Monster Chopper???

B

buddha72

Joined
Nov 24, 2004
Messages
224
I have a question? I have a large old FOSTER BROS. Knife. It's lterally gigantic with a 12 inch blade and over .25 inches thick. I am sure it is an old butchering tool of some type and honestly it resembles one of the Koster Monster Nessies. Question is? With a handle change would the Carbon steel in this old knife hold up well under general chopping/ Edge holding as a CAMP knife? Yeah, it's heavy and thick but I paid like twenty bucks for it and figured what the hey!!! That is unless it's best just left in it's present state and retired from use? I don't have any cows around that I currently plan on butchering myself:P.....I just thought I would pick the minds of those more experienced with the qualities and limitations of the older steel in this knife? From my searchings I think this knife was manufactured in the 1920s or 30s. Thanks :) .....and if this is the wrong forum to ask in please direct me in the proper direction?...I figured since it's a potential Camp knife this is a good forum to start with?
 
Naw man. Most likely, the steel is great. The question is can you frankenstein it to a knife that you want! Bootlegger revamped a blade out of one of the old hickory cleavers that was much thicker than the new ones. You may want to go that route. Take a dremmell and cut along the line you draw on it. Keep it slow and wet it so you don't burn the temper out. One line at a time.

The other thing is to just send it to someone to sharpen (or do it yourself) and get the handle re-done. It just depends on how much work you want to get into it.



Not to get off subject, but maybe this is me just thinking out loud. The amount of work you are willing to do should reflect how much use you want to get out of it. If you are going to modify it and just let it sit under the bed, then maybe you want to keep it as is. If you are going to use it, go all out!
 
To be honest it's shape already feels good in the hand. The handles of course would have to go and I need a sheath, but I have the time and I got 49 acres of wood to try it out on..So I think it's worth Frankensteining;)....I like how ya think...Thanks for the input
 
tholiver said:
This thread needs pics!
:D
Click to expand...

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"If you're not living on the edge, …you're taking up too much space."

Big Mike
 
I know, I know:P....Believe me its Gigantic!!!! LOL....I guess i am gonna have to upgrade the membership?
 
But really it's more about the steel...Although it's nice to see what people are talking about.:rolleyes:
 
You don't need to upgrade your membership to post pics. (although that would be nice)

Just use a hosting site like imageshackdotcom or photobucket
 
I'm new at this, but I will get on it when I get home ;).....I actually took a picture beside a CS Laredo my nephew had and it really makes it look sorta small. It's 18 inches overall.
 
That is a great knife. I have always been a fan of big choppers. You really only need to put a convex bevel on that knife and it will be a hell of a wood destroyer.
 
Keep that blade as it is, just get a decent working edge on it and have at the woods.

Great looking piece.
 
Buddha,

I own a bunch of big $$ choppers, but most of this winter the only knife (or axe) that I used for splitting kindling was a Foster Bros. Cleaver. I heat my house primarily with wood and split a fair amount... IMHO, you can spend a lot of money and do worse than one of these old guys. I'm gonna buy more!

BTW, which model # do you have (stamped on blade)?

mike346.jpg


mike389.jpg
 
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