Habilis Bush Tool

Been thinking about one of these knives...I'll be following your opinion on it Rock
 
I just got one of their Nomadic Hunter models yesterday. I will give more of a review once I get to use it more. It's a unique tool and so far I like it very much.

Rock, would you mind if i just added the review to this thread?
 
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JollyRoger3 said:
I just got one of the Nomadic Hunter's yesterday. I like it very much. I will get one of the Bushtools sometime in the future. I will give more of a review once I get to use it more. It's a unique tool and like it very much.

Rock, would you mind if i just added the review to this thread?
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Please do! I had some interest in the Nomadic Hunter as well...throw up an initial review and photo's.

ROCK6
 
Rock,

Very good and thank you!!

I'll get something up this weekend. I would also like to add that I have smoothed out and polished up the scandi edge since I received it. It was a little rough and had a slight secondary bevel. It is dangerously sharp now. Content and pics to follow.
 
I had some time today to get out and use the Nomadic Hunter outside. I fabricated the components to a basic fire bow/drill/fire board set up. Nothing really advanced, but does require some notching, whittling and fine wood work. The fire board was hogged out of a larger piece of cedar branch. This was done by using a baton to split the piece to the desired thickness. The pics of me using the baton did not come out, however the NH did perfectly fine for the task.

The following pic is the finished components minus my antler bearing block.

IMG_5626.jpg


This next pic is neat in that the two pieces you see below the NH are actual Native American arrow heads that I found this last weekend on an outing. The dark red one is made from Jasper. The guys I was with have found them once and while around the area, but have never located one this color. Its an almost perfect specimen. I thought that it was neat to have the artifacts next to the more modern day version.

IMG_5628.jpg


The following pic are the components that came with the NH. The very well made and fitted kydex sheath, a long piece of black paracord, the leather round with 4 holes and a draw cord lock. The cord, lock and leather are included to make a basic shoulder rig in conjunction with the sheath (see pic). I will carry it in my pocket or in the neck knife fashion, but it's nice to have options. I think its a neat set up.

IMG_5629.jpg


Last pic is the knife in hand. Pretty self explanatory. I will say (although obvious) that you have very good control over the blade when used in this fashion.

IMG_5631.jpg


My hope is to get some more pics done this weekend as I use it more. I have a lot of hope for these tools and will acquire different models as time progresses. They remind me of the WSK style of knife in that they are designed for multi-use roles in the woods. These tool speak to me and I have not had this much enthusiasm for a line of edged tools since back when I started that loooooong thread about the Beck/Tops WSK style knives in 2003.

I look forward to this journey.

(AKA- Vermonster)
 
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Excellent addition and review JR3! I do like their version of the figure-8 harness...I often carry my Fallkniven WM1 in a similar rig (MercHarness) and it's a very comfortable and convenient way to carry a blade. I'm really liking the NH and it's singing to me as well. That's a good picture of it in-hand as the handle is longer than I thought. I really like the profile of that particular tool...it's only a 1/8" thick isn't it?

ROCK6
 
Rock,

Thank you. I am glad I can contribute to your post.

Yes, it is 1/8 inch thick. I too like the length of the handle and think that it adds more versatility to the design. I have yet to unwrap it to see what lies underneath, but will most likely get to that this weekend. I do feel that the slight secondary edge bevel is kind of a small pain, however there may be others that prefer it. I have been working on removing it completely. As you can see in the pics there was a little still hanging on. Don't get me wrong though, it is very sharp and performs extremely well, however I do think that the performance will be just a bit better once it is totally gone and I achieve a zero edge. All in all, I can deal with it.

There are some other features that I will discuss later on. More to follow.
 
JollyRoger3 said:
Rock,

I do feel that the slight secondary edge bevel is kind of a small pain, however there may be others that prefer it. I have been working on removing it completely. As you can see in the pics there was a little still hanging on. Don't get me wrong though, it is very sharp and performs extremely well, however I do think that the performance will be just a bit better once it is totally gone and I achieve a zero edge. All in all, I can deal with it.
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The Bush Tool has a similar secondary bevel. I thought it was a zero edge scandi with just the edge stropped, but it's just a slight secondary bevel. I'm going to work it down as well...I do remember that even Ray Mears often puts a secondary "micro" bevel on his scandi knives. I'll use it as it but try to eventually work it down to a zero edge also...

ROCK6
 
The Nomadic Hunter and the Neoclovis both look fatally flawed because of the location of the lashing hole removes too much steel at the critical place where blade meets handle. Looks like it weakens the entire blade and makes it susceptible to bending or breaking.

Now I've never handled any of the knives, so can anyone who has comment about this?
 
CWL said:
The Nomadic Hunter and the Neoclovis both look fatally flawed because of the location of the lashing hole removes too much steel at the critical place where blade meets handle. Looks like it weakens the entire blade and makes it susceptible to bending or breaking.

Now I've never handled any of the knives, so can anyone who has comment about this?
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That's not a bad observation...I'll shoot the Habilis a team and ask. I would figure your use of the knife being a big factor in the amount of stress it would receive. As a spear-head for throwing, I think it would be a big flaw. For a jabbing (gig use), it would probably be fine....I do see what you mean though,

ROCK6
 
I see something like that, and I get all excited because all the features it has built in makes it seems like the "swiss army knife" of fixed blades.

However, after using it, there are some definite things that I do not like about it. I almost hate having non-positive comments, but I think they are backed up enough with actual experience and use to post them. Plus, it is all personal preference anyway :)

1) The large anvil in the front is supposed to be a striking surface for batoning. But, it is so large that the piece of wood you are batoning has to be moved much further up the blade than I am used to. Which also means that you can not baton through very big pieces of wood compared to the overall length. While that sharp down turn at the tip makes it great for drilling and such, if you get into too big of a piece of wood while batoning (and can not hit the anvil area because it is buried in wood), and you have to just "hit the tip" your blows just glance off because that final angle.

2) Just my style, but I could throw sparks much better with the square spine on it than the notch.

3) Personally, I think the fit and finish was very poor for the price point it is selling at. I don't want to get too specific, because I am probably pickier than most.

4) I was not a huge fan of the bearing block in the handle. Something just seems wrong about having a blade out while performing a bow drill. I was testing out the bearing block and I wanted my 8 year old to watch me get a coal and start a fire. As soon as I start the process, he butts in with his 8 year old logic and says "Um....Dad....I think you should put your knife away while you are doing that!" I couldn't agree more, and sometimes it takes a practical look at stuff like that for us to realize the same thing :)

B
 
Brian Andrews said:
I see something like that, and I get all excited because all the features it has built in makes it seems like the "swiss army knife" of fixed blades.

However, after using it, there are some definite things that I do not like about it. I almost hate having non-positive comments, but I think they are backed up enough with actual experience and use to post them. Plus, it is all personal preference anyway :)
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Thanks for jumping in Brian!

Brian Andrews said:
1) The large anvil in the front is supposed to be a striking surface for batoning. But, it is so large that the piece of wood you are batoning has to be moved much further up the blade than I am used to. Which also means that you can not baton through very big pieces of wood compared to the overall length. While that sharp down turn at the tip makes it great for drilling and such, if you get into too big of a piece of wood while batoning (and can not hit the anvil area because it is buried in wood), and you have to just "hit the tip" your blows just glance off because that final angle.
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I was actually thinking, from a structural standpoint, the concave edge would actually focus stress at the very bottom of the concave cutout; a convex edge would spread any impact out. Honestly, after some heavy batoning, I really don't think you're going to get enough impact unless you're using a hammer, but it does make you go "hmmmm". As to the "glancing blows" off the tip...that's a valid observation but no less than any other drop-pointed blade. We'll see over time...

Brian Andrews said:
2) Just my style, but I could throw sparks much better with the square spine on it than the notch.
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I want to do some more tests with this. I found that scraping with the blade angled toward me really concentrated a lot of sparks. That was the only way (other than using just the square of the spine) I could get sparks from the notch. I was definitely getting a much more dense and heavier shower of sparks with the notch once I figured out the angle of the blade.

Brian Andrews said:
3) Personally, I think the fit and finish was very poor for the price point it is selling at. I don't want to get too specific, because I am probably pickier than most.
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This is good criticism and something I hope Habilis works to improve. They're not bad, but fit and finish always helps the price point. With a couple of your blades, you can really see a difference in fit and finish. I will say that the new JRE sheath really adds a lot to the knife as a complete system...I just wish it was a tad more form fitting...I'm just picky on my sheaths.

Brian Andrews said:
4) I was not a huge fan of the bearing block in the handle. Something just seems wrong about having a blade out while performing a bow drill. I was testing out the bearing block and I wanted my 8 year old to watch me get a coal and start a fire. As soon as I start the process, he butts in with his 8 year old logic and says "Um....Dad....I think you should put your knife away while you are doing that!" I couldn't agree more, and sometimes it takes a practical look at stuff like that for us to realize the same thing :)
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You can't argue with "kid-logic" as they often notice the obvious:D I'm still reserving judgment. The good news is, it's not a feature that interferes with anything, so if you ignore to use it, it's a non-issue. I have the same concerns about having the naked edge near your leg. Also, if you're focusing on the bow and board, your concern on the edge may interfere with that concentration. Although you lose the concave leg brace cutout on the blade, you could leave the knife sheathed but it makes the bearing a little unwieldy. The biggest challenge is if you're unwilling to practice with it, it's not going to be a viable option when you really needed it (cold, wet, shivering, etc.).

Thanks for your user-feedback Brian:thumbup: You are a knifemaker (along with several others on WSS) that are the epitome of "customer satisfaction" when it comes to your knives/tools. When I had to return my "Boy's First Knife" because I didn't quite get the size right, you fixed it with no questions and, as usual, fit and finish was superb.

Constructive criticism is essential to improving and learning from others. There are so many talented knife users and makers out there that you would be a fool to discount user feedback.

ROCK6
 
The following is the email I received form Steven at Habilis when I asked about the strength concerns of the Nomadic Hunter in regards to using as a spear and batonning:

"Hello (my name redacted)

We have never had a Nomad break. I understand your concern but this has not been an issue. The tool has been used as a spear many times by myself and several of my friends. *On a technical note all of our tools are designed with the use of a CAD program that has mass properties which allows us to "virtually" test a tool for weak spots and find the best placement for holes before we ever produce an evaluation model. Also the heat treat protocols on all of our knives include cryo treating which really increases their toughness. The Nomad should easily take the kind of task to which you are referring. I hope this answers your question and addresses your concerns.Thanks for choosing Habilis Bush Tools... Steven"

That's good enough for me.
 
JollyRoger3 said:
The following is the email I received form Steven at Habilis when I asked about the strength concerns of the Nomadic Hunter in regards to using as a spear and batonning:

"Hello (my name redacted)

We have never had a Nomad break. I understand your concern but this has not been an issue. The tool has been used as a spear many times by myself and several of my friends. *On a technical note all of our tools are designed with the use of a CAD program that has mass properties which allows us to "virtually" test a tool for weak spots and find the best placement for holes before we ever produce an evaluation model. Also the heat treat protocols on all of our knives include cryo treating which really increases their toughness. The Nomad should easily take the kind of task to which you are referring. I hope this answers your question and addresses your concerns.Thanks for choosing Habilis Bush Tools... Steven"

That's good enough for me.
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Ha! I asked the same question last night and received a similar response from Steven this morning! Even if you don't care for the designs, you have to like the quick customer responses:D

ROCK6
 
Rock,

I agree, customer service is very good. Steven got back to me is less then 30 minutes of my email today. I will definitely go back for more goods.

The fire kit is pretty cool too. How can you go wrong for $25?!

I have not had a chance to spend anymore time with my NH outside, but I have some more things to go over hopefully this weekend. I also have a trip to Maine coming up soon and will use it there as well.

I will say, that the NH rides virtually undetected in my messenger bag and makes a great little steak knife too.
 
Ya dirty rats. I agonized over the NeoClovis or the Nomadic Hunter. I knew it was going to be the Nomadic Hunter first and now you've pushed me over the edge. Just ordered one. Thank you! :D
 
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