Designing the ideal knife.

Codger, I was born in Hawthorne, Los Angeles County. 1942. I don't know, without a map, if that is east LA. This is scary :D
 
Nope, Hawthorne Hospital. Well, we can still tell stories about the orange groves, and the smog, and the fact that the sun didn't burn through until 11 am....survival stuff. ;)
 
Nope. I slipped under the wire and belly crawled out of there to Arkansas before my first birthday. My very first bugout from a hostile situation. Had a bottle and diapers in my bag, I think. The Mercury wasn't 4wd, but we did make it across the desert. Yup. My folks got to experience the grandure of L.A., and all I got was a birth certificate. I had to do time on a Southern Delta cotton farm, nothing to do but farm, hunt, fish, and ride my horse. I missed out on the whole L.A. experience.;)

Codger
 
I got some of the LA experience. I used to bike ride the streets with my friends (bicycles, kids). It was fun in the early days, but I wouldn't want to be there now.

Your southern experience sounds great, I hope it was ;)
 
Andrew,
I love the Wharncliff blade. How do I get in contact with Ray to order a knife?
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
I went with the wharncliffe for several reasons. I'm not a hunter, so don't need to skin things. The straight edge is easy to sharpen, and the point will always cut even if the edge is dull.

The point on a wharncliffe is generally sharp and strong enough to make holes with (drilling), and the straight blade is good for batoning if necessary.

This type blade is very utilitarian, good for lots of uses from food prep to self defense. Just a very good, all around user-freindly shape.

Andy
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Andy, I really like that design. Wharncliffe blades are one of the most suited for utility. I think I'll do one out of my next OH butcher knife.
 
aproy1101 said:
Andy, I really like that design. Wharncliffe blades are one of the most suited for utility. I think I'll do one out of my next OH butcher knife.
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Thanks, man! It's a beauty.

Soon as I get my new shop set up I'm going to take a stab at putting something together myself.

Andy C.
 
Codger_64 said:
I just dressed out another deer. A local hunting club is doing a cull, and I am not above taking a "gimme" fat yearling doe. That is five so far this year for the Schrade 165OT Woodsman/ 152OT Sharpfinger combo. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, the Sharpfinger is also a perfect knife. Henry Baer (1898-1987), a Codger in his own right designed it. He was born a day later than me on December 24th. Well, a day later and a few years earlier!:p

Codger
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I just put deer number six for the year in the freezer. Same knife combo, only very light honing on a fine Gerber diamond hone after yesterday's deer, and the dynamic duo of Old Timers were ready to do their duty again.

I know. Thirty year old factory knives with carbon blades aren't thrilling to the masses and don't feed today's knife maker's kitty. Except for a few who are, like me, impressed with enduring designs from days gone by. Of course it goes without saying that I still look at the new designs, lust after some, and try them out when I can afford them. Ain't they just so much like wimminks?

Codger
 
Codger,

Me and you are reading from the same page except I am partial to the 13OT. It was my grandfathers before it was mine, I try other knives, not much anymore, but my old timer goes on my belt. Chris
 
Full tang, drop point high carbon, yeah, it smacks of the Bob Loveless influence. Bob and Schrade collaborated on the Schrade-Loveless in the early seventies. Schrade lost money on it because it was completely, and meticulusly hand made. It was not intended to be a moneymaker, but a "milestone" knife that set the tone for their designs for quite a few years.

The Trailblazer was one of the first drop point spinoffs of that design, then the PH1 and PH2 Prohunters. The 13OTs were only made from 1978-80, so there aren't bins and boxes of them out there. I do have one new in the box in my collection, but I haven't had the heart, or need, to take it out hunting. Maybe I will yet.

Codger :thumbup:
 
If I had to bug out tomorrow here in the forested PNW, I would most likely put on a successful design thousands of years old, and take something that is a fresh interpretation of a design nearly as old.

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I'd leave the "combat" to my rifle. My survival knives are 100% wood working and game cleaning tools.
 
This morning, my son put the smackdown of the seventh deer this year, and these old, archaic design carbon steel blades did the honors on the big mature doe. We've been jerking venison for a week now, and the last seven pounds was bagged today. Since the big doe already has a home with a relative across the state, I guess I'll have to go deer hunting myself in the morning. Both knives are honed and stropped. Anyone else giving their knives a workout this holiday season?

Codger
 
3 deer this year with the 13OT and old hickory, no telling how many squirrels with the opinel #6, I am starting to coon hunt hot and heavy right now so my knives are not likely to get a rest. About March fishing starts up again with spring crappy, then bass and catfish, my knives get used....a lot.:p
 
Here is one of our medium sized Tennessee River cats. Yum!


Coons are coming in about one a week now.

Codger
 
That is a nice one, the cape fear has some big ones too. I have a little lake not too far from here where I can catch a stringer full of channels from about 12 to 16" and it is good cold clean water, damn good tasting cats. You catch that cat on a rod and reel, I can't never seem to hook up on a really big one except with trot lines or set lines. Chris
 
Yes, an ocean casting rod in the tailrace of Pickwick Dam. Weight is a key in the heavy currents, nearly a pound of lead. The big ones hook themselves. Quite a few bigger ones come out of there, but really, when they get much over 30-35#, the taste isn't as good.
 
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