Whats Next??

C_Claycomb

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Oct 6, 2003
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Another thought…. If you don’t have at least a couple of premium kitchen knives, you are missing out. Not everyone that makes good Bushcraft knives makes a good kitchen knife, got to watch out for too much thickness behind the edge. I have had a few Japanese style knives, but have seen some nice Western style blades on occasion.

These guys are good, and London based.

A store selling a wide range of knives, some hand made, others not.
I have not bought from them, but did browse their Baker Street shop. I have used two Santoku with Blue Paper Steel cores and stainless cladding and they could both be sharpened to whittle a hair.

this guy is in Russia, but makes truly lustworthy knives
 

Coach

Banned
Oct 3, 2017
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80
Uk
Thank you All for reading my thread and offering ideas I really do appreciate it.
But what am I like!!! Ive just bought a Leatherman 300 Black.
Think it will fit with my Rangergrip 79 and make a complete package??
 

Coach

Banned
Oct 3, 2017
168
80
Uk
Another thought…. If you don’t have at least a couple of premium kitchen knives, you are missing out. Not everyone that makes good Bushcraft knives makes a good kitchen knife, got to watch out for too much thickness behind the edge. I have had a few Japanese style knives, but have seen some nice Western style blades on occasion.

These guys are good, and London based.

A store selling a wide range of knives, some hand made, others not.
I have not bought from them, but did browse their Baker Street shop. I have used two Santoku with Blue Paper Steel cores and stainless cladding and they could both be sharpened to whittle a hair.

this guy is in Russia, but makes truly lustworthy knives
Good Thought!! Unfortunately had a medical event last year so dont spend time in the kitchen anymore. And my wife doesn't like Any knife at all. Especially a sharp one. Manage with a Companion which I keep usable with a steel.
 
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plastic-ninja

Full Member
Jan 11, 2011
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Good Thought!! Unfortunately had a medical event last year so dont spend time in the kitchen anymore. And my wife doesn't like Any knife at all. Especially a sharp one. Manage with a Companion which I keep usable with a steel.
I’m not sure if your medical event might preclude this but another fun option might be to make your own knife under the tuition of someone like Dave Budd of this parish. Amazing experience and a better understanding of the knife itself too perhaps.
 

Coach

Banned
Oct 3, 2017
168
80
Uk
I’m not sure if your medical event might preclude this but another fun option might be to make your own knife under the tuition of someone like Dave Budd of this parish. Amazing experience and a better understanding of the knife itself too perhaps.
Love your suggestion.!! But at my age and mobility pretty sure Dave Budd wouldnt want me in his workshop.
And not wanting to sound cocky or arrogant but after 60 + years of knife 'experience' Im quite confidant with my understanding of what a knife is. Thanks for your comment.
 

C_Claycomb

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Sorry to hear you don't get into the kitchen, doubly sorry that your wife doesn't appreciate a good knife.

I count myself fortunate that my mum (in her 70s) carries a UKPK or a yellow Ritter mini-Griptilian and my dad is still in the kitchen and enjoying the Murray Carter I got him 20 years ago, along with the AEBL knives I made him for Christmas.

A dear friend of mine, an older gent than me, in his mid 70s now, had a great collection of bushcraft knives, but as he got out and about less he transitioned to a collection of slip joint folders. These he can carry every day and they have quite a lot of fondle factor, especially since they have a moving part or two. Folders are the closest I have to a collection, with around 18 various locking and non-locking. The latter get a lot more use these days, and things like the Lion Steel Best Man, and Thrill, as well as knives by Viper, put a modern twist on the traditional slipjoint. Then there are custom slip joints too!
 
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gra_farmer

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Mar 29, 2016
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Thank you All for reading my thread and offering ideas I really do appreciate it.
But what am I like!!! Ive just bought a Leatherman 300 Black.
Think it will fit with my Rangergrip 79 and make a complete package??
I am a very big fan of leatherman tools, nice choice.

As promised, a few pictures of the old oak knife I mentioned.

IMG20220901205933.jpgIMG20220901205939.jpgIMG20220901205944.jpg

But one of my favourites, is a resin potted oak bur Enzo trapper in s30v

IMG20220901210118.jpg

IMG20220901210108.jpg
 

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Murat_Cyp

Forager
Sep 16, 2020
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Bristol
Hi, just got a beautiful Jacklore which feels a little like the missing jigsaw piece, now wondering where I go next? Still looking for an Alan Wood Woodlore, but then I'm running out of ideas. Do any of you have any ideas?? Suggestions?? Grail knives??
Given the trend you are following, probably you will be happy with Ben Orford or StoneyPathWorkshop knives.

Or if you are after something different there are lots of options. Both in the UK and overseas.

We perhaps could be more helpful if you could tell us what kind of jigsaw piece is missing, how much you are willing to pay and wait for it.
 
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Coach

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Oct 3, 2017
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Given the trend you are following, probably you will be happy with Ben Orford or StoneyPathWorkshop knives.

Or if you are after something different there are lots of options. Both in the UK and overseas.

We perhaps could be more helpful if you could tell us what kind of jigsaw piece is missing, how much you are willing to pay and wait for it.
I have two Ben Orford knives - a 4" Ed Stafford Woodlander and a specially commisioned 5" Ed Stafford. I paid a 4 figure sum for my Rockstead and waited 10 months ish for the Rob Evans Bushtool. I think you could say my knives are all Iconic from a Ray Mears Mora 510 MG to my Spartan Harsey Difensa. Sorry dont know how to describe what I'm looking for any better than ' modern classic bushcraft knife'. It took me 5yrs+ to get the Jacklore and I'm still looking for an Alan Wood Woodlore. A Julius Petterson R.M. Woodlore knife would be nice too.
 
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C_Claycomb

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Iconic knives huh? Would that mean you would only the interested in an actual RW Loveless, or would someone known for doing good versions of his designs be interesting enough? As designs go, hard to get more iconic than a Loveless drop point hunter

Phil Wilson of Seamount knives would be a good person to look to. Pioneered use of the powder metal steels, makes working knives with very good designs (good enough that Spyderco have manufactured three of his designs)

Then there are the knives of David Beck.
Rather a departure from the style of what you have talked about, but certainly iconic and well made.
 

Murat_Cyp

Forager
Sep 16, 2020
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Bristol
I have two Ben Orford knives - a 4" Ed Stafford Woodlander and a specially commisioned 5" Ed Stafford. I paid a 4 figure sum for my Rockstead and waited 10 months ish for the Rob Evans Bushtool. I think you could say my knives are all Iconic from a Ray Mears Mora 510 MG to my Spartan Harsey Difensa. Sorry dont know how to describe what I'm looking for any better than 'Famous Iconic knife'. It took me 5yrs+ to get the Jacklore and I'm still looking for an Alan Wood Woodlore. A Julius Petterson R.M. Woodlore knife would be nice too.

I am not sure if the knives you are collecting are in line with your "famous iconic knives" target. Perhaps Rob's bushtool and jacklore could be count as close replicas of those famous iconic knives. But in reality I am not sure how famous are those designs. So, as you can see famous iconic knives means different things to different people. There are certain knives which fits the description and no one can argue about that, but those knives are either in private collections or in museums. You can get the replicas though...

Again, looking at what you bought so far, perhaps you may want a kephart inspired design a try. LT Wright (Convex Genesis), Bark River Kephart and Beker BK(number?) models are relatively close replicas. Also there is CPK Kephart if you can find one for sale. The grind is not convex, but it is a good performer with arguably best fit and finish and likely to be offering a better edge performance than rest.

The other "iconic designs" that might make you happy are the nesmuk and canadian belt knife. I think you can still buy the original canadian belt knife from it's main designer and you will have no difficulty finding a maker which would make you a nessmuk.

The other original designs are belongs to the bowie family. I do not know much about them, but I know that the best place to get them is USA and they could be quite expensive.

And there are real iconic knives like Tony Bose folders, Bob Loveless knives and Scagel knives. Probably impossible to buy original ones. But there are tons of makes copying their designs. Generally good copies costs quite a lot too.
 
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Coach

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"Famous Iconic Knife" is just my imperfect way of trying to find the words to describe what I'm looking for. How would You describe a Ray Mears Bushcraft knife? Or a Mora Classic or even a Skookum bushtool??
Thank you for the time you have taken to give me some ideas, I will keep searching for inspiration.
 

Murat_Cyp

Forager
Sep 16, 2020
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Bristol
How would You describe a Ray Mears Bushcraft knife? Or a Mora Classic or even a Skookum bushtool??
Thank you for the time you have taken to give me some ideas, I will keep searching for inspiration.

Modern classic bushcraft knives. But as you can see these terms are loosely defined and apart from a few famous makers designs (e.b. Tony Bose, Loveless, Scagel etc) or certain knives made famous by their users (e.g. Kephart and Nesmuk), there is no consensus about what Famous Iconic Knife would be. And this holds true for western civilisations, if you venture to East, probably they will not know much about the makers or the knives that is famous in the west.
 
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Coach

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Oct 3, 2017
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Modern classic bushcraft knives. But as you can see these terms are loosely defined and apart from a few famous makers designs (e.b. Tony Bose, Loveless, Scagel etc) or certain knives made famous by their users (e.g. Kephart and Nesmuk), there is no consensus about what Famous Iconic Knife would be. And this holds true for western civilisations, if you venture to East, probably they will not know much about the makers or the knives that is famous in the west.
"Modern classic bushcraft knife" - I like it! Hope you dont mind but Ive used it above. It doesnt work for some others of my knives eg my kukuri, R.M.parang, Spartan, F.S. fighting knife, R.B. S4, Rockstead etc but hey ho you cant satisfy every criteria can you? And it is close enough to what Im actually looking for. Good one!
Just a thought! Maybe simple 'Modern Classic' suits them all better??
 
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Murat_Cyp

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Sep 16, 2020
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"Maybe simple 'Modern Classic'??
Considering all the listed knives in you post, the only term that I can think of which would cover all of the would be high end production custom and semi-custom knives. But then again, using this term to get any advice about what to buy next will not be yield many results unless you narrow the definition a bit. Such as high end production/custom/semi-production bushcraft knives or bowie knives or dagger style tactical knives, or slipjoint knives. There are some companies and makers making very good examples for each category. So, it will not be difficult to get some advice that way.
 

Billy-o

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 19, 2018
2,039
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This one is a Jukka Hankala Lastu, Coach. Much venerated by makers. I was lucky enough to have picked up a few of his blades several years ago. When I ask makers if they could handle and sheathe them, the responses have always been along the lines of feeling awed and honoured. This knife was directly from Hankala, and is, well, it's quite something.

Hankala.jpg


You might also look at a Serrata, for the myth and for the thing itself

Serratas.png


Alan Wood's Bird and Trout is something and a half

Alan-Wood-B-and-T-2.jpg


A Claycomb original is one I'd have on any list like yours too.
 

Tiley

Life Member
Oct 19, 2006
2,364
377
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Gloucestershire
This one is a Jukka Hankala Lastu, Coach. Much venerated by makers. I was lucky enough to have picked up a few of his blades several years ago. When I ask makers if they could handle and sheathe them, the responses have always been along the lines of feeling awed and honoured. This knife was directly from Hankala, and is, well, it's quite something.

Hankala.jpg

That Hankala is a thing of real beauty! I bet it is an absolute delight to use, too!
 

Coach

Banned
Oct 3, 2017
168
80
Uk
This one is a Jukka Hankala Lastu, Coach. Much venerated by makers. I was lucky enough to have picked up a few of his blades several years ago. When I ask makers if they could handle and sheathe them, the responses have always been along the lines of feeling awed and honoured. This knife was directly from Hankala, and is, well, it's quite something.

Hankala.jpg


You might also look at a Serrata, for the myth and for the thing itself

Serratas.png


Alan Wood's Bird and Trout is something and a half

Alan-Wood-B-and-T-2.jpg


A Claycomb original is one I'd have on any list like yours too.
Sorry not familiar with Claycomb knives searched Youtube for him and got 'beats!!' and a bl**dy row, no actual website on google search as far as I can see. And the Hankala website isnt secure apparently, same as some other recommendations above.
And please no offence intended but, that Alan Wood is, like the Canadian belt knife very ugly, Imho.
Clearly beauty is in the eye of the beholder but as I posted earlier the knives I buy Must visually appeal to me, obviously this is a personal thing so all I can do is checkout any suggestion you guys have taken the trouble to make for me. And if I dont follow up on your suggestion apologies but hopefully others reading this thread may do, which hopefully makes all your effort and trouble worthwhile. Thank you again.
 

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