who has a mears knife

[pauldr]

£920 my god thats crazy people clearly have more money than sense ( or me )

 

[Tiley]

I had one but I sold it. It was nice enough but I found that 4mm is too thick for my purposes. I currently use a Skookum Bush Tool in 01 - I'm embarrassed to say that I've also got a stainless version in S30V - and I'm absolutely delighted with them both.

Is the Woodlore worth the money? I suppose it depends on how much you want it and whether you simply have to have both Ray's and Alan's names on it. Judging by the number of superb clones available, should the Woodlore knife be considered a 'design classic'?

 

[Forest fella]

I have a AW Woodlore knife I used it afew times,saw how much they were selling for and put it back in the cabinet,they were £195 when I purchased mine,I had a WS one aswell but I didn't like the Micarta Handle as there was less of a swell in the Handle,so I sold it for a heathly profit,I currently use a Kellam seems tobe a Well made and Great performing knife for the money.

 

[eraaij]

Does anybody here own both the older and the newer AW Woodlore knife? There is a slight blade shape difference. The modern ones look blade-wise bulkier whereas the older ones don't have the tapered tang.

I must say that I have a 1996 version of the Woodlore that I really like (as far as you can like a 4mm thick knife) -its blade is fairly slim in height and the edge grind is nicely high done. That makes it usable for 95% of the bushcraft tasks.

Nevertheless - my Skookum runs circles around it in both edge holding and slicing ability. More comfortable handle too. But still -that AW Woodlore has a lot of character- A Sunday Bushcrafter so to speak

-Emile

 

[JonathanD]

I have one of about nine antler handled Woodlores made by Alan Wood. Ray is on his third and has red fibre liners. His first one was used so much that it became really worn down through sharpening (see Extreme Survival eps for this) and his second which was ruined due to the move from Sweden to Africa warping the antler slabs. Alan re-handled two for private individuals (and regrets doing this, so it won't happen again), the others were given by Ray to his fellow Woodlore instructors.

I hate to think how much this is worth to a collector. I'll never sell it. the antler used by Alan is in a league of it's own. This particular knife is a 2002 model which has a slimmer profile than the current Woodlore knives. They did change lightly in 2004 with a higher blade profile and more angular slabs, giving it an overall beefier feel. Personally I like the changes, but the older ones do look smooth and more pleasurable to the eye.

 

[eraaij]

Jonathan, that knife looks fantastic. I could not imagine selling my regular one, let alone one in antler. Very interesting remark about Ray being on the thirth knife - I did not know that. I already thought that the knife looked well worn and roughly sharpened on the birch sap harvest scene on 'Tracks' - so that must have been the first one. He must not have been very kind to it then.

-Emile

 

[JonathanD]

I already thought that the knife looked well worn and roughly sharpened on the birch sap harvest scene on 'Tracks' - so that must have been the first one. He must not have been very kind to it then.

-Emile

The first Woodlores used by Ray were made by Alan Wood without the Woodlore stamp and with AW's old logo and maple slabs. It was in the mid Nineties when the Woodlore branded versions first appeared and that prompted the antler versions being made for the Woodlore instructors.

If you imagine that Ray used to run his courses personally and used his knife daily for hours on end, then you can see that the constant sharpening would have worn it down quite alot over the five toseven year period between that first branded Woodlore knife and the Tracks / Extreme Survival series.

I think Ray thinks more of his knife than he actually lets on. Many a times I've seen him talking about things to people while he handles his knife in a very respectful and almost gentle way. He also constantly refers to it as a 'very good and loyal friend', which certainly points towards an attachment deeper than just man and tool. He even polishes his Woodlore blade to a much higher degree of care and attention than shown in the extras DVD. Most people in his position would not stick to just the one knife and would have several of the same pattern (Bear Grylls has gone through about five or six Baileys already, and Survivorman has a new Buck almost every episode), so that certainly points to some deep attachment to the one he has. I'm betting he still has that first very worn branded knife, as well as his first Alan Wood unbranded wooden slabbed Woodlore, safely sitting in a drawer, well protected and oiled.

I'd love to find out where those other eight antler handled Woodies are, I know AndyP has one and obviously Ray has three. But what of the others?

 

[eraaij]

Oh I agree that he thinks highly of his tools. The knife from the early days just shows a lot of use, rough sharpening and a really high grind. But that is perhaps fitting - it was all relatively new in the Tracks' time and besides teaching he probably was out a lot - the knife got a lot to stomach I reckon. If I were him - I would cherish that old one too. Would love to see it one day.

-Emile

 

[JonathanD]

I reckon that his sharpening technique has changed alot over the years too. He used to use oilstones and WD40 and employ an old Arkansas stone for use in the field which had a more abrasive grit than we are used to nowadays. The care and attention and use of Japanese waterstones is almost akin to the reverence Samurai had with their blades and he certainly describes the process as almost zen like. I can relate to that, I love the times when the waterstones come out and it is really calming and satisfying when you are getting that fine polished edge on your favourite knife.

I think that that is something that collectors relate too more than users, and it's this almost spiritual side of knife use that makes the Woodlore desirable by people. And that's why they are prepared to pay more for a Woodlore as to them, it's not just an inanimate object anymore. Bushcrafters like this, and the use of 01 tool steel that reacts with nature is proof of such spiritual connection between user, knife and nature, and so is the use of natural woods for slabs. Afterall, the ideal steel for bushcraft would be a modern stainles powder steel which performs like 01 in almost everyway, but does not stain or rust. The ideal slab material would be none warping, non-rotting micarta. These combinations do not react to the natural world and require virtually no care or attention, but there is no spiritual connection when you don't have to care for a thing. Bushcrafters are a soppy bunch, and over a knife too. What strange people we are.

 

[eraaij]

I reckon that his sharpening technique has changed alot over the years too. He used to use oilstones and WD40 and employ an old Arkansas stone for use in the field which had a more abrasive grit than we are used to nowadays. The care and attention and use of Japanese waterstones is almost akin to the reverence Samurai had with their blades and he certainly describes the process as almost zen like. I can relate to that, I love the times when the wetstones come out and it is really calming and satisfying when you are getting that fine polished edge on your favourite knife. I think that that is something that collectors relate too more than users, and it's this almost spiritual side of knife use that makes the Woodlore desirable by people. And that's why they are prepared to pay more for a Woodlore as to them, it's not just an inanimate object anymore.

Yes, he probably evolved his sharpening techniques and materials over time. The way we sharpen now means that if we can help - usually don't let it get dull in the first time, so the wear is limited.

And when it needs to be done - taking a scandi knife from 1000 or so grit stone to higher is indeed a fulfilling task - very relaxing. Whe I got my Woodlore in - I spent three days with the waterstones to get it to full flat in the first place. After that you almost get an intuitive feel for the blade.

Nowadays with such jobs, I use a course diamond stone for the first stage - but it is not the same.

On the whereabouts of the Antler Woodlores - Juha Rankinen will probably have one too ?

-Emile

 

[saddle_tramp]

oop, its gone up another hundred

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=270268951419&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017

 

[pauldr]

bloody hell thats crazy i have never scene a knife go for that much people are mental

 

[pauldr]

either that or realy gay for ray

 

[slamdunk]

I had a Woodlore, bought in about 2000. When I was funding my cedar canvas canoe I sold it (I reckon 7 years of use and a profit isn't bad!!), ended up getting a Paul Baker Outback (from member here) but am now about to get a custom blade that is a smidge thinner at 3mm.

Good all rounder, thick and chunky blade which will take hard use (batoning etc) but still only a knife; a 'classic' design as it's famous. I would say you're paying for a quality maker (in Alan Woods) but paying over the top for Ray's name. Good luck to him! How many of us would like to be making a good living doing what he does?

As for the current eBay knife: Got to be a collector, but then why buy a knife not to use?

 

[bikething]

As for the current eBay knife: Got to be a collector, but then why buy a knife not to use?

Why do stamp collectors pay hundreds of pounds for a penny black they'll never stick on an envelope ? (and there are probably more of those around than there are AW woodlores )

 

[JonathanD]

As for the current eBay knife: Got to be a collector, but then why buy a knife not to use?

That's the essence of collecting, some keep and preserve and like to look, others keep and use. Different strokes for different folks. Nothing wrong with either. And I'm both

 

[maddave]

Don't have one or want one...To me they feel unwieldy and are overly bulky. Bit of a "tree beater" really I like my knife light and strong. I have a Bison Bushcraft which is OK, but if I'm totally honest my favourite is my fjallkniven F1 retailing at about £55.... Horses for courses I suppose

 

[Sean The Silver Fox]

I can vouch for the quality of Bernie Garlands knives. I have three different ones of his and are all excellent. If you are after a brand name then pay the extra money but the knives in my opinion are no better. Visit his website for a look. www.berax.co.uk

 

[Jacko]

Ive got one, it was given to me a couple of years ago by my brother who got it second hand at quite a 'normal' price of £150. I do use it quite a bit, to most folks surprise. My idea is a knife is a tool not a thing to say you have a nd just keep in a draw. I do however think that you can get a knife of same or even better quality for same or less money, as the price is the names on it. To answer some of the points in the thread it is a very well balanced knife and I find it suits my hands well, but this is ob' a personal taste.
To sum up happy with it and like using it (a good bush tool), but would not pay the money that they are or go for.
I am now standing by for a beating!!!!

 

[JonathanD]

Bernie's knives certainly are excellent, but they are pretty much the same as Alan Woods prices, and some are the same and more than the Woodlore (not includng the ebay prices of course ).