- Joined
- Feb 14, 2008
- Messages
- 1,093
Sorry for being so "scarce." I have popped in a few time to see what's going on but have not been able to spend much time being involved. I hope all is well with everyone and that you enjoy this review.
Seems like months since this pass-around started but it finally made it here. What arrived is a JK (aka Stomper, John Kiedasch) Bushcraft. Being a sucker for a Bushcraft knife, I jumped onboard. I have had a few other knives from John and they were all stout knives. The first ones I had were a bit thick near the edge for my preferences and used a secondary bevel edge, which does not usually stay that way on my knives for very long. The difference I first noticed was that the JK Bushcraft came with a convexed edge already and I was pleased to see that. It was polished out nicely and did not have any teeth, regardless of how tiny.
Out of the box, Johns knife had a pleasing feel and balance and the dimensions were just right. I wrote down the dimensions before I shipped it off to the next reviewer and promptly threw them out in a hasty clean-up session, but I do remember the blade and handle were each just over four inches. Thickness was just under .125 and the blade height just under an inch. Weight of the knife was 5.1 ounces. The point was good about like some Kepharts I have used and I do like the Kephart. Pointier is sometimes better but the robustness of the Kephart-like point is nothing to complain about. I like a bit of belly in my edge but will settle for a straight section if the rest of the knife suits me. This one had a slight recurve to it, which I usually dont care for, but it provided just a hint of belly along the edge as a result.
The handle was comfortable and has a bit of contour to it just enough to help hang onto it in a loose grip. I was pleased at the extra width of the handle and the lack of crisp edges. The handle is also nicely accented with red liners. The aluminum pins and lanyard ferrule go well with the wood also but I would prefer a bit bigger hole for a lanyard. I have recently been spoiled by a couple which were large enough to pass a doubled piece of para-cord through, allowing quick attachment or removal using a loop. Not always room for that though and a larger hole might have weakened the wood scales if rough use were in order. I would not want to make it a bigger knife just for a bigger lanyard hole.
Johns leather work is typically quite robust. He uses thick, stiff leather and the thread in his stitching is heavy. I liked that he did not skimp on the stitching on the belt loop too. The sheath is pretty solid, looks good and I would neither be afraid nor ashamed to use it. It is finished nicely and very serviceable. This sheath is tough and functional without being ugly but doesnt need any decoration to look good.
When it came time to use it, I found myself in a situation of having to alter some habits. Even with the convexed edge, there is still a good bit of meat just beyond, forming a more obtuse edge than I am used to. I found that I had to hold the knife at a higher angle to shave fuzzies or strip branches but it should make for a particularly durable edge. Not a big deal if you just remember to do it. This vexed me as I sharpened it as well as I have the habit of holding a lower angle to sharpen as well. It took a conscious and concerted effort to hold to the correct angle. Understand that I tend to (ok, almost always) thin edges down considerably on knives I have actually paid for before I use them. I cant say that the edge will not suit others as I find myself in this situation frequently. I try my best not to alter what comes to me for review so I have to try to defy some old habits and learn to work with something different.
In use, the JK Bushcrafter was a comfortable and useful size and weight. The balance was good and never made me feel I had to hang on tight between cuts or when shifting my grip. It felt sufficiently durable for Bushcraft tasks and handled the heavier of those well. For more delicate tasks, I would have to get more used to the edge driving it into dead wood took a little more effort than with thinner edges, but, as stated before, it is going to hold up.
I have included a comparison pic which shows the ubiquitous Mora 510 (possibly to be discontinued) and a Muskrat Man Bushcraft. The JK Bushcraft hits the mark on dimensions for me as I prefer a knife of this size for most tasks though I keep an A. G. Russell Woodswalker for certain things and have recently added a Becker/Kabar BK-9 to the kit for larger things. Generally though, a knife of the shape and size of Johns Bushcrafter will get most things done handily and I dont see much reason this one wont do good service in that light.
I would like to thank John for providing the knife for us to play with. I appreciate his willingness to use others feedback and incorporate ideas from forum-members. We have a great bunch of makers here, as we should they are taking care of a great bunch of users.
Thanks for watchin!
Seems like months since this pass-around started but it finally made it here. What arrived is a JK (aka Stomper, John Kiedasch) Bushcraft. Being a sucker for a Bushcraft knife, I jumped onboard. I have had a few other knives from John and they were all stout knives. The first ones I had were a bit thick near the edge for my preferences and used a secondary bevel edge, which does not usually stay that way on my knives for very long. The difference I first noticed was that the JK Bushcraft came with a convexed edge already and I was pleased to see that. It was polished out nicely and did not have any teeth, regardless of how tiny.
Out of the box, Johns knife had a pleasing feel and balance and the dimensions were just right. I wrote down the dimensions before I shipped it off to the next reviewer and promptly threw them out in a hasty clean-up session, but I do remember the blade and handle were each just over four inches. Thickness was just under .125 and the blade height just under an inch. Weight of the knife was 5.1 ounces. The point was good about like some Kepharts I have used and I do like the Kephart. Pointier is sometimes better but the robustness of the Kephart-like point is nothing to complain about. I like a bit of belly in my edge but will settle for a straight section if the rest of the knife suits me. This one had a slight recurve to it, which I usually dont care for, but it provided just a hint of belly along the edge as a result.
The handle was comfortable and has a bit of contour to it just enough to help hang onto it in a loose grip. I was pleased at the extra width of the handle and the lack of crisp edges. The handle is also nicely accented with red liners. The aluminum pins and lanyard ferrule go well with the wood also but I would prefer a bit bigger hole for a lanyard. I have recently been spoiled by a couple which were large enough to pass a doubled piece of para-cord through, allowing quick attachment or removal using a loop. Not always room for that though and a larger hole might have weakened the wood scales if rough use were in order. I would not want to make it a bigger knife just for a bigger lanyard hole.
Johns leather work is typically quite robust. He uses thick, stiff leather and the thread in his stitching is heavy. I liked that he did not skimp on the stitching on the belt loop too. The sheath is pretty solid, looks good and I would neither be afraid nor ashamed to use it. It is finished nicely and very serviceable. This sheath is tough and functional without being ugly but doesnt need any decoration to look good.
When it came time to use it, I found myself in a situation of having to alter some habits. Even with the convexed edge, there is still a good bit of meat just beyond, forming a more obtuse edge than I am used to. I found that I had to hold the knife at a higher angle to shave fuzzies or strip branches but it should make for a particularly durable edge. Not a big deal if you just remember to do it. This vexed me as I sharpened it as well as I have the habit of holding a lower angle to sharpen as well. It took a conscious and concerted effort to hold to the correct angle. Understand that I tend to (ok, almost always) thin edges down considerably on knives I have actually paid for before I use them. I cant say that the edge will not suit others as I find myself in this situation frequently. I try my best not to alter what comes to me for review so I have to try to defy some old habits and learn to work with something different.
In use, the JK Bushcrafter was a comfortable and useful size and weight. The balance was good and never made me feel I had to hang on tight between cuts or when shifting my grip. It felt sufficiently durable for Bushcraft tasks and handled the heavier of those well. For more delicate tasks, I would have to get more used to the edge driving it into dead wood took a little more effort than with thinner edges, but, as stated before, it is going to hold up.
I have included a comparison pic which shows the ubiquitous Mora 510 (possibly to be discontinued) and a Muskrat Man Bushcraft. The JK Bushcraft hits the mark on dimensions for me as I prefer a knife of this size for most tasks though I keep an A. G. Russell Woodswalker for certain things and have recently added a Becker/Kabar BK-9 to the kit for larger things. Generally though, a knife of the shape and size of Johns Bushcrafter will get most things done handily and I dont see much reason this one wont do good service in that light.
I would like to thank John for providing the knife for us to play with. I appreciate his willingness to use others feedback and incorporate ideas from forum-members. We have a great bunch of makers here, as we should they are taking care of a great bunch of users.
Thanks for watchin!
