Fiddleback Bushcrafter Passaround

SpookyPistolero said:
Some great pics and a great writeup Barber, lots of good information there. :thumbup:

I'll be really interested to check out this new handle version.
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You certainly do need to check it out. You are one of the voices that got me to re-design it.
 
The knife has arrived safely in Michigan, I'll probably play with it a lot tomorrow, I'm meeting up with a fella I met on the internet;)...he's gonna show me where Osage Orange grows wild near his place.
 
I really like the blade...the shape and the grind.....all I've noticed so far, that if I ordered one from you I would want the butt end part of the handle not so slim...I would prefer to have it closer to the size of the finger guard area.
Please don't take that as criticism, just my preference.
More tomorrow with pictures....what's a reasonable time for me to play with? If I mail it out on Mon. will that be OK???? It's my first pass around:cool:
 
rayban said:
I really like the blade...the shape and the grind.....all I've noticed so far, that if I ordered one from you I would want the butt end part of the handle not so slim...I would prefer to have it closer to the size of the finger guard area.
Please don't take that as criticism, just my preference.
More tomorrow with pictures....what's a reasonable time for me to play with? If I mail it out on Mon. will that be OK???? It's my first pass around:cool:
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I got mine on thursday of last week and mailed it out tues. so i would assume monday would be just fine.
 
rayban said:
I really like the blade...the shape and the grind.....all I've noticed so far, that if I ordered one from you I would want the butt end part of the handle not so slim...I would prefer to have it closer to the size of the finger guard area.
Please don't take that as criticism, just my preference.
More tomorrow with pictures....what's a reasonable time for me to play with? If I mail it out on Mon. will that be OK???? It's my first pass around:cool:
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Monday is fine. I'd like a good thorough review!
 
Big Mike said:
OH NO… :eek: …Be leery of people you meet on the internet!!! :rolleyes: ;) :rolleyes:
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Well you were right about that Big Mike.....he lead me down an old dirt country road.....then there he did it........showed me 1/2 mile of nothing but Osage Orange trees!!!!
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So I thought...perfect project for my new "trio mio"....
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so we proceeded to chop the whole damn row down!!!!!
Well, ...................would you believe this????
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I don't pretend to be a knife expert....and don't know that much about the technical stuff....but like any other art form....I know what I like and what I don't.

The knife felt really good in the hand, and took very little effort to do what I asked it to......Osage Orange is no match for this knife......more tomorrow...:thumbup:
 
Again I'll say....I am not qualified to expertly review this knife, I can only tell what I like and don't about it.......and I chose to do that by comparing it with my Fav....the Fallk F1....while I got into my stash of Osage....
I believe the blades work about the same...meaning the same amount of effort on my part to put a hurt on this Osage.....I started with the Fiddleback and after about 20 minutes, it started to drag a bit, so I took it to the strop and after just a half minute on it, it was all that was needed.
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I would still rather have the added meat left on the handle near the butt, as opposed to the slim line version that this one is....I noticed a difference in the leverage as I worked this stick......
Also, I would rather the handle fit the guard area's contour.
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That's as far as I got before the rains came.....
Thanks for the opportunity to play with the knife.....I like it very much, and I would love to have that blade some day.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
Hey Rayban,

Can you post what you think about the sheath - I know you are into leather - I was hoping for a educated opinion.

TF
 
Talfuchre said:
Hey Rayban,

Can you post what you think about the sheath - I know you are into leather - I was hoping for a educated opinion.

TF
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TF....I like your sheath a lot. I noticed right away that the thread you used seemed a bit thin for hand stitching, but the way it's built, I'm sure it will still hold up fine. Very good craftsmanship in my opinion.
The sheath is very well molded to the knife and makes for excellent fit and retention.
I'm also a fan of a sheath that is hardened when finished, and you did a good job at that as well.
I rate your sheath 5 stars, 4 thumbs up....plus it's easy to dance to.:D
 
I'm glad you liked the knife. The shape of the handle came partly from Ray Mears bushcraft knife, partly from personal experience, and partly from just looking at the human hand. If you look at your hand, the meaty part of your palm fits right into that rear portion of my handle. And a swell there would certainly cause a pressure point in that spot.

The F1 is one of my favorites too. Nice comparison.
 
Where is this thing now? I need more pictures while I wait for mine to arrive. This looks like a great knife and will be very usefull.
 
Sorry! I got it last Friday, but we're in the process of buying our first home, with no internet at home right now.

SO, so far so good. It's been raining non stop, so I haven't had a ton of time to get out and test it.

Initial impressions: It was a little dull when it showed up, but a quick pass on my stopping belt fixed that right up. From the pictures I thought that the handle would be thicker. I love the colors, design, and contours, but I've got big hands, so I noticed a little fatigue when using it from an extended period of time (I get this with my Krein Bushcraft as well). So, I'd like a slightly longer handle, no more than 1/2", and a thicker handle. I don't mind the butt of the handle being thinner, but I wish it was thicker overall. Perhaps that same thickness would work if it was a little wider?

I'll get some photos up soon, and I'll have it mailed out this Friday.
 
I have never heard of folks being unhappy with my handles, and now there are three. Hmmmm. Oh well. The bushcrafter has a 4" blade and 4.5" handle. The handle scales start out at 3/8" thick each. I do not plan to start out with a 2x4 on each side of the steel.
 
Fiddleback said:
I have never heard of folks being unhappy with my handles, and now there are three. Hmmmm. Oh well. The bushcrafter has a 4" blade and 4.5" handle. The handle scales start out at 3/8" thick each. I do not plan to start out with a 2x4 on each side of the steel.
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Perhaps a slightly wider handle then? Depending on the width of the handle, I've found that I like the thickness of the handle to be at least 3/4" and moving closer to an 1"
 
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