Free Nessmuk book download

[Sylvrfalcn]

It ain't the whole book, just the first 50 pages of Nessmuk's book "Woodcraft and Camping" (including his observations on knives and axes). This link has probably been posted before, but I ran across it again lately while looking for something else, and thought others might be interested, so here it is http://www.lostrock.net/websites/ctfischerknives/nessmuk_book.htm

There's also an excellent article in the current issue of "The Backwoodsman" magazine, that addresses the subject of Nessmuk's knife. Even poses the theory that Nessmuk made, or had his knife made, by cutting down and reshaping a butcher knife blade. That's believeable, and should be fairly easily done. Might just have to hit the flea market and thrift shops, get some old butchers, and do a bit of tinkering. Really don't need to, already got a Green River sheath knife that fits the bill pretty close to something Nessmuk would have toted. Thin bladed, sharp, and excellent grade of steel, it's 8 1/2" OAL with the blade being 4 1/2". Look at a Nessmuk knife, then look at this one, and tell me I'm full of hooey (which we all know I am, but not always, and not when it comes to knives).

That little Green River sheath knife is available from www.crazycrow.com Doesn't come with a sheath, but cost is only $12.95. Git r' done :thumbup:

Sarge

edited to add: Okay, I hear you, buying a $12.95 knife that'll do everything a Nessmuk knife will do is too cheap, too easy, where's the fun in that? Allright, why not just buy a big old 10" Green River butcher blade (yup, they do sell just the blades), cut it down, and make your own Nessmuk knife. Take a look at the last four inches of this one's blade, and you Nessmuk fans tell me what you see.

 

[hollowdweller]

I have heard that the reason Nessmuk had that funny shaped end to the blade was so the hump could set against the muscle and you could cut the skin up the legs without digging the tip into the meat.

Sarge,

I think the theory makes sense. If you read the book it seems the only thing that Nessmuk sees fit to make mention as far as the properties of his knife is that the blade is THIN. So to me making it out of a kitchen knife would probably be the best way to get the thinnest blade available short of having one custom made.

My Chudsinski Nessmuk is 3/32. I have other thicker versions, but I think that thinner bladed one DOES seem to have the most utility to me.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

I have seen it posted many times here, but the location of the link escapes me, but there was a guy that did a step by step Nessmuk knife that was crafted out of one of those very upswept Old Hickory skinning knives. It looked really good once it was all said and done. IIRC, he just used a dremmel and kept the blade wet to keep it cool. A little grinding, a little filing, and a little sanding...there ya go, a Nessy Knife
Having been a fan of HI for so long, I can't stand a production knife "as is". I HAVE to do something to it to make it MINE. The Old Hickory knives really lend themselves to a little tinkering.

Jake

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

What the heck, it's a beautiful afternoon here in the Republic of Texas. Ain't near as hot as it has been, and it's been too long since I hammered some hot steel. I've got rusty old files, hunks of old plow bit, and enough cold beer to keep me at proper operating temperature. One hand forged Nessie, coming right up. :thumbup:

Sarge

p.s.: Maybe that's why El Padron (a big old goofy roadrunner bird) ain't been around lately, he ain't heard me ringing him a song on my big old anvil. Think I'm joking? That bird loves nothing better than the music a hammer and anvil makes. Many's the time he's come right up to the door of the shop, and just hung around there watching me, but only when I'm hammering steel. Crazy a$$ bird, I miss him.

 

[Kismet]

Odd you should mention this, Sarge.

I just finished butchering a fawn deer a bow-hunter dropped off--with a hand-forged Nessmuk-styled blade. Worked a charm.


(Edit: I got a custom sheath from southern Indianna. Stout sucker makes a great combo. WORKING tools.)

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

Odd you should mention this, Sarge.

I just finished butchering a fawn deer a bow-hunter dropped off--with a hand-forged Nessmuk-styled blade. Worked a charm.

Forged from an old file and mounted with a handle of axis deer antler? Don't know what you're talking about.

Sarge

 

[Fiddleback]

Thats awesome Sarge. I got my great grandaddy's anvil a few weeks ago. Its in pretty bad shape, and its cast iron. It'll need some work, and won't ever be too good for forging. The hammer dents the hell out of the face every time I hit it, so its soft. Ah well. Still a searching.

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

Thats awesome Sarge. I got my great grandaddy's anvil a few weeks ago. Its in pretty bad shape, and its cast iron. It'll need some work, and won't ever be too good for forging. The hammer dents the hell out of the face every time I hit it, so its soft. Ah well. Still a searching.

If you can't find what you're looking for Andy, just swing by any big salvage yard and buy a hunk of railroad track. Works fine, but be warned, due to the relatively low mass (thin down towards the flange), and grade/hardness of the steel, they ring really, really, loud when you smack 'em. I've got an anvil that a friend picked up in an antique shop that's made from a big chunk of old track. The old timer knew what he was doing, very professionally done, complete with horn and hardy hole. Shopkeeper said nobody wanted it soon as they figured out it was homemade, and therefore, "not the real thing". I've got it spiked down onto a big old section of log, and that thing will really take one hell of a pounding. Silly tourists, what do they know?

Sarge

 

[hollowdweller]

Kismet? Bow season already started up your way? The specimen you mention sure would be tender I'd bet:thumbup:

 

[Kismet]

HD, it started last week-end. Tiny button-buck, but should be good for 6-8 sumptuous meals. I'm thinking of getting Weber out and searing the meat, then heating the meat until the inside is pink and juicy, then tossing some onions on the grill and add the few remaining garden tomatoes of this season.

Might serve as a meal.


(Edit w/ update: Make that 10-12 meals. This one was the most tender and delicious venison (backstrap) I can remember.)

 

[Tohatchi NM]

Thanks for the link, Sarge.

Making outdoor knives out of kitchen/butcher knives is a matter of thrift, methinks. You have this great hunk of steel, even after it's been sharpened down to a nub, so you shape it into something useful. Or even if you want to make a purpose-built knife from scratch, it's easier buying a knife that is already made of good knife steel than trying to scrounge up something that may or may not work. I think I've seen more people on Bladeforums reprofile, rejigger, or slightly modify production blades than I've seen people forge stuff from scratch.

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

Thanks for the link, Sarge.

Making outdoor knives out of kitchen/butcher knives is a matter of thrift, methinks. You have this great hunk of steel, even after it's been sharpened down to a nub, so you shape it into something useful. Or even if you want to make a purpose-built knife from scratch, it's easier buying a knife that is already made of good knife steel than trying to scrounge up something that may or may not work. I think I've seen more people on Bladeforums reprofile, rejigger, or slightly modify production blades than I've seen people forge stuff from scratch.

Forged me a Nessmuk blade just this evening, and dadburn if it ain't a sweet one. I was full of chili, cornbread (baked in an iron skillet, natch), and beer, but most of all, I was full of joy. Been too long since I've made the hot steel ring, but by golly I ain't forgot the tune.

Sarge

 

[hollowdweller]

Hey still getting a lot of use out of the little hoof knife Sarge!

 

[hollowdweller]

I have seen it posted many times here, but the location of the link escapes me, but there was a guy that did a step by step Nessmuk knife that was crafted out of one of those very upswept Old Hickory skinning knives. It looked really good once it was all said and done. IIRC, he just used a dremmel and kept the blade wet to keep it cool. A little grinding, a little filing, and a little sanding...there ya go, a Nessy Knife
Having been a fan of HI for so long, I can't stand a production knife "as is". I HAVE to do something to it to make it MINE. The Old Hickory knives really lend themselves to a little tinkering.

Jake

That was Oupa I believe.

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

I have seen it posted many times here, but the location of the link escapes me, but there was a guy that did a step by step Nessmuk knife that was crafted out of one of those very upswept Old Hickory skinning knives. It looked really good once it was all said and done. IIRC, he just used a dremmel and kept the blade wet to keep it cool. A little grinding, a little filing, and a little sanding...there ya go, a Nessy Knife
Having been a fan of HI for so long, I can't stand a production knife "as is". I HAVE to do something to it to make it MINE. The Old Hickory knives really lend themselves to a little tinkering.

Jake

Glad you mentioned the Old Hickory conversions Jake, here's links to two different ones http://gbrannon.bizhat.com/skinner.htm http://gbrannon.bizhat.com/oupa_skinner.htm

Of the two, I prefer the first one. Simple and straightforward, looks like something folks can do without needing a lot of experience, or a shop full of tools. I like that, po' boys have a right to have fun tinkering with knives too.

Sarge

 

[Coldwood]

I hope those are new Old Hickorys. I've started collecting old Old Hickorys . The sorriest thing I ever did 30 years ago was take an old partially broken Russell & Co. Green River Works blade and grind it down and rehandle it into a small shop carpenter's marker knife. It's a good marker knife and the label is still there but I wish now I had left it alone...or found a better way to re-shape it. Woulda coulda shoulda

 

[Bladite]

Forged me a Nessmuk blade just this evening, and dadburn if it ain't a sweet one. I was full of chili, cornbread (baked in an iron skillet, natch), and beer, but most of all, I was full of joy. Been too long since I've made the hot steel ring, but by golly I ain't forgot the tune.
Sarge

this comment is useless without pictures. tell ya what, send it to me, and i'll take pictures

barring that, pictures of the skillet will do :> and the knife :}

bladite

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

this comment is useless without pictures. tell ya what, send it to me, and i'll take pictures

barring that, pictures of the skillet will do :> and the knife :}

bladite

I make pretty knives, but I sure take ugly pictures of 'em. Anyhow, here you go, blade is 4 1/2" long, 5/32" at the spine, profile is a gentle convex all the way down to a thin, sharp, edge. Was going to make a fancy handle for it, but opted to keep it in the backwoods spirit and just go with a simple handle of antler. I often like to keep some hammer marks and forge scale on my forged blades for a "rustic" look, but couldn't resist polishing this one up purty.

Sarge

 

[Bladite]

that looks mighty fine to me!

but where's that thar skillet? SKILLET

bladite

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

that looks mighty fine to me!

but where's that thar skillet? SKILLET

bladite

It's just an old Lodge iron skillet, black and shiny from use. But to prove what a smart boy I am, I bought it years ago along with a stovetop Dutch Oven (they ain't got the three little legs, or the rim around the lid to hold coals) because I figured out that the Dutch oven's lid fit that skillet perfectly. Man, you want to talk about something good, butterflied pork loin chops, slow cooked in a covered iron skillet along with some nice mushroom gravy. Make your tongue slap your head off it's so good. :thumbup:

Sarge