Anyone else anxious for Fiddleback Friday, January 18??

Joined
Apr 9, 2011
Messages
766
I am ready! Who else is anxiously awaiting this weeks batch?! I hope we'll see a couple really nice bushcrafters and hiking buddy's this week. Maybe a hiking buddy to match my maple burl Kephart?

Lets see 'em!
 
I love these posts. Guys, thanks for your enthusiasm. It feeds quite a few little Americans nowadays.
 
Our enthusiasm is only sparked by your talents, Andy. Keep up the great work!
 
Last edited:
I have had the EDC floating around in my head. I really can't stop thinking about it. So hopefully I'll be getting one tomorrow.
 
I am ready! Who else is anxiously awaiting this weeks batch?! I hope we'll see a couple really nice bushcrafters and hiking buddy's this week. Maybe a hiking buddy to match my maple burl Kephart?

Lets see 'em!

Well, it finally stopped raining...allegedly, I'll believe it when I see it after over three weeks of rain and flooding...so I can finally get on to finishing a couple of articles I'm working on. So...unfortunately I might not be around to see the debut of this weeks batch. BUT I am always excited about Fiddleback Fridays, even when I can't afford to buy. I have been self employed for the last six years, I get paid based on projects finished so paid on no certain days. Lol, Fiddleback Friday brought meaning back to my Fridays :) . That said, one f the pieces I am working on will feature my Kephart, so I'll still be playing with a Fiddleback that I love anyway :D
 
I'm looking forward to tomorrows batch. Every once in a while I think of selling my Camp knife to fun some other Fiddleback purchases. :o
 
I'm looking forward to tomorrows batch. Every once in a while I think of selling my Camp knife to fun some other Fiddleback purchases. :o

You do realize how few of those there are...and how seldom he makes them, right?
 
I'm really enjoying the EDC which arrived this past week - quite a great blade!!

I have had the EDC floating around in my head. I really can't stop thinking about it. So hopefully I'll be getting one tomorrow.

Obviously I eed to make more EDC's. Its one of those simple knives from the very beginning. Every time I think of re-designing it, I have to stop and remind myself that it is a really nice little knife as is.
 
Andy, you leave that EDC design alone! At least until after you make mine. You know living as close to the shop as I do is both a blessing and a curse. Have to force myself not to turn down that street sometimes. You all are gonna love what's coming. ;-)
 
Andy - I second the 'don't change a thing' sentiment on the EDC. The way the handle fills the hand, the balance, the spear point coupled with the blade profile - just doesn't get much better. I wouldn't be opposed to a 'little brother' of the EDC though as, for at least where I live, having a smaller belt knife garners fewer stares and is less of an issue.

So far, your 3 Finger Joe has been my favorite, most used knife -- wonder if a 3 finger scaled version of the EDC would work well / be in demand by enough to make it worth while. just one fellow's ramblings...

Looking forward to today's batch...
 
Obviously I eed to make more EDC's. Its one of those simple knives from the very beginning. Every time I think of re-designing it, I have to stop and remind myself that it is a really nice little knife as is.


Andy, you leave that EDC design alone! At least until after you make mine. You know living as close to the shop as I do is both a blessing and a curse. Have to force myself not to turn down that street sometimes. You all are gonna love what's coming. ;-)


Andy - I second the 'don't change a thing' sentiment on the EDC. The way the handle fills the hand, the balance, the spear point coupled with the blade profile - just doesn't get much better. I wouldn't be opposed to a 'little brother' of the EDC though as, for at least where I live, having a smaller belt knife garners fewer stares and is less of an issue.

So far, your 3 Finger Joe has been my favorite, most used knife -- wonder if a 3 finger scaled version of the EDC would work well / be in demand by enough to make it worth while. just one fellow's ramblings...

Looking forward to today's batch...

Dammit guys, now you have me second guessing myself. I am now starting to wonder if an edc wouldn't be a better way to go than a HB or BB for my next one. I am wanting a small one with a tapered tang and a full height grind for a long term studies and photographic project, It's going to be seen repeatedly over time by several friends in the knife industry including various editors, lots of friends (as well as many more strangers) in the knife buying community, and many in the survival community. It will be featured on my website, and will probably make it into print in the next book, and a few other places. I have really been putting a lot of thought into this one, I want it to be a special knife. I want it to look great as always, not too ornate but classy, be small enough that even in close up macro photos it can still serve as a size ref for me, and the right size to do this and still show off Andy's talents. Sooo I was thinking a tapered-tang and full height Hiking Buddie or Bushboot. Now you guys are making me take a closer look at the attributes of the edc, and have thrown in the "sheeple friendly" factor and made me think more about the fact that the direction I am going with this will land me in an urbanized environment quite often. Now I am wondering if the edc wouldn't be a better choice for that. Great...thanks for that :( :mad: :grumpy: :p
 
I just snagged the most amazing specimen of a KPH this week! I am convinced this will be a most versatile blade. Anyone have a KPH that they use? Any insights?
 
I just snagged the most amazing specimen of a KPH this week! I am convinced this will be a most versatile blade. Anyone have a KPH that they use? Any insights?

You snagged one of the nicest KPH's over ever seen. If I didn't already have a Hidden Tang KPH, I'd have been all over that one. They are wonderful in the kitchen. I find the shape to be quite comfortable, even under extended use. Mine sees tons of use in the Kitchen. I've used is to cut up all the onions and peppers that go into making 7+ quarts of home made Dutch Oven chili. Then the next day I cut up all the veggies for Dutch Oven chicken soup. Thats 30 to 60 minutes of continuous work and it was still comfy to use.

Got mine from Andy's Bladeforums Blade show sale back in June. After some initial testing, it went into Kitchen Duty. I've only whittled one stick with it to make shavings for a fire, other then that, it's been used in the kitchen. But it's such a Handy and comfy knife that I'm thinking of using it out side of the kitchen also. I think it would pair nicely with a ~5" or bigger slicer and some kind of chopper. Maybe my SOG Hunter Revolver as the larger slicer [4.75" Flat ground hunting knife with gut hook, revolves to become a double cut saw] and my Fiddleback Camp knife or one of my Bowies. Got a modified Old Hickory 6" Boning knife that I may also pair with the KPH and a chopper on trips.

Mine gets carried in a High Ride clip-on sheath, either cross draw on my left hip, or on the back side of my right hip. I wear Dickies Carpenter Jeans, the EDC clip on sheath fits nicely into one of the leg pockets if I want it off my belt. Anyways, It's a good knife, some people don't care for the blade shape, but I find that the blade and handle shape work great for me. Sometimes I wish that the blade was about 1/2" to 1" longer, but I guess thats where my 4.75" or longer slicer comes in.

Let me know if you'd like some pics. I think you'll enjoy the knife!
 
Dammit guys, now you have me second guessing myself. I am now starting to wonder if an edc wouldn't be a better way to go than a HB or BB for my next one. I am wanting a small one with a tapered tang and a full height grind for a long term studies and photographic project, It's going to be seen repeatedly over time by several friends in the knife industry including various editors, lots of friends (as well as many more strangers) in the knife buying community, and many in the survival community. It will be featured on my website, and will probably make it into print in the next book, and a few other places. I have really been putting a lot of thought into this one, I want it to be a special knife. I want it to look great as always, not too ornate but classy, be small enough that even in close up macro photos it can still serve as a size ref for me, and the right size to do this and still show off Andy's talents. Sooo I was thinking a tapered-tang and full height Hiking Buddie or Bushboot. Now you guys are making me take a closer look at the attributes of the edc, and have thrown in the "sheeple friendly" factor and made me think more about the fact that the direction I am going with this will land me in an urbanized environment quite often. Now I am wondering if the edc wouldn't be a better choice for that. Great...thanks for that :( :mad: :grumpy: :p

Anytime! ;-) I got bit when I actually handled one last week. Never thought about owning one until then. Awesome blade, really awesome. This is what happens when I stop by the shop. Arghhhhhhh
 
@mistwalker - I've been thinking about this thread as I drove around DC today and I was convinced that the HB was smaller than the EDC - that is until I got home and put them side by side. Having both knives, I'd be hard pressed to say I prefer one over the other and based upon your requirements both could fit the bill. The HB is a great knife and I almost bought the bone handled one earlier this week, and the one in today's list, but couldn't pass up the snubnose.

The EDC 'feels/looks' larger - I think in part of the full tang on my EDC, the handle shape on the EDC having a roundish pommel and the EDC blade being as tall as it is. The EDCs handle shape makes it tougher (for me at least) to choke up on the handle. My HB has a tapered tang and I'm amazed at how much weight tapering the tang take out of the knife.

The HB is a more 'traditional' shape than the EDC but I'm not sure that I agree that one is better suited for being around 'sheeple'. Sure the HB is pointy and streamlined, but the EDC LOOKS bigger and may cause some concern.

Another thought about the bushboot. Given the arc that this knife has from the pommel to the tip, I personally think it has more visual 'attitude' and looks more menacing than the hiking buddy. The BB blade is maybe 1/4" longer than the HB but feels like a much larger knife. In my case that may be because the BB does not have a tapered tang and my HB does. It may also be because the HB's handle is mostly a rectangle while the BB's handle arcs and has a pommel which is wider than the body of the handle.

If I had to rank the knives from least to most 'menacing' I'd rank them HB, EDC and then the BB. Again, FWIW, my 2 cents.

Good luck making your decision
 
Last edited:
@mistwalker - I've been thinking about this thread as I drove around DC today and I was convinced that the HB was smaller than the EDC - that is until I got home and put them side by side. Having both knives, I'd be hard pressed to say I prefer one over the other and based upon your requirements both could fit the bill. The HB is a great knife and I almost bought the bone handled one earlier this week, and the one in today's list, but couldn't pass up the snubnose.

The EDC 'feels/looks' larger - I think in part of the full tang on my EDC, the handle shape on the EDC having a roundish pommel and the EDC blade being as tall as it is. The EDCs handle shape makes it tougher (for me at least) to choke up on the handle. My HB has a tapered tang and I'm amazed at how much weight tapering the tang take out of the knife.

The HB is a more 'traditional' shape than the EDC but I'm not sure that I agree that one is better suited for being around 'sheeple'. Sure the HB is pointy and streamlined, but the EDC LOOKS bigger and may cause some concern.

Another thought about the bushboot. Given the arc that this knife has from the pommel to the tip, I personally think it has more visual 'attitude' and looks more menacing than the hiking buddy. The BB blade is maybe 1/4" longer than the HB but feels like a much larger knife. In my case that may be because the BB does not have a tapered tang and my HB does. It may also be because the HB's handle is mostly a rectangle while the BB's handle arcs and has a pommel which is wider than the body of the handle.

If I had to rank the knives from least to most 'menacing' I'd rank them HB, EDC and then the BB. Again, FWIW, my 2 cents.

Good luck making your decision

Ok thanks for the input. I definitely don't want bigger...even if it's just looks. I really like the Hiking Buddy design all around, size and shape. I "stole" my wife's earlier today and had it out playing with it. I learned that the dyed blue handle is definitely not what I need for this project, nor is a scandi grind. both complicate catching the shot. Definitely a high saber grind, and maybe something more like maroon over natural with a white stripe. something somewhat "earthy", but dark enough to contrast against dead dry leaves, and a good color to balance with the various shades of green and other colors I will be working with. The again the tuxedo configuration might work nicely too. I was thinking hard about that one last week.
 
I have to take my youngest to a rifle competition later this morning and if you'd like will take some pictures when I return with these knives side by side. The HB and EDC both wear the same scale combo (natural micarta over black with whitewall). My BB wears black on black with blue pinstripe.

The last two knives I purchased wear Andy's tuxedo color combination (F2/3FingerJoe) so I'll include them as well.

I'm not the photographer you are, but hopefully the pix will help in your decision making. If you have specific shots/angles you'd like I'm happy to add those (skill/camera/light ) permitting
 
Back
Top