Fiddleback User Pics

[HWF]

Dude! That thing is sweet! Nice score. You are on a scandi spree. Nice snag on the buddy as well.

 

[thurin]

Dude! That thing is sweet! Nice score. You are on a scandi spree. Nice snag on the buddy as well.

Thanks. I am on a scandi spree - two in one week! Love 'em! This is my second Bushfinger - first time I've doubled up on a model. They're the perfect do everything knife.

 

[HWF]

I must agree. My Bushfinger is my favorite fiddle. :thumbup:

 

[thurin]

Updated scandi family pic:

 

[HWF]

Beautiful! What's the one in the middle?

I miss that arête. I'm glad you have it though.


Recently, I've rekindled the fire with my Recluse. Got a little more patina now and I remember why I love it so much.

 

[Mistwalker]

I must agree. My Bushfinger is my favorite fiddle. :thumbup:

Wow, you can pick a favorite?! My favorite depends on what I am doing

Updated scandi family pic:

Nice little family. I'm surprised you opted for a second Hiking Buddy over the KE Bushie that matched the HB you have.

Never mind, caught on to it being an Arete lol

 

[HWF]

Wow, you can pick a favorite?! My favorite depends on what I am doing

Preach brother! I do love my finger though.....

 

[thurin]

Nice little family. I'm surprised you opted for a second Hiking Buddy over the KE Bushie that matched the HB you have.

The incoming Hiking Buddy will be my first HB (that's an Arete in this pic). I was torn between this week's African Blackwood HB that would match my Blackwood EDKarda or the 3/32 Scandi (which seems fairly unique) in Bocote which is a new wood for me to add to my growing scandi collection and went for the scandi.

The KE Bushie was "good" as Andy said and it matches this Arete and I almost grabbed it too but I only have so many piggy banks to break open and the Hiking Buddy was #1 on my list of wants.

 

[thurin]

Beautiful! What's the one in the middle?

I miss that arête. I'm glad you have it though.


Recently, I've rekindled the fire with my Recluse. Got a little more patina now and I remember why I love it so much.

Thank you for parting with the Arete I love it.

I really like the recluse. After the Hiking Buddy, it's the most Puukko looking model and I'm sure I'll grab one at some point. I love that burlap!

 

[NoFair]

Beautiful! What's the one in the middle?

I miss that arête. I'm glad you have it though.


Recently, I've rekindled the fire with my Recluse. Got a little more patina now and I remember why I love it so much.

I was lusting for that one. Good to see you are using it again.

Too bad you have a Bushfinger, I would have traded one of mine for that Recluse

 

[schmittie]

I totally agree. ^^^^ I have wanted that Recluse for a while. But my budget is going to be maxed out for a bit. Besides, Mrs Schmittie informed me that the next Fiddleback to be sent to the house better be hers! Lol!

 

[Mistwalker]

I totally agree. ^^^^ I have wanted that Recluse for a while. But my budget is going to be maxed out for a bit. Besides, Mrs Schmittie informed me that the next Fiddleback to be sent to the house better be hers! Lol!

Get her one man, makes life better. The dyed blue Hiking Buddy is Lisa's favorite knife. Though...now she wants a convex one lol

 

[NoFair]

I totally agree. ^^^^ I have wanted that Recluse for a while. But my budget is going to be maxed out for a bit. Besides, Mrs Schmittie informed me that the next Fiddleback to be sent to the house better be hers! Lol!

My wife doesn't like orange... She also said she had too many knives and couldn't think of a reason for her to have another knife that size...

She doesn't mind her chainsaw being orange... Never could understand women

 

[JV3]

Thanks Jay, I have been thinking about getting a larger Fiddleback machete, but the 12 really does suit my needs well and I like the thicker blade of the 12. How are you liking the 18 compared to the 12?

you're welcome, brian!

I'm interested in the 12" vs 18" analysis as well.

And I like that Kifaru Timberline!

thanks! got to use the timberline twice already - i'm really liking the 500d material...tough enough for bushwacking without the crazy heavy weight of 1000d. with the zxr, i always feel like i left something inside even though i just emptied it out whenever i picked it up

as for the 12" vs. 18": the 12" excels at de-limbing prior to using an axe or saw and for general use for me or when i'm just playing around. i won't go into the woods without some kind of a folding saw so the 12" is perfect hiking machete for me.

a friend and i got to use the 18" late last week and it's a great chopper so i don't feel the need to carry a folding saw with it. we cleared a couple of thorn bushes and shrubs while bushwacking with it. my first impression is i wish the handle was a bit thicker though. a bigger issue is the weight/thickness of the blade - it's a bit on the thick/heavy side for an 18" machete.

i brought the 18" esee lite machete and put them head to head clearing brush and both did the work just fine but the fiddleback was tiring to swing after awhile. with thin targets, i have to rely on the machete's fast tip speed to cut it otherwise the shrub will just bend back. with the heavier fiddleback, i had to stop the blade from going forward too much after it's already done the cut so i can re-swing it again and that extra mass was tiring doing snap cuts.

the handle was awesome though! what i'll probably do is take it to the stones and thin it out/do a distal taper and make it closer to my imacasa and tramontina machetes, etc.

the 12" is spot-on though for that blade length...i wouldn't change a thing!

 

[schmittie]

 

[thurin]

I think I've found my new lightweight backpacking knife. This Hiking Buddy in 3/32 and skeletonized tang feels like it's not even there.

 

[schmittie]

Wait a minute, wait a minute. You got a SKELETONIZED 3/32" HB?! When did this happen?! And a scandi.....? You're killin me. I need to pay better attention around here......

 

[thurin]

Last week's Fiddleback Friday. I'm now evenly split between scandi and convex with my Fiddlebacks.

 

[schmittie]

.............I still want that arête

Nice collection

 

[JV3]

good stuff, guys! i think andy's knives are some of the most used out of all the high-end knives i've seen...even compared to some production knives.