Woodlore Knife Pro

[JonathanD]

And compared to Poppy’s standard RM bushcraft knife. The handle on the Pro is a lot thicker. Not as thick as the antler handled Instructors version which was very chunky. (I’ll post pics up in a bit of that comparison). The grind of the pro is higher at 10mm, compared to the 7mm of the standard. From experience, with the slightly concave grind they put on using a wheel, this will be more prone to fine chipping before it is sharpened a couple of times. I didn’t really have a problem with that, but I know a couple of people that did until the first time on the stones.

The tip for me is far more useful, being very fine compared to the standard model. I love the distal taper. Giving it that added meat, but still tapering down to a useful less chunky tip than the previous Woodlores and RM bushcraft knives. The birds beak is also more pronounced on the pro, which I like and more like Alan Woods style of Woodlore butt, except not so flared. That’s something I would have liked to have seen on the Pro.

I used an SWC Pro for a bit when they original released them. So I have experience in actually using one and not just looking at it. But this one I will use a lot.

 

[CLEM]

They are pretty much identical. Just a few cosmetic differences.

The etching on SWCs is acid etched, the Emberleaf is laser etched. The SWC is a coarser almost canvas grade of micarta compared to the finer paper micarta on the Emberleaf. The handle on SWC is about 4mm longer, and the bolts on the Emberleaf have a hidden thread. In the hand they are the same. I’m going to use it tomorrow and finally do the review I was planning five years back.

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No draw queen then chapper!

 

[JonathanD]

No draw queen then chapper!

Nope. Not this one. The SWC will still be though.

 

[Fjellstorm]

I hope it’s going to be an epic review

 

[JonathanD]

I hope it’s going to be an epic review

But of course

 

[JonathanD]

And here it is next to an Instructors Woodlore. The IW is profiled more to the way RM likes it, larger, fatter grips, bigger palm swell, more defined coke bottle shape and round flared butt. His Pro, surprisingly is exactly the same specs as the commercially available Pro, with the same micarta slabs. No antler or liners at all. It’s still a hand filler but not as much as his old personal AW Woodlore.

My personal knives have bigger slabs than even the AW, but I don’t find these two too small. The regular RM bushcraft knife in the previous pictures, like the old Wilkinson Sword versions, are a tad on the thin side for me. I can use them, but with prolonged use my hand starts to ache. Pops copes much better with them. She finds these two too big.

 

[Wayland]

Only just seen this post.

Just what the World really needs, another crowbar with an edge.

All my most useful knives are thin profiled, if I need a splitting wedge I'll pick up an axe or a bill hook...

I also want a tool I'm not afraid of using. This is just another peice of male jewellery, like a Rolex watch imo.

 

[Mesquite]

Only just seen this post.

Just what the World really needs, another crowbar with an edge.

All my most useful knives are thin profiled, if I need a splitting wedge I'll pick up an axe or a bill hook...

I also want a tool I'm not afraid of using. This is just another peice of male jewellery, like a Rolex watch imo.

Something tells me you're not impressed with it Gary

 

[C_Claycomb]

Something tells me you're not impressed with it Gary

I think it is like Marmite...if Marmite was sold only from one small and specialist outlet, in tiny quantities, and in gold plated jars.

 

[Happywalker]

When I met Ray on a few courses he had 2 woodlore pro’s an antler handled one he showed a but didn’t used and kept as it is. Then he has a prototype woodlore pro that he uses that is slightly shorter than a normal one and a smaller Choil. It’s also not numbered.
He also had a puukko he handled himself with stacked Birch bark and a Leuku.
That was over a year ago, not sure what he’s using now.

 

[Happywalker]

Only just seen this post.

Just what the World really needs, another crowbar with an edge.

All my most useful knives are thin profiled, if I need a splitting wedge I'll pick up an axe or a bill hook...

I also want a tool I'm not afraid of using. This is just another peice of male jewellery, like a Rolex watch imo.

On a course I was on Ray described the knife as built so you didn’t need an axe etc and could rely on just the knife with the right skills

 

[JonathanD]

This was Sunday. He also had a prototype with bamboo handle going back to 2016.

 

[TLM]

He also had a puukko he handled himself with stacked Birch bark and a Leuku.

He just can't be very bad with that combination! Apparently recognizes a good knife when he sees one.

Not really knowing anything about the persons you all are speaking about.

 

[Happywalker]

Could you tell if that was the SWC Prototype or is he now using an emberleaf pro knife

 

[JonathanD]

It was Emberleaf. He’d obviously been using it for a while as the sheath was mullered.

 

[Happywalker]

Cool thanks Jonathan, the SWC Pro knife he used was in a standard sheath oddly not the woodlore pro sheath

 

[Wayland]

Something tells me you're not impressed with it Gary

He could market a butter knife and people would still rush out to buy it. It's crazy in my opinion but what do I know.

I look at the knives that craftsmen use, I look at the knives that have survived through archeaology and in museums and I see thin blades.

RM has always had this obsession with big thick chunks of steel, from the Dartmoor through the Woodlore and now this. I just don't get it.

Why start with something obtuse if you want to make something sharp? It makes no sense and hasn't done since blacksmiths learnt to make decent steel.

 

[JonathanD]

If he made a knife that didn’t work for me then I wouldn’t buy it or use it. But his bushcraft knife designs are almost perfect for a lot of people. Me included. I bought my first Woodlore in 93 before most people knew what they were. I like a robust blade and I can do everything with them that I can do with a 2 mm blade and much more. And RMs design has proven popular with a massive amount, it must be the most copied knife design ever. An axe blade is pretty obtuse. But you can make that damned sharp. Like everything tools and knives evolve too. What works for you might not work for everyone. We all have our particular preferences. As far as the collection factor, and those that don’t use them, collecting is great, you do it, I do it, but in different, and also, in very similar areas. I wouldn’t steam tent if you paid me, but I can understand you doing it. It’s a hobby and it’s collecting too. And it’s great. And we are passionate about our own areas and its better than doing what the great masses are doing.

 

[JonathanD]

At least we can agree that cokes (bowlers) are cool



And yeah, that is a guide to collecting vintage Rolexes book in the background. Cos that’s a cool hobby too. And profitable.

 

[TeeDee]

At least we can agree that cokes (bowlers) are cool

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And yeah, that is a guide to collecting vintage Rolexes book in the background. Cos that’s a cool hobby too. And profitable.

( Very Kingsman... )


Who are the busts of?