Fiddleback Forge Pro-Kephart

[Lady1911]

Odaon — I’m also looking forward to trying the CBW Trailmaster. I think the Bushmaster and Huntmaster will also be great bushcraft knives, but the size of the Trailmaster seems right for me.

Bmurray — Thanks! Big compliment coming from Mr Pro-Kephart himself.....

 

[Mistwalker]

Odaon — I’m also looking forward to trying the CBW Trailmaster. I think the Bushmaster and Huntmaster will also be great bushcraft knives, but the size of the Trailmaster seems right for me.

Great write up Chris, the Kephart is an awesome model, I've loved the model ever since Andy released it 7 or 8 years ago. The CPM S35VN heat treated by Peters is fantastic. I still hold out a little bit of hope of picking up a custom shop one later on, but there is never any rhyme or reason to when those may happen so I may end up doing my own scales on my own mid-tech one later at a friend's shop when I have more time. He has been pushing me to come put handles on the prototype blades I made for some of my production designs a few years ago anyway. Once i've practiced a bit I may see about wasting some burl wood to get the handle I want minus the mounting screws, which are my only issue with the production models having handled all the hand made versions of them.

Bmurray — Thanks! Big compliment coming from Mr Pro-Kephart himself.....

Pfffftt At best he might have had the second mid-tech Kephart, and that's if there wasn't another one or two made before the one I bugged the crap out of them for to use in a piece on bushcrafting and trapping I did for American Survival Guide year before last. Be careful, don't feed his ego too much, he already thinks he's a big deal...

 

[Lady1911]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and pictures Lady1911 I haven't had the chance to play with the pro-Kephart, but I've owned and gifted a pro-Puukko and Hiking Buddy, both of which are very nice, I can understand why the Kephart would be a great knife as well.

I'll be picking up a Cumming Bladeworks Trailmaster soon which I'm very excited to try out, I think it'll fill the same role that the pro-Kep fills for you, the "not so afraid to actually really use it role". I definitely use my OS Lady, but I'm also ginger with her. Leaving the splitting to the axes, or the really tough game processing to the replaceable blade knives. I know that's silly, but I still do it... because I can.

Out of curiosity, what’s your choice of axe/hatchet for, oh let’s say...portability, as in camping or backpacking? Nothing too big, but adequate for splitting larger limbs and such.

I’ve actually used the OSL on deer meat that had already been skinned/quartered with a BM Saddle Mountain Skinner (which handled the harder stuff quite well). But I tend to treat her gingerly as well.

 

[Odaon]

Out of curiosity, what’s your choice of axe/hatchet for, oh let’s say...portability, as in camping or backpacking? Nothing too big, but adequate for splitting larger limbs and such.

I’ve actually used the OSL on deer meat that had already been skinned/quartered with a BM Saddle Mountain Skinner (which handled the harder stuff quite well). But I tend to treat her gingerly as well.

If I'm taking an axe it's a Gransfors Bruk Wildlife Hatchet, but honestly, I don't take one very often.

I actually prefer taking a folding saw and knife combo. I think that's more than adequate for any wood cutting and fire making I'll need to do. I used to use an old cheap one, seen below, but upgraded to a Bahco Laplander which I much prefer. I can get the fire going with small twigs and branches that I break by hand, and use the saw for the larger logs if I need a big fire. Sometimes I'll even skip the folding saw and just take a small multitool or SAK with a saw.

 

[Lady1911]

Love your OSL photobombs, she never passes on a chance for a glamour shot....

Good info, thanks. I also use the cheaper folding saws - a lot - when clearing limbs near tree stands during hunting season. I’ve broken my share, but they’re easy to replace and they do a decent job, so I always keep a couple around. The GB products get great reviews, and I don’t like to go pounding too much on a knife’s spine if I can help it. Might fit the niche for the in-between pieces that are too big for a knife and too small for an axe. Thanks!

 

[Bmurray]

Got mine out tonight to to some food prep and found I had a bad bent spot in the edge from some batoning at the farm. Normally I only do this on smalll kindling but I was in a pinch and had to. I remember hitting a bad knot and stopped but never looked at it.

Anyway I had nothing to loose so I got my hammer and slowly pinned it back. To my surprise it didn’t break. It acted like a good 1095 or O1 steel. I was impressed. I sharpened it back up and it’s like a razor again. Still need to sand the primary bevel only a bit as this is a real user knife.

 

[Bmurray]

I forgot to mention. I forgot I had my Fiddleback 12” machete in the truck