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- Aug 1, 2012
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So, I wanted to post a review with some pics of an exceptional blade from my favorite knifemaker, Lon Humphrey. I have lots of his knives (10 in all), but wanted to choose one that was still in stock at KSF and DLT. He makes knives in small to medium batches, and all aspects of the process are done by he and an his wife. Lon's knives don't sit around at the dealers for long, and for good reason--they are absolute performers.
For this review, I chose the Bridger.
Specs:
Overall Length: 10.625"
Blade Length: 5.5"
Cutting Edge: 4.625"
Blade Steel: 52100
Blade Thickness: .185"
Weight: 9.5oz.
And they look like this, and come with a very sturdy leather sheath...
When it was new:
The knife is named after Jim Bridger; a mountain man who lived during the mid-1800's of significant acclaim, and is meant to be a general, all-purpose belt knife, built to handle all you can throw at it.
Ergos and balance:
The knife feels great in hand, and is absolutely solid... as can be seen in the "let's split some seasoned, knotty wood" pics:
And still raised curls effortlessly...
Prying
And carving wood
That sheath is a custom; I wear it behind my back at an angle.
The Bridger is an absolute joy to use, it's light on the belt, and hits the sweet spot in terms of size. In addition to the great ergos, Lon's heat treatment of the forged 52100 is truly phenomenal. The knives are tough, they stay sharp, and with just a few passes on a ceramic stone, I've been able to bring the edge back to hair shaving sharp (as my left are can attest).
What you have here is medium belt knife perfection. In addition, Lon is a great guy who interacts with his customers regularly through his group on FB.
Here’s a link to his YouTube channel:
https://m.youtube.com/user/LonHumphrey
If you have not had the pleasure of using his knives, check out a Bridger.
For this review, I chose the Bridger.
Specs:
Overall Length: 10.625"
Blade Length: 5.5"
Cutting Edge: 4.625"
Blade Steel: 52100
Blade Thickness: .185"
Weight: 9.5oz.
And they look like this, and come with a very sturdy leather sheath...
When it was new:
The knife is named after Jim Bridger; a mountain man who lived during the mid-1800's of significant acclaim, and is meant to be a general, all-purpose belt knife, built to handle all you can throw at it.
Ergos and balance:
The knife feels great in hand, and is absolutely solid... as can be seen in the "let's split some seasoned, knotty wood" pics:
And still raised curls effortlessly...
Prying
And carving wood
That sheath is a custom; I wear it behind my back at an angle.
The Bridger is an absolute joy to use, it's light on the belt, and hits the sweet spot in terms of size. In addition to the great ergos, Lon's heat treatment of the forged 52100 is truly phenomenal. The knives are tough, they stay sharp, and with just a few passes on a ceramic stone, I've been able to bring the edge back to hair shaving sharp (as my left are can attest).
What you have here is medium belt knife perfection. In addition, Lon is a great guy who interacts with his customers regularly through his group on FB.
Here’s a link to his YouTube channel:
https://m.youtube.com/user/LonHumphrey
If you have not had the pleasure of using his knives, check out a Bridger.
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