I could have PERISHED in my backyard!!!

[Troll Bait From Hell]

All this reading in other posts about whether one is afraid to "scratch up" their new knife, and talk about practicing outdoor survival skills, inspired ol' Troll Bait to get up off of his lazy, middle-aged butt, leave his computer alone, and go out in the backyard for a couple of hours and kill three birds with one stone.

Bird one was to cut up and get rid of a fairly monstrous pile of limbs that have been trimmed over the past few months from my numerous trees. My wife has made mention of this more than once.

Bird two was to actually use the Becker BK7 that I've lugged all over the Ozarks and Rocky Mountain National Park for a number of years whilst backpacking, and have had no reason to do anything with yet, other than simply to have it along and look at.

Bird three was to get some actual experience splitting wood with a baton, simulating what it would be like to get to the dry interior of wet wood in a wilderness survival situation.

Well, folks, I'm a bit sore (I have a wimpy desk job), but all three birds have now been killed deader than hell, and I had a good time doing it.

I also limited myself to the Gerber sportsman saw (The one that slides out of the handle, not the folding one. Costs ten bucks and weighs virtually nothing.) rather than the normal saw that I use for such matters, because this is the saw that I recently bought to keep in my backpack along with the BK7.

The BK7 gave quite an accounting of itself, and even though the largest limb that I split was only about 2.5" thick (that's all I had available), it was very easy to do. (I used Cliff Stamp's sagely advice from several months ago to "beat it like it owed me money.") I have no doubt that this knife could do well for at least 4" thick limbs, and look forward to trying it out on some of that size when I get the chance. The Gerber performed quite admirably as well.

I played around some with the chopping ability of the BK7 as well, and though it wasn't anything to write home to Mom about, it was by no means useless. What did surprise me, however, was that when done, the factory edge (which started out as easily shaving without having to touch the blade to the skin) was still able to scrape some hair, and easily could shave my thumbnail in the area of the edge that got the most workout. Looking at the edge in sunlight showed no evidence of dulling. Wow! Thus stuff is kinda impressive.

The finish is no longer immaculate, but so what? I got over it real quick.

I feel content that the tools that I have chosen will work well for their intended purpose.

I hope that the experience of ol' Troll Bait perhaps will inspire some of you other mostly armchair survival experts to take your safe queen into the great outdoors and break them in!

 

[x39]

I hope that the experience of ol' Troll Bait perhaps will inspire some of you other mostly armchair survival experts to take your safe queen into the great outdoors and break them in!

Glad you made it back in one piece! Some sage words of advice.

 

[Kevin the grey]

I,m glad you did what you had to do and learned something doing it . I haven,t used a baton at all as I usually have something along that will do the job all by itself . I guess it would be good to practice as you never know when you,ll get stuck without a full kit with you .

I have the folding Gerber pruning saw and have used it a lot over the last eight years . I saw a more recent folder that was almost the same ass mine with only a little change in the handle . You mentioned you have the model that slides out of the handle ? Do you like it better than the folder ? My folder has blue hardened teeth and is almost as sharp now as when I got it . I suspect with care it will continue to function for a few more years at least . I like it cause its very lightweight and carries in the pocket like a large folder .

 

[Temper]

No matter what had happened to Gerber knives, their saws are excellent.

I had a bash at a fire bow today. Got a lot of smoke and some decent bits but a lot of squeeking that lead me to believe the board was too hard.

Anyway its nice to come in smelling of smoke even though there was no fire.

My Pal has the BK7 and can't say enough good things about it. For the money they have to be one of the best bargains out there.

 

[rhino]

I now have the urge to go to my back yard and chop the crap out of some stuff with my BK7 and my big Kershaw whatever it's called.

Fortunately I am too sick to do it now, and the urge will pass.

 

[Troll Bait From Hell]

You mentioned you have the model that slides out of the handle ? Do you like it better than the folder ?

When I went to buy it, I intended to get the folding one, but they didn't have them, and I reluctantly bought the sliding one instead. I quickly fell in love with it, and have no regrets. A buddy lugged his folding one along on a hunting trip in May and I got to examine it, and I'd be quite happy with it as well. I think that they use the same blades.

 

[katsu]

TBFH, good post that was easy to relate to.