Fiddleback's Nessmukapalooza (pic heavy)

Fiddleback,

Oh man, I can't wait to see that finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ilbruche,

If you guys do that, I'll just go ahead and mail you my credit cards....
 
cybrok said:
May I slightly hijack this thread?

I don't own a Nessie yet, I find the design interresting but I still have hard time to imagine why it could be better than a straight knife.

I've read about it, but I'd like to SEE it. Could you guy include pics of nessies in action to convince me of it's advantages?
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The Nessmuk design *is a straight knife*. The knife below, *is not a straight knife.*;) I think I know what you mean. :thumbup:
crookedknife3bd3.jpg
 
Fiddleback said:
Nice!!! More pics!!!

DBL, who made the 2nd one down?? What wood is that??

I was wondering when you'd show up Mike!?! Nice to hear you haven't sold it!

I've been watching those Kid Couteau knives over on Hoods. Good stuff.

If you guys are interested, there is a Nessmuk contest going on right now at Rammy.
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Fiddleback, That particular knife was a one-and-only collaboration between Chax Knives and Chudzinski. Chax did the heat treat on the ATS-34 blade and part of the grinding (excellent heat treat, btw). The wood is spalted maple harvested in the Adirondack's -- Nessmuk's old stomping grounds. :)
 
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I don't think I have seen this model yet? Looks fantastic, specs please.
 
The nessmuck is an interesting design. Similiar in shape to a khukri except its the opposite edge thats sharpened.
 
As to the Nessmuk vs a straight bladed knife. Its really a camp kitchen kind of duty knife. It excels at slicing and chopping. Its handle is above the edge which give you room for your fingers while you chop. Its wide at the bump, so it can be used as a spoon. The edgeless back allows you to skin an animal by riding that bump on the muscle, holding the knife upside down and the edge running through the skin.

Other than that, the fascination is about romance. Its a blade steeped in American history, so the romance is certainly there. Its not a be all end all. Its not going to do everything better than any other knife. It won't out bushcraft a lot of knives.

IMO, a lot of the draw is that its about as ANTI-tactical a knife as there could ever be. If you read any of Nessmuks work, he actually rags people with their "big useless thick bladed bowie knives." His writings were really funny if you're interested, give them a read.:thumbup:



IH8U said:
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I don't think I have seen this model yet? Looks fantastic, specs please.
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Its just a one off I've been tinkering with. Wanted to do a recurve. I'm pretty proud of it because the grind came out as close to perfect as anything I've ever done. Not one errant scratch in the forge scale there. Its got a swedge on both sides that are hard to see in the pic.:thumbup:
 
Osage huh? I think I've got Ironwood going on there... But Osage might be nice...

Hmmm.

I'd hate for you to loose your wood.
 
I asked the question, I choose the coordinate system (ok, engineer joke)
Reply With Quote
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Your question was excellent, actually. When I made that post, I had just come in from a LONG, Long morning in the ranch butcher shop (explains my poor attempt at humor). We had some "guests" in the shop that morning (new apprentice meatcutters) who were to assist us from the slaughter to shop. They wanted to see the whole process on a private ranch. Anyway, I had no clue that I would have to give a class on knife designs and patterns while I was busy working. These young fellas kept calling my sheep skinner a "crooked knife", and everything else a "straight knife." Well, I set everything aside for a time and we discussed all sizes of butcher, boning, skinners, trim knives, saws, on and on. And, we even discussed sporting knives with drop points, clip points, swedged clip points, trailing points, on and on (things they didn't need to know). After one of them referred to my sheep skinner blade again as a "crooked knife", I finally went into the wood shop and hauled out a few crooked and hook knives for them to inspect. It worked, they no longer called my proud sheep skinner a crooked knife. :D

The Nessmuk blade is essentially a whacked off butcher blade from a fairly straight knife. Not all butcher blades had the big hump, but many did (I have a couple originals almost as old as Nessmuk). When that long, straight butcher blade is whacked off, it does indeed appear to look unique and interesting -- making one wonder as to its value. Economy must have influenced Nessmuk's thinking in the beginning (he couldn't even afford to support his family). Though the shorter butcher blade (Nessmuk knife) works sufficiently well for many things, its width gives it certain limitations, too. This is not the knife for doing intricate carving or exacting tasks where a pocket knife or narrower blade would excel. But, it does make a fair skinner and a fine general camp knife. Fiddleback well attributed the knifes popularity to "romance." I agree. I think if the Nessmuk association was taken out of the marketing, it might not be nearly as popular with consumers. One knifemaker told me that "if you slap Nessmuk's name on it, it will sell." Knife designs and materials, given the variety of cutting tasks available, are inherently a series of compromises. One can only choose the best compromises for the job at hand. Guess that is why I don't believe in the "one knife" concept for field work. Flexibility is a good thing in my experience. Even if it just means adding a pocket knife or good crooked knife. :)
 
RussMo said:
Boy "F", that's a sweeettt shop. Nice set up and damn nice work to boot.
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Thank You Russ!!!

Knife designs and materials, given the variety of cutting tasks available, are inherently a series of compromises. One can only choose the best compromises for the job at hand. Guess that is why I don't believe in the "one knife" concept for field work. Flexibility is a good thing in my experience. Even if it just means adding a pocket knife or good crooked knife.
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I preach that a lot here. As do a good many in this crowd. Its good 411.

I wish I'd have been there for the lesson. Especially the butchering part. My skills are weak on butchering.
 
Thanks Dannyboy, don't worry, I wasn't offensed :p

I admit the unique shape of the nessie could be a great part of a kit, and from what I understand it was the original plan.
 
I'm giving this a bump since today I was really lucky to handle one of Andy's knives today.

It was an osage orange nessie that a collector at the Marlbourogh MA show had. It looked well loved with the beginnings of a patina and a well polished edge. Fantastic in the hand!
 
MMotorcycle,

You gonna be at the show in Mystic, Conn. in early May? I always take my lady down to it to celebrate Mother's Day;).
 
mneedham said:
MMotorcycle,

You gonna be at the show in Mystic, Conn. in early May? I always take my lady down to it to celebrate Mother's Day;).
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With my highschool work load (more and more approaching finals :() a 3.5 hour drive, more or less, might not be possible that weekend. But I try to show up to all the Marlborough shows. Next year, I can definately make the Mystic show since being a senior will have my finals done by then. Were you there today?

EDIT: somewhat back on topic, the next custom blade I get will be a nessie pattern. I love them! :D

Mike
 
MM,

Nope, I wasn't there, but I figured if go the MA show, Mystic isn't that far off... I go every year for one day of the Conn. show, maybe a bunch of us could meet down there for blades and food.... S & P Oyster House Rules!

Fiddleback,

Sorry we wandered off the Nessie topic here..
 
mmmotorcycle said:
I'm giving this a bump since today I was really lucky to handle one of Andy's knives today.

It was an osage orange nessie that a collector at the Marlbourogh MA show had. It looked well loved with the beginnings of a patina and a well polished edge. Fantastic in the hand!
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Thats pretty cool. I'm curious as to who had the knife...

Glad it fit the hand bro!


Fiddleback,

Sorry we wandered off the Nessie topic here..
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Noooo. Problem. And guess what. Someone's knife is sitting in a vice with the finish drying as we speak. I don't know if I can get the dang sheath done this week though. We're going on vacation next week and its a nightmare of wife stuff to do before then. Did you want a firesteel. I think I happen to have a cocololo firesteel left.
 
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