Leaner lighter longwalk knife

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
3,930
I'm up to daily five milers now, and starting to re-evaluate some of my gear. Made myself a new hiking stick out of white ash, it's a copy of my old German Alpenstock, sans the carbide ice bit (this one has a rubber cane tip over a copper ferrule). It's shorter and lighter than my old hickory staff, but still big and stout enough to make a bad dog change his mind. Okay, reduced a few ounces there. . . .NEXT

I liked working with the white ash (think Louisville Slugger ball bats, same wood), I like Sgian Dubhs, I like 18th century French Capouchadou daggers, and I like Gaucho knives. I threw 'em all in the bubbling cauldron and this is what came out. The handle is capouchadou style, ash with a steel ferrule. The blade is like a stretched sgian dubh, just a skosh under five inches. The scabbard is wet molded, single front seam gaucho style with a throat embellishment of woven rawhide, and the modification of an added belt loop (gaucho knife scabbards are traditionally just slipped in between the belt and one's body).

attachment.php


The finished knife is very lightweight, compact, and concealable, but it's surprisingly capable. I've already used it to cut up meat and veggies for the stew pot, cut out leather for another sheath I'm working on, harvest thumb thick saplings and whittle points on 'em for stakes, and cut rope and cordage for some stuff we were lashing together. With it's ash handle, tapered stick tang construction, and compact molded sheath, the dang thing is so light you have to check to see if it's still on your belt. Sweet piece of gear for a lazy old retired guy who don't like packing heavy stuff.;)

Sarge
 

Attachments

  • Picture 203.jpg
    Picture 203.jpg
    34 KB · Views: 249
Always wonderful stuff from you Sarge; the joy of living and working outdoors is apparent in your craft and art. Thanks for bringing it here to share.




munk
 
Love your stuff Sarge...lightweight, practical and non-offensive (looking).
 
Looks great as usual:) Sarge, you have really gotten me interested in Gaucho knives as of late. Actually, all this talk of light hiking and modification spurred me on to buy a mess of Old Hickory Knives to experiment/modify/pack on my next camping trip (sadly in July:( ).
Great work, as always, Sarge:)

Jake
 
munk said:
the joy of living and working outdoors is apparent in your craft and art
munk
Click to expand...

My next craft project ain't a knife at all, it's a flower press so I can assemble a scrapbook of wild flowers to send to my daughter in Florida. She got to spend some time with me here in Texas one summer, and fell in love with the abundance and variety of wildflowers. And, she'll never forget the "mystical" experience she had here. We were hiking along the river down below Chalk Ridge Falls, and paused to search the edge of the river bed for "holey stones" (rocks/pebbles with a naturally occuring hole through them, no doubt bored by prehistoric sea life back when Texas, believe it or not, used to be a shallow inland sea). I immediately found two or three, but she began to get frustrated as her search proved fruitless. I told her to calm down, be still, and focus her mind on what she was looking for. She told me later that she felt a little silly at first, but then became distracted by a beautiful blue dragonfly that began to slowly circle around her. The dragonfly began to dart off and dart back, again and again like it wanted her to follow it. She did, and when it finally landed, lo and behold there it sat perched atop none other than a holey stone. She gave me a good scare shrieking "daddy, daddy, daddy" like a snake had bit her, but when I got to her, her eyes held a radiance that would have lit up a football stadium. Pure, undiluted, joy.

Some folks need proof of God's existence. They just need to learn how to look for it.;)

Sarge
 
What a great story. Thanks for sharing it:)

Edited to add: nope, that doesn't cover it. This is the type of story that I'll collect for myself if for noone else--to pull up from memory when I need a reminder.
 
MauiRob said:
What a great story. Thanks for sharing it:)

Edited to add: nope, that doesn't cover it. This is the type of story that I'll collect for myself if for noone else--to pull up from memory when I need a reminder.
Click to expand...

Glad you liked it Rob. Some folks might prefer their houses of worship to be air conditioned structures of brick, steel, and glass. Not me. When I watch a sunset from a high ridge, or rest my tired feet by a quiet stream, I can feel my creator's presence as strong as a grandparent's hug. :)

Sarge
 
Pretty knife Sarge, and great story too. Daughters are funny like that. Every day I can't wait to see Hannah. She really is my whole world, she and her mother I mean. Lord willing we'll add another healthy one to the pack. I like the sheath you done there. My hand is injured right now and its killing me cuz I can't type normally and haven't been able to get on some sheath projects I've got coming. I got new leather too just waiting.
 
Some folks might prefer their houses of worship to be air conditioned structures of brick, steel, and glass. Not me. When I watch a sunset from a high ridge, or rest my tired feet by a quiet stream, I can feel my creator's presence as strong as a grandparent's hug.
Click to expand...

I know exactly what you mean. Often when I'm feeling restless and cooped up or grouchy, it only takes a few deep breaths of outside air to realign whatever was out of place. The sight of a starry sky on a clear night really puts things in perspective for me--it's hard to think of my daily struggles as very significant when I'm looking into the vast expanses of space.

I was just discussing Christianity and church politics with my wife and we were having a hard time understanding one another. I think this thread captures the essence of what I was trying to tell her: I don't need all the rules and ceremonies to be one with the creator--just some deep breaths and some outside air.
 
aproy1101 said:
Pretty knife Sarge, and great story too. Daughters are funny like that. Every day I can't wait to see Hannah. She really is my whole world, she and her mother I mean. Lord willing we'll add another healthy one to the pack. I like the sheath you done there. My hand is injured right now and its killing me cuz I can't type normally and haven't been able to get on some sheath projects I've got coming. I got new leather too just waiting.
Click to expand...

Andy, is that hand still boogered up from the altercation with the saw, or have you done gone and done something else? Get you some sea salt and give that paw a soak in hot salt water every evening, it'll help. (edited to add: almost seems I should have prefaced that sentence with an "Argh matey")

Glad you like the sheath, that woven rawhide wrap ain't nothing but a Turk's head knot. Well soaked rawhide lace is easy to work with, and once it's snugged up tight, and dries out hard, it's there for keeps. Have you tried a molded single seam sheath yet? They're my favorite, because once you know how, they're about the fastest/easiest kind of sheath you can make.

Sarge
 
Sylvrfalcn said:
Have you tried a molded single seam sheath yet? They're my favorite, because once you know how, they're about the fastest/easiest kind of sheath you can make.

Sarge
Click to expand...

Sarge, how about you do a tutorial for us dumb asses? :thumbup:
I for one would really like to know how to start one, let alone finish it.:)
Do you make the pouch sheath around the knife or do you carve a model?
 
I agree Sarge...some of my best God moments have happened in a stream.
 
Yvsa said:
Sarge, how about you do a tutorial for us dumb asses? :thumbup:
I for one would really like to know how to start one, let alone finish it.:)
Do you make the pouch sheath around the knife or do you carve a model?
Click to expand...

Yvsa, you are a dumb ass like a lion is a housecat. Sometime soon I'll do a step by step tutorial with pics, but right now it's coming up fast on time for my daily stroll. :D

Sarge
 
Sarge your knives run the gamut of functional to drool inducing eye catchers . In your tutorial could you mention the ferrules(if thats the word)The cap between tang/blade and handle . I do not know if yours are . Some appear to be crimped or otherwise force/form fitted .

P:S: How much weight is in your pack ? Right now I am at the sore knees stage . That and a bad ankle are precluding a pack in my regimen . Once my muscles are a bit more used to the exercise I might start with an Alice pack with ten pounds in it .
 
New issue. Was unpacking a knife from a box I recently received and one of them was not wrapped at all!! Just hanging out unprotected in the box. Got me real good between my pinky and ring finger on my right hand. No problem. Just washed it, applied pressure till the bleeding stopped, and put that liquid bandage on it. Also added an antibiotic to my diet. It'll be healed up by monday I'd guess. I'm very much behind on my sheath making. I've been out of leather, and have two knifes I've got done waiting for sheaths, and also one for someone else now. Fun work and I can't wait to get to it. Also my father in law is in town (3 weeks now) and we're going to build a shed to get the dang lawn tools out of my shop! Yay.
 
Andy, if that cut is mending well the salt water soak will still help speed the healing, just don't oversoak it or you risk busting it back open. A bit of olive oil rubbed on it now and then will help hold in moisture, keeps the skin from drying out and makes for a cleaner lookin' scar. Vitamin E cream, wheat germ oil, etc., do the same thing, but olive oil is relatively inexpensive, and seems to work just as well. I've got some experience with cuts and bruises. :o

Kevin, for now my pack is light, 15 to 20 lbs. I don't want to start adding weight until I get my legs toughened back up to a proper pace. Right now it's taking me 80-82 minutes to cover five miles, and that's about 5-7 minutes too slow. Not too hard to get there from here, just need to shave about a minute off every mile. And no, I don't do recreational hikes at ruck march pace, on those I like to stroll nice and leisurely and take in my surroundings. However, the objective of my "training hikes" is to get in a good tough workout to build strength and endurance. That way when I do hike for enjoyment, I've got "reserves" I can tap into.

An example? One time my trail partner, Gina, and I were hiking down in Lost Maples State Park. Already hiked a few miles when we encountered a monstrous hill, so steep and rocky Gina wore the tip off her hiking stick just getting up the stinking thing. Finally made it up and over, and down at the bottom on the far side, paused in a shady glade for a rest break. Then I noticed her camera case was missing, and with a panicked look she realized she had set it down on top of the hill while she was rearranging her gear. I ditched my ruck, told her to sit tight, and took off up the hill at a fast jog. 15 minutes later I came trotting back, handed her the camera case, shouldered my ruck and asked her if she was rested up enough to go on. Gina stared at me like she was studying a bug, broke into a grin and said "you are one strange man". :D

Sarge
 
I can feel my creator's presence as strong as a grandparent's hug.
Click to expand...

Something about like that. I don't believe in the concept of God as some here do, but my conception is of universal love. When I let myself, I can feel the peace and love surrounding and holding me, inescapable and heartlessly kind.

John
 
Sarge you and our : Red Dot trail : hiker give me hope . I,m trying to stay away from the empty calories which is the real hurdle in this for me . I like to walk and Baron the wonder dog appreciates the extra mileage . One ankle and both knees are crying a bit . Do you have a good remedy for heel bruises ? I use my staff which sure helps for stability when the terrain gets uneven .
The other side of the coin is I sleep a lot better and my calf muscles feel like there is more life in them . Lots of pretty hikers out there too .
 
Kevin, knee and ankle pain are usually caused by instability of those joints, magnified by overuse (defined as significantly more physical activity than your body is normally accustomed to). Wraps and other devices will help, but, if the joint's otherwise healthy and not arthritic, etc., the best long term fix is sport specific exercise to strengthen those muscles that stabilize the joint. Not enough room here to go into the various exercises, but any good physical therapist can point you in the right direction. Inflexibility of tendons and ligaments can cause problems too by limiting full range of motion. Proper stretching is very important, and all too often an area we're prone to skimp on.

Don't you love moccasins? Don't you hate stone bruises? I wear my ratty old moccasins just about all day every day, but when it comes time to hike, the moccasins come off and some properly designed hiking shoes go on. Chicks don't dig guys who limp along, wearing a pained expression on their face, but taking the dog along is a good idea, dogs are a chick magnet ;)

Sarge
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top