Dedicated chopper

I am surprised more wtf didn't show up. are they to heavy/awkward to be usable? Or not quite the heavy hitter?
 
Spirch said:
speaking of chopper

what is your preferred angle and grit?
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There is many factors involved. If we are talking hardwoods, with a 10" blade, I would go with 18-22 dps(20 dps) with INFI. But it also depends on the blade profile and thickness itself. An 18 dps blade from a 1/4" thick sabre ground blade will have more metal behind the edge than the same edge on a 1/4" flat ground blade. The metal behind the edge helps support the edge to keep it from deforming as easily. The size of the knife matters as well. A MOABM hits a lot harder than a BME. The edge will take much more force per hit. There are many parameters that affect edge geometry. Think about it axes have 35-40+ degree angles. At the end of the day the best edge is a good convex or Busse zero edge. It is about perfect for chopping.
 
boring said:
I am surprised more wtf didn't show up. are they to heavy/awkward to be usable? Or not quite the heavy hitter?
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Mines just still mint. No need to chop anything with it yet, as I have a stripped KZII with a polished thinned convex. But, just based on geometry, I expect the WTFBG to out chop the KZII, and bite deeper....

I had a FBMLE with an optimized polished convex, and that thing bit wickedly awesome. The WTF is taller, and has even more optimized chopping geometry, at least to my "feel" and eyeballs.
 
Freedom Pulla,

The 2nd pic on page three shows a long blades res-C knife? Is that the 1311 and ia it differently heat treated?
 
iamtoast said:
Freedom Pulla,

The 2nd pic on page three shows a long blades res-C knife? Is that the 1311 and ia it differently heat treated?
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Yes, that middle blade is a 1311. They came out quite a while after differential heat treat of SR101 was discontinued, so it is through-hardened, not differential.
 
I have enjoyed reading the various opinions in this thread! :thumbsup:
MattinLA said:
My BGBB13 for home use and my 1311 if I'm camping. My 1311 was my most used chopper for years. Also it depends on what type of wood you're chopping, the stuff in Rob Stanleys videos looks like its rock hard! My local stuff is not like that.
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I learned the hard way how dense the wood is makes a huge difference in how well any knife chops. A few months ago I decided to try my unused 1311 on a downed tree at the back of my property. A chain link fence separates my yard from the neighbor's, and this tree had crushed the tubular steel frame of the fence and collapsed the fence. Prior to choosing the 1311, I had not taken a close look at the tree, but I was guessing it was maybe 5-6" in diameter; well, when I walked back there with the knife, I saw the tree was more like 8" or so in diameter. I decided to try the 1311 anyhow, and after many full power swings at the tree, I realized the wood was much harder than expected, and I was only about 1/3 of the way thru the tree and my arm was exhausted. Fortunately I had a full size axe also, and eventually finished the tree with the axe (it was still a lot of work even with the axe).

As I was swinging the knife, I kept wishing it was a thicker (like at least .25" or even more), heavier blade – it would have helped with the very hard wood. While it is true that edge geometry is important, so is weight for chopping (not only how much weight, but how far it is from your hand(s) like in the case of the full size axe). I'm sure the 1311 is fine with softer and/or smaller diameter wood, but it was no match for this tree. Next time, I will start with something heavier, or better yet rent or buy a chain saw! :D
 
Dedicated chopper , I’d take the Blackhawk.:confused::cool: It’s the most universal platform at the moment. Gun ship, medivac, stealth, personal carrier, Dev Gru’s Uber. :eek:o_O:poop:
 
gk4ever2...Yep, it is a blast to read some of the comments here, makes for some decent entertainment after a protracted day at work!

The density of various woods can make all the difference in ease of processing, not to mention the type of wood at hand. Back in the day, my buddy and I decided to tackle a tree that had fallen around the hunting camp. At that time, I was unaware that I was dealing with Maclura Pomifera, a tree that some locals called 'bois d'arc'. My full sized axe was literally bouncing off that tree. I finally used one of my polished out arvika axes with a tuned edge to get a bite. Even then, that old tree was way too hard for any cutting tool. We did not have the benefit of a chainsaw at hand...

These days I keep an 18 inch True Temper machete in the truck. I use that blade on wood up to about six inches, but past that, there is some magical point where it becomes impractical and exhausting to use any style of knife, including the 1311. One ventures quickly into axe territory. Of course, one can't always have the luxury of toting an axe on a field trip, but they sure are the better tool when the dense, super seasoned woods present themselves. And, as I have mentioned previously, a lot of cutting efficiency depends on who is doing the cutting.

On the 1311. Yep, it could be a bit thicker, but I like the size for general use and definitely favor the weight for packing on the trail. It is a great all rounder and a wonderful survival tool that can function superbly in many roles. I now wish I had snagged a second one while they were available.
 
I recently acquired a NMFBM that I will be suing to dismantle a small tree in my backyard that needs to come down. We'll see how well it works. I live in WI and it is below zero here now. However, I am tempted to go wack on the tree in this cold weather just so I can use my new Busse :)
 
Good old fashioned FFBM.. but i havent had the chance to really wale on my CS WTF yet either...
 
iamtoast said:
Freedom Pulla,

The 2nd pic on page three shows a long blades res-C knife? Is that the 1311 and ia it differently heat treated?
Click to expand...

I just saw this! Will York is right, 1311.. it’s a great fast chopper and bites pretty deep. Great for cleaning up limbs
 
I have owned probably 50 plus abuse Knives. Between weight, what fits my hands well, the Basic 11 is what finally worked best for me. I have thought about trying 1311, but I am still loving the Basic 11 all around. Before that one is was a toss up between my FFBM and NMFBM, both were great, but made my arm tired as hell real quick. Lol
 
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