- Joined
- May 4, 2010
- Messages
- 2,480
I have a lot of sodbusters, and by a lot I mean so many I don't know how many...it's become quite the illness
Despite all these soddies sitting in drawers, tubes, boxes, pockets and anywhere else I might find a place to stash them I'm always on the hunt for one I don't have. Thing is there has been this one particular soddie that I've wanted for years, since I started collecting them really. It's a German made sodbuster called a Hippekniep and the manufacture is Heinrich Schmitz. Now, I have a few of the sodbusters made by Heinrich Schmitz , which I really like, but the one I've coveted and have had such a hard time locating has Snakewood handles, called Schlangenholz in German. No one in the States sells them and they are extremely rare to find over seas as well. Once, after many emails, I managed to get a hold of the manufacturer via email and they stated they would sell and ship to me but the shipping cost and bank wiring fees were going to be so much it just wasn't doable. I shelved the idea of owing one for a while but would randomly search for the knife. Recently I found a dealer in Germany that had them in stock and he would ship them to me, he would even allow me to paypal him to avoid wire transfer fees, but shipping was going to be about $50 US dollar. Again, I just couldn't do it for the price. I had an idea though, I contacted Andi(Humppa), our fellow forum member who lives in beautiful Gemany, and asked him if I had the knife shipped to him(free shipping from the dealer to a German residence) could he ship it to me and I would pay the cost since it would be much less. Andi was more than willing to do so! He ordered the knife, along with another I requested since I figured I might as well get another soddie while I had the chance, inspected them for flaws when they arrived and then shipped them to me. When I wanted to pay him for shipping he wouldn't let me! Andi Rocks, I can't thank him enough for getting this knife to me! Fast forward a week and the knives have arrived!
The Snakewood is awesome, everything I've thought it would be! Great walk and talk, user sharp, lock up is solid(Andi thought it had a little blade wobble but if it does it's so undetectable I can't notice it) a little off center when closed but not rubbing the liner and then there are the scales, Wow! I think that the yellow bone Moore Maker by Queen might be the only other soddie I own that gives this a run for the money, it's a toss up for me. Something about snakewood for me I guess. The other Hippekniep is Plumwood, it's very nice as well and has rock solid lock up, good walk and talk( a little weaker than the Snakewood version), perfectly centered blade and user sharp as well. Wood scales are not as flashy as the Snakewood but a good looking knife anyway. Enough talk, I'm rambling so here are some pics of the knives and then a pic of the other two Heinrich Schmitz I have, Cherry wood and Stag handles. All are Carbon except the Stag, it's stainless.
Plumwood
Pic with Cherry and Stag
Pic with Case Sodbuster Jr and Bullnose for size comparison.
Just wanted to say thanks to Andi one more time for getting my grail sodbuster to me! The traditional forum has to be one of the best places one the internet due to guys like Andi:thumbup:
Despite all these soddies sitting in drawers, tubes, boxes, pockets and anywhere else I might find a place to stash them I'm always on the hunt for one I don't have. Thing is there has been this one particular soddie that I've wanted for years, since I started collecting them really. It's a German made sodbuster called a Hippekniep and the manufacture is Heinrich Schmitz. Now, I have a few of the sodbusters made by Heinrich Schmitz , which I really like, but the one I've coveted and have had such a hard time locating has Snakewood handles, called Schlangenholz in German. No one in the States sells them and they are extremely rare to find over seas as well. Once, after many emails, I managed to get a hold of the manufacturer via email and they stated they would sell and ship to me but the shipping cost and bank wiring fees were going to be so much it just wasn't doable. I shelved the idea of owing one for a while but would randomly search for the knife. Recently I found a dealer in Germany that had them in stock and he would ship them to me, he would even allow me to paypal him to avoid wire transfer fees, but shipping was going to be about $50 US dollar. Again, I just couldn't do it for the price. I had an idea though, I contacted Andi(Humppa), our fellow forum member who lives in beautiful Gemany, and asked him if I had the knife shipped to him(free shipping from the dealer to a German residence) could he ship it to me and I would pay the cost since it would be much less. Andi was more than willing to do so! He ordered the knife, along with another I requested since I figured I might as well get another soddie while I had the chance, inspected them for flaws when they arrived and then shipped them to me. When I wanted to pay him for shipping he wouldn't let me! Andi Rocks, I can't thank him enough for getting this knife to me! Fast forward a week and the knives have arrived! The Snakewood is awesome, everything I've thought it would be! Great walk and talk, user sharp, lock up is solid(Andi thought it had a little blade wobble but if it does it's so undetectable I can't notice it) a little off center when closed but not rubbing the liner and then there are the scales, Wow! I think that the yellow bone Moore Maker by Queen might be the only other soddie I own that gives this a run for the money, it's a toss up for me. Something about snakewood for me I guess. The other Hippekniep is Plumwood, it's very nice as well and has rock solid lock up, good walk and talk( a little weaker than the Snakewood version), perfectly centered blade and user sharp as well. Wood scales are not as flashy as the Snakewood but a good looking knife anyway. Enough talk, I'm rambling so here are some pics of the knives and then a pic of the other two Heinrich Schmitz I have, Cherry wood and Stag handles. All are Carbon except the Stag, it's stainless.
Plumwood
Pic with Cherry and Stag
Pic with Case Sodbuster Jr and Bullnose for size comparison.
Just wanted to say thanks to Andi one more time for getting my grail sodbuster to me! The traditional forum has to be one of the best places one the internet due to guys like Andi:thumbup:
