How to Buy an Outdoor Knife

[Chris_Norden]

While I disagree with many points, if you chose a knife with those characteristics you would be doing better than most and may not have the need for anything else in a knife. A decent starting point for everyone, and a decent finishing point for most.

 

[fujita yuji]

I put that up for fun.

I see the point. Some of the statements in the list are fun.
While some may still be valid today.

 

[dipbait]

Made in the USA, 19 dollars, 1095 steel. Why havent I heard of these before? It even appears to have a Scandi Grind. The handle looks like it belongs on a steak knife.

 

[EMT_Lee]

The only things I disagree with him on are 1) As Koyote mentioned, why 440B? I dont understand that. 1095 works great, though! 2) I guess I'm unclear on what a "wedge grind" is, exactly. Does he mean scandi grind or convex? Both are sort of "wedge" shaped. In either case, I think he's got a pretty good idea. 3) Lots of handle materials are good. Doesnt need to come from Africa.

I'd say that list is actually pretty good.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

But he was also after a profit $.

I don't think I would want to rely solely on one of those knives OR a knife that fit the strict profile he outlined. Carrying one as a second blade would be useful though.

My primary blade is definitely going to be over 4" in length, but I am kinda beyond my "bushcraft" phase so my view may be different.

Carl-

 

[Cpl Punishment]

Well, opinions are like. . .

This is obviously dated, but interesting.

440B always sucked, even back then, I don't know where his love for it is coming from. If he said 440C, for the time, he'd be right.

By "wedge grind, I think he means (by looking at his knife), a flat grind ending in a secondary bevel. Other than a shallow convex grind, it's one of the best slicing profiles. A good choice.

The Herter's knife posted looks like a POS, sorry, it does. It's like what I use to spread peanut butter, but cheaper.

Re: forging. Forging is a good way (if done properly) of aligning the grain structure of a metal, and is the reason it was used for so long. Of course, that's back in the days when you beat the metal a certain way for a certain amount of time, heated it to a certain color, dunked it in water for a certain amount of time, and started over. I.E. before heat treating was a science -- which happened long before that article was written.

But hey, I like blades beaten out on an old piece of railroad track and heat treated with a teapot, so what do I know?

 

[PrimitiveMan]

+1 Cpl

 

[nagod]

sounds like some of us are getting way too critical of pre-internet advertising hype

 

[hollowdweller]

A lot of you guys are probably not old enough to remember the Herter's catalog or Mr. Herter's incredible hyperbole advertising. The man was a salesman first...and the rest came later. I believe George had a fondness for the Murphy (Herter's) Improved Bowie (5" blade). I still have a couple of those knives laying around somewhere.

I used to love the Herters catalog as a kid. I still have the pair of Herters Hudson Bay hiking boots my dad got me as a graduation present from High School in 1978, as well as a press and some Herters dies.

When I bought this place 20 years ago there was a herters catalog in the old cabin I own. Was like a trip down memory lane.

Herter was a character and his catalog was full of books with his "expert" advice. My dad still has one "How To Live With A Bitch" that is his advice on living with women"

Herters also copied a lot of lures and outdoor gear of the day, altered the name slightly and sold them

I don't see that much wrong with his advice. Somebody mentioned micarta. I'm not sure it was even in common use in knives back then??

 

[Horn Dog]

1. Drive to Walmart.
2. Go to the Sporting Goods section.
3. Buy a Buck 119.

 

[JCavSD]

That's one hell of a goofy list. More rambling opinion then anything else.

 

[dawsonbob]

Well, while I don't agree with most of his assertions, it was a fun read. I wouldn't buy a knife like he describes, but then again we have so many excellent choices nowadays that I don't have to. I do remember Herter's though, and read through the catalogs when I was a kid. Probably took what he said as Gospel back then, and might have drooled over those very knives. Times change.

 

[saxon]

You just have to put yourself back into the simpler days when Herter was in business. Guys were just coming out of WWII, Korea and Viet Nam, and the camping craze was on. He could draw in enough customers to stay in business by his prices and the way he packaged the romance. It really has nothing to do with how we look at things today.
Randall still uses 440B for their stainless. The handle of that knife looks just about like the Randall model 10. I used to use that hump on the back of the blade for scaling fish. I remember thinking that some day I'd be able to buy stuff from L.L.Bean, Cabelas and Eddie Bauer (like my richer cousins). But I was on a Herters budget, and that advertising line that he wrote was like gas to a flame for me.

 

[koyote]

I wasn't trying to be overly critical- I've read some of his advertising before- sort of a combination of Bud-K and Cold Steel.

I didn't mean to imply that there was anything wrong with 1095- but I'm not seeing it as magical, either- not for the type of blade he describes. It's a fine steel, just not the One True Choice, even then.

And- I love forging- but I'm not going to put ..... 'magic qualities' into something that isn't magical....

 

[dawsonbob]

I wasn't trying to be overly critical- I've read some of his advertising before- sort of a combination of Bud-K and Cold Steel.

I didn't mean to imply that there was anything wrong with 1095- but I'm not seeing it as magical, either- not for the type of blade he describes. It's a fine steel, just not the One True Choice, even then.

And- I love forging- but I'm not going to put ..... 'magic qualities' into something that isn't magical....

Blaspheme, Kristof, blaspheme! You have the word from Herter Himself that 1095 is the One True Steel! How can you doubt his word?

Actually, 1095 really is just about my favorite steel, but that may be because i haven't tested all that many others. I know how my 1095 blades are going to behave, and there's a lot to be said for familiarity.

 

[Horn Dog]

A lot of you guys are probably not old enough to remember the Herter's catalog or Mr. Herter's incredible hyperbole advertising. The man was a salesman first...and the rest came later. I believe George had a fondness for the Murphy (Herter's) Improved Bowie (5" blade). I still have a couple of those knives laying around somewhere.

Man, I even bought a Herter's wilderness canoe. It had a transom and I mounted a little Sears tolling motor on it. That darned canoe was a battleship. It must have weighed 300 lbs without the motor. I glady sold it and got a lighter one. I'd love to see his sales pitch about how a canoe should be heavy enough to build up back muscles or something.

 

[kgd]

1095 would make a great name for a steak sauce. Admit it, its much better than A1....Pass the 1095 dear...as I cut my steak with my 420J POS steak knife......Oooh, now I want some old hickory steak knives.....A2 steak sauce? Naw - its not as good as the original. Kind of like new coke. I gotta stop typing my rambling thoughts out loud

Its ad-copy, but there is a little bit of good in there. The appeal to the macho usually sucks me in. Personally, I think its better than attacking hanging carcasses for a youtube video. You have to be able to read in order ascertain what the copy is talking about. Funny, if you consider advertisement today. You never have that much text just to make a statement about your blades. Ha ha....Most of the views to this post probably haven't gotten this far in my ramblings to read this sentence Yeah - I wasted your time....

 

[Mentor]

kgd stream of consciousness for the win!

All the best,

- Mike

 

[Mannlicher]

It is obvious that Herter put a lot of thought into his essay, but those are not my thoughts. I don't know when it was written, but it seems dated to me.

 

[Foilist]

He forgot to include a hollow handle and sawback spine!