Camp Digger

blgoode

blgoode

Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Messages
7,205
I was approached a month or so back about making a knife that will chop, dig, cut, and be an overall beater around camp. Between the customer and myself we came up with this. Blade is around 5.75" with an overall around 11.25"
Made from 1/4" 0-1 with a natural canvas micarta handle. Reminds me of a broom handle 9mm :D The finish is cold bluein after etch. The false edge will be sharpened a little.
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I still have to clean up the top of the spine and sharpen her up....after the sheath is made :p

Do you think this design would com in handy in your camp?
 
Looks like it would be a great camp knife that would stand up to almost anything! What's the weight - just curious.

Great job!
 
Ah Man! I was supposed to bring it in today to work and weigh it. Thanks for the reminder!
 
I think that it would look good in my camp. Also would look good on my hip, in my pack or in my hand. Good looking knife.
 
sure I'll make more of these. Sooner if someone places an order of corse bt I see this being made again :D
 
blgoode said:
I was approached a month or so back about making a knife that will chop, dig, cut, and be an overall beater around camp.
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For digging there are a few concerns :

1) The point is too well pointy, and thin, it would be better if it was in line with the spine and thus left more robust also increasing the ability to break apart woods. This also makes it easier to repair when it gets dented as you only have one edge to form, right now you would have to rework the primary and secondary. As well sedges and false edges impair baton work.

2) If you intend the back edge to be the leading edge for digging which is a good idea in general, then don't sharpen it, just shape it. However the handle is too heavy biased against reverse grips for this type of work, and you don't need a slim point for ease of digging. In general false edges and swedges are good for heavy contacts and hacking, but you need a handle which is ergonomic in reverse grips for high functionality here.

3) The blade is nice and wide for scooping dirt, if you really want to enhance this aspect you can add a slight hollow to the top of the grind to increase the shoveling aspect, it doesn't need to be a deep hollow grind, just a slight dish, keep well away from the edge as you don't need to weaken that.

As an aside, if you dropped the end of the handle down further so it was in line with the bottom of the blade I think it would look better, more uniform, plus it would give more security and a longer grip for more rear choking ability. The choil is also a bit long, for precision whitting it is better if you can work closer to the grip, it gives you less of a leverage disadvantage and more control.

-Cliff
 
Thanks for your view Cliff - The lengthened Ricasso is to rest the finger on wich I do alot. The false edge was the customers request. Also thinning down the tip with the false edge increases the tasks that a big blunty knife will do.
If it were strictly for digging it would be a shovel. Its more intended to dig into and pop apart wood around camp.

With my calipers the tip goes from .045 to 3/16" about an inch back fallowing that false line. Plenty thick not to break.

I agree in the reverse grip having its faults. Cant win them all. :D
 
blgoode said:
Its more intended to dig into and pop apart wood around camp.
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Ok, for that most of what I wrote doesn't apply, you won't heavily damage the edge, or break the very tip working in even the hardest of woods.

All you really want to make sure of is lateral strength and that is easy to check, just see what kind of woods he is working with and how much penetration he is aiming towards, and exceed both of them with some testing and make sure the tip holds up.

Choils are really set on user preference, some love them even on tiny knives, I have a use for them on larger knives as you want to be able to shift the balance back, but for smaller knives I prefer to work in full grips. It is a custom knife though, its the users you need to satisfy not mine.

-Cliff
 
Cliff - All opinions are usefull buddy. Thats why we have so many designs :D
Makes it interesting to ;)
 
Very cool and practical design. That knife with one of your smaller companion models or SAK and it would be the perfect backcountry combo. Nice job. I think I need one. It falls right in line with what I think makes for a good bush blade. Very, very, nice.
 
I could even see this increased to 6.5" to 7" blade but then the weight goes up and I'd need an oven to heat treat this sucker! The largest blade I have heat treated is this 8" one.........
 
The thread knife has a nice profile for a longer blade, forget the weight, spend a few weeks hauling wood and I guarantee it will feel light. We usually cut small wood for burning, 6-8", lately I have been hauling out sticks for lumber, they are 10"+, usually 12-14".

I don't mind the weight on the shoulder, but it is hell to actually shoulder being only 9 feet long as you need to go way down to get the center of balance back. Plus it has been raining nonstop for the last two weeks so everything is waterlogged and dead heavy.

blgoode said:
The largest blade I have heat treated is this 8" one.........
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That is about the perfect brush knife, just make it twice as long, the handle looks excellent as well, nice swell, wide flare at the end.

blgoode said:
All opinions are usefull
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Yeah, my brother really likes the Cold Steel Trailmaster grip, he has handled knives from Murray Carter, Ray Kirk, etc., and he still is pissed because he doesn't have the Trailmaster any more, he even almost stabbed me in the back when it came out of his hand and sailed like a dart, and he still references it, then again maybe that says something as well.

-Cliff
 
The burgundy handled knife above is what I camm my To The Woods knife. Its my best performing design for larger tasks. I'd be interested in making this TTW knife out of 1/4" and leave the bevel lower than full flat to aid in the wedge shape. The one above is 3/16" stock.
 
Your above Woods knife with a 9"-10" blade and a ride along companion would probably be the best wilderness combo I've seen. (And I am a big/little ride along junkie!) Every large custom I've had made, I also get a small companion and either have the maker attach it, or I attach them somehow. It just works for me :cool:
 
A2 has served me well, it's been one of my favorite steels for big blades. Once I have some extra $, and you have a bigger oven, we'll have to do it!
 
I may have to send them out to heat treat for a while but a big oven by a year. Thats my goal ;)
 
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