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Jerry Hossom designs?
- Thread starter cbach8tw
- Start date
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 90,915
Fixed the spelling.
Exceptional ergonomics on the handles, true to Jerry's own knives.
Exceptional ergonomics on the handles, true to Jerry's own knives.
yablanowitz
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
- Messages
- 10,096
I have the Forester and the Dayhiker. I can't say that I really use them, but I can say that I really don't care much for them. I'm not a big fan of recurves anyway, and I prefer thin blades for their cutting ability to thick blades for their durability.
The Dayhiker is made of thinner stock, and the handle slabs are thinner, giving it a less hand filling grip which some find disappointing. I spent hours using a Duckfoot diamond sharpener to thin the edge down to something I could almost tolerate, but it is still too thick for my taste.
The Forester's edge is the thickness of a quarter at the back of the bevel, which should make it pretty much indestructible, but its cutting ability is poor compared to a couple of old Bowie knives the same size that I have had for years. And incidentally, the two together cost about half what the Forester did by itself. To be fair about it, neither of the Bowies would make near as good a crowbar as the Forester.
I've never handled the Woodlander or the Forager, so I don't know what they are like. Unless someone gives them to me for free, I never will, either.
The Dayhiker is made of thinner stock, and the handle slabs are thinner, giving it a less hand filling grip which some find disappointing. I spent hours using a Duckfoot diamond sharpener to thin the edge down to something I could almost tolerate, but it is still too thick for my taste.
The Forester's edge is the thickness of a quarter at the back of the bevel, which should make it pretty much indestructible, but its cutting ability is poor compared to a couple of old Bowie knives the same size that I have had for years. And incidentally, the two together cost about half what the Forester did by itself. To be fair about it, neither of the Bowies would make near as good a crowbar as the Forester.
I've never handled the Woodlander or the Forager, so I don't know what they are like. Unless someone gives them to me for free, I never will, either.
Last summer I did some clearing with the Forester.
The edge may be thick, but if you're actually going to do some serious chopping that's a good thing IMO. When clearing trails you will hit rocks, not "maybe", or "if you're not super careful", you will hit rocks. The edge on the forester is appropriately thick. If I were using the knife for competition it would be different, as I wouldn't have roots on the ground and nails in trees to contend with.
IIRC Jerry recommends re-sharpening with a slack belt sander. I did ok with a coarse utility stone.
The handle is nicely shaped, very secure, but kind of harsh on impacts. Gloves are necessary for anything more than a few minutes of chopping.
It still is tempting to thin out the edge, since the handle allows you to choke up on the blade so well. Though doing so would risk massive damage if I ever took it out chopping again.
The edge may be thick, but if you're actually going to do some serious chopping that's a good thing IMO. When clearing trails you will hit rocks, not "maybe", or "if you're not super careful", you will hit rocks. The edge on the forester is appropriately thick. If I were using the knife for competition it would be different, as I wouldn't have roots on the ground and nails in trees to contend with.
IIRC Jerry recommends re-sharpening with a slack belt sander. I did ok with a coarse utility stone.
The handle is nicely shaped, very secure, but kind of harsh on impacts. Gloves are necessary for anything more than a few minutes of chopping.
It still is tempting to thin out the edge, since the handle allows you to choke up on the blade so well. Though doing so would risk massive damage if I ever took it out chopping again.