Bush Blade review thread

[tknife]

I got this knife today, and I couldn't wait to get out and use it. I got some new Ray Mears books, so I figured I grab a couple more pics of it too.


The whole package is really nice. The lignum vitae scales and matching steel handle look nice and feel like some dense, tough stuff! Even the lanyard bead from the same material is a nice touch.
I had seen another of this model that Shawn had made from D2. I like D2 but I always have trouble sharpening it, plus I wanted something a little different. I asked for 3/16ths L6 steel. It is a stout knife for sure, but not heavy. It sits really nice in the hand.


I headed out for a quick bike ride on a local trail so I could use it a little bit. Using the lanyard I was able to choke back a little and chop down a seep willow branch in a couple whacks, then sharpened it up. I really love the chunky handle, and it's nicely rounded so should be comfortable for long carving sessions.


I will get out and use it more this week, but I just had to use it a little bit


To be continued...

[mtnfolk mike]

rigtht on T... cool pics man... that's a great looking knife , it looks very handy... Shawn's work is top notch...

[Rockywolf]

Nice looking knife ya got there! Kudos to you and the fine maker!

[caine]

I really like the spine work

[tonym]

That knife looks great T. Nice pics as well!!

The jimping in the spine work Forward in the blade is a nice touch.

[myright]

That's a great looking knife - Nice score!

[SpookyPistolero]

That's definitely a handsome little bugger, good score. I'd enjoy seeing it's 'big brother'.

[tknife]

Last night I used the knife to baton, split and pry apart some firewood from an almond tree. This is some hard, dense wood. Every bit as tough as oak. This is really the test for any knife I use as I don't consider it abuse, just normal use. Shawns knife performed this easily, I was pretty sure it would The blade didn't even seem to get dull after that, while not screaming sharp, it will still shave hair. I was interested in how the L6 would hold an edge. It reminds me of 5160 in edge holding and being pretty easy to sharpen.

I also did some more carving. I really like the way the handle feels, and it stays comfortable. The lignum vitae wood has a nice warmth to it, but feels unbelievably tough. I've never had a knife handle from this wood, I am generaly a Micarta guy. But this stuff is great! A quick search on lignum vitae tells me this stuff has over twice the hardness of hickory and will sink in water. Now that is some dense wood!

[SDS]

Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like the knife. I'd love for you to use the knife for awhile and then come back and give a review after you have been able to use the knife more long term. I'm specifically interested in suggestions for improvements.

Lignum vitae is some interesting wood. I've heard some stories about things it has been used for in the past. I have heard it was used to make bowling balls and even ball bearings for ships propellers. I don't know if those things are true but they are interesting nonetheless. It is some VERY dense wood.

Thanks again,
SDS

[caine]

want about in the derest heat and dryness. I wonder all the time how differnt wood handles wood hold up

[tknife]

want about in the derest heat and dryness. I wonder all the time how differnt wood handles wood hold up

Where I live is kind of like desert, so I will be able to tell over time. Not much rain here and it is hot 9 months out of the year!

[SDS]

Caine, your in a whole different climate there. I only know what I have heard from the guys that have been there. All of the knives that I have sent over there have been micarta or G10 so I don't know how wood handles hold up in that extreme environment.

I would say for a knife to be used in any of our North American climates a wooden handle would hold up just fine. For that climate you would have a better idea of how wood would hold up than I do. I would assume that wood will hold up fine since it has been used for hundreds of years but as far as how different types will survive in that environment...I just don't know.

I would suggest micarta or G10 for a combat knife. I do understand the desire for wood though. I would think that the best compromise would be stabilized wood. Lignum vitae doesn't lend itself to being stabilized because it is so dense but there are many other woods that should do just fine in that environment as long as they are stabilized.

SDS

[Foilist]

Shawn, could you briefly explain the stabilization process for wood? I know it gets impregnated with epoxy or something, but I don't know how it works.

[SDS]

Foilist, I can try to answer your question but what I know about the process is what has been explained to me and what I have read. I do not do my own stabilization.

Basically the piece of wood is covered in a stabilizing agent such as a polymer or resin. This is then placed in a vaccuum which draws the stabilizing agent through the pores in the wood. By filling all of the pores and voids in the wood with the stabilizing agent the wood cannot shift with climate changes.

I have tried wood that was stabilized by unknown sources in the past and I was not happy with the results. Now I purchase my stabilized woods from galleryhardwoods.com. Their product is in use by at least two large, very well known and respected semi-custom companies. I have been very happy with both the quality of the wood I have purchased from gallery hardwoods as well as the performance.

I hope this helps to answer your question. If you have any other questions I will try to answer them or we can try to find an answer together.

Thanks,
SDS

[Foilist]

Thanks - I figured it was something like that but was unsure of whether they used vacuum or pressure to impregnate the wood.

[SDS]

It's my understanding that a vacuum is used so that the resin will be drawn completely through the piece of wood. Under pressure the resin would only be forced partially through the piece.

Foilist, on your Nessmuk knife (that was shipped priority yesterday btw) stabilized curly maple was used for the handle material. I also made up a matching bead from a piece of the scrap wood.

I really like working with stabilized wood. It's about the best of both worlds.

SDS

[Foilist]

Cool! I'll be hanging around by the mailbox then.

[blgoode]

Nice user! Looks about 8.25" overall?
reminds me of my earlier knives sort of. I like it and a great owner makes this knife a user and not a safe queen for sure!!

[SDS]

Thanks Brian. I'd much rather see the knives I make out getting dirty than sitting on a shelf. I get a kick out of imagining the adventures the knives are getting to have.

SDS