Condor Hudson Bay Camp Knife

Horn Dog

Horn Dog

Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
4,363
My Condor Hudson Bay Camp knife came in today. What a cleaver! This thing is wide. The blade is 8 1/4" x 2" x 3/16" of 1075 carbon steel. It weighs 14.5 oz. Handles are riveted on hardwood. I am not sure, but they look a bit reddish. Maybe mahogany? It comes with a heavy leather swivel sheath.
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The knife is flat ground and came with a convex edge. It was pretty sharp, but I would prefer it a bit less obtuse. The flats of the blade are painted in black epoxy. Balance point is right at the plunge line of the grind, so it is slightly blade heavy.
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The Condor version is wider than the Bark River version. It is slightly thinner, too. The Barkie is 7/32" thick with a full convex grind. The blade is 8 1/4" long and 1 3/4" at its widest point at the "hump" on the spine. Steel is A2. Of course, I'm comparing a $200 + knife to a $40 one here, but the Barkie is closer to original specs of the Hudson Bay knife in blade profile. I got the Condor as a beater. The Bark River version weighs 15.5 oz and balances abut at the bolster/handle junction, so even though it is heavier, it feels lighter in use than the Condor. It can out slice the Condor, too, but I can fix that.
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I had planned to do a full comparison in chopping and splitting, but the rain ran me in to my porch. So I took some time to strip and reprofile the Condor.
 
Ok, I stripped the paint off the Condor blade. That epoxy hides some rough grind lines. The grind lines are across the blade out to 2" then they are in line with the blade. Funky, but this is user, so I don't care.
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Now it slices like the Barkie. I thinned the edge out a bit. I guess this comparison will have to wait until some better weather to continue. Hey, I ain't no mountain man!
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Horn Dog, thanks for the great pictures of the Condor. Question your first post was at 1:30 and the second at 1:36, so it took about 6 minutes to strip the blade?

Wow!

Vin
 
vba said:
Horn Dog, thanks for the great pictures of the Condor. Question your first post was at 1:30 and the second at 1:36, so it took about 6 minutes to strip the blade?

Wow!

Vin
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No, it took longer than that. It took about 25 to 30 minutes. I just posted separately because I had too many photos for one post. I had planned on a full comparison, but that will have to wait for another day.
 
Great write up and detailed photos. I've kept my eye on the exchange area for brkt Hudson bay for some time now. Both are great blades!
 
Love it!

I have been looking on line for one, and thinking about it.

Where did you pick yours up?


I love the taller blade. More edge to spine height makes it better for general kitchen duties!

I have a 1x30 grinder, so the obtuse edge would only take me a few minutes to fix. I am used to re-profiling all my Infi anyway.

I want one of these, then I might re handle it in micarta with liners eventually.
 
I got this one from Knife Center, but it had been on backorder for a week or so. I like the taller cleaver-like blade, too. Used it in the kitchen today. It rocks as a kitchen knife. The taller blade helps keep fingers away from the edge, like a chef knife. Rather than polish this one up, I sliced a grapefruit with it and have it sitting on the slices getting all stained looking now. What a waste! That pink grapefruit is delicious. :eek: This is a really nifty camp cleaver. Lots of uses for a big wide bladed heavy knife.

Let's take a peak at the blade.

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Had a hard time finding an online dealer with it in stock. I found an Ebay dealer with in stock, and free sipping.

I just ordered 2. One for me, and one to pimp out for my Pops!
I am super stoked!



Now, they just need to produce a Monster Muck sized nessmuck with a really tall blade, and I will be set!
 
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It's a great piece of work--I loved the one I got to play around with. I just actually need to buy one now! :o
 
Well when I got home from slamming too many Black Douglas Scotch Ales, the knife was nearly as black as when it was painted! Powerful stuff, that grapefruit. Black Douglas, too. So I scrubbed it up with a brillo pad until it looked about like my original Green River knife which has a natural patina. Now it looks like a proper Hudson Bay Camp Knife. Tomorrow is the big football game, so I may not get to the comparison, as I have some dishes to prepare, but I might find time. If not, Monday. :D
 
Thanks for the comparison shots! Looking forward to the head-to-head.

I've always had a interest in historical patterns and designs from different cultures. As I understand it, from early American frontier history, the design was probably the first to be called a "camp knife". Consider also that this was used by the pioneers in those tough, establishing times. And while it may indeed be true that no single blade design can definitely be a "do-all" for each and every task, hence a knife of any sort was always paired with an axe/hatchet especially in the Northern boreal forest environment, this one was one of the first all-around designs. Kind of like the role of the blades in this part of the world which were used from the kitchen to the backwoods.
 
Yes, I saw yours. Very nice! Beautiful wood. Mine is a beater. I have the Bark River for a "nice" one. This has to be one of the best values in camp knives. Most of my others have that so-called tactical or military look. I wanted something more traditional looking that would still do the job.
 
Gambrinus said:
Nice write-up.
The new ones for 2011 will have a different "raw" finish.
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LOL. Now you tell me. While there is nothing wrong with painting a blade for corrosion restistance, a bare blade just looks better on a traditional knife like this.
 
Excellent write up on a great knife I feel they're a steel for the price I'm not to big a fan of the awful finish from the factory though it's not that it realy matters but I may strip mine of to give it a more historicly correct apperance mine can chop like no other and the 1075 steel is not very prone to chip or break and is incredibly easy to sharpen imo this is an execellent woods bumming knife for not much money.
 
The rain seems to be over, so it's time to finish this thing. The forced patina came out like I wanted it to. Not too overdone.

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Out back in the chopping area, I chose some hard wood to chop.
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No doubt about it, the Bark River out chopped the Condor. Out sliced it, too.
Not that the Condor was bad. But it's hard to beat that full convex grind on the Barkie. It just bites deeper and better in this hard wood.
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I did some baton work with the Condor, and it splits wood well. I already know the Barkie can do this.
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So it was back to the belt grinder for the Condor. Once I got that wire edge burr all along the edge, I went finer and did a final strop on leather. Much better. It can slice and chop almost as well as the Bark River can now.
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Awesome review Horn Dog. The patina came out really nice. Now you have me looking at picking up one of these.
 
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