Bushcrafting with the Bushcrafters.

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Ever since I was a kid I played with my toys. I always took care of my stuff, but things never sat around, they got used.

Early on, I built a model of a B-17. It was meant to sit there and be admired in a static display. I was not impressed. Everything I built after that was more user friendly.

Compared to many here, my Fiddleback Collection is tiny. Consisting of a Leuku, Woodsman, Pro Kephart, Bushcrafter, Terasaur, and Hunter on its way home. I think that's it.

The Pro Kephart is really cool. But the surprise stand out for me has been the Bushcrafter. I am really liking this knife.

It is thin and slicey. I guess slicey isn't a word. My spell check is having a meltdown. But it is.
The handle is great, the balance is great too. Just a nice unassuming package of knife goodness.

I am noticing more Bushcrafters lately. Probably because I'm focused on them. And bang, all of a sudden, I see there are Bushcraft Jr.s and Bushcraft Sr.s, who knew??

Using my keen sense of deductive reasoning. I hypothesized that the Bushcraft Junior is smaller than the original. And the Senior is larger. Extensive research has proven this to be an accurate guess.

Then, like magic. This uber cool Bushcraft Senior appears out of nowhere on the Fiddleback Friday for sale thread. It truly was a thing of beauty.

Sadly, I left it languishing there like a lonely puppy at the pound. Because I scooped up the Oatmeal/Natural Hunter. Adding to my small but well coordinated collection with matching handles.

I have had some spare time to ponder life and other things lately. That has been both a blessing and a curse. But that is for another thread.

This free time has also allowed me to research, review, read, and generally over think everything. Like why does Colt's Foot have spurs and Dandelions are smooth? You know, life's most important questions.

I got to thinking about Andy's Knife names too. It must be almost a full time job coming up with these. Karda, Bow Leeged Joe, Ladyfinger, Duke and so on.

I know names need to be catchy. They need to grab the potential buyers attention. And more importantly their imagination. You want the name of a knife to transport the buyer in his mind's eye, to where he or she will use the knife.

Bushcrafter, seems simple enough. I'll use this knife for Bushcrafting. I Bushcraft. I have since I was four. Back then we called it spending time in the woods.

Today's world over thinks, and over labels everything. I saw an ad the other day for Tactical Socks. Tactiacal Socks? Really?

One of the things I have always admired about Andy's knife naming strategy. Is that he never really tries to capitalize on the normal hot buttons. Fear, Defense, War or Survival. His names are more down to earth and less Hollywood hype.

Here is what he says about his Bushcrafter on the website.

"The Fiddleback Forge Bushcrafter's design is intended as a non threatening Boy-Scout-friendly kind of drop point fixed blade knife. It has a stout point for drilling, good size to baton wood, and is a great knife for just about any outdoor task you throw at it. If you are looking for the best knife for bushcrafting and utility, this model may be for you. Well-rounded would be the way to describe this great design."

I mean seriously, in today's world. Who markets a knife like this? Where's the danger? Where is the fear? Where is the catch phrase, if you don't buy this knife now. You'll probably die in the woods later today?

Non threatening? Boy Scout Friendly? I can't take this thing to the Mall. Come On!
Don't the Seals use it? What about Force Recon? GSG-9 maybe?

Fortunately for me. I don't live near a Mall. I live near the woods. Actually in the woods. So this knife was a no brainer for me. And I am loving it. Every inch of its non threatening, Boy Scout friendly goodness.

Where am I going with all this?

I would love to see this thread develop into us playing with our Bushrafter Knives. The original, Jr. or Sr. all of them. I would prefer not to see static displays. That's what B-17 models are for.

I want to see dirt, wood, food, fire, rope, critters, anything. As long as it's action. We need to take this unasuming, non-threatening, Boy-Scout-Friendly blade and give it the respect it deserves.

If at all possible. I'd like to limit it to Bushcrafters. Any of them. Other knives are welcome, as long as they are accompanied by a Bushcrafter.

Action, we want action, dirt, rust, patina. Signs of use. Fun being had, things being done.

I have located a Tier One Team of Operators that may be willing to sign off on and adopt this knife if we can prove its worth to them.

They are an extremely well trained group of Webelos that has gone Rogue. Currently deployed and living on the edge. They are know as WebGru. They need this knife!

I'll kick it off,

An upside down fire on top of vertical rounds. It burned all night.


This is what I had left in the morning. Lots of heat and coals in the middle,


Some quick coaxing and it was rocking again,


After a while, I placed two logs flat for skillet support and dragged some coals between them. Breakfast, on the way.


Even WebGru has to eat!



Bring it folks!

 

We'll get ya there!

 

This doesn't have to be overly complicated. Skinning Crocodiles is fine. But it just has to have some kind of action/movement/doing something.

While I was composing the first post this loaf of bread was baking.

I brought it outside. And put my knife by it. Stuff like this counts. Outside and doing something.



This brings up a great point. The "Bushcrafter" as it's called, does an excellent job in the kitchen too. It slices and butters bread very well,



It can be about anything, as long as the Bushcrafter is the "Bread & Butter" of the post.



For the record. Fresh Bread Rocks!

 

Mine is 3/32" that could be why I like it so much!

 

Phil,
Urban Crafter or Bush Crafter, it matters not. YouR knife shows signs of both use and love. I like the reduced guard modification. It makes sense and it looks good.

 

This is great stuff.

I don't know what I like more. Your so e with the Trad Bow complete with color coordinated Tip fletching and socks.

Or the three many Bow Drill exercise. Very cool!

 

Phil & Hasco

Thank you so much!

This is exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for. So much coolness in both of your posts. Drilled down to it's simplest componenets, it's Folks outdoors having fun with their Bushcrafters. Which is 100% what I was after.

Too cool!

 

Out playing with my Bushcrafter

Fire prep and parts of a Tri-Stick,


An experimental, "Turtle Shell Fire"


Improperly seasoned Cherry bark is amazingly fire resistant.




It worked, but not without some screwing. Wood wasn't dry. Still had plenty of heat in the morning. This was shortly before bedtime. It turned into a great fire once it caught.


More on Monday. Headed out for a quick trip to meet some happy campers tomorrow!

 

Too Funny!!

Testosterone and a sense of humor can at times, be mutually exclusive.
No worries though, there are talkers and doers. In my experience, the doers care little about terminology. They just need things to work.