December 2011 Question from Dr.Bill

[WILLIAM.M]

December 2011 Question from Dr.Bill

2 Parts


Do you like an exposed Pommel on your Wilderness Knife?????
being defined as the end of the knife opposite the tip.

Like Fehrman and Busse

Or do you like the Grips to totally cover the pommel like 4 of the ones below???

How often do you use the Pommel of your knife during Wilderness Tasks????

I'll go first

I like the way they look on some knives but rarely use them to pound (Hammer like) on anything.

So-my answer would be usually not--and hardly ever.

And you!!!!

Is it a gimmick or useful feature(like for a Firesteel)???

If it's useful to you--list how and what you use it for.

 

[Codger_64]

I prefer a hidden pommel, traditional full tang. I did use the butt of my knife to grind and break up clumps of cure and spice mix for jerky last night, but I could have accomplished that with any piece of hard plastic or steel used as the pestel. It did not damage the scales on my Delrin knife handle at all. I just never have found the need for an exposed steel pommel. I wouldn't call it a gimmick, just a different design feature.

 

[RescueRiley]

I;ve owned several knives with pommels, I have never used one to a functional end that I can recall..
so
No and
never
tactical gimmik imo
might be handy in a fighting knife for use as a punio on a larger blade?
but for a gen. purpose woods knife it is not nec, through my limited experience.
Best regards

 

[Rockywolf]

I have one or two with exposed pommels, but don't use them to pound on. I'd rather have one covered so I can pop my palm on it if needed.

 

[Dave Behrens]

I like the look of exposed pommels on larger blades, but never have concieved a fuction for them (other than a skull crusher on fighting knives) on a wood/wilderness knife. I agree with Rockywolf, I like a covered pommel for drill/scrape/dig/gouge tasks, much more comfortable.

 

[kurodrago]

This is my best handle so far in numeral order.....:thumbup:
Exposed Pommel or not, don't matter really, as far there are comfortable....

#1 Busse busse sarsquatch
#2 Busse NMSFNO
#3 Tops Steel Eagle
#4 Condor Bushlore

 

[sicily02]

Yes, I do.

Bryan

 

[Brian Sargent]

My favorite pommels are the old school "bird beak" RD blades.

I've used a few of them to beat on all kinds of stuff!

... but on a small utility/carving knife I like a smooth round but with a hidden lanyard hole.

 

[pitdog]

Only exposed tang I use is on my Chopweiler, when batoning wood down to size if the knife starts to drift out of the wood then I'll knock it back in using the tang !

 

[stanley_white]

I like an exposed pommel as a "just in case" feature for pounding -- though I have never had to do so.

Another great use for an exposed pommel is as a counterbalance to make the blade less blade-heavy.

My modified Bullnoser from Mineral Mountain Hatchet Works has a huge exposed pommel that counterbalances the eight inch blade well and makes the knife a great all arounder despite it's large size.

-Stan

 

[Big Mike]

I never liked them,

...but I have one on a Fiddleback Forge knife that has never been an issue,

...and I like to palm a handle at times.








Big Mike

 

[HornyToad]

If you can't decide, just get a Turley with a metal pommel shaped into the scales. Palm it or beat on it. Your choice.

 

[baldtaco-II]

I largely ignored the one on the F1. It was the one and only I've had like that and if anything was more of a hindrance than a help. I would have preferred it not to have had that. I think worse is that weird trend at the moment to make scales that are incompetently too small with stock poking out all round from under some silly novelty mini-slabs.

 

[1066vik]

I've used knives with the exposed pommel squared off for use as a fire steel striker.
I've used knives with a flat pommel such as on a Kabar or Turley - and found it a great surface for pounding with a baton or my hand.
I've used knives with a completely enclosed/covered tang
and I've used knives with a hidden tang.
Overall, I prefer blades with exposed metal at the butt end -- but it does not have to extend past the scales.
I rarely pound with a knife and even more rarely need to pound on the butt of the knife -- but if the need is there, I prefer the ability to pound on metal, not just handle material.

 

[schmittie]

I've never seen a need for it. My rat-3 has an exposed pommel but I've never used it for anything.

 

[6shooter]

Only exposed tang I use is on my Chopweiler, when batoning wood down to size if the knife starts to drift out of the wood then I'll knock it back in using the tang !

This is about the only thing I've ever used it for as well. I've also done it with a covered pommel and never damaged anything so I don't really see it as necessary. Don't think I've ever used an exposed pommel to pound or hammer anything.

So my answer would be I'm not overly concerned with it either way, they don't really add or detract anything, though I spose they could be a bit of a bother in certain grips. One of my favourite bush knives has an exposed pommel for what it's worth.

And for the second question, hardly ever, but not never.

 

[PropThePolecat]

Absolutely hate the the pommel on my RC-3, id rather have the scaled covered a handle. The F1 dosent bother me that much though. Nevertheless, ive never used an exposed pommel for anything.