How long does it take you????

WILLIAM.M

WILLIAM.M

Joined
Apr 14, 2006
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How long does it take you to test a knife for Wilderness use and determine if you will keep it or pass it along>>??

Does it happen as soon as you pick it up and cut the air to check the Grip,Balance,Ergonomics??

Or do you have to spend several hours testing it doing all the things you want it to do>???

I'll go first

I check the grip first,then I do a few martial arts cutting drills in the air.

Then I usually whittle or chop some Mesquite wood(depends on the knife design),and then the Kitchen test is last.

Takes about 10 minutes for me to know if the knife will work for me.

I can tell within 5 chops if the knife handle will work and how well it chops.

I try and keep an open mind and let the results speak for themselves.

I have sold a lot of knives that looked "Great" to me--but did not cut as well as I was expecting them too.(or dod not "feel" good while cutting)

and you?????

What tests do you do??---and how long does it take???
 
I really never get rid of a knife, unless gifting it to someone. Although to tell if I like it, I go over the knife for about 10 minutes just holding it and getting a 'feel' for it. If it feels good, I take it out and see how it performs. (Doing various things, depending on the size of the blade). If I like the way it feels, it will usually perform good enough for me. Only had 2 or 3 that didn't perform well.

So, I'd say anywhere from 30minutes to an hour to see if I like it for use or not.
 
Tough to say! I've owned several that I knew were getting sold moments after opening the package. Others I think I love until I use them for a few days/weeks. Then there are a few that I'm underwhelmed with and will out away for a period of time, only to pull them out again and fall in love with them.

The main way to immediately fail is a poor handle. Too small, too thin, too boxy, etc. will get it put in the classifieds in a heartbeat.
 
To tell you the truth... I've never sold or given away a knife. All of the knives that I've bought I still have somewhere(except for one that was taken). I just really like knives. :)

I'll buy a woods blade with the intention of using it for specific tasks(or as a jack of all tasks) and if it isn't as useful as another knife or tool, I'll keep the knife for the strengths it does have. I've never really bought a knife that I was dissatisfied with.
 
I have to have them a long time. Sometimes initially I don't like them and set them aside. Eventually I am trying to do something and discover that knife is a good fit for that task. They only knives I don't keep are ones that disappear, or one of my kids or friends like and I give to them. My real favorites don't fall into that category tho.
 
I can tell very quick depending on how it cuts wood - if it cuts wood good it'll cut everything :D
 
When I make a bow drill set, I usually know how much I will like/dislike a knife. You drill, baton, and carve with a few different grips when you make a bow drill set. That and how I make feather sticks with it.
 
There are a few tests I like to do, like making a bow drill kit. If its uncomfortable doing that then I probably won't like it a main fixed blade. However, I don't view a bushcrafter as the only style of knife I carry so I consider how a given knife fits among my collection. I find I'm often swayed into liking a knife while it has that 'new knife smell'. My initial impressions are usually more positive then my post-use over time impressions. I think about a 6 mo check-up. How often have I chosen a given knife in the past 6 mo? Have I totally neglected? I frequently rotate my knives, so the number of times a given model comes out can be very telling.

There are admittedly a few collecting dust for almost a year now. I should consider moving them on, but it never seems worth the return and effort to do so.
 
I use a few simple tests. First of course I check the grip in several positions to see if it is both comfortable and secure. Second I whittle something such as a bowdrill set, traps and use the knife to pressure cut a few sapplings. That lets me know how it will work for m,ost light wilderness work. Then if the blade is of such a design and construction as to be able to perform in heavier use I will tap/drive it point first into a small tree to cut it down and runit through a session of batonning.

For my fine use knives (the ones used for skinning etc. I'll usualy take some opportunity to skin out an animal and see how the blade works in that role. This test is the one that has given me a permanent dislike for any blade under 8" that has a choil.

Many knives that I have moved on from for many reasons have been gifted to folks who have need of a good knife. Though I am rather careful of the charcter of those who I pass blades down to.
 
Depends n the knife honestly.. somethings I know as soon as I hold them..Others I really want to like but just cant.
 
Besides normal type cutting tests like chopping through a wrist sized piece of wood, making a fuzz stick, and battoning the catalyst for me is always how easy is the blade to resharpen in the field?

A blade can cut like nobody's business but unless it is easy to maintain in the field it is not going to work for me.

-Stan
 
The Becker Bk2 took me the time it took to open the box...the Cold Steel Ghurka Kukri about 10 minutes of chopping and I thought, man, never will I be without this one.

Some don't make the cut just from balance, I loved the Big Busses but once I got them in the field they just weren't for me. While if I were shipping out today you couldn't offer me enough money to get my Regulator or Seal Pup Elite.

Its almost spiritual with me the connection to some knives.
 
Grip is always important to me. It if doesn't feel good in my hands, then it's not going to get used much, if at all. I know how I want a particular knife to feel in hand, and what kind of balance I want in it. I have to handle a knife for a little while to decide, most times.

There are exceptions though.

Knives that I KNEW were keepers as soon as I held them:

Mora Clipper
Kabar JAB Potbelly (and the Baconmaker)
Kabar Cutlass Machete
Rehrer Custom

Knives that I disliked immediately:

Cold Steel Roach Belly
Cold Steel Canadian (odd because I liked the Grohman version)
Buck Special, Woodsman, etc (I know, I'm weird, but I just don't like them)

I much prefer carbon steel over stainless, and I like a blade that is easy to touch up. 10xx series of carbon steels are favorites of mine. The Sandvik stainless steels are too.
 
Its starts off with looks, feel and ergonomics for me, if it feels right appeals to my eye its passed stage 1, I then do chores with it for a few days around the house, battoning kindling, cutting veges, carving roasts and cutting general crap that calls for a knife. If I still like it and the way it feels I take it out when I go bush and use it, if it works and I like it it stays, if it doesnt or it cant tackle a certain task etc it gets burried in my undie draw or sold traded etc. every knife is different tho some knives as soon as you see them its wow that looks like it will do the job and it does others look great and dont perform to the required standard for whatever reason. its all about performance for me if it works well even if it looks like a turd it will get plenty off use
 
I takes me about 2 hours.
the first thing... I have to like it, the first impression is important to me, otherwise I will not carry.
Then handle geometry & how it feel on hand.
After that a try, Cut capability, Egde holding, Tip holding, and if is easy to sharp.
If passes all these tests is ok up to 6 inches.
From 7-inch, 1/4 on I do... battoning goes without saying.
And finally the ultimate test too, I insert half blade somewhere and I step on it, if no damage appear is a winner!
 
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here there isnt a lot of choice in knives , china and pakistan own the market pretty much , so mostly I get put off by the brands .. or the surgical stainless steel proglamation on the blade , the undersized handles , or the tatical modeling .
it was the inability to get a good knife that got me into making them myself
but if a knife fits my hand , has the balance I like , the steel talks to me ... Ill keep it
just as kives are different , the time it takes to tell if one wil suit or not is diferent , for me anyway
 
How does the knife feel in my hand.
I know immediately if I have been 'wowed' by the knife.
Then how does it feel with gloves on.

Cutting fuzz sticks tells me a vast amount about how the knife cuts, its cutting angles and sharpness.
If the knife does not cut as well as I want, I will sharpen it to suit my likes and see how that improves its cutting.

Slicing carrots and tomatoes tell me how it handles for food and if it is too thick for food, if it splits or cuts the carrots, and if it squashes the tomato as I cut it, and if I can get thin slices.

If it is a full tang, I will chop and baton with it, but I rarely use a knife that way.
 
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