Exploring the Nessmuk "Trio"

Pàdruig said:
For the record, I wasn't implying that your axe is junk. My comments are largely with regards to me seeking out a good example of a Fort Meigs style axe a number of years ago. Most of what was available on the market then didn't have a particularly good reputation so if you found a smith here in the states that could whip one up, that was generally the advice that was given.

If memory serves, there is a forge that takes in these imported axes and they tune them up, open up the eyes, fit them with larger handles, and then resell them. I read that those are worth getting as an inexpensive pack axe.
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I didn't mean to sound defensive, either.:D
 
I went out in my garden to read a bit more this seems to be the right sort of knife to accompany me.

I didnt last long it was sunny but with a very brisk wind 😆

This bread recipe just seems to simple has anyone tried it?

I expect out doors cooking in this manner it tastes delicious.



Interesting to read of his travels in Brazil and his view on coffees.

Its very much what the hipsters in England have latched onto of late,though they have become anoraks about it.:rolleyes: 😅





 
I believe he is thought to have contracted syphilis in Brazil. Those reproachful dark eyes he writes of somewhere may have gotten their revenge.
 
Johnnythefox said:
I went out in my garden to read a bit more this seems to be the right sort of knife to accompany me.

I didnt last long it was sunny but with a very brisk wind 😆

This bread recipe just seems to simple has anyone tried it?

I expect out doors cooking in this manner it tastes delicious.



Interesting to read of his travels in Brazil and his view on coffees.

Its very much what the hipsters in England have latched onto of late,though they have become anoraks about it.:rolleyes: 😅





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Google or YouTube for Bannock on a stick or campfire bread on stick, its a common campfire practice, and actually rather good for unleavened flat bread! Supposedly a native American practice, no idea how accurate that is.
 
I haven't pondered the idea of a 'Nessmuk trio' in a long time, but I read through this entire thread with interest last night (accompanied by a healthy pour of Bulleit Rye...;)) and it got my gears turning.

First, I thought about what I have in my current collection that would most closely mirror the original trio. And while I don't currently have a double-bit hatchet, I think this Wetterlings 'Wilderness Hatchet' would suffice and nicely meet the size/weight target for something like this, paired with the BRK 'Nessmuk' and a GEC #53:

Ness Trio copy.jpg

No doubt, this is a capable trio and I'd have no qualms heading into the mountains with these three. Indeed, I've done extended, self-supported trips with less than this and somehow survived just fine. But hopefully it isn't just about "surviving" - it's about enjoying your time. This trio would cover my humble wood and food processing needs, along with camp tasks, quite well.

As it's a beautiful Saturday here in the northern Rockies and I have little else to do, expect more thoughts soon...
 
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Pt II:

So while like I said above, I'd have no problems with using that trio and having it serve me well, this is where I start wondering, "would these three options truly be my choices today, in the year 2022?"

Let's start with the hatchet. Would I carry this on a multi-day backpacking trip? If I'm being honest, probably not. I try to keep my pack as light as possible these days, as I find there's a direct correlation between my pack weight and my overall enjoyment of the trip, and weight adds up fast on multi-day trips. And if I was horsepacking/llama packing (as I'm planning on doing again this summer) and I was going to bring an axe, I'd bring something larger than the small Wilderness hatchet. However, for day hikes, I wouldn't rule the Wildnerness hatchet out at all. It only weighs 1.8 lbs and is easy to strap to the side of my day pack.

As others have mentioned, there are additional safety concerns with an axe, and it is remarkably easy to make a big mistake with one when you're tired at the end of a long hike, possibly a little dehydrated and maybe not completely focused on the task at hand. It's happened to me, and luckily I got off with a minor scar and a little bit of lingering nerve damage in my hand, but to this day I'll never forget how little effort it took for that to happen, and how much worse it could have been if I'd really been swinging. So I have to question - is a hatchet really necessary for my needs in the backcountry? For one, it's become pretty commonplace in many parts of the West to have fire bans in the summer, and if I can't have a fire, then my need for this part of the trio pretty much disappears.

But assuming I was in a place that allowed fires in the backcountry, would I consider a folding saw instead? Yeah, I definitely would. Certainly safer when I'm miles from a trailhead, much less a hospital. Plus, I can generally find moderately-sized dead wood that I can cut into small sections with a saw, and then baton with a good fixed blade knife into kindling. That's really all I need for fire making, and while I don't tend to build furniture or shelters when I'm in the backcountry if I can avoid it, it could work for that too, if the need arose.

So now we move on to the fixed blade. And I'll cut right to the chase - while I find the Nessmuk knife a pleasing design and appreciate its history, it's not my favorite blade design, nor do I think it's the most versatile. Let's start with it's skinning attributes, since that is one of the things it is best suited for. Honestly, I think it is too much of a dedicated skinner, which sacrifices some of it's all-around versatility. I've skinned deer just fine with knives that have far less belly than a Nessmuk blade, and didn't feel hampered at all. There really just isn't much need for that much belly, imo.

So what would I choose instead? I'd choose a knife that fits into the more modern idea of a versatile bushcraft/wilderness knife - something with a 4-5" blade that retains enough belly for game tasks, while still being well suited for everything else I might need a good stout fixed blade for in the backcountry. Something with a drop point that nears the centerline, but doesn't necessarily have to be a true 'spear' point. Ample handle and a squared pommel/butt on it, which can be used for light crushing/hammering of things when needed. I would likely not opt for a true 'Scandi' grind on a knife like this - a well done saber convex would be my preference.

And finally, the folder. It's tempting, when thinking of a modern interpretation of the trio, to think that something like a SAK Pioneer or even a Leatherman would be a good choice. Certainly either of those are more generally versatile than a traditional Moose pattern. But if I think about this critically, do I really need that versatility in the backcountry? I'm trying to think of the last time I needed a screwdriver while hiking, and the answer is pretty much never. I also can't recall a time that I've truly needed wire cutters or a file in the backcountry either, for that matter. I don't generally take canned food with me on hikes, so I don't need a can opener. For me, these are generally front-country tasks (and I regularly have a SAK in my daily EDC and a multi-tool nearby). While I guess I can conceive of some remote scenarios in which one of those options could be useful in the woods, the probability is low enough that I don't consider them all that necessary. I'd likely stick with that good-sized Moose pattern, or something like it, which will work great for all the things I need a smaller blade for - food slicing, making wood shavings, etc.

More to come...
 
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Pt III:

Based on the above, these are my likely choices for a well-rounded backcountry trio of tools:

Dustrude folding saw: A saw big enough to do decent work, but very packable and light. In fact, it weighs a pound less than my smallest hatchet pictured above.

Fiddleback 'Recluse' fixed blade: This knife meets my requirements spelled out above very well, though I have several other fixed blades, some a little smaller, some a little larger, that could fill this role easily as well.

GEC #53: Or, as I said, something similar. Just a good, solid folder with two blade options that isn't too small.

And there you have it - my lightweight, very packable, versatile trio that arguably does the best job of meeting my realistic needs in the backcountry.

IMG_2961.jpeg

IMG_2962.jpeg
 
Smithhammer said:
I haven't pondered the idea of a 'Nessmuk trio' in a long time, but I read through this entire thread with interest last night (accompanied by a healthy pour of Bulleit Rye...;)) and it got my gears turning.

First, I thought about what I have in my current collection that would most closely mirror the original trio. And while I don't currently have a double-bit hatchet, I think this Wetterlings 'Wilderness Hatchet' would suffice and nicely meet the size/weight target for something like this, paired with the BRK 'Nessmuk' and a GEC #53:

View attachment 1740954

No doubt, this is a capable trio and I'd have no qualms heading into the mountains with these three. Indeed, I've done extended, self-supported trips with less than this and somehow survived just fine. But hopefully it isn't just about "surviving" - it's about enjoying your time. This trio would cover my humble wood and food processing needs, along with camp tasks, quite well.

As it's a beautiful Saturday here in the northern Rockies and I have little else to do, expect more thoughts soon...
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That is a fine and capable trio.
As you say its about enjoying not surviving.
 
Smithhammer said:
Pt III:

Based on the above, these are my likely choices for a well-rounded backcountry trio of tools:

Dustrude folding saw: A saw big enough to do decent work, but very packable and light. In fact, it weighs a pound less than my smallest hatchet pictured above.

Fiddleback 'Recluse' fixed blade: This knife meets my requirements spelled out above very well, though I have several other fixed blades, some a little smaller, some a little larger, that could fill this role easily as well.

GEC #53: Or, as I said, something similar. Just a good, solid folder with two blade options that isn't too small.

And there you have it - my lightweight, very packable, versatile trio that arguably does the best job of meeting my realistic needs in the backcountry.

View attachment 1741006

View attachment 1741007
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Very well thought out.

I would go for a saw as well, though probably a long silky saw so I could reach up high.

I think a scandi grind is better with wood,I had a F1 (just to tactical for me) but it wasnt as good as my self built Enzo trapper (mine is stainless for practicality).

Agreed about the SAKs, though a farmer with awl and saw is a good backup.
 
Johnnythefox said:
That is a fine and capable trio.
As you say its about enjoying not surviving.
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Johnnythefox said:
Very well thought out.

I would go for a saw as well, though probably a long silky saw so I could reach up high.

I think a scandi grind is better with wood,I had a F1 (just to tactical for me) but it wasnt as good as my self built Enzo trapper (mine is stainless for practicality).

Agreed about the SAKs, though a farmer with awl and saw is a good backup.
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Thanks! I debated quite a bit between choosing the Dustrude or my Silky Gomboy, but in full disclosure, I was trying to still stick with a bit more of a traditional aesthetic. Good point about being able to reach high with a long folding saw, though.

And yeah, I can see a Farmer model offering a little more utility than the Pioneer in the woods, specifically because of the small saw blade and awl combo. Which reminds me that I own a Farmer, and I haven't seen it in a while...probably in a drawer somewhere. :rolleyes:
 
Hammer67 Hammer67 Very well-thought out posts, cogent and persuasive. Because we like knives, and many of us revel in the outdoors the temptation is to overthink and over-carry. Well remember a 'trek' I took across Europe when I was 20 (back in the Dark Ages ...) and the stuff I took with me :cool::eek: I was fit and resilient then but really soon got FED UP with dragging all that gear around in the heat & dust. Most got stashed in bins and ever since I've looked at ways to keep the weight down to improve the appreciation of the day.

Improvisation and delighting in it can help.

On foot, I seriously doubt I'd take a hatchet here but a small one can be strapped to the pack or even the belt, Fiskars does a mini hatchet which is OK for fire prep, but do you need that unless you're totally in the wilderness or on a survivalist death-march? ;) Unlikely, and anyway a Puukko can make fire curls and baton decent kindling if you use a branch to hit it with. A small folding saw is lightweight and potentially useful too (to saw ice-blocks here o_O )

My own intrepretation of this Trio would likely omit the hatchet for the reasons stated and focus on KNIVES instead -
they should compliment each other, be to your personal liking but replaceable should loss occur.

Carbon Puukko and in this case I'd take a cheap Marttiini, well good enough but easy to replace, it can skin, prep wood for fires and dress fish, easy to field sharpen too.

Lockback of some kind in stainless for for prep as it slices very well, so a Laguiole gets my vote.

Stockman of your choice, but large is probably best, gives you 3 blades to use and I'd go for a D2 blade or stainless again for avoiding rust in wet situations. CASE, BUCK, Böker, Queen, GEC all offer excellent knives in this pattern and this and the Laguiole can be pocketed, no sheathes needed. With the Puukko, the dangler sheath is far superior if you need to sit down whilst wearing a knife or if laying down or climbing, quick access and weight is kept down, plus it's almost impossible to lose a knife with these tight effective sheathes.

These would be my choices but it's certain that offers will differ and bring their own favourites to the table.
 
Will Power said:
Hammer67 Hammer67 Very well-thought out posts, cogent and persuasive. Because we like knives, and many of us revel in the outdoors the temptation is to overthink and over-carry. Well remember a 'trek' I took across Europe when I was 20 (back in the Dark Ages ...) and the stuff I took with me :cool::eek: I was fit and resilient then but really soon got FED UP with dragging all that gear around in the heat & dust. Most got stashed in bins and ever since I've looked at ways to keep the weight down to improve the appreciation of the day.

Improvisation and delighting in it can help.

On foot, I seriously doubt I'd take a hatchet here but a small one can be strapped to the pack or even the belt, Fiskars does a mini hatchet which is OK for fire prep, but do you need that unless you're totally in the wilderness or on a survivalist death-march? ;) Unlikely, and anyway a Puukko can make fire curls and baton decent kindling if you use a branch to hit it with. A small folding saw is lightweight and potentially useful too (to saw ice-blocks here o_O )

My own intrepretation of this Trio would likely omit the hatchet for the reasons stated and focus on KNIVES instead -
they should compliment each other, be to your personal liking but replaceable should loss occur.

Carbon Puukko and in this case I'd take a cheap Marttiini, well good enough but easy to replace, it can skin, prep wood for fires and dress fish, easy to field sharpen too.

Lockback of some kind in stainless for for prep as it slices very well, so a Laguiole gets my vote.

Stockman of your choice, but large is probably best, gives you 3 blades to use and I'd go for a D2 blade or stainless again for avoiding rust in wet situations. CASE, BUCK, Böker, Queen, GEC all offer excellent knives in this pattern and this and the Laguiole can be pocketed, no sheathes needed. With the Puukko, the dangler sheath is far superior if you need to sit down whilst wearing a knife or if laying down or climbing, quick access and weight is kept down, plus it's almost impossible to lose a knife with these tight effective sheathes.

These would be my choices but it's certain that offers will differ and bring their own favourites to the table.
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Thanks, and I agree - a big part of what makes this thread so interesting is seeing how individual choices vary depending on locations and needs. Looking forward to seeing more contributions!
 
As I was pottering around the garden today,I had a go at seeing what I had.

The only thing that’s sure fire is the stainless Enzo trapper I made myself.

2 blade Remi works I think as then a spare sharp blade.

The axe I refurbished myself its better to use than the hatches,but I worry abouty injuring myself if tired.

I cant get the pictures to load right is it me or the forum?



If you click the X it shows the photo.

Notice the thumb loop I have developed for working over water,I used to have wrist loops but then the lanyard was quite long.
If I drop it hopefully my thumb wont lose the tool.



















 
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I settled on this for now,I am only going by what I actually have in my ownership.

The Enzo is the perfect woodsman fixed blade its tough,lovely balance,good size handle and not to heavy.


I like the Opinel saw but its short so will only cut smaller branches,but its a comfortable,keen cutter in the hand.

I tried my cheap 21" bow saw,maybe it was the blade but it didnt cut well,the best cutter was my ordinary 1st cut wood workers saw.


I sold my EKA Swede 8 because of the law change years ago,last year I bought another one as I rate them highly as a tough lock blade.

They have since had added a lanyard ring which I removed as it was uncomfortable when being used,this time I got the wood rather than rubber handle.

Its stainless and worth more than it cost IMHO.


If I was going to do things one handed all the time I would say that my UKPK original is the best tool by far.

So easy to open and close without even looking,its a fantastic design,this can not be argued.

But though I know its very good it just doesnt move me. 😄







 
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