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Bill Siegle Hoodlum 2
- Thread starter Brendan
- Start date
t1mpani
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2002
- Messages
- 5,535
Bill's workmanship is superb---his construction is simple but like a tank. He doesn't do polishes or fancy finishes (generally, any way) but his fit and finish in terms of grinds and scales matching/flowing into the tang is excellent, making his knives very comfortable for extended use. His blade and edge geometries are almost perfect, as far as I'm concerned--some of the only "hard use" fixed blades that I don't immediately re-profile upon receipt. His heat treat of 5160 is unequaled by most and has been surpassed by none in my experience. Siegle Fehrman and Busse-kin are the three names that come up when people ask me who makes the best hard use fixed blades--and Bill's blade geometries tend to be the best of that group.
Now, to the Hoodlum 2 itself----it's thick enough to split and chop with ease, and wide enough to take that thickness down to a real cutting geometry. In the large version, it's easily capable of taking a small tree down, and will readily single-swipe a limb in the 2.5" range (base diameter). The smaller one (7.5" blade) is obviously less powerful in a swing, but every bit as tough, and a vastly more capable general purpose fixed blade than a USMC fighting knife in pretty much every respect, while only weight about three ounces more. The continuous curve of the Hoodlum's blade makes pretty much the entire edge a "sweet spot" for cutting, and yet the curve is gradual enough so as to be not nearly as hard to sharpen as most re-curve blades that people have experience with. The wide belly out front shifty the balance forward nicely, and yet it ends up with a real point that you can still pierce and dig with, and even pick the occasional splinter.
Bill makes a nice kydex sheath, too.
Basically, in this user's opinion, you can absolutely go fancier than a Siegle knife, but you can't really go better, and the Hoodlum is one of his oldest and best loved patterns.
Now, to the Hoodlum 2 itself----it's thick enough to split and chop with ease, and wide enough to take that thickness down to a real cutting geometry. In the large version, it's easily capable of taking a small tree down, and will readily single-swipe a limb in the 2.5" range (base diameter). The smaller one (7.5" blade) is obviously less powerful in a swing, but every bit as tough, and a vastly more capable general purpose fixed blade than a USMC fighting knife in pretty much every respect, while only weight about three ounces more. The continuous curve of the Hoodlum's blade makes pretty much the entire edge a "sweet spot" for cutting, and yet the curve is gradual enough so as to be not nearly as hard to sharpen as most re-curve blades that people have experience with. The wide belly out front shifty the balance forward nicely, and yet it ends up with a real point that you can still pierce and dig with, and even pick the occasional splinter.
Bill makes a nice kydex sheath, too.
Basically, in this user's opinion, you can absolutely go fancier than a Siegle knife, but you can't really go better, and the Hoodlum is one of his oldest and best loved patterns.
t1mpani
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2002
- Messages
- 5,535
Favorably. 
You're talking about excellently made knives in all three, just differences in feel and balance that are largely subjective. As I mentioned, his edge geometries are better than the Busse/Swamp Rats are from the factory. At the same geometry, the Swamp's 52100 will have a slight advantage in abrasive edge holding, and INFI has the advantage of corrosion resistance. You're not going to able to do anything with any of them that the other two won't also do.
You're talking about excellently made knives in all three, just differences in feel and balance that are largely subjective. As I mentioned, his edge geometries are better than the Busse/Swamp Rats are from the factory. At the same geometry, the Swamp's 52100 will have a slight advantage in abrasive edge holding, and INFI has the advantage of corrosion resistance. You're not going to able to do anything with any of them that the other two won't also do.
DennisStrickland
BANNED
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- Jun 24, 2009
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- 5,040
i have a 9.75 chopper by siegle that worked & was posted in the wilderness section under san gabriel river trip. if you check various posts in wilderness section you will see trees we chopped with the siegle kukri & chopper. one of the best big knives i ever tested.---dennis strickland
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2009
- Messages
- 2,849
Let me echo in here. I bought my first Siegle knife last year. I loved it so much that I now own 4 of them. Ranging from 6 inch blade to 9 1/2 inch blades. Bill's knives are real world hard use knives. I have 3 makers that I trust my life with their knives. Scott Gossman, Jeremey Horton and Bill Siegle. I do not ever carry a knife I would not stake my life on.I live in the big woods of the U.P. of Michigan. A simple hike can turn into a survival quest if you do not know what you are doing. Just my .002 cents.
Mike
Mike
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
- Messages
- 12,196
NO ONE---other than Bill Siegle I'll wager has tested more Bill Siegle knives than I have
Well over 80 I'll bet(not bragging-but if you are going to take advice on this --I'm the one to ask)
A SMALL # of the Siegles I have tested-Hoodlum 2 is on top of first photo
What Bill Siegle knives have is an OUTSTANDING level of comfort and ergonomics.98% of the people I let test a Siegle buy one--the other 2% want one but can't afford one.
I have patients here in my small town that own 12-15 Siegles.
In fact I'll wager there are more Bill Siegle knives in Snyder ,TX(POP 11K) that any small town in the world.
My point?
I along with at least 20 other people(patients) have tested Siegle knives and you will NOT find a better knife for the $.
You might find tougher--but not better.
Better, I Mean all in all--Comfort,ease of re-sharpening,cutting ability,edge retension,etc.
I do not know anyone that just has ONE Bill Siegle knife that has not bought MORE.
The Hoodlum 2 is an EXCELLENT chopper...
Sincerely
Dr.Bill
Well over 80 I'll bet(not bragging-but if you are going to take advice on this --I'm the one to ask)
A SMALL # of the Siegles I have tested-Hoodlum 2 is on top of first photo
What Bill Siegle knives have is an OUTSTANDING level of comfort and ergonomics.98% of the people I let test a Siegle buy one--the other 2% want one but can't afford one.
I have patients here in my small town that own 12-15 Siegles.
In fact I'll wager there are more Bill Siegle knives in Snyder ,TX(POP 11K) that any small town in the world.
My point?
I along with at least 20 other people(patients) have tested Siegle knives and you will NOT find a better knife for the $.
You might find tougher--but not better.
Better, I Mean all in all--Comfort,ease of re-sharpening,cutting ability,edge retension,etc.
I do not know anyone that just has ONE Bill Siegle knife that has not bought MORE.
The Hoodlum 2 is an EXCELLENT chopper...
Sincerely
Dr.Bill
Last edited:
t1mpani
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2002
- Messages
- 5,535
