Favorite ~7" Slicer Pattern?

Marion David Poff

Marion David Poff

Joined
Oct 8, 1998
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5,403
So,

I am working on getting a custom ~7" Slicer/Wilderness Blade....

It's essential functions will be slicing, shearing, push cuts and some piercing. No chopping, prying etc.... I would like it to be equally at home in the kitchen or in the field. I know how to engineer it for the required tasks, but I am having some issues with the form of the thing, the shape, the pattern.

I tend to go to ABS style patterns for this type of knife, but I am open minded, and honestly do not feel I have seen the end all be all of this style.

And I am wondering what is your favorite pattern?

Images would help.... : )

I will have a bigger knife, so it need not be bulletproof, and even if I wanted that, I could just make it thicker.

I am looking for something...

Rezin Bowie meets F Dick?

Butcher Knife meets Busse?

Searles meets Spyderco?

Hudson Bay/Cumberland meets Perrin?

Seax meets Mad Dog?

Grohmann meets Harsey?

So, I am looking for patterns, shapes, the way the handle and blade combine for function....

I think that I am leaning towards a Seax style, low point like. Think Santoku with narrower tip.... But, that may not be it....

What sort of handle should it have, to make the best of it's blade?

Let's brainstorm, you know, throw some ideas against the wall, and see what sticks....

Marion
 
I think the quick and obvious thing to get out of the way is that its going to need to be pretty thin. 1/8 would make a good general purpose edge, a high flat grind, somthing in carbon steel and wood handles.
 
A 4" knife would do as well-- easier to carry, lighter, less expensive. I'd go for a broad flat ground blade with some jimping or a small thumb ramp. The BRKT Fox River and Bravo 1 came up in other threads. The RAT 3 and 5 knives come to mind too.

If you are carrying another blade larger than 7", that should cover any heavy chopping, self defence, etc.

More to the point of your thread, I picked up an 8" Forschner butcher knife in a thrift store for $3. I've had a chance to use that knife in the kitchen for a few weeks and I'm impressed with its utility and quality. It has crossed my mind a few times that many wilderness cutting tasks can be covered with tried and true designs from professional chef and butcher knives. These are knives used by working people for hours every day, so the ergonomics and ultility have been worked out over decades, if not centuries. There's no hype with these tools, and they can be had for a good price and in a variety of steels and handle materials. All you need to add is a sheath.

I came on a Tramontina Sport Knife on Ebay a while back for $3.
It is stainless, has a thin, flexible 7" blade and a plastic sheath. It's kind of a Brazilain mora.
tramontina.jpg
 
A good friend gave me a Gaucho knife from A.G. Russell last week. It's the longer 10" version but there is a shorter one as well. Take a look, it's like a chefs knife with a thicker spine. Nice european stag handles and the blade is made by Boker in Argentina.

It's patterned after a Spanish Punal dagger and I guess they are used for a variety of tasks.
arbolit0.jpg
 
Fonly - Thin is good. A good friend of mine has the BK7, and we have put it through all manner of abuse, a good simple knife.

DAleW - "many wilderness cutting tasks can be covered with tried and true designs from professional chef and butcher knives" I agree.

But I still think there is a place for a 7" knife shape threaded with chef and butcher knife designs.

hatchetjack- I have actually been looking at that knife for inspiration....



And here are a couple more seemingly contradictory references....

Nessmuk meets Terzuola?

Punal/Cuchillo/Facon meets Strider?
 
Leuku meets Scagel?
stromengdone1.jpg

:D

Granted this Stromeng blade is 9" but they make a 7" as well...but you'll have to Scagel-ize it yourself.
 
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