- Joined
- Feb 28, 2007
- Messages
- 9,786
Bearthedog recently shared with us his #1 flat ground carbon Grohmann. He was nice about it, but I don't think anybody got the impression that he really liked the knife that much. At least he didn't seem to like the feel of the handle.
I had an opportunity today to trade in a less used knife for a Grohmann #3. This is the first time I had one which is pretty sad given my Cdn heritage. The Grohmanns are kind of like the bucks and kabars of the U.S.
The Grohmann #3 is sold as three flavours: the boat knife, the yachtsman and the Canadian Army knife. They all have the same blade configuration but different sheaths. My version is the boat knife. The yachtsman sheath contains a slot to hold a marlin spike and the army is a jumproof sheath with full overflap.
Blade is 4" long, 15/16" wide and 1/8" thick. Total length is 8.5". This version has a hollow grind. It is made of carbon (not identified) steel.
I haven't handled the #1, but I have to say the ergo's on the #3 feel really good. There is a little bit of jimping on the spine that isn't too sharp but holds the thumb well. The handle is nice and smooth and grips nicely. The blade drops down about half an inch and the finger indent forms a guard.
I did a little bit of cutting and fuzz sticks on wood. At this job the Grohman as it arrived (assuming factory sharpening) was horrible. Make that disastrous. The blade just sort of skidded off the wood. Was it just the wood? I was dealing with locus heart wood that is tougher than heck. So I grabbed the JK and proceeded on the fuzzies. Yeah, the wood is tough, but the JK did okay.
Okay, not to worry. I pull out the sharpmaker and put the rods at the 40 degree slots and put some sharpie marks on the edge. Hit it with the grey rods. I'm not even close to touching that edge. I stick the white triangle under the sharpmaker, using the seasaw effect to increase the angle (bout 23 degrees per side). Still not hitting the edge. What the heck? Grohman must think us Canucks need a thick knife to go with our thick skulls! This thing needed some serious work.
Not to be put off, out comes the sandpaper and mouspad. Went through the grit series of 220, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 2000 then leather strop with green compound. ~35 minutes. Finally put a micro bevel on there with the sharpmaker. Now it wipes hairs cleanly and push cuts paper. I probably could have spent a bit more love on the sharpening, but this is good enough for now.
Now it is making good fuzzies. About 95% of what the JK is doing - and that one is well tuned right now.
I was pushng this knife pretty hard going through the locust. Handle still felts good. A little bit of hotspot on my palm - but well within tolerable range. The handle feels secure. The blade feels stiff and responsive.
Back to the point - really, the point. It is great on this knife. Very sharp but also robust. I drill out a piece of cotton wood. Not too hard, but it was either cottonwood or locust. I had enough screwing with the locust tonight.
Drilled out very easily.
I had an opportunity today to trade in a less used knife for a Grohmann #3. This is the first time I had one which is pretty sad given my Cdn heritage. The Grohmanns are kind of like the bucks and kabars of the U.S.
The Grohmann #3 is sold as three flavours: the boat knife, the yachtsman and the Canadian Army knife. They all have the same blade configuration but different sheaths. My version is the boat knife. The yachtsman sheath contains a slot to hold a marlin spike and the army is a jumproof sheath with full overflap.
Blade is 4" long, 15/16" wide and 1/8" thick. Total length is 8.5". This version has a hollow grind. It is made of carbon (not identified) steel.
I haven't handled the #1, but I have to say the ergo's on the #3 feel really good. There is a little bit of jimping on the spine that isn't too sharp but holds the thumb well. The handle is nice and smooth and grips nicely. The blade drops down about half an inch and the finger indent forms a guard.
I did a little bit of cutting and fuzz sticks on wood. At this job the Grohman as it arrived (assuming factory sharpening) was horrible. Make that disastrous. The blade just sort of skidded off the wood. Was it just the wood? I was dealing with locus heart wood that is tougher than heck. So I grabbed the JK and proceeded on the fuzzies. Yeah, the wood is tough, but the JK did okay.
Okay, not to worry. I pull out the sharpmaker and put the rods at the 40 degree slots and put some sharpie marks on the edge. Hit it with the grey rods. I'm not even close to touching that edge. I stick the white triangle under the sharpmaker, using the seasaw effect to increase the angle (bout 23 degrees per side). Still not hitting the edge. What the heck? Grohman must think us Canucks need a thick knife to go with our thick skulls! This thing needed some serious work.
Not to be put off, out comes the sandpaper and mouspad. Went through the grit series of 220, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 2000 then leather strop with green compound. ~35 minutes. Finally put a micro bevel on there with the sharpmaker. Now it wipes hairs cleanly and push cuts paper. I probably could have spent a bit more love on the sharpening, but this is good enough for now.
Now it is making good fuzzies. About 95% of what the JK is doing - and that one is well tuned right now.
I was pushng this knife pretty hard going through the locust. Handle still felts good. A little bit of hotspot on my palm - but well within tolerable range. The handle feels secure. The blade feels stiff and responsive.
Back to the point - really, the point. It is great on this knife. Very sharp but also robust. I drill out a piece of cotton wood. Not too hard, but it was either cottonwood or locust. I had enough screwing with the locust tonight.
Drilled out very easily.
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Feels good batoning!
