- Joined
- Mar 25, 2010
- Messages
- 707
So, I've spent a chunk of time (circa 10 years) searching for my ideal knife...
...before you chorus, that that search won't end - I agree. I'm sure I'll keep trying stuff. That being said, my first decent knife like many others was a standard Fallkniven F1 in laminated VG10. I liked the knife but hated the handle although it was perfectly functional.
The F1 was pretty quickly followed up with a Bark River Bocote Woodland Special in A2 tool steel. Great knife but aesthetically it didn't completely work for me. I went Bravo 1 but soon found it too big, heavy and thick. Cue the Gunny. I went with the stainless option of the day 19C27 I think. Beautiful knife - not such a great steel. It became a gift to my best friend.
Over the years, I tried a heap of knives; BRKT Aurora (A2), Bushcrafter (3V), Canadian Special (A2), Classic Drop Point Hunter (A2) [- still a great choice!], Lil' Canadian (3V), Mini Fox River (A2), Ultra lite Bushcrafter (3V) x 2 [a favourite small blade along with my LT Wright Next Gen in 3V], ESSE's, Mora's, a selection of 6 Fiddleback Forge knives and a few of his co-workers iterations and two LT Wright Genesis knives (Scandi and Full-flat grinds in A2) [Highly recommended as bang-for-buck greats!].
That list is not exhaustive, nor is it to appear boastful - its more to indicate the search I've been on. Please also note, that I think of myself as more of a knife user than a knife collector (although I have to admit to clearly being a collector now, each knife has been put to real work).
I got a full-height ground Ironwood Gunny Hunter in 3V in my hands recently thanks to Jason at DLT Trading (amazingly fast International service by the way - I'm currently back in Hong Kong). Honestly, it feels like 'coming home' to my hand. I have large'ish hands with a 4 inch palm width and the handle feels sooooo great. I can hang onto it with my ring and little fingers due to the well noted 'coke bottle' contouring. I can grab it in any grip that I can with my LT Wrights which are more 'broom-stick' handled and still feel really comfortable. The blade length works for me, for bigger cuts and more delicate work including skinning small game. More importantly, it simply works to cut everything I throw at it especially wood and whittling. It does so, whilst looking like a work of art. It looks like a custom knife (barring the lack of a taped tang, which I still love from an aesthetic perspective - functionally it's an non-issue). Don't get me wrong, I'd jump all over a 1/8th inch version if it was ever to be an option but honestly the Gunny is all the knife I'll ever need.
Hard to admit, but true.
All thoughts and feedback welcomed...
Best,
Ben
...before you chorus, that that search won't end - I agree. I'm sure I'll keep trying stuff. That being said, my first decent knife like many others was a standard Fallkniven F1 in laminated VG10. I liked the knife but hated the handle although it was perfectly functional.
The F1 was pretty quickly followed up with a Bark River Bocote Woodland Special in A2 tool steel. Great knife but aesthetically it didn't completely work for me. I went Bravo 1 but soon found it too big, heavy and thick. Cue the Gunny. I went with the stainless option of the day 19C27 I think. Beautiful knife - not such a great steel. It became a gift to my best friend.
Over the years, I tried a heap of knives; BRKT Aurora (A2), Bushcrafter (3V), Canadian Special (A2), Classic Drop Point Hunter (A2) [- still a great choice!], Lil' Canadian (3V), Mini Fox River (A2), Ultra lite Bushcrafter (3V) x 2 [a favourite small blade along with my LT Wright Next Gen in 3V], ESSE's, Mora's, a selection of 6 Fiddleback Forge knives and a few of his co-workers iterations and two LT Wright Genesis knives (Scandi and Full-flat grinds in A2) [Highly recommended as bang-for-buck greats!].
That list is not exhaustive, nor is it to appear boastful - its more to indicate the search I've been on. Please also note, that I think of myself as more of a knife user than a knife collector (although I have to admit to clearly being a collector now, each knife has been put to real work).
I got a full-height ground Ironwood Gunny Hunter in 3V in my hands recently thanks to Jason at DLT Trading (amazingly fast International service by the way - I'm currently back in Hong Kong). Honestly, it feels like 'coming home' to my hand. I have large'ish hands with a 4 inch palm width and the handle feels sooooo great. I can hang onto it with my ring and little fingers due to the well noted 'coke bottle' contouring. I can grab it in any grip that I can with my LT Wrights which are more 'broom-stick' handled and still feel really comfortable. The blade length works for me, for bigger cuts and more delicate work including skinning small game. More importantly, it simply works to cut everything I throw at it especially wood and whittling. It does so, whilst looking like a work of art. It looks like a custom knife (barring the lack of a taped tang, which I still love from an aesthetic perspective - functionally it's an non-issue). Don't get me wrong, I'd jump all over a 1/8th inch version if it was ever to be an option but honestly the Gunny is all the knife I'll ever need.
Hard to admit, but true.
All thoughts and feedback welcomed...
Best,
Ben
