Kephart, Nessmuk, Kreps

afishhunter

afishhunter

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Messieurs Nessmuk, Kreps, and Kephart; the "fathers" of modern woodcraft.

Each had a preference for a relatively short bladed fixed blade, with some blade flex.
From what I have read, they favored a Trapper or Moose pattern folding knife, and a good axe.

If they were here today, do you think they would still advocate the same cutting tools?
Would they advocate a SAK or Leatherman instead of the trapper/moose pattern folding knife, or perhaps a Buck 110 type lockback?

Would they want a modern "super steel" or the time proven 1095 carbon steel blades?

Presumably, they would still advocate the right tool for the job, an axe for splitting wood, for example. (From what I can determine, none of them ever battoned any of their knives ... if they did, they kept quiet about it)

What do you think they would use today?

My thought is pretty much what they had, maybe a Buck, Schrade, or Puma lockback, in addition to the two blade slipjoint and fixed blade.
 
I have to change your question, because if they were alive today they'd be different people.
I can think about what if our stuff had been available to them then.
They were both quite conservative: Kephart thought that sleeping bags were extremely unwholesome, and Nessmuk stuck with a percussion rifle. Kephart said that camp/utility knives might be acceptable screwdrivers or can-openers, but weren't to be trusted as knives. I don't think either would have been interested in a Buck 110, because each already had a blade about the same length, of his preferred shape, in a lighter package. Kep said he liked a light sheath knife because it was always open and get-at-able, which the folding lockback is not.
I think they would have been slow to accept stainless, and indifferent to super-steels. Why spend big bucks on something you're going to maintain by grinding it away?
I wonder if either would have traded his pocket-axe for a folding saw, though. I can imagine them arguing that a tiny axe can chop through the largest log (eventually), but a short saw will reach only a short way.
I don't know Kreps.
 
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You know I read this post and the more I thought about it the more the question intrigued me. Gotta tell you I love my 1095 but I'm not sure that those old boys might not have opted for 440C or something similar. I think a good steel with such simplified maintenance would appeal to them.

I think that the odds of them going for anything that you cannot sharpen with routine stones or a rod would be slim though. Cannot imagine one of them sending a knife back to the factory because that was the only way to get a good edge.

Will
 
This is a really neat idea to ponder, I mean a lot has changed since their time; but at the same time the features you need in a good set of outdoors tools are still pretty much the same. The following is what I think currently, but as I think more it very well could change. They used what they had and could find, who knows what they'd do with today's variety! That being said, being able to sharpen a blade quickly in the field is a necessity, so I doubt they'd be all that into super steels. Between 440 series steels and carbon steels I think they'd be happy with either, and they'd probably opt with carbon for its flexibility. As for tool changes, I'd like to think they'd still be using very similar tools to what they used back then, but this is slightly weighted by my own preferences. With weight being a big factor, I doubt you'd see them choosing a Leatherman. I like to carry a big locking folder in addition to my slip joint of preference, but with a multi-blade pocketknife you have another sharp blade when one dulls. An axe has more uses then just chopping, so when faced with the decision of a belt axe or a saw, I'm sure they'd still be using the belt axe. Who knows really, only they could tell us. This is what I came up with for my "trio," and I think they would understand why I chose what I chose. I add a few things like a folding saw or a locking modern sometimes, but these are always with me in the woods these days.

 
I think they would go for tool steel or carbon steel blades they could easily sharpen in the field. Convex most likely. I think that they would avail themselves of some of the luxuries we have today. However, these men were a product of their times. Sears was a writer, Kephart was a writer and a librarian, never read Krups. I have read Our Southern Highlanders, a book about the people of the hills, if you will. He was a great sampler of the local liquor, and actually died in a car accident (he was a passenger). Things were a lot different, Sears and Kephart's wives actually did not care too much for their outings, they were usually gone for long periods of time, possibly to get away from their families. I can't recall if they were separated during these periods. Anyway, they were getting away from civilization, ie the big city. Taking all of this into account, I'm guessing if they were born today, these men would probably be apt to do the same things. If Nessmuk had a mentor named Nessmuk that took him fishing and hunting when he was a kid, and if Kephart made his venture amongst the mountains in the Carolinas now, they might be considered odd, or have their own reality series. If they're just two guys that want to get away from work and unplug the computer/cellphone/tablet for more than a long weekend, I would say their kit would consist of pretty much the same. A good fixed blade, probably the same design for both. Nessmuk and Kephart blades have their uses, although I am biased towards the Kephart as it is my favorite pattern. A multitool might be their first choice, but I'd like to think they are looking to go back to the old ways. I believe they would still carry a stout moose or muskrat pattern, maybe a trapper, maybe even custom. Maybe a .22 bolt action with a sling that has been well used but cared for. They might stick with production knives, maybe they would get Bark River or GEC to make them a blade to their specifications, but I think a custom maker would be much easier. Maybe they would come up with a good tv star collaboration.

Can you imagine, Sears and Kephart Dual Survival.
 
afishhunter said:
Very nice trio. Is that the Condor Nessmuk fixed blade, or a custom job?
Click to expand...

The fixed blade is made by Scott Gossman. He does a wonderful job making hard-core, bush knives and "survival knives". He has a thread in the knife maker section on here. If you haven't heard of him, look him up.
 
Most of my fixed blades are from Scott. I live about ten minutes from his house, and his shop is about 15 minutes down the road. His Kepharts are the most accurate I've seen. I've got four of them, in sizes 3" blade, 3.5" blade, 4" blade and 5" blade. Colclesser made 4" and 5" versions for Kephart. I also had a mini Nessmuk made by Scott, and it was a nice little knife, but I get caught up in the trading bug. If you get the chance, Scott is your man for a well made Nessmuk or Kephart.
 
Sword and Shield said:
I like that modified Old Hickory. What model did it start out as?
Click to expand...



Seven inch butcher knife. I keep this one in my black powder sling bag or "possibles" bag as some people like to call it. It hasn't seen much use, but I figured it would fit well there considering the first hunting knives used by the mountain men and such were just butcher knives or whatever else they could get their hands on; and besides I always thought it looked like Gus Mccrae's knife too :thumb up:

All I really did to the blade was draw out the shape I wanted with a marker, then cut the excess off and grind it to shape. After rough shaping I gave it a convex grind down to the edge, and now it gets sharper than the part that still has the edge Ontario gave it. I just blended my sharpening into the original grind where they meet, and I'm letting my edge touch-ups even it out more. The grind looks pretty buggered up because I slipped a few times on the grinder, but if looks don't matter then it doesn't affect anything. It is my "mule" of outdoor knives- ugly as can be, but gets the job done and then some. I had only intended it to be a way to try out the Kephart pattern without spending the $40 for a Condor, but I like this one so much I've never bothered to get the Condor! I've done some other modifications to Old Hicks, and have even EDC'd their paring knife for a while as a pocket fixed blade after making it more comfortable to grip. Its ridiculous how cheap they are at my local hardware store, OKC could easily charge twice as much or more for them. I'm a huge fan of them, they look great and the steel is excellent. I wish they'd make some Old Hickory folders!
 
I think the D Russell/Grohmann #4 looks like a modern "Nessmuk" design.

From the Moose thread....
Camping%20and%20Woodcraft%20Homage_zpsfbzqgkgp.jpg
 
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