Buzzbait
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2001
- Messages
- 6,732
Many of you probably know that Ive been a big Marbles fan for quite some time. I got into Marbles when Mike Stewart was managing the knife show at Marbles. My first Marbles purchase was a Gladstone 52-100 Fieldcraft from a local sporting goods store, located less than a thousand feet from my doorstep at the time. Every since that day, despite having purchased a Trailcraft, Campcraft, and Blackjack Small, the Fieldcraft has been my most often carried fixed blade for camping and outdoor work.
For the last few years, Ive been considering a replacement for my venerable Fieldcraft. I really prefer stacked leather over a wooden handle, and have always kicked myself for not buying the stacked leather version of the Fieldcraft, when I had the chance. My outdoor uses for a knife have also changed as well. Ive gotten older, and Im not so much the survivalist bushcrafting kind of guy that I used to be. My knife uses are now considerably more tame. Whittling down a hiking or marshmallow stick for my daughter , along with occasionally cleaning a few fresh trout, are the most that I do. I work in the backyard on the weekend, opening up bags of seed and such.
Ive also been eying Hess Knifeworks since they first hit the scene, after Marbles stopped production. The Hess resemblance to Marbles always makes me smile. Ive eyed Hesss Tiburon about a thousand times, but never actually pulled the trigger. Probably because my Fieldcraft has still been flawlessly getting the job done without complaint.
Well, my 50th birthday hit last weekend, and it was finally time to buy myself a nice present. I was sure it would be the Tiburon, the knife Ive lusted after for so many years. But once it got into my shopping cart, I gave it some careful consideration, and back out it went. For the older gentler me, the Tiburon is now too large. And my knife uses now are probably better served by a clip point than a broad drop point. I measured up my two most used fixed blades these days, my old Fieldcraft and a Buck 102 Woodsman, to help me arrive at the size I truly need. It can be so hard to tell a knifes real size from a picture.
The knife that I finally chose was a Hess Knifeworks Whitetail. The size of the knife is very similar to my old Fieldcraft. The grip is almost identical in size and feel. The shape and size of the guard is almost indistinguishable. Both have that wonderful convex grind. The difference is that the Whitetail is made from much thinner blade stock, and uses one of GECs 1095 carbon steel blanks. I normally might have shied away from 1095, seeing it as a downgrade from 52-100, but Ive happily used GECs 1095 for years. I trust it, and the choice is well suited to a knife of this size and purpose. And this time I didnt screw up. I bought the stacked leather version, which is a pleasure to gaze at and to hold in my hands.
The sheath is okay. Its certainly plenty good for a knife costing only a little more than my Fieldcraft did 15 years ago. It works well and looks solid enough to trust. The sheath rides at just the right height on my belt, and holds the knife tightly and securely. One thing I did do last night was to give the sheath a good long treatment of Sno-Seal by the woodstove, melting the waxy goodness into the leather. Sno-Sealing is just one of those things that are done in the north country of New York, whenever new leather is purchased. Its almost reflexive, with no thought taken. The Sno-Seal waterproofed and darkened up the leather nicely.
So here is my new knife, a stacked leather Hess Knifeworks Whitetail. Thanks Barry. Its a real beauty. After comparison to my old Fieldcraft, I have to say that the craftsmanship is actually better than any of my old Marbles. Its an absolute steal for less than $100.00. Id have gladly paid far more for this level of quality. The knife arrived scary scalpel sharp, as every convex grind should.
My intention is for the Whitetail to be carried in combination with my old Camillus Engineers knife, once the warmer weather arrives, and the outdoor adventures with my family begin . Together, the two knives look just wonderful. One old relic next to a newer knife that is still steeped in tradition. They look like they truly belong together.
For the last few years, Ive been considering a replacement for my venerable Fieldcraft. I really prefer stacked leather over a wooden handle, and have always kicked myself for not buying the stacked leather version of the Fieldcraft, when I had the chance. My outdoor uses for a knife have also changed as well. Ive gotten older, and Im not so much the survivalist bushcrafting kind of guy that I used to be. My knife uses are now considerably more tame. Whittling down a hiking or marshmallow stick for my daughter , along with occasionally cleaning a few fresh trout, are the most that I do. I work in the backyard on the weekend, opening up bags of seed and such.
Ive also been eying Hess Knifeworks since they first hit the scene, after Marbles stopped production. The Hess resemblance to Marbles always makes me smile. Ive eyed Hesss Tiburon about a thousand times, but never actually pulled the trigger. Probably because my Fieldcraft has still been flawlessly getting the job done without complaint.
Well, my 50th birthday hit last weekend, and it was finally time to buy myself a nice present. I was sure it would be the Tiburon, the knife Ive lusted after for so many years. But once it got into my shopping cart, I gave it some careful consideration, and back out it went. For the older gentler me, the Tiburon is now too large. And my knife uses now are probably better served by a clip point than a broad drop point. I measured up my two most used fixed blades these days, my old Fieldcraft and a Buck 102 Woodsman, to help me arrive at the size I truly need. It can be so hard to tell a knifes real size from a picture.
The knife that I finally chose was a Hess Knifeworks Whitetail. The size of the knife is very similar to my old Fieldcraft. The grip is almost identical in size and feel. The shape and size of the guard is almost indistinguishable. Both have that wonderful convex grind. The difference is that the Whitetail is made from much thinner blade stock, and uses one of GECs 1095 carbon steel blanks. I normally might have shied away from 1095, seeing it as a downgrade from 52-100, but Ive happily used GECs 1095 for years. I trust it, and the choice is well suited to a knife of this size and purpose. And this time I didnt screw up. I bought the stacked leather version, which is a pleasure to gaze at and to hold in my hands.
The sheath is okay. Its certainly plenty good for a knife costing only a little more than my Fieldcraft did 15 years ago. It works well and looks solid enough to trust. The sheath rides at just the right height on my belt, and holds the knife tightly and securely. One thing I did do last night was to give the sheath a good long treatment of Sno-Seal by the woodstove, melting the waxy goodness into the leather. Sno-Sealing is just one of those things that are done in the north country of New York, whenever new leather is purchased. Its almost reflexive, with no thought taken. The Sno-Seal waterproofed and darkened up the leather nicely.
So here is my new knife, a stacked leather Hess Knifeworks Whitetail. Thanks Barry. Its a real beauty. After comparison to my old Fieldcraft, I have to say that the craftsmanship is actually better than any of my old Marbles. Its an absolute steal for less than $100.00. Id have gladly paid far more for this level of quality. The knife arrived scary scalpel sharp, as every convex grind should.
My intention is for the Whitetail to be carried in combination with my old Camillus Engineers knife, once the warmer weather arrives, and the outdoor adventures with my family begin . Together, the two knives look just wonderful. One old relic next to a newer knife that is still steeped in tradition. They look like they truly belong together.
I have also found myself looking at those Hess knives more than a few times over the past couple of years :thumbup:
