Best Fuzz-stick knife

[bearthedog]

Who makes the Path?

 

[k_estela]

One of the best fuzz stick knives I've used recently is Stomper's Nessmuk we tested on the MLK trip. In fact, his avatar is a picture I took of a fuzz stick I made with it.

You know I'm going to say my favorite is my Fox River. That knife is so close to me I can do just about anything with it.

 

[udtjim]

I make them by the handfulls with any of my Mora's.

 

[stingray4540]

Wow, mad fuzz stick skills Sicily!

P.S. What's that on your sheath, other than the firesteel?

 

[Dannyboy Leather]

Which knife would you say is best for making a fuzz-stick for starting a fire? I'd use the search feature before asking this but it doesn't seem to be available anymore.

More important than the particular knife (providing it is sharp), is the skill of its user. Learning how to make fuzz sticks (called "prayer sticks" in my woods) with easy ignition thin curls is sometimes easier said than done. In the damp rain forest coastal areas of our state, if the curls are not really, really thin, you simply won't find any benefit to the fuzz stick.

I don't normally photograph fuzz sticks, but I was showing off the little Gossman PSK knife on another forum. The little full-convexed PSK will do a decent job of fuzzies for its diminutive size. I usually use a larger blade with a comfortable handle for generating fuzz sticks.

 

[mtnfolk mike]

Pencile sharpener, Works great for me. I pick up some sticks while walking and when im ready i got all the Fuzz i want in less then 15sec. Or just a sharp Mora..

Sasha

i was also going to say a pencil sharpener...:thumbup: i use a taper tool, to taper the ends of my wood arrows.. it looks and acts just like a pencil sharpener, except they vary in diameter.. 5/16, 11/32, 23/64... i make a dozen arrows and i'm left with a huge pile of fine cedar shavings... i keep most of it...

other than that, you can't beat the small wood handled moras....:thumbup: SAK's work great and those gossman PSK's are wicked sharp too....

 

[k_estela]

Fuzz Stick Porn

Stomper's Nessmuk

And my venerable Fox

 

[Dannyboy Leather]

A favorite photo from old time woodsman, Bill Riviere. I'm thinking this photo from his 1971 book, Backcountry Camping, inspired me to improve my hand at fuzz stick making. Notice the little 3" blade he carried throughout his professional career in the woods.

 

[Diamond Dog]

Dannyboy that is one hell a cool pic! The old timers sure knew what they were doing with their pocket knives.

 

[bearthedog]

Something we high tech people have forgotten. That picture is perfect.

 

[Brian Jones]

Here's mine. Simonich Kanji kit-knife, functional, but as yet unfinished by me. A2 steel. Rawhide handle wrap. Sorry no fuzz pix, but it works great!

 

[Ravaillac]

Knives with a least one flat bevels help a lot.
Chisels works well too -considering that the flat side is just one big flat bevel- provided flat side is on the "right" side (turned to the inside of your strong hand - left side if you're right handed and vis-versa - like japanese cook knives, NOT like how Emersons are ground).

 

[baldtaco-II]

I don't believe the actual sharpness is as much an important factor as blade geometry. If I take a Stanly blade a scrub it against a rock so it is more blunt than some racing bike saddles it'll still fuzz sticks just fine. Conversely, I can take any one of a number of blades that are super sharp, but of thicker stock and grind, and they won't perform at that anywhere near as well.

 

[hollowdweller]

Gransfors Bruks Mini Hatchet Actually I'd vote for thin convex or scandi but it CAN be done!

 

[sicily02]

bearthedog I will making what I call the Pathfinder.
A couple of weeks back I was cutting trees and walking
throught the timber where I was working and came to a
area that had a mess of tree limbs blocking my path and
out came this knife and with a few choice cuts I made a
path and the thought hit me on what to call this knife that
I am now making. I have some plans on some other desighns
too I will post pics as I make them up. I have just opened up
my shop and will be makings knives from stock removale for
now but by the fall I hope to be forging as well:thumbup:.

stingray4540 Thanks for the comments on the fuss sticks they
carve pretty nice with my knife.

The other tool that I carry on the knife sheath is a sharpener here
is the pic.

Take care all,
Bryan


Breeden Knives
E-mail tacklebreeden@yahoo.com
Phone 402-300-0058

 

[Elen]

For fuzz sticks, so far, I haven't seen any knife that does it better than a well-sharpened Scandi grind Tommipuukko. The thin edge makes for really delicate curls, and the high Scandi grind really makes them curl up nicely.

 

[Mikel_24]

And my venerable Fox

Do you have large paws? I will be buying a Fox River anytime soon and it looks so small lying by those gloves. I will have to ask in my thread about some comparison pics with an F1 (which is the knife I use the most lately).

Mikel

 

[d_filgate]

Have to agree with that fine West Coast boy Pitdog.
The Ratmandu works quite well for me.
My Fallkniven F1 works great too.

Cheers
Dave (fellow BC'er, but suffering from Van. Isl. envy )

 

[psy-ops]

Sicily, you get my vote for the most awesome fuzz stick. A pure work of art!

 

[pitdog]

I was a little embarrassed at the Fuzz sticks I posted yesterday on my BlackJack post and so thought I'd have another go today, my effort is still way behind many of those posted here but is better than my previous efforts. I have concluded that the type of knife makes little difference to making Fuzz Sticks the main secret is that it is sharp....