Woodlore Knife vs Skookum Bush Tool

[Tiley]

Woodlore or SBT? I've had both and now only have one of them: the SBT. The reason for this is simple - it is the superior knife, in my opinion. The blade shape, the depth of grind, the thickness of the blade stock, handle material (and I am normally a champion of wooden handles) and quality of manufacture make it better.

In use, the SBT is much easier and more versatile across the range of applications in bushcraft, be it carving, butchery, making feather sticks, producing sparks - anything, really, around the camp/wood.

The problem with both of them stems from their justified popularity. The wait for either knife is lengthy to say the least; the price for them can be similarly terrifying - especially so for the Woodlore.

Ultimately, you make your decision about which one will best suit your needs. That said, I still reckon that the SBT is better in almost every area - a judgement that comes from having owned and used both tools.

 

[sandbender]

...Never got the "proper" RM underarm to work right, the handle is too heavy, so both end of the cord exits in the top. I suppose adding a pocket for a sharpener makes the kife ride the right way up.

Have you tried wrapping the cord in such a way that it 'pulls' the handle towards you, as shown in the earlier posts on this thread?

I find that this keeps the knife in correct position, more info here.

 

[forestwalker]

Have you tried wrapping the cord in such a way that it 'pulls' the handle towards you, like in this picture...
...
I find that this keeps the knife in correct position.

I'll try that. My experience was that the heavier handle meant the whole kit worked it's way back until it hung behind my armpit, with the knife-handle pointing downwards, working it's way out.

 

[littlebiglane]

I thought this was an excellent post

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34679

 

[Noddy]

...............

 

[eraaij]

Noddy, the SBT is about 3mm thick - which approaches enlightment for a good bushcrafter knife. It cuts ALMOST as well as a sharpened Mora

Here is a spine shot that also shows the comfortable handle arrangement - I should perhaps make one with the WL next to these Skookums:

Cheers,
-Emile

 

[Noddy]

...............

 

[eraaij]

Fallkniven? Nah - I sold those a couple of years ago. I'll see if I can put a fresh picture online tomorrow night if nobody beats me to it

 

[Schwert]

Noddy,

The buttplate vs buttless is a hard call on your order. I have both and the buttplate original version has remained my favorite for some inexplicable reason. The buttless version is a bit more comfortable, but I still favor the original so much that I have actually loaned off my buttless version to a friend.

Rod can pretty easily change your order I am sure, but for me I like the original.

All that being said, I use my carver version 5-10 times more than the original now though....now that one is a real woodworker.

That should help with your decision eh?

 

[eraaij]

what that bloke said. in certain circles i'd be burnt for being a heretic, but i'm not a massive fan of either, either.

...

cheers, and.

 

[Hoodoo]

 

[Klenchblaize]

You have to remember that the Woodlore knife was not designed by Ray mears but is the Ray Mears design as it was a development of an existing Alan Wood knife.

Quite, and the best reason to plump for the Alan Wood Woodlore configuration and not the Ray Mears Alan Wood Woodlore

Its all in the profiling of the tapered full tang and shaped scales

Cheers!

 

[sandbender]

This site provides some of the background story of how the 'Skookum Bush Tool' came to be made

 

[Cody]

Yeah, cool article sandbender. I do believe that Stuart explained some similar background info on the knife after his review of the SBT as well (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27462&page=3). Great review, I can't wait to get started on making my own.

 

[Minotaur]

what that bloke said. in certain circles i'd be burnt for being a heretic, but i'm not a massive fan of either, either.

Me too, I like a guard.

Big problem for me with these, is at their prices it would sit in a glass case, not out in the world.

A mora breaks, or gets lost, and not so much crying involved.

 

[forestwalker]

I'll try that. My experience was that the heavier handle meant the whole kit worked it's way back until it hung behind my armpit, with the knife-handle pointing downwards, working it's way out.

Tried it, and it still worked it's way back. maybe I'll make a SKB style sheet for it and give up on knives in smelly armpits.

Hmm, does anyone know of a source for SKB style blades? A handle I can make myself...

 

[Cody]

Knife making can be very addictive so you will probably make quite a few and the more you make the better you will get. Have fun and best of luck with your project.

Sorry for bringing this very old thread back from the dead, but I just figured I'd give a bit of an update. The thread was originally created to help me decide which knife to base my first self-made knife off of.

I made my first one out of a file, using Greenpete's tutorial as my bible. I was nervous that it wouldn't come out good, but I really wanted to give one a go. I've never really crafted anything. All I knew is that I wanted a good blade to use in the woods. I went with a primarily Woodlore styled knife, and although the handle came out good, the blade's scandi grind was far too shallow, as I didn't quite know how to grind edges yet.

After some research, I gave a second one a try out of some A2. Then O1, and made another. Then someone ordered one before I even mentioned I was selling them. Around there, I realized that I wanted to become a knifemaker. Many hours of research, trial & error later, I began to sell them regularly. So basically my career started here, with this thread... kind of cool to look back at it. www.adventuresworn.com

 

[Everything Mac]

very nice work there mate! very nice indeed. - Do you use stock removal or forge the blades?

I have to ask the question - Which design (if at all) did you end up using?

Andy

 

[eraaij]

Stunning, just stunning!

I really like this one:

Thanks for sharing these, mate.

-Emile

 

[Barn Owl]

Yep, stunning is the word.