All About Pocket Knives

But I had always wanted to hack off the last couple inches of an Old Hickory or Forgecraft and turn it into an outdoor use knife.
I even added some handy dandy file work....
Removed the original handles finish and added linseed oil.

Gave me something to do while I take my late morning cigar....

Bah, don't sell yourself short. I bet that thing is much more useful now.

Looks like it's ready for action, Scott!

Scott you're gettin' downright fancy with all that file work.

Scott - we need a before photo! It looks like a good practical knife now, and that hand done file work adds some interest.

There's a million of them on ebay Mel....I was going to make it into a drop point but my neighbor friend said she liked it the shape it was, so................

Looks good Scott. I bet it's a dandy knife for your missions.

My "new" field knife is an old carbon steel butcher knife that's been in my family for 75 years at least, and was used for processing hogs. I had a Mora Clipper (branded as the Bahco Carpenter, however) I used as a general utility knife, and a Camillus Carnivore X I used for bushwhacking. The Mora was OK, but the Camillus was garbage, so I headed to the kitchen drawer, chose one of the old butcher knives, and picked the only one with a hole for a lanyard, and stuck it in the sheath of a cheap Bowie I'd got in a box of knives. Sure, the old Russell? might have a thin blade, but it's of good steel. And these old butcher knives are far cheaper than old fixed blade knives of the same era meant for outdoors use, but just as well made.

Nice modification! I like the sheepsfoot style blade. It's practically accident proof, and you still have a point, unlike the straight out blunt tip knives.

Scott I need 34 dozen of those by next Monday.
Can you handle that?


Sincerely,
Sam Walton

Thanks fellas!!

I didn't like the tip.......

So I made a change.

Scott, I like it both ways. Now it looks like a good camp knife. Maybe I will try to make one myself. The next opinal I get a hold of I'm going to try the linseed oil trick.

Nice modification Scott, though being a Wharncliffe lover I like the first version best.

Never sell a good kitchen knife short! When I managed a cutlery store I had two or three Christmas tree growers who brought me their Christmas tree trimming knives to be sharpened.
The knives they used? … … 12" & 14" Wusthof Trident slicing knives. They are thin steel and holds an edge very well. The Christmas tree trimmer just uses the knife to shape the new growth and keep it from going too far in one direction.

You wouldn't think that a fairly thin kitchen knife would be used to shape trees, but they are because the edge dynamics and the excellent steel make it the perfect tool for the job!

TripleF wrote:I didn't like the tip.......

So I made a change.

I like the wharncliffe blade best!

orvet wrote:Nice modification Scott, though being a Wharncliffe lover I like the first version best.

Never sell a good kitchen knife short! When I managed a cutlery store I had two or three Christmas tree growers who brought me their Christmas tree trimming knives to be sharpened.
The knives they used? … … 12" & 14" Wusthof Trident slicing knives. They are thin steel and holds an edge very well. The Christmas tree trimmer just uses the knife to shape the new growth and keep it from going too far in one direction.

You wouldn't think that a fairly thin kitchen knife would be used to shape trees, but they are because the edge dynamics and the excellent steel make it the perfect tool for the job!

The machetes I use at work are about as thin as a kitchen knife. As long as it is strong enough, the thinner the better. I not infrequently chop down 6" or larger trees with a 24" machete. It is not made for that kind of chopping, but it will do the job.

I have thought more once that the thick blades of modern hunting knives have a lot more to do with marketing than with utility. I like the look of the thick blades, and if I were trying to stab through the ribs of an attacking bear or split kindling the added strength could be useful. But for skinning and slicing I think the thin blades work best.

Dinadan wrote: I have thought more once that the thick blades of modern hunting knives have a lot more to do with marketing than with utility. I like the look of the thick blades, and if I were trying to stab through the ribs of an attacking bear or split kindling the added strength could be useful. But for skinning and slicing I think the thin blades work best.

You are absolutely correct!
If you compare a professional boning knife like a Dexter or a Forschner to the average hunting knife on the market today and the boning knife is much thinner. It is made to slice the meat away from the bone.

Dinadan wrote: I have thought more once that the thick blades of modern hunting knives have a lot more to do with marketing than with utility. I like the look of the thick blades, and if I were trying to stab through the ribs of an attacking bear or split kindling the added strength could be useful. But for skinning and slicing I think the thin blades work best.

You are absolutely correct!
If you compare a professional boning knife like a Dexter or a Forschner to the average hunting knife on the market today and the boning knife is much thinner. It is made to slice the meat away from the bone.