Free Nessmuk book download

[Kismet]

Another beauty, Greg.

 

[TomFetter]

Great Nessmuk, Sarge. Sigh.

Y'know, my wife and daughter have started to ask "how many knives do you need?" Haven't found the right answer yet, or maybe the right tone ...

 

[Runs With Scissors]

fantastic Nessmuk, Sarge! I really like how you carried it out, no extra pretties,etc. just blade and bone. For a casual tinkergnome type of guy, you definitely make some of the coolest knives I've seen 'round here.

And once again, all I can do is wipe the puddles of drool off the keyboard, since I know your knives (understandably) aren't for sale. incredibly nice! Let us know how she works!



I just got a BRK Lil Nessie in the mail. very nice stuff! 4" 52100 blade, brass bolster, maple Burl handle. I'm not quite sure what it is or isn't adept at yet, but I'm sure I'll figure it out in time. from appearance, it looks like it would EXCEL at game processing and fireside cooking, and be pretty decent for general woodcraft. I might have to take it on my next hike/hunt, and start feelin' it out. (Although I have another half dozen highly qualified blades that are begging to go along too)

If I go out this fall for bear, I think I'll take it and my BRK Mountain Man. (the most insanely sharp fixed blade I own)

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

RWS, I'd be keenly interested in hearing more about your BRK Mountain Man. I've heard enough good about Bark River Knives, that I'm ready to try one, and of all the excellent designs they offer, that one just looks incredibly "right" for me. No frills, all cut, just right.

Sarge

 

[Runs With Scissors]

RWS, I'd be keenly interested in hearing more about your BRK Mountain Man. I've heard enough good about Bark River Knives, that I'm ready to try one, and of all the excellent designs they offer, that one just looks incredibly "right" for me. No frills, all cut, just right.

Sarge

I'd be glad to talk about it.

Mine is made of Mesquite Burl and 1095 Carbon steel. Blade is 5.5 inches with a VERY thin blade that measures .093 The handle measures in at 4 1/8 inches long.

Now to get into the good stuff that you can't just read off any ole website....

One of your phrases came to me the first time I picked it up. "dang...this thing aint nuthin' but a fist full of cut!" As you've noticed it's made in the same style as the Green River knives and such, and even the same blade material. What sets it apart in my mind is that it comes from the factory with a full convex grind. I've always had better luck with a knife MADE with a convex grind than one that has to be reprofiled. I'm very impressed with the temper of the blade. It's a tad flexible, holds an edge well above average, but more importantly (to me) resharpens very easily. It takes such an incredibly sharp edge, that the rest of my friends and family are afraid to handle it. I've never had a knife pass my dreaded "30 lb block of Costco cheese" test as cleanly as this one did. It's also cleaned trout, chopped up steak, salads, taters,whittled fuzz sticks, and cut rope, cord,and marshmallow sticks without a problem.

When I first got it I was a little hesitant about the thin blade, but with time I've come to trust it. It's too bad I never got a chance to go ocean fishing this summer, I've got a feeling it would have done a great job filleting Halibut and Silvers. It's very light on the hip, and easy to live with.

In short it is exactly what you already know, a hellaciously good cutter with no frills and silliness.

Now for the idiosyncracies....

First off...the sheath for it sucks. It comes with the exact same sheath my BRK Highland came in. The first time I went to resheath it I pushed the tip of the blade through the bottom of the sheath with almost zero effort. That's a comment on the sharpness of the knife, as well as the poor sheath design.

So, I restitched the sheath, and went to use it again, darn near sliced it in half down the front of the sheath. The knife is so thin and sharp that you really have to pay attention when resheathing it, or else you'll destroy the sheath in a heartbeat. I'm currently trying to invent a better mousetrap so to speak. I'm thinking safety wire to stitch it, lots of room inside of it, and maybe some kind of liner. I've got a feeling the sheath will be downright primitive in appearance, but it'll work. That's awright though. When I was an EMT we had a saying: "If it looks stupid but it works, then it aint"

another possible issue for you might be the handle size. My hands are pretty average in length but quite wide, and very thick in the palms and fingers. I tend to recall that you have a pretty decent sized set of meathooks yourself. Witha hair over 4'' of grip I've got all I need with this knife, but not a bit to spare. It's a perfect size grip for me, but if my hand were a little bit larger, it would be questionable.

third issue...I once dropped it tip down on a rock and chipped the edge pretty good. It's still there infact, but I just aint sweatin' it. It's very small and will come out with time and sharpenings. To me that's not really an issue, I consider it just part of the package in a knife with the characteristics of this one, but...your perception may be different.

If your cuttin' meat, taters, fuzz sticks, cord, deer,fish, etc. this knife is a dream come true. I wouldn't even sweat batoning it a bit. For folks that feel the need for sharpened prybars, it would be a disappointment.

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

Sounds like a good knife, but I reckon since I'd wind up making a sheath for it anyhow, I'd probably be just as happy with a Green River butcher knife. Crazy Crow www.crazycrow.com sells the one pictured below for eighteen bucks and change. Six inch blade, four and a half inch beechwood handle, and, IIRC, spine thickness of 3/32". Already own a couple Green Rivers, and the steel in 'em is so good they're dang hard to beat for the price. If I didn't prefer toting one of my homemade blades, my EDC would be my 4 1/2" blade Green River "Sheath Knife". Thanks for the info, I'll still eventually want to try a Bark River, sounds like them boys have got their heads on square.

Sarge

edited to add: is it just my tired old eyes, or does Crazy Crow have the same pic for the 4 1/2" blade knife and the 6 inch butcher?
anyhow, the six inch butchers look more like this eight incher here.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I just looked around a bit this morning and realized I got a pretty darn good price on mine. ($65 or so) It was well worth the price. For the $125 I see alot of places asking, it's not worth it.

I'm looking really dang hard at some of the Green River blades myself. Might be fun to get a couple to tinker with. Between the Pacific Paring knife, the Sheep Skinner, and the 5" Buffalo Skinner, that would be alot tinkering for cheap. Afterall, what blackpowder, traditional knife enthusiast could be without a Green River or two?

(BTW, those two knives look the same to me too)

Thanks for the link!

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

And once again, all I can do is wipe the puddles of drool off the keyboard, since I know your knives (understandably) aren't for sale. incredibly nice! Let us know how she works!

Ha, RWS you've caught me in one of my strange moods (just ask my friend Gina, she can talk at great length about how strange I am, and she does so frequently :grumpy: )
Send me your dadburn mailing address, and I'll send you that dadburn Nessmuk. 'Course, I expect three things from you; 1. I expect you to make your own sheath, 2. I expect you to use hell out of that knife and not stick it away in a sock drawer, 3. I expect a field report with pictures. Fair enough?

Sarge

 

[Bladite]

Ha, RWS you've caught me in one of my strange moods (just ask my friend Gina, she can talk at great length about how strange I am, and she does so frequently :grumpy: )
Send me your dadburn mailing address, and I'll send you that dadburn Nessmuk. 'Course, I expect three things from you; 1. I expect you to make your own sheath, 2. I expect you to use hell out of that knife and not stick it away in a sock drawer, 3. I expect a field report with pictures. Fair enough?
Sarge

woo hoo!

you forgot #4: a jug o shine :>

excellent

bladite

 

[Fiddleback]

Another winner Nessy Sarge.

Here is a link to that mountain man: http://www.sagecreekoutfitters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=ADK

And here is a link to Oopa's Nessy (bout halfway down the page):
http://www.raindogoutdoors.com/wst_page4.html

My Sarge Nessy plow bit knife is one of my favorites.

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

woo hoo!

you forgot #4: a jug o shine :>

excellent

bladite

I'll only drink shine if I know who made it. Good stuff's great, bad stuff can really mess you up. I remember as a youngster, hearing about a wedding party down in south Alabama. Whole bunch of folks got messed up bad, IIRC one feller even died. Bad batch of shine, but hey, they got a good price on it.

Sarge

 

[Bladite]

I'll only drink shine if I know who made it. Good stuff's great, bad stuff can really mess you up. I remember as a youngster, hearing about a wedding party down in south Alabama. Whole bunch of folks got messed up bad, IIRC one feller even died. Bad batch of shine, but hey, they got a good price on it.
Sarge

aye. my idea of a good drink is christian brother's brandy - $15 for 1.5 liters. smoo *cough cough* ooooth :>

or german pear/apple brandy- crystal clear firewater. that IS smooth. only good for two things. cleaning engine parts, and killing brain cells

bladite

 

[Runs With Scissors]

"Thank you" is a helluva understatement, but that's the best I can do right now.

It WILL be sheathed, used, photographed, and bragged about. If I'm lucky it will clean a black bear in a couple weeks when I get my next R&R. If not it will still go on a couple of hikes, gut a few fish and make some campfire meals

I'm not real good at aquiring shine here in Alaska. Best I could do is one of the local micro-brews...

http://www.greatbearbrewing.com/NEWBEERLIST.html

once again, a true, heartfelt thank you! You've made my day! (which took some doing, since the only reason I'm home right now is for "emergency" oral surgery!)

 

[Bladite]

I'm not real good at aquiring shine here in Alaska. Best I could do is one of the local micro-brews...

hey RWS... that reminds me! i was at wal*mart the other day looking at random cheap ass flashlights for a camping trip (hangs head in shame) and noticed they had an "ulu power chopper", so bought it.

it's apparently made in alaska, has the EXACT same curve as the ulu from ragnar, and was $7. gave it a shot. it's got a chisel grind, and the plastic is so brittle, it darn near snapped in me hand. it's going back ASAP. screw it

but i had to give it a shot

damn. i need me a worshop. i want a bench mounted belt grinder, and some good shop tools. the very least to keep my shit sharp, at the most, to start making some fine shit

met a guy last week, he's nessmuk material. packs a small bag and goes into the wood to get things done. hunts with flint arrows and stone knives. in fact, he's got every season gimmick so he can maximize his take - he eats and lives on what he takes. black powder season? he's there. primitive weapons? he gets his 2-3 deer. bow? yup. misc weapons? yup. bare handed and with his teeth? yep. i should've taken pix, and maybe he can supply some if i write, but man, his stuff was amazing. he works at a camp, and had to register with the archeological people so they wouldn't get upset at people with *real* ancient stuff popping up joke: what's the difference between a 50,000 arrowhead and one you just made and got dirty? nothing.

bladite

 

[Sylvrfalcn]

"Thank you" is a helluva understatement, but that's the best I can do right now.

It WILL be sheathed, used, photographed, and bragged about. If I'm lucky it will clean a black bear in a couple weeks when I get my next R&R. If not it will still go on a couple of hikes, gut a few fish and make some campfire meals

I'm not real good at aquiring shine here in Alaska. Best I could do is one of the local micro-brews...

http://www.greatbearbrewing.com/NEWBEERLIST.html

once again, a true, heartfelt thank you! You've made my day! (which took some doing, since the only reason I'm home right now is for "emergency" oral surgery!)

Got your e-mail, knife will go out in the morning. Thanks for helping me clear out some of the "clutter" around here. Hmmm, wonder what I should make next? "Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin', I don't know where I'll be tomorrow........." - Journey, ca. 1978

Sarge

 

[stevomiller]

Sarge and RWS, I love those Green River knives. Nice thin blades with full height grinds; they still cut when they are dull if'n you know what I mean. I decided quite some time ago that I was sick of thick bladed knives for most work.

My favorite folding knife for the field is an old Schrade liner lock folding hunter with a flatground 4" blade that is about .08" thick. Crazy sharp and even my boys can keep it that way.

BTW Sarge, beautiful nessie you made. RWS, you are fortunate man!

 

[Kismet]

Sarge?

Keep this stuff up and people may change their opinions of you.


Nicely done, Thumbcutter.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

hey RWS... that reminds me! i was at wal*mart the other day looking at random cheap ass flashlights for a camping trip (hangs head in shame) and noticed they had an "ulu power chopper", so bought it.

it's apparently made in alaska, has the EXACT same curve as the ulu from ragnar, and was $7. gave it a shot. it's got a chisel grind, and the plastic is so brittle, it darn near snapped in me hand. it's going back ASAP. screw it

but i had to give it a shot

damn. i need me a worshop. i want a bench mounted belt grinder, and some good shop tools. the very least to keep my shit sharp, at the most, to start making some fine shit

met a guy last week, he's nessmuk material. packs a small bag and goes into the wood to get things done. hunts with flint arrows and stone knives. in fact, he's got every season gimmick so he can maximize his take - he eats and lives on what he takes. black powder season? he's there. primitive weapons? he gets his 2-3 deer. bow? yup. misc weapons? yup. bare handed and with his teeth? yep. i should've taken pix, and maybe he can supply some if i write, but man, his stuff was amazing. he works at a camp, and had to register with the archeological people so they wouldn't get upset at people with *real* ancient stuff popping up joke: what's the difference between a 50,000 arrowhead and one you just made and got dirty? nothing.

bladite

hehe...wanna hear a story 'bout them cheap Wal-Mart Ulu's?

My family went silver salmon fishing. (I had to work that weekend, as usual)
My brother and I had just gotten my father a Microtech Black Marlin Fillet knife for Fathers day that he was looking forward to using.

So, come the next day, they catch a nice mess of salmon and start filleting them. My sweet, soft spoken, not very outdoors inclined mother cleaned about three fish to my father and brothers every one using one of those piece of crap Wal-Mart Ulu's! My father took awhile to learn to love that Black Marlin afterwards. (couldn't have had anything to do with talent, or overall design...)

As I recall most of those are made at the Alaska Ulu Factory and have a RC of about 46 I still steer people towards other options for Ulu knives every chance I get. Managed to talk my nephew into putting some moose anter on one of those Brusletto blades, from what I hear he still uses and brags about that thing daily.

a cheap 1'' belt sander, a dremel tool, and a file set will getcha quite aways.

I've met a few guys like that. Absolutely amazing folks. I don't know where the hell they get the time! (for one thing I bet they don't check on BF 1900 times a day for new posts....)

Take care!

 

[kamkazmoto]

just downloaded it , thanks for the link