated classy look to it.


Walnut:

Lovely.

 

[tarmix101]

Perhaps a good time to draw peoples attention to this excellent thread...
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=10436

I have never seen that thread before. Worth it's weight in gold

Thanks Martyn :notworthy

 

[Marts]

Just a thought but since this is a bushcraft knife made in the US maybe the wood handle should come from an indigenous US tree?

 

[Rhodri]

Just a thought but since this is a bushcraft knife made in the US maybe the wood handle should come from an indigenous US tree?

I'd tend to agree - I'm a bit of a fan of osage orange . A lot of good US custom makers make excellent use of it...

 

[sal.]

Great thread Martyn, thanx much.

I'm open to any and all woods except Cocobolo. My wife,Gail, is highly allergic to Cocobolo.

sal

 

[Banjobill]

I think the idea of using native US timber is a good one.

For light wood I suggest Big Leaf Maple Burr, and for a dark one, American Black Walnut.

Both have interesting figure and are relatively cheap and plentiful in the US.

A couple of links for a bit more detail:

http://www.thewoodbox.com/figuredwood/big-leaf-maple.htm
http://www.thewoodbox.com/hardwoods/blackwalnut.htm

 

[ssj]

From an asthetics standpoint walnut would be wonderful. I don't know how it would hold up to hard use but I suspect it would do well.

I hope one of the versions of the knife won't have a blackened blade. My apologies if the question about the blackened blade has been answered previously. If it was, I missed it.

The design, from my perspective, has excellent symmetry and looks like it will be great for bushcraft uses.

I don't know if the length has been decided but I'd like to see something a bit shorter than the prototype. Perhaps 85-90 mm. To me, the extra length is just unused steel and is a little in the way.

Steve

 

[sal.]

Hi Steve,

No plans for a blackened blade on any of the versions.

sal

 

[British Red]

sal,

Do you want me to put a poll up as to woods on scales? I can only list 10 options so if you have a view as to what ones you think would be viable in terms of economy, durability, and fabrication, I'm happy to stick up a poll if that helps?

Looks like the grind question is well and truly answered anyway

Red

 

[Ted Voorde]

Would it be an idea to have blank/bare blades available also (like the Fallkniven F1) ?

 

[sargey]

There seems to be a difference in the US UK way of doing things. It seems a lot of people in the US want a flat grind knife which then needs to be a bit thicker to keep teh strength up while most of us in the UK want 3mm thick blade but one which is 3mm for about half the depth. I wonder which is the stronger format.

the triangle wins! the full flat grind in 3.5-4mm will give you a stronger knife than the 3mm scandi or sabre grind.

you can get the thicker stronger knife using the same amount of metal in the blade. depending on the actual numbers, the cutting edge geometry will not be compromised. the same amount of metal in the blade translates to the same weight. so the feel will be very similar.

cheers, and.

 

[sal.]

Hi Red,

A poll on handle materials would be great. Is wood preferred by all?

Hey Ted,

At what level of finishing would you want the blank to be?

Cut out.
cut out & heat treated.
Cut out, heat treated and surface ground to thickness.
Cut out, heat treated, surface ground and bevel gound.
Cut out, heat treated, surface ground, bevel gound and sharpened.

sal

 

[leon-1]

Hey Ted,

At what level of finishing would you want the blank to be?

Cut out.
cut out & heat treated.
Cut out, heat treated and surface ground to thickness.
Cut out, heat treated, surface ground and bevel gound.
Cut out, heat treated, surface ground, bevel gound and sharpened.

sal

Hi sal, what Ted is talking about is basically a finished blade, Cut out, heat treated, surface ground, bevel ground and sharpened. Effectivley the knife without the handle fitted or the sheath, no extras.

Quite a few of us like to play and fit knives with handles and make the sheaths, this way we end up with a tool with the handle specifically to our own spec as with the sheath (you can't please everyone all the time).

I must admit a blade only option would be something that I would look at as well

 

[Quickbeam]

One of the major factors for me would be price. The reason I like my F1 so much is that it provides quality at a sensible price. This means I'm far happier to use it than say my Fallkniven Idun or Gene Ingram. If it gets lost or damaged it won't be the end of the world. I like the idea of two versions, I guess I'd end up buying both.

Is wood preferred by all?
sal

Is it worth considering a stacked leather handle like the Fallkniven Northern Lights range as well? I have an NL5 Idun which I like a lot. Asthetically wood is very nice but it has to be capable of survivng a dunk in a washing up bowl now and then.

Nick

 

[Ted Voorde]

Hi sal, what Ted is talking about is basically a finished blade, Cut out, heat treated, surface ground, bevel ground and sharpened. Effectivley the knife without the handle fitted or the sheath, no extras.

Quite a few of us like to play and fit knives with handles and make the sheaths, this way we end up with a tool with the handle specifically to our own spec as with the sheath (you can't please everyone all the time).

I must admit a blade only option would be something that I would look at as well

Yes indeed. What leon-1 said. I might be able to sharpen it myself, but that's about it. I also wouldn't mind if the kit included pins and a lanyard tube.

 

[sal.]

We're open to kits.

Let's finish the design and go from there.

I'ver changed the pattern of the handle twice since the first blade was cut. I'm still not satisfied with the ergos of the butt in the edge up thumb on bottom of handle position.

blade is still the same.

We found that the most functional "scandi" grind was under 20 degrees inclusive and that was still a very short bevel, by our standards. Is this unrealistic?

The edge retention on the CATRA was respectable at 58Rc. Not a CPM number, but competitive with most good steels.

sal

 

[British Red]

sal,

Howdy mate - I'm just running a slide rule over the 20 degree andgle - did you get the e-mail from Tiffers BTW?

Red