How to Buy an Outdoor Knife

[silenthunterstudios]

This is full of one man's opinion. What's good for him may not be for all.

I've read about Herters in Backwoodsman and from some articles published by Steven Dick in old Knives Annuals. It seems to me that this list came about by Mr Herter trying to make sales. I have not heard anything bad about his knives, but have read that he was the pitchman .

 

[saxon]

He was definitely the Billy Mays of outdoors gear.

 

[jackknife]

If I want to pick a knife based on it's use by real outdoorsmen, why not look at what George Sears carried, or the mountaain men?

A small hatchet/hawk and a good butcher knife will get you a long way.

 

[Dannyboy Leather]

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

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.

And that was George Herter! His sensational and enthusiastic promotions were second to none (always entertaining to read). He could sell you a Bull Cook knife in one sentence, a potion or tonic in the next, and convince you that you needed both to be a good camp chef! If you took anything he had to say seriously, he had you in one of his fur traps next.

I have his cookbook: Bull Cook and Authentic Historical Recipes and Practices. Really an *interesting* read.

A little review on Herter's cookbook (and the person) that seems to be fairly accurate. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/books/review/Collins-t.html

 

[Sidehill Gouger]

It is worth remembering that back in the 60's the Herter knives sold for under $2.00 with one his "North Star Guide Books" thrown in. I don't remember anyone really feeling like they were cheated for the price and I know plenty of people that are still hiking the wilderness with one in their pack.

 

[philwar]

How to Buy an Outdoor Knife
by George Leonard Herter
...
The steel should combine the best characteristics of electric furnace quality high carbon 1095 steel and high carbon 440 B stainless steel. The blade hardness, known among steel experts as 56 Rockwell

Written before Busse Combat Company had been founded. George is now a door-to-door salesman for Jerry! :thumbup:

 

[dawsonbob]

And that was George Herter! His sensational and enthusiastic promotions were second to none (always entertaining to read). He could sell you a Bull Cook knife in one sentence, a potion or tonic in the next, and convince you that you needed both to be a good camp chef! If you took anything he had to say seriously, he had you in one of his fur traps next.

I have his cookbook: Bull Cook and Authentic Historical Recipes and Practices. Really an *interesting* read.

A little review on Herter's cookbook (and the person) that seems to be fairly accurate. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/books/review/Collins-t.html

Now, this guy was a true character. Despite all his hyperbole and bombast, I'll bet he would have been fascinating to talk to.

 

[desmobob]

A little review on Herter's cookbook (and the person) that seems to be fairly accurate. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/books/review/Collins-t.html

Any of you younger guys who have never had the privilege of perusing a Herter's catalog (and ordering stuff!) should follow the link from Dannyboy.

Reading this will help put the article on choosing a knife in proper perspective.


I think I'm going to head down to the cellar and search my tackle boxes to see if I still have a Herter's "Mooselake Wobbler" somewhere. They were a made-in-Japan rip-off of the famous Mooselook Wobbler that George sold for half the price of the originals. I think half or more of the fishing tackle he sold was cheap imitations of famous stuff.


Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[Bushman5]

How to Buy an Outdoor Knife
by George Leonard Herter

7. The knife must be easy to carry and light in weight. The blade length must be 4 inches long. Four inches is the length established for a woodsman knife by over 200 years of experience. Blades shorter are all right for Boy Scouts, but not for serious woodsmen, Longer than 4 inches is unnecessary and adds weight.

completely and utterly disagree. Its really time that this silly notion that anything bigger than 4" blade is unnecessary or somehow makes people "ramboish" or "unskilled"

rant....grumbley....:grumpy:
and just because i haven't even had my morning cuppa coffee yet, i'ma gonna grumble some more..........why just to spite 200 years of "the 4 inch rule" i'm going to carry my 4.1" knife into the woods today.........hey how do ya like that Hertie old boy, THHBBBBBBBTTTTTT!

grumble mumble crikey wheres the dang coffee!

 

[Fox Creek]

Ah, yes. good old Herter's. We had their catalogs in the 60's. It was always over the top hyberbole. but their stuff was worth what it cost. Do you remember the .401 PowerMag revolvers? They also sold rifles. I saw one at a yard sale one time, standard Mark X Mauser, nothing wrong with that. We had a Herter's knife in the kitchen for years. Dont know where it is now. Good basic knife for the price. Herters sold all sorts of outlandish stuff. My Dad had several of their books, not bad, good field manuals on gutting deer, etc. Also a great recipe for moonshine!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Horn Dog]

I think the Sportsman's Guide has taken its place. You can even get Nazi and Commie camping gear there.

 

[Sidehill Gouger]

George wasn't consistent. His Russell Canadian knockoff was 4-inches in blade length but his Improved Bowie was always around 5-inches. At first only carbon steel was good enough but later only stainless steel was. Any of his knives were every bit as good as the butcher knives the Mt. men carried. Just plain working blades made to sell for very low price.

 

[jw2n]

I like some of what he states, but not all. I carry a Puma Jagdnicker which fits most of the prameters he specifies. The problem he overlooks with the carbon steel is that the blade becoming stained may protect it, but the exposed edge is constantly under attack, especially when sharpened. A full height flat grind makes the knife easier to use as it does not have any transitional feel, or grab, during deep cuts. Being an older SOB, I remember when there just was not the current availability of knives. Also, the knife buyer of today is pretty knowledgable. Still thou, I never tire of learning from the past, as the technical advances of the present lack the personalization and warmth of the older gen. But then again, what the hell do I know.

 

[Bushman5]

I like some of what he states, but not all. I carry a Puma Jagdnicker which fits most of the prameters he specifies. The problem he overlooks with the carbon steel is that the blade becoming stained may protect it, but the exposed edge is constantly under attack, especially when sharpened. A full height flat grind makes the knife easier to use as it does not have any transitional feel, or grab, during deep cuts. Being an older SOB, I remember when there just was not the current availability of knives. Also, the knife buyer of today is pretty knowledgable. Still thou, I never tire of learning from the past, as the technical advances of the present lack the personalization and warmth of the older gen. But then again, what the hell do I know.

and this is the inherent problem i have with todays internet bushcrafter gurus......they are stuck in a rut of OLD FORMULAS and teachings.,.......times have changed.....knives have changed........uses of said knifes have changed.....etc etc etc etc etc .

GONE are the days of the 4" maximum "bushcraft" (such a tired term) blade.......now is the time of many different sized blades, including chopper sized blades for BUSHCRAFT.....

really lets get rid of this weenie blade dictum from 200 years ago.....:thumbdn:

 

[sodak]

Now, this guy was a true character. Despite all his hyperbole and bombast, I'll bet he would have been fascinating to talk to.

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. I've run into a few characters like him over the years, and while you might think they're full of @#$@, they generally are so likeable and fun to talk to, you have a smile on your face and end up liking them, even if you completely disagree with them. I guess that's a true salesman!

 

[Rick Marchand]

... Because in forging we mess up the grain of the steel more! that must be it! Seriously, I like forging when I do it, but I am not going to fool myself that putting a knife blade in a fire and hitting it with a hammer makes it better than putting it in the fire and not hammering it.

A lot can go wrong with hand forging steel, yes... but in the same respect, you can do things with forging, that cannot be done without. Combining metals with different characteristics, as in Damascus, for example. Forging can also assure proper grain refinement without being at the mercy of the steel mills quality control. Just had to add that. I was once told that forging doesn't make a better blade, it makes a better bladesmith.

In this particular text, I think the author was refering to a few forging myths, such as "edge-packing". Which modern metallurgy has since, debunked.

Rick

 

[Rick Marchand]

nevermind.

 

[halromberg]

So blade length is like width of neckties?

I have a Benchmade Nimravus in the back pocket of my 511 shorts right now and I think it's close to the perfect knife for wandering around the wilderness. Herter would've liked it, I think, although he'd have laughed his butt off at the price......

There's a lot to be said for knives cheap, light, simple and tough.

3 out of 4 ain't bad, I suppose.....

 

[Raymond1000]

I used to own the Bull Cook and Authentic Historical Recipes and Practices. I was particularly struck by his assertion that “Escoffier couldn’t make a roux worth a dam.” Followed by his own—Positively the best!—method.

 

[saxon]

So blade length is like width of neckties?

I have a Benchmade Nimravus in the back pocket of my 511 shorts right now and I think it's close to the perfect knife for wandering around the wilderness. Herter would've liked it, I think, although he'd have laughed his butt off at the price......

There's a lot to be said for knives cheap, light, simple and tough.

3 out of 4 ain't bad, I suppose.....

He wouldn't have laughed his butt off. He would have run to the phone to see if he could get some made in Hong Kong at 10% of the price. Because if you liked it, somebody else would too.
I think that we as a group take our knives so seriously that we forget that 99% of the people have what we would concider to be barely useable stuff in their kitchens and tackle boxes etc. and get through life just fine. That description shows the difference between a true capitalist, who sees an opportunity to make money in every situation and a purist, who is only concerned about the truth and asthetics.