Modern Kephart & Nessmuk Trios

mora 510, bob dustrude quick buck saw, and h&b forge shawnee tomahawk.

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A semi-modern, semi-old Nessmukian-Kephartian trio:

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Bridgeport hatchet; Scout versions were made 1934-48. Camillus Army engineer's knife; 1942-44, old style can opener, no brass; a variation on the classic "camper" pattern. A modern Condor Kephart, with the ugly black paint scoured off.

• The hatchet lacks the scout emblem, but the pattern, wood handle material, and coloring fit the era when this was a Scout item (http://www.scoutknives.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=67) — so first half of the 20th century. If anyone knows Bridgeport hatchet dating, I'm all ears.

• The Camillus is a common item, sort of, considering the company made several million of them. But there was high attrition in use, thanks to all-steel construction, hard and miserable climates, and aggressive and relentlessly hostile people where they were used.

• Condor's Kephart is, I think, the nicest of the Keparts, unless you want to spend a lot on one. Considering that Horace had his made up by "a country blacksmith" (his words), and considering that a low budget was essential for me, both considerations kept this close to what Horace himself had. Not what Horace might buy for himself today, mind you — for all I know, he might be all over high-tech steel. (Though I doubt it.) Still, I wanted a Kephartian blade and I got it.
 
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ugar-6 said:
How do you like the bucksaw and the HB Shawnee?
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i like them both a lot! the buck saw is both a push and pull so i can lend it to anyone without warning them not to wail on it on the push stroke (the blade can bend or snap on non-full frame folding saws like the bahco and silky)...and the replacement blade is only $8 each.

this log was insanely hard i wouldn't tackle it with anything shorter than a full-sized axe (it would've taken me several hours to chop just one section with a big knife or even with the h&b tomahawk) but the buck saw went through it in just a few minutes and i didn't even break a sweat.

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the shawnee is light enough that i actually bring it with me most of the time unless i decide to bring another chopper or machete...not to mention it's a lot of fun to use. here's my previous trip report comparing it to a gransfors bruks small forest axe: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1242364-another-day-hike-tomahawk-vs-axe.

the axe i stop chopping as soon as i'm done and i leave it near the fire pit whereas the tomahawk is just a lot more fun to chop even long after the camp fire is already well established and it's light enough i walk around camp with it all the time (i believe in keeping important gear in my pockets or with me at all times).

also, bearthedog taught me this technique and i can featherstick with a tomahawk just as well as any knife - just jam the tomahawk's heel of the bit on a log to hold it steady and drag the wood against it.

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A Winchester USA Moose from '88, my 35 year old Douglass hatchet and a DH Russell #4 Survival knife.

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Shoot, wish I had pictures of my trio, although it's nothing special. One of those red handled Mora, about a four inch blade, a six inch, sliding Fiskars saw, and a SAK Camper with nylon scales. Those mostly stay in my Camelbak for when I go hiking, and are generally what I use outdoors.
 
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Here's my cheap set. A Condor Mini Bushlore, a Condor Scout Hatchet, and a Boker Congress. Ignore the fact that this was taken on a guitar case.
 
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Old picture, Swiss, Swedish, American ultralight combination comes in at right about a pound. Victorinox Pioneer, Mora Classic 1, Vaughn Sportsmens Axe.
 
Hacked said:
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Old picture, Swiss, Swedish, American ultralight combination comes in at right about a pound. Victorinox Pioneer, Mora Classic 1, Vaughn Sportsmens Axe.
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That looks surprisingly like my other trio. Pioneer+Mora #2 +Hatchet.
 
We need to revive this thread. I loved seeing people's favorite tools to get things done in the woods.
 
for lightweight travels w/ smaller wood processing needs- my BR UL Bushcrafter w/ a Fiskars saw ~ 7 oz; for larger processing needs, same saw and a LT Aurora ~ 10 oz
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AreBeeBee said:
A semi-modern, semi-old Nessmukian-Kephartian trio:

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I really like that Condor and have been looking at them lately. Less is more.

Raymond1000 said:
An example of a knife you don’t throw away because it’s good for stabbing and you have nothing better is the Sykes Fairbairn. It was a pure killing tool. The GIs hated it.
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Good thing, that the FS was not issued to GIs then.

Raymond1000 said:
It’s hard to know what “Bowie” Nessmuk had in mind. Ever since the Sambar Fight, and certainly in Nessmuk’s day, any big knife of any design might be sold as a Bowie.
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The Bowie showdown happened on a sandbar. 'Sambar' is a broth ....or a stag. Just saying.
 
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