Just to be clear, I was anything but "under impressed." It is an incredible knife, and I still think it is one of the "sexiest" blades that Andy does. My initial responses (smaller and pointer than expected) are based on that strange gap between what you see in pictures and what you feel in your hand. That Kephart was, without exception, the sharpest, most useable knife I had ever held to that point (a testament to Andy's grinds and MVM's sharpening fixation
).
The contrast with my Bushcrafter is incredible. I cannot imagine two knives so "similar" in length and handle that have such different personalities. I have continued to use them both--even side by side as much as possible, swapping out in the middle of carving a notch for instance). In the end (or at least, at the present), the Bushcrafter (5/32) "feels" more of a do-everything blade with a margin of (user) error built into it. The Kephart (1/8) feels like a specialized woodworking tool--not a single-purpose knife by any means, but maybe more focused somehow. There are some tasks that the Kephart seems to do effortlessly--the BC can do it, but it takes more time or more skill. Having the Kephart to compare with, I actually feel like the Bushcrafter "fits" the kind of knife I had in mind for this challenge: a do-all woods knife, that was equally at home with fire prep, shelter building, large game processing, etc.
All that said, had a 5/32nd Kephart popped up the right week, I probably would have jumped on it. I suspect the thicker steel would have appeased that part of me that needs a safety net. In truth I'm pretty easy on knives. When camping, I almost always have an axe/hatchet around, so I don't see the need to thump on my knives. Any batonning I do usually involves fire prep, and is splitting pretty small stuff by then. But I'm still rediscovering all this, and even when I was more knife-focused, I did not have any tools of the quality of these Fiddlebacks. So I'm still a bit timid here. I'm still learning to trust the tools.
There may well be a Kephart in my future too.
In addition for my growing appreciation for its specialized uses, the Frau seems to like it a lot. I think the handle fits her really well (whereas I think I'd do better with a thicker handled model--perhaps a Bear Paw?), and--if it's not too scandalous to say--I think she's seduced by its pointy sexiness. She's supposed to be playing around with it a bit in the kitchen and whatnot, but this baby boy has been challenging. Combining that with the intensely difficult weeks I've been having at work, she hasn't had a lot of time.
Six months, huh? And here I was feeling guilty for not shipping her back already! Challenge accepted.
Seriously though, your generosity seems to know no bounds. Many thanks for everything.
Now, I solemnly swear, that I will dutifully go into the woods, as often and repeatedly as possibly, to work and/or play with beautifully crafted knives; and I will, before the close of six months, report back to this group of Fiddleback addicts for the enablement of future knife purchases. So help me God.
Michael
Thank you Andy for sharing these stories from time to time. They really are special to me, and it gives me the back story that I can pass along for each of your models.
:cheerful::cheerful:
I recently had sent an 1/8" Kephart to Pr. Michael to kick the tires on just has his goal was well within sight. Interestingly, he was under impressed with it. He found the knife to be smaller (and I suspect lighter) than he had imagined. He was able to take it to the field for a weekend with the family, but rain did get in the way of really exercising it. Now because of the graciousness of Andy and the crew, he is the proud owner of a BC in 5/32" emerald burlap.
The Kephart in 1/8" does not scream "thump on me," as I suspect that his BC does. But I also suspect that now that Pr. Michael has both the BC and the Kephart, he will come to appreciate the Kephart more and more with use. In an 1/8" configuration, the tip of the Kephart is pretty thin. But there are a hole host of tasks that this is exactly what I like about it. In 5/32" configuration, the Kephart feels more substantial, but the tip is still pretty thin, which is also what I like about it.
I challenge Pr. Michael to take both knives to the field every chance that he gets over the next 6 months and really use them, then come back here and do a comparison review of his honest thoughts regarding the matter. I understand that Pr. Michael had specific ideas about his first Fiddleback. And being a pastor with a new baby, there may not be many more opportunities to get a second one in the near future. Quite simply the 1/8" Kephart was not his cup of tea for this first, and perhaps last, Fiddleback Forge knife for a while. This is completely understandable given his intended uses. But I hope that he really kicks the tires on both models now that he has them. Perhaps he does not perform the finesse tasks that I find the 1/8" Kephart excels at on a regular basis. But I suspect that with extended use, he will also become a Kephart fan. Perhaps not for all applications, but for some there is no better, IMO.
