A Question For The Fiddleback Crowd

Well, I usually have either my bushfinger or hiking buddy on my person as well as a sak farmer in pocket. And a gossman tusker in my pack
 
Until recently, I always kept an Esse 4 with me at all times (truck, hip or near me in the house). Lately, I have been carrying the HB and find it very easy to keep close. If I was in a survival situation, I would want a Hunter since we are talking about Fiddlebacks.

If I knew I was going to be gone for more than 1 day, I would have my Hunter with me. I think it is the perfect size for most situations.

Martin
 
I keep a Bushfinger, Sneaky Pete or KE Bushie in my car all the time, or in a carry bag if off doing something. As of recent, the KE Bushie goes everwhere and does all (for me).

-Will
 
Yes but what about your other ke bushie? That's the real question? :confused:
 
I like the idea of the 'unexpected camping' angle.

My personal planning scheme is this: If I'm going overnight, Arete or Bushcrafter (assuming this is only Andy's blades. I have a few others in rotation). If it's not an overnight trip, Hiking buddy.

I know the point of your article is maybe this overnight part isn't really planned? But my thought is that day trips (for me at least) are always with-in area's and locations that I can get assistance quickly if needed. If I'm building in an overnight component to my trip, that location may not be as readily accessible to 'help' as others, and I plan accordingly.

If there's even a HINT of a survival aspect, I go Bushcrafter. I've got a completely full tang bushcrafter in 5/32nd and it's a hard and heavy tool. If I'm improvising fire making, shelter building, food foraging...The stout blade just seems to give me that little bit extra for long term (and varied) use. Frankly I like the Arete a bit more for general camping/light woodworking/food prep.... but I'm not sure I put it in the 'survival' category. The Bushcrafter seems to have that little extra something to really fill that "knowledge and knife" survival toolset.
 
I stated before that my bushboot goes everywhere with me. That's in my flp; my frp always holds my ZT0303. Wave and bushfinger stay in my backpack in my personal vehicle and migrates to my work truck. On the weekends, my bushfinger goes on my belt (along with my Beretta) instead of the zt in my pocket. All that being said, I think we like-minded individuals are not the norm. I think Mr. Average Joe would at most have a multi-tool of some sort or a folder in their pocket or maybe both. Sounds like Mist is going for a sudden "surprise you're stranded" type of scenario in which you have to make due with what you have on your person. With my perception of the intent of his article and my perception of Mr. Average Joe, I would have to suggest maybe not using a Fiddleback and go with a folder or at most stay in the 3" blade range.
 
Well..... one in each shoe, one in the back of the pants, one on the belt.... I'm kinda thinking of the Edward Scissorhands kinda thing! :)

KephaC said:
Yes but what about your other ke bushie? That's the real question? :confused:
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KennyC_II said:
I would have to suggest ... go with a folder ...
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Are you talking about one of them there knives that folds in half at the middle? I never did understand those. Like carrying a broken knife around in your pocket. :D
 
If the scenario is an "unplanned" need for survival, I'd still just have the Bushboot and would feel darn happy to have it. Around town it's what I carry, but have a Benchmade 4" auto in the truck along with the Charter Arms .44spl. Normal trip across the mountain would only add the Kimber .45acp to the mix.:) Bad weather or other factors might have me add the SP or Bushfinger, but the Bushboot (or that size knife) would still be sufficient for survival for me.
 
If it's truly 'unplanned' then I'm wondering if this isn't more of an 'EDC' type of argument. I guess I looked at it as an 'unexpectedly extended' event. Like you are camping and you have to stay an extra day, or stay overnight when you thought it was just going to be a day trip. That presumes you'll have planned some level of equipment already.
 
A lot of good thoughts and input fellas, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me. The thing is, with an article in a magazine, no matter how personable you are in word usage and perceived "tone" of the article body, it is still an impersonal exchange with the readers. I have a word and photo limit, so room to only express so many thoughts. I can not be there to answer any questions afterward, nor will I have a lot of opportunities to say "or you could do this" or "and you may want to try...", etc. So I try to have my photos subject to personal interpretation and not have them imply "this is the only way" or "this is the only tool that will work". I want to make people think about how they might approach it with what they had on hand, not just what they should maybe purchase...though sometimes that is a consideration. I want to make it as broadly acceptable as possible for the most people. We here are living proof that many people who have thoughts in common with others, still come from diverse backgrounds, and have different life experiences that define their personal perspectives. A picture is worth a thousand words because each observer will see something a little differently than the person next to them. I like for my photos to speak to as broad a range of people as possible, and if I do it right tell the much of the story even to a person that doesn't even speak the language of the text. You guys have given me lots of good food for thought.

While I get that many, if not most, would be carrying a folder, whether an SAK, a Ti frame-lock, or a multitool, and I do plan on having a multitool involved in this one as well. I just like to take every opportunity to promote the fixed blade as a viable tool, and keep them in a positive light. I think we sure have enough people out their painting them with a negative brush, that those of us who have the opportunities to do so, need to put forth some effort to to offset that. I learned at the age of 7 that I preferred fixed blades in the woods for knife work, mainly out of safety considerations, when my stockman closed on my finger...cutting it to the bone. All folders have the same inherent weakness regardless of locking mechanism. In times of stress or fatigue, I feel a small fixed blade is not only more durable than a folder, but also safer to operate in my opinion.

As for only Fiddleback knives, I worded it that way because this is Andy's forum, and I won't disrespect him by talking too much about knives made by other people. I am at least marginally familiar with the sizes and blade shapes of every knife Andy makes, so giving your thoughts in Fiddleback models tells me essentially how you would be equipped even if not carrying a FB at the time.


tjswarbrick said:
Realistically, if it was unexpected, I'd be more likely to have my BK-16 on me than any Fiddleback.
But if I knew I'd be on my own in the woods for a few days and brought a Fiddleback along, it would be my KE Bushie.
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Just to throw it out there, don't get me wrong, I love Ethan to pieces, and love my BKs, as well as my Rowen made knives, particularly for my crazy experiments in the woods. As I sit here typing there is a FB Bushcrafter on my belt, and a KE Bushie laying here on my desk. There is also a BK-11 on my desk as well as an old RC-3 and an old RC-6. Along with two Martins, a WAS Bush Adder, a T.M. Hunt Magua, a TOPS HOG, an Ontario Chmera, a DPx HEST, and a a few others. And this is not a dig at collectors... BUT, as much as I love Andy's artistic flare, and his sublime handle contours, if I did I did not feel that Andy's knives could handle anything I need doing as well as any knife out there, I would not spend the money on them, much less carry one pretty much daily.
 
solid4ever said:
If it's truly 'unplanned' then I'm wondering if this isn't more of an 'EDC' type of argument. I guess I looked at it as an 'unexpectedly extended' event. Like you are camping and you have to stay an extra day, or stay overnight when you thought it was just going to be a day trip. That presumes you'll have planned some level of equipment already.
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The piece I am doing is just one in a series of pieces on a similar theme. It is actually quite broad, and could range from a camping trip extended longer than expected, or getting way off trail in the back country, to breaking down in the middle of nowhere on a hunting/fishing trip, to dealing with the aftermath of a large scale disaster while avoiding the looters and criminal types by going to the woods and getting out of the city. The whole point is just to get people to see some options and to thus maybe see others that may pertain more to their common area or their experiences.
 
If I understand the scenario that your asking about. Which would include day hikes, or a road trip to sparsely populated areas. I would carry my Sneaky Pete Scandi grind. I think it may be the only SP Andy made with a scandi grind. It's awesome. I always carry a Scandi when I go to play in the woods. The SP Scandi that Andy made is the perfect knife for me. For long walks with my dogs. I've been rotating my Bushboot, HB and EDCII. To sum it up......4 inch knife for planned outings.....always.
 
Hey mist. Sounds like a good idea for an article.

What I've been doing lately is that if I'm hiking on a known, well populated trail and just doing a lightweight day hike, I carry my hiking buddy. It's so light that I don't even know it's there but could still be called into action for the type of work that would be necessary on this hike. Survival Camping would be a stretch in this scenario, but anything is possible and the Hiking Buddy could cut it if needed.

For longer stuff, or where there wouldn't be other people, I want something heavier duty than the hiking buddy and something bigger than 3" would be going on the belt. Think Bushfinger, Hunter, Woodsman class. If I'm going to be doing fire prep or shelter building, I'd much rather have a Bushfinger than the Hiking Buddy even though there's less than an inch in blade length difference.
 
solid4ever said:
If it's truly 'unplanned' then I'm wondering if this isn't more of an 'EDC' type of argument. I guess I looked at it as an 'unexpectedly extended' event. Like you are camping and you have to stay an extra day, or stay overnight when you thought it was just going to be a day trip. That presumes you'll have planned some level of equipment already.
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Yeah, I was looking at this as something of a planned event too. If I plan to go into the woods - I take my Fiddleback Hiking Buddy or Nessmuk. My go bags (yes, I have multiples) contain knives that are not custom made - knives that have no 'soul'. Utilitarian tools with no personality (BK-2 and BK-10). If you're asking Mistwalker, "what do you carry as an EDC and how would you deal with this survival moment with only your EDC(s)??' .. then currently I'm carrying a Bushcraft Karda on me at all times on my off days. On duty, I carry three .. and they're more so a secondary (survival/shithitthefan) weapon (an Infindel, a Microtech, and a DIY Nick Wheeler thin as all get out stainless (S30V) blade I finished out).
 
In an unexpected scenario, I would have my Bush Adder on me as always. But as far as a FB ( now that I have the blessing of being able to examine all of them daily), my first model will probably be a Kephart or Busharaptor and I would be comfortable having either with me in this type of event.
 
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Today has been one of those complex days of phone ans email meetings non stop. Now the wife is demanding time...I'll try to clarify more later tonight. Bu once again, I am really appreciating all of the input!
 
Noob moment lol. I've been sitting here for 15 minutes trying to find SAK on bing thinking it was another custom maker or company I hadn't heard of yet.
 
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