Fiddleback Forge Asp, Mini Review

[Mistwalker]

The Friday before the Blade Show in Atlanta, an Asp showed up in the Fiddleback Friday post, one I had been waiting on for some time. Tapered tang, 5/32 O-1, with a high-but-not-full grind, and a beautiful desert ironwood handle. I haven't put it through a lot of use just yet but I have done a little cutting here and there with it, and handled it in use in various grips. I have to say, there is just nothing I don't like about this knife. The handle is not only gorgeous, I love the ergonomics. It fits my hand like it was made for it in every hold I have used it in, and every aspect of the handle profile not only offers very pleasing lines and aesthetics, in my opinion, they also serve a well thought out physical function for me in use. The blade geometry is perfect for me, as I prefer narrower blades on smaller knives, and I like a nice sharp tip on them as well. I have taken a cuple of serieses of photos with it to try to help illustrate my thoughts on the knife.

Some photos of the knife from various angles

First, I love the palm swell of this handle. It seats perfectly and makes the marriage of the handle to palm very comfortable in use. The integral thumb ramp, or forward upper swell works really well for controlling force and direction in push-cuts, plunges, and boring with my thumb on the handle side of it, and in pull cuts and detailed cutting with my thumb or fore finger on the blade side of it. Also, combined with the integral guard, it provides a swell that anchors the hand well in plunges with a reverse under-hand grip.

I love that the integral guard is big enough to do it's job without being so large as to be obnoxious and take up a lot of space or add unnecessary weight. It is comfortable in a reverse over-hand grip, as well as makes a comfortable for my thumb for better blade control in cutting upward.

I also really like how the contours of the handle feel in a pinch grip, one of the holds I use a lot in fish and game processing, and in food prep.

I really love how the over all shape of the handle contours and oval-ish cross section offer high levels of both comfort and control, and combined with an awesome blade profile make the knife as comfortable in use as it is functional.

I'll do a more detailed review of it in more uses when I get caught up some, but here are my initial thoughts. This is one of those knives that is just perfect for me, it suits multiple aspects of my personality simultaneously. It is very well suited to day to day use, and use in the woods, and perfectly happy to be there, but also very well suited for going in other directions if the need arises. I think it is just an awesome knife. If I had the funds I'd buy a half dozen like it with synthetic handles to gift to some close friends that are formerly of and currently in some pretty special occupations.

.

 

[McVeyMac]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding this exceptional knife Mist. I currently own three of these, one straight grind, and two with false grinds. All of them are synthetic handle. The latest acquisition is in 1/8" that Rick Lowe is putting together a piggyback sheath to go on a Bishop sheath. The other two are in 5/32". I carry the Sneaky Pete with me as one of my EDC knives. I really do like the SP for a lot of things, but much of my time in the woods is performing work like making firewood to heat the home in the winter months. My wood requirements dictate that I perform this function during the summer months when it is the hottest in PA in order to have enough wood for the winter. I like having a smaller knife on me when physically working this hard with felling, limbing, bucking and carrying rounds to the trailer. More and more, my go to knife is the Asp for this type of carry, but I must say that you're Recluse still gets a lot of belt time. The handle on the Asp is exactly as you describe in my hands as well, and when I am using another style, I find myself wanting for the "dorsal" riser to secure my thumb behind. Thanks again for the thoughts and the most excellent pictures.

 

[hasco]

Great photos Mist! You have definitely sold me. I love seeing it in the different grips. Looks like a great knife with many uses. I am excited to hear more.

Thanks for sharing,

Tod

 

[SA Condor]

That is one beautiful knife!

 

[Joe Duder]

Nice pics Brian!!!

There's something special about holding an Asp. It instantly meshes with my hands. It's a very comfortable in hand, user blade.

Let's see some of your famous kitchen, food prep pics; I'm hungry....

 

[Bill510c]

Great thorough review mist. You definitely captured what it is to have this knife in your hand and use it in words. Very nicely done...

 

[Mistwalker]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding this exceptional knife Mist. I currently own three of these, one straight grind, and two with false grinds. All of them are synthetic handle. The latest acquisition is in 1/8" that Rick Lowe is putting together a piggyback sheath to go on a Bishop sheath. The other two are in 5/32". I carry the Sneaky Pete with me as one of my EDC knives. I really do like the SP for a lot of things, but much of my time in the woods is performing work like making firewood to heat the home in the winter months. My wood requirements dictate that I perform this function during the summer months when it is the hottest in PA in order to have enough wood for the winter. I like having a smaller knife on me when physically working this hard with felling, limbing, bucking and carrying rounds to the trailer. More and more, my go to knife is the Asp for this type of carry, but I must say that you're Recluse still gets a lot of belt time. The handle on the Asp is exactly as you describe in my hands as well, and when I am using another style, I find myself wanting for the "dorsal" riser to secure my thumb behind. Thanks again for the thoughts and the most excellent pictures.

I like the Asp a great deal, it is quickly becoming one of my favorite Fiddlebacks. I think for me if I were going to go to a different thickness, I'd see if I could get Andy to do one in tapered 3/16 with a slightly higher grind, but that's just me. I do really like 5/32 in a woods knife, I just like 3/16 in rougher uses in the field. I'm glad you're still liking that Recluse, it will always be one of my favorite knives ever. I just made myself replace it on my desk top with another photo so I could stop thinking about it. I think now that he is making them, I will get a Leuku next time around

Great photos Mist! You have definitely sold me. I love seeing it in the different grips. Looks like a great knife with many uses. I am excited to hear more.

Thanks for sharing,

Tod

Thank you! The Asp is definitely a very versatile knife that suits more of my moods at once than most of my other knives. As much as I love the look and feel of the ironwood, I will definitely have to look into getting a synthetic handled one later for more all-weather capability so I can carry it to the field with me more often. With 25% of the world's fresh water here, it is a very wet environment at times.

That is one beautiful knife!

Indeed it is

Nice pics Brian!!!

There's something special about holding an Asp. It instantly meshes with my hands. It's a very comfortable in hand, user blade.

Let's see some of your famous kitchen, food prep pics; I'm hungry....

Thanks Duder, Andy makes taking nice photos an easy labor of love It is a special design, I saw that and mentioned several thoughts about it to Andy when he first brought out the SP, as far as what I saw in the versatility. I've seen the Big Sneaky, but part of me would really love a Big Asp Ok man, I will post some inn the review, I promise!

Great thorough review mist. You definitely captured what it is to have this knife in your hand and use it in words. Very nicely done...

Thank you Bill, glad you liked the review.

 

[Redbird777]

Hey Mist,
Thanks for the great review, I have been looking to buy my first fiddleback and could not figure out which one to get with there being so many different types and with me being in the Deserts of Texas where you can't find any shows to go see them. Here in Texas we are just the opposite and dont have any water hahaha. I think you sold me on the Asp because i wanted somthing that had a good palm swell to it and to try a tapered spine. I have some BHK knives i have used but always thought fiddlebacks looked just too good to use but just like my tools they always look better with a history behind them. I was able to get one coming from USA made. This will be my first so im real excited about it so thanks again. Now I just need to get a sheath and time to break it in!

 

[Murphnuge]

That looks like one slicey sumbitch. Very everyday friendly size. Thanks for bringing this to my attention Brian!

 

[Fiddleback]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding this exceptional knife Mist. I currently own three of these, one straight grind, and two with false grinds. All of them are synthetic handle. The latest acquisition is in 1/8" that Rick Lowe is putting together a piggyback sheath to go on a Bishop sheath. The other two are in 5/32". I carry the Sneaky Pete with me as one of my EDC knives. I really do like the SP for a lot of things, but much of my time in the woods is performing work like making firewood to heat the home in the winter months. My wood requirements dictate that I perform this function during the summer months when it is the hottest in PA in order to have enough wood for the winter. I like having a smaller knife on me when physically working this hard with felling, limbing, bucking and carrying rounds to the trailer. More and more, my go to knife is the Asp for this type of carry, but I must say that you're Recluse still gets a lot of belt time. The handle on the Asp is exactly as you describe in my hands as well, and when I am using another style, I find myself wanting for the "dorsal" riser to secure my thumb behind. Thanks again for the thoughts and the most excellent pictures.

I love to hear that folks like this model. It really sings to me. I know the Scorpion looks useless, but its almost the same feeling as the SP and the Asp. It kinda makes you want to find a use for it.

I made myself an Asp as you know, and carried it until I made my Wasp.

Its funny to me that for a long time, as a bushcraft enthusiast, I tried to make my knives sheeple friendly. Its as if I believed it was a functional requirement. Then I made the Bushfinger and that point got into my head. Then I made the Kephart. Wow thats pointy. The Sneaky Pete was inspired by a Loveless fighter that it does not resemble at all. On paper, the thing is all tactical. The first ones were daggerground. Then I realized that this is my new favorite bushcrafting knife. The pointier and more agressive look didn't detract from Bushcrafting function one iota over a Bushfinger or even a Bushcrafter. I immediately started doing them single bevel. The Asp, as you know was an accident. We had a Sneaky Pete that got damaged at the edge and was going into the trash. Before that though, I decided to take an 1/8" off both the spine and the edge sides of the profile. The lengths and tip location stayed the same. Even the actual curves didn't change much. We loved the knife. Before we were even done I decided to thin it all the way down and made the Scorpion pattern also. At the time, I thought the Asp was all tactical. But I carried mine and used it just like every other knife I use. The model excels at Bushcraft, and is deep concealable, and would likely (untested hypothesis) handle slipping in and out of meat pretty handily as well. And, its a better deterrent than the Bushcrafter.

I got to meet Bonafide's wife at Bladeshow. She is a barber by trade, and shaves constantly. She loved that knife of Brian's. I'm going to make her one and she's going to do a video giving Ken (a way better volunteer than myself) a shave with an Asp!!!!

Cool knife!

 

[prom52]

"I got to meet Bonafide's wife at Bladeshow. She is a barber by trade, and shaves constantly. She loved that knife of Brian's. I'm going to make her one and she's going to do a video giving Ken (a way better volunteer than myself) a shave with an Asp!!!! "

Andy, this is bringing back images of that famous Noxema commercial starring Gunilla Knutson & Joe Namath....."Take it off, take it all off with Noxema" This would make a great soundtrack for the video......LOL

 

[newyork]

Wow Mist that is one beautiful knife.

 

[RRaconteur]

Can't wait to see the video. I've been a straight razor shaver for a while and have considered doing the same from time to time to "prove" a knife's sharpness to someone. Somehow it's more convincing than naked arms. 😄


Michael

 

[thurin]

Great review and pics as always mist. Thanks for the insights to this model. I have got to try out one of the sneaky pete family one of these days.

 

[Comprehensivist]

I have got to try out one of the sneaky pete family one of these days.

Maybe today.

 

[Mistwalker]

Hey Mist,
Thanks for the great review, I have been looking to buy my first fiddleback and could not figure out which one to get with there being so many different types and with me being in the Deserts of Texas where you can't find any shows to go see them. Here in Texas we are just the opposite and dont have any water hahaha. I think you sold me on the Asp because i wanted somthing that had a good palm swell to it and to try a tapered spine. I have some BHK knives i have used but always thought fiddlebacks looked just too good to use but just like my tools they always look better with a history behind them. I was able to get one coming from USA made. This will be my first so im real excited about it so thanks again. Now I just need to get a sheath and time to break it in!

Thanks man, yeah at this point I can see why picking why picking one could be difficult, Andy and crew produce several models these days. So far there have been none that I didn't like, just some I like more than others. I really like the Asp from multiple perspectives of my moody personality. Don't be afraid to use them though. I have put several Fiddlebacks through the wringer

That looks like one slicey sumbitch. Very everyday friendly size. Thanks for bringing this to my attention Brian!

Cool man, glad you like it. I thought I showed it to you at Blade?

I love to hear that folks like this model. It really sings to me. I know the Scorpion looks useless, but its almost the same feeling as the SP and the Asp. It kinda makes you want to find a use for it.

I made myself an Asp as you know, and carried it until I made my Wasp.

Its funny to me that for a long time, as a bushcraft enthusiast, I tried to make my knives sheeple friendly. Its as if I believed it was a functional requirement. Then I made the Bushfinger and that point got into my head. Then I made the Kephart. Wow thats pointy. The Sneaky Pete was inspired by a Loveless fighter that it does not resemble at all. On paper, the thing is all tactical. The first ones were daggerground. Then I realized that this is my new favorite bushcrafting knife. The pointier and more agressive look didn't detract from Bushcrafting function one iota over a Bushfinger or even a Bushcrafter. I immediately started doing them single bevel. The Asp, as you know was an accident. We had a Sneaky Pete that got damaged at the edge and was going into the trash. Before that though, I decided to take an 1/8" off both the spine and the edge sides of the profile. The lengths and tip location stayed the same. Even the actual curves didn't change much. We loved the knife. Before we were even done I decided to thin it all the way down and made the Scorpion pattern also. At the time, I thought the Asp was all tactical. But I carried mine and used it just like every other knife I use. The model excels at Bushcraft, and is deep concealable, and would likely (untested hypothesis) handle slipping in and out of meat pretty handily as well. And, its a better deterrent than the Bushcrafter.

I got to meet Bonafide's wife at Bladeshow. She is a barber by trade, and shaves constantly. She loved that knife of Brian's. I'm going to make her one and she's going to do a video giving Ken (a way better volunteer than myself) a shave with an Asp!!!!

Cool knife!

It is an accident that I am very glad happened. It is an excellent design with a lot of versatility. I'm glad you still make some sheeple friendly designs man, they come in handy in teaching skills to youth groups and scout troops, I hope you put some serious thought into the one I mentioned to you. It is the one I would love to have this summer teaching skills to the younger crowd, but barring that I will get another Hiking Buddy. I need a knife like that for a couple of projects I have in mind anyway, one I told you about at Blade. I knew people sure seemed to like that knife a lot, other people at the pit spent more time playing with my Asp than I did, and that's saying something!

Wow Mist that is one beautiful knife.

It is indeed, I couldn't believe my luck at being able to shark it almost an hour after the thread was posted that Friday! I knew it was a gem when I saw it

Great review and pics as always mist. Thanks for the insights to this model. I have got to try out one of the sneaky pete family one of these days.

Thaks Thurin, you should check out one. Maybe with your big hands a 3/16 Big Sneaky may be in order

 

[Murphnuge]

Cool man, glad you like it. I thought I showed it to you at Blade?

Man, Blade was a blur.

 

[bonafide]

Man, Blade was a blur.

^^ Exactly ^^

As for this Asp in particular; I think it's size, length, and the tapered tang coupled with weight of the Ironwood .. it is a VERY balanced knife. My wife doesn't know or appreciate knives outside of the aesthetic view but as a Master Barber she does understand a straight razor especially the mechanics and balance needed. When she took Mist's Asp in hand, easily flipped it to a razor grip and made a 'ooohhh' face .. i knew I'd introduced her to my world.

 

[Mistwalker]

Man, Blade was a blur.

Yeah, sorry man, I forget your still a rookie at Blade since you just lost your Blade Show cherry last year. You get used to it after a while

^^ Exactly ^^

As for this Asp in particular; I think it's size, length, and the tapered tang coupled with weight of the Ironwood .. it is a VERY balanced knife. My wife doesn't know or appreciate knives outside of the aesthetic view but as a Master Barber she does understand a straight razor especially the mechanics and balance needed. When she took Mist's Asp in hand, easily flipped it to a razor grip and made a 'ooohhh' face .. i knew I'd introduced her to my world.

The balance on this one is reeeeally sweet. Just slightly blade-heavier than neutral, but not by much. Non-fatiguing to the wrist, and really quick in the hand. I was getting worried there for a minute, that second time Andy asked to see it I was thinking like "damn it, if he gives my Asp to her for this video, I'm camping in his yard till he finishes something else for me, I didn't drive 14 hours to go home without a Fiddleback!"

 

[xxkcxx]

The Asp is by far the most under-appreciated blade Fiddleback makes! I think we need to do a pass around and kindle the love it deserves!?!?