Modern Mans Nessmuk "kit" - what would it be?

I havn't read his work yet, but do have it on my puter. Did he say much about his folder? What he used it for and why he chose that particular style? If not, maybe it was just one that he favored for EDC pocket carry. Much like many of us have our favorite.
 
longbow50 said:
I havn't read his work yet, but do have it on my puter. Did he say much about his folder? What he used it for and why he chose that particular style? If not, maybe it was just one that he favored for EDC pocket carry. Much like many of us have our favorite.
Click to expand...

I read the book, and the letters to the magazine he wrote during his canoe trips. Never said much about his folder. You're theory is as good as any I've heard.
 
Perhaps Sears' folder is not as big as it seems. Are his cutting tools in that picture to scale with each other?

I still maintain that he would have liked a multitool; it would have been handy for working on his gun or rod, plucking pots from the fire, etc.

Another peice of his equipment that intrigues me is his featherweight canoe; didn't it weigh like 20lbs.?
 
Yep, there were several canoes, and they kept getting lighter.

He probably would have liked a multi tool. I am thinking a swiss w/ just a few tools.

As far as the pocket knife goes, look at the tip of each of the blades. The pocket knife would have made a nicer blade for dressing a rabbit or grouse, or peeling a roasting stick. It looks like the fixed blade would have to be wicked sharp for the point to work as well as those on the folder.

I think he would be cutting down far less trees, but would still go w/ the lightweight equipment. Silnylon poncho, titanium cup, etc.
 
Gentlemen, here is what Nessmuk himself had to say about his choice of a folder:

"The strong, double-bladed pocket knife is the best model I have yet found, and in connection with the sheath knife, is all sufficient for camp use."

- Nessmuk, from WOODCRAFT AND CAMPING

Having used a similar folder (and still using it!) for outdoor/camping/hunting use (the Vintage Knives Model 1902 "Moose"), I have to agree with Sears. It's one handy design and very useful in the field. It's my favorite folding hunting & camping knife.

VintageKnivesModel1902Moose.jpg

Ron
 
Don't worry, syrinx, it gets used a LOT! The blades are taking on a patina now from use in the outdoors. It's not as pristine as the one in the above photo!

Ron
 
syrinx, I can't at the moment, as I'm writing this from Northern Iraq. When I get home in November from this rotation, I will see about taking some more photos. If you're interested in one of these, go to www.vintageknives.com, and look for the Model 1902 Moose. It's a line for line copy of a Schatt & Morgan 1902 "Moose" pattern pocketknife. I think Billy Cochrane, the proprietor, has some left, and they go for around $155.

Ron
 
Here you go! Pure "traditional" and quite useful:

Vintage Knives Model 1902 "Moose" pocketknife
Bark River Li'l Nessy with crown stag handle (or possibly Osage Orange handle)
Northwoods Knives Small Sportsmans Axe

Ron
 
Let's see.

Lee Reeves Double Bit Hatchet.
Buck Mini Alpha Hunter.
Schatt & Morgan Wildcat Driller. (3-blade I know, but my fave Slipjoint folder nowadays.)
 
And for the slightly less traditional, but infinitely useful:

Fiskars Hatchet
Buck/Cabela's "Alaskan Guide" Vanguard with S30V steel
Victorinox "Ranger" Model SAK

-or-

Hand-forged Bolo knife by Ken Moore (forged from an old horseshoe rasp, used in place of a hatchet/axe))
Camillus Mk 2 knife
A SAK of any number of varieties
 
Much of this was posted at another site -- please forgive me if you get acute deja vu.

I don't know about the 21st Century aspect of the thread. But my sister and I spent five days and four nights in Algonquin Park on a canoe trip at the end of August. This is the set I assembled as a present for her:

- Fiskars 14-inch hatchet
- Bahco Laplander folding saw
- Mora 2000 fixed blade
- SAK German Army Knife (OH Trekker)

These went together very nicely -- having a similar look and feel, and being serviceable yet inexpensive enough to qualify for a "starter" set.

The 14-inch Fiskars has a great orange-banded handle and is just the right size. I used the cloth sheath from one of my little Gerber Paxes rather than the plastic carrier that comes with the Fiskars hatchet.

The Bahco saw got more use than the hatchet. Our firewood was mostly windfall, and the saw was just the thing for cutting it into lengths. That's a great little saw, and it served us well. I took off the leather lanyard and replaced it with some orange paracord (from CountyComm). It rode in a sidepocket of my gear pack.

We both had a Mora 2000. I got custom kydex sheaths made by On/Scene Tactical. For each sheath, I removed the belt loop and ran a double strand of orange paracord through the bottom rivet hole. Then we wore them bandolier-style, with the handles hanging down.

Finally, the GAK was my backup survival knife, tied into a fanny-pack with my compass, bug spray, personal meds, etc.

Bear
 
Bear, you are one fine brother! And you outfitted your sister for your canoe trip with some first-class gear! And I sure can't fault your selection!

I would like to add something here, a little off topic, but nonetheless about "survival knives." When I went through the USAF Survival School several decades back, almost EVERY sinlge instructor carried the "fattest" SAK they could find, as well as a Bolo knife...most handforged in the Philippines. And these were folks who LIVED out in the woods almost constantly. The combination must have worked for them!

Ron
 
1. Swamp Rat Ratweiler, 7" of getter done.
2. Vic. Swiss tool X, if I find my self wanting to be a little more detailed in my cutting tasks or need any number of the other functions it's capable of.
3. Sven saw, for saving my energy when big stuff needs to be taken care of.

Helle
 
1: victorinox outrider
2: any decent hammer hawk or fiskars lightweight axe. I have a few different styles and haven't decided which one I like best
3: I've been carrying one of the prototypes of the Sierra hiker I'm making, as soon as I'm caught up I'll give myself a "finished" version. But I just finished my first completely forged knife (4.75 instead of 3.5 inch blade, otherwise kinda similar) and have been beating that around and she's purty nice.

I could see, having the lockblade SAK, going with a larger fixed blade, but realistically, I son't seem to need it, the axe does a job of work for me.
 
1.) 20" Chiruwa Ang Khola Because where I live, there's a pretty even dispersion of hardwoods, softwoods and soft vegetation. The kukri is a far better option here than a hatchet.

2.) Ka-Bar Mule. I haven't seen anything that a fixed blade that size can do any better, and I bought it specifically to meet the needs of this sized knife.

3.) Gerber 600 Pro-Scout. Bedcause the kukri comes with a decent small blade, so I'd prefer having a small tool kit than another small knife.



When I lived up north where it was almost all hardwoods, very few softwoods and no real light vegetation, it was:

1.) GB Small Forest Axe
2.) Ontario RAT-7
3.) Victorinox Rucksack.
 
I am enjoying this post esp the pictures.

Where can a double bit hatchet like Nessmuk's be purchased?
 
My compact kit would look something like this:

4essentials.jpg


1- Bahco 15" axe
2- Leatherman SuperTool
3- Victorinox Huntsman
4- Busse Active Duty

I know it's cheating a bit as it is four items, but I sort of consider my Leatherman and SAK to be one, they complement each other and are always together. I would always prefer a full size axe to this 15" one but then it wouldn't be compact.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top