Musings on a Hiking Buddy

[Mistwalker]

Well...in the last couple of weeks, time has really flown by for me. I wish now that I had taken more detailed pics of this knife before the patina got o dark. It is my fourth HB and third with a high grind, so at first I didn't put a lot of thought into it, I was just trying to develop some protection for the steel, for working out in a high humidity environment. Most of the time I have been using the knife in the kitchen and in the field, I was more focused on activities to come than what I was doing at the time. Yet even though I wasn't exactly conscious of it, over time little things seeped into the morass of thoughts in my head. Just little things really, but still nice touches. It's 5/32 but slices as well as any of the 1/8 versions I've had, and a good bit better than the scandi I had when it comes to some things. Then I noticed it felt different to my fingers when I cleaned the blade. Then it dawned on me, that all of the ones I have had were older ones. I had to put a straight on this one just to see if it was a convex or full flat grind. Convex it is, but man it's the shallowest convex I've ever used, and damn I love how it slices. I also like the more oval shape of the handle compared to some of the other more rounded handles, it gives me more leverage and more control in various grips. The one down side of that is the Hiking Buddy sheath I have was used for years for my first HB and is this one fits a bit loosely in it. The handle finish is amazing. Not one hot spot after a good bit of notching, carving, whittling, but the contours still give me a secure purchase on the handle. I feared I would end up wishing it was a tapered tang, but I really like the swell of the pommel on this one, and the balance is close enough to neutral, being just a bit handle heavy, that it doesn't cause any wrist fatigue. Not the first time I've noted this, but I really like how the maker's mark is still clear even after a patina and heavy use. Good show guys, this thing is really sweet!

 

[velosa]

That's great Mist. Thanks a lot pal. Now I want a 5/32 HB so bad I can taste it!

 

[Mistwalker]

That's great Mist. Thanks a lot pal. Now I want a 5/32 HB so bad I can taste it!

Lol, you're quite welcome This is my second in 5/32, but the first was an original full tang version which was handle heavy enough to make me think I needed a tapered tang. But I am very pleased with how this one feels. For me to be as happy with a tapered tang, I think the handle would need to be built out more. Considering I plan to use this knife in some fire starting classes for some local scouts, the SFT tang is likely the better option anyway.

 

[pjackst]

I find that thing to be just about perfect. Every time I decide that I know what my "grail" smaller-sized fixed blade will be, I see a post like this and whatever decision I had come to is called into question, lol.

 

[Joe Duder]

Nice follow up thread Mist.

I know what you mean about flat and convex grinds. I've owned a few Fiddlebacks that I swore were flat grinds. Those are nice treats IMO. They slice like nobody's business, they feather stick a little easier and they bite into wood significantly better than a deeper convex of the same variant.

I really like the shot of the maker's mark resting in the patina. It makes it look like a hiking buddy from the 1800s. Nice shot man.

Can we please have some food prep shots now; I need some new dinner ideas.

 

[SA Condor]

Man! When you are done with that thing send it on down my way! I think I'd be happier with a Hiking Buddy over my Bushraptor. Yours matches my Runt and your description and Duder's makes me really like the one you've got!

 

[Comprehensivist]

Hey Brian,

I always look forward to thoughts on a new knife after a little time has passed. There are always some subtle things that become noticeable after using it for a while.

I appreciate the observation on the grind. I have had the same feeling on some of my knives. Andy's convex treatment is much more subtle than say a Bark River convex. I know that a lot of that optical illusion is related to the thickness of the steel and the height of the grind. Since Andy uses thinner blade stock on average than Bark River, his grinds appear more flat than convex, even though that is not true.

I like your comment about the older sheath feeling looser due to the narrower oval shape of the new one versus the more rounded shape of the old ones. I had that same experience when I used my Hiking Buddy sheath to carry the Patch knife. Even though both knives have exactly the same circumference at the palm swell, the sheath had taken a set to the wider handle on the HB, so the narrower Patch handle didn't feel as secure. I ended up ordering a new Rick Lowe sheath for the Patch. In general, I have found that universal sheaths are not universal any more once they have been mated to a particular knife for a while.

It goes without saying that your photos are fantastic. You manage to capture a 3D quality in every shot. Your choice of background color and texture always shows off the knife very well. The lime green pinstripe really stands out more after the patina has set in. Beautiful knife and photos!

Thanks,

Phil

 

[Cimarron56]

Mist, what did you use to get such a deep blue patina?

 

[velosa]

When it rains it pours. Just scored two 5/32 HB's in the last two days. One on this past Fiddleback Friday, and the other through a fellow Fiddler. Can't wait to get them both in my hands and compare. Will be posting the one I choose not to keep for sale next week. Let me know if there is any interest.

 

[Mistwalker]

Hey Brian,

I always look forward to thoughts on a new knife after a little time has passed. There are always some subtle things that become noticeable after using it for a while.

I appreciate the observation on the grind. I have had the same feeling on some of my knives. Andy's convex treatment is much more subtle than say a Bark River convex. I know that a lot of that optical illusion is related to the thickness of the steel and the height of the grind. Since Andy uses thinner blade stock on average than Bark River, his grinds appear more flat than convex, even though that is not true.

I like your comment about the older sheath feeling looser due to the narrower oval shape of the new one versus the more rounded shape of the old ones. I had that same experience when I used my Hiking Buddy sheath to carry the Patch knife. Even though both knives have exactly the same circumference at the palm swell, the sheath had taken a set to the wider handle on the HB, so the narrower Patch handle didn't feel as secure. I ended up ordering a new Rick Lowe sheath for the Patch. In general, I have found that universal sheaths are not universal any more once they have been mated to a particular knife for a while.

It goes without saying that your photos are fantastic. You manage to capture a 3D quality in every shot. Your choice of background color and texture always shows off the knife very well. The lime green pinstripe really stands out more after the patina has set in. Beautiful knife and photos!

Thanks,

Phil

Yeah, it's funny once you have had several of a model in a short period of time, then get a newer one years later, there can be differences you should pick up on more easily, but background assumptions and preconceived notions can hinder the noticing by themselves...then add in a crazy work load and...well it can take me a bit lol.

Andy's grinds have always seemed flatter to me than a lot of other maker's convex grinds, and I have always really liked that about his work. But this one really got my attention even swamped. I really had to put a straight edge on it to be certain, and even on this narrow blade the straight edge barely rocks. That's impressive for such a narrow blade. Still convex for the strength, but flat enough that it is an awesome slicer. It couldn't get any more perfect fro me than that.

Yeah that sheath was used for a bout three years for a Hiking Buddy I bought in '09 I believe. It was fatter and rounder than this one, on full tang 1/8. While I soon got over the scandi grind, that handle was always comfortable in long term use. That said, the more detailed contouring on this one is more comfortable to me is use, and gives me more control of the edge.

Thank you for your complements man! I saw early on that doing these knives justice in photos would be challenging. Nice to know I am succeeding in my attempts at doing so. I'm glad you like the pics!

Mist, what did you use to get such a deep blue patina?

Well, I used the knife to cut vegetables and fruits with several times. Then one day I made a sandwich and used the knife to slice the tomato and spread the mustard...then looked at it...spread the mustard more in such a way as to even the coating on the blade, then just laid it down. I got distracted and forgot and it sat like that for about four or five hours. Then I cleaned it back up. The thing with using mustard for a patina is that the reaction needs oxygen, so the thinner you spread the mustard, and the longer you leave it, the deeper and darker the patina.

When it rains it pours. Just scored two 5/32 HB's in the last two days. One on this past Fiddleback Friday, and the other through a fellow Fiddler. Can't wait to get them both in my hands and compare. Will be posting the one I choose not to keep for sale next week. Let me know if there is any interest.

The Hiking Buddy is an awesome knife, and great edc. I find it handles all my needs on day hikes well, and if I go to demonstrate something to people I meet on the trail it is an unobtrusive size. It's one of my favorite knives for teaching skills to younger scout groups. Though at times I do wish Andy made a Hiking Buddy-sized Bushcrafter junior with less of a point when I end up letting a young scout use the knife. But then again I personally like pointy, and I do like to demonstrate that in field craft and survival techniques, pointy doesn't necessarily equate to "stabby", and can actually be very utilitarian in nature.

 

[Cimarron56]

Thanks Mist. I have used mustard on a couple of my knives, but I didn't leave on even an hour. Slicing red meat seems to bring out some blue as well...but not like what I see on your HB.

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks Mist. I have used mustard on a couple of my knives, but I didn't leave on even an hour. Slicing red meat seems to bring out some blue as well...but not like what I see on your HB.

Hey, no problem man. Yeah, I am in a very high humidity environment and I just really wanted to get the O-1 a good layer of patina in place. Patinas to wear off some with heavy use.

 

[willic]

Mist,

This is a GREAT thread! Over the past several months, I use Hiking Buddys more and more! Light, nimble, and very capable.... not to mention just a plain good looking knife. I also like that Andy seems to make some very original handle combinations on Hiking Buddys! What a great profile!

I have noticed some Fiddlebacks are slicier than others of the same thickness, but in general Fiddlebacks are slicier than most other bushcrafting style convex knives! When you strop two similar thickness hiking buddys and compare their blades, one might have a wider polished edge, showing the curved convex edge is wider, suggesting the blade might be ground just a hair thicker "behind the edge". The knife with the narrower polished edge will be thinner and slice quicker and easier than the other knife. In the kitchen knife world, people commonly discuss how thick a knife is "behind the edge". They even take pictures of the edge, attempting to show the grind and how it terminates into the edge. Andy does an amazing convex; if he did not, we would not be using these in the kitchen! Have you ever used a Bark River in the kitchen? They are great in the woods, but a little more of a single purpose knife. Enough rambling.... thanks Brian, this is a great thread!

-Will

 

[xxwjtxx]

Mist,
Great post as always & glad to see that you've had some time to spend out and about with your new hiking buddy! While I haven't owned a 5/32" variant as of yet, I have been most impressed with my (similar) 1/8" SFT HB, and feel that a lot of your observations are spot on! Fantastic job as always with photo documenting your review, and as other have noted, awesome patina!

Glad to see this post and to hear that things are going well

Best,

will

 

[Mistwalker]

Mist,

This is a GREAT thread! Over the past several months, I use Hiking Buddys more and more! Light, nimble, and very capable.... not to mention just a plain good looking knife. I also like that Andy seems to make some very original handle combinations on Hiking Buddys! What a great profile!

I have noticed some Fiddlebacks are slicier than others of the same thickness, but in general Fiddlebacks are slicier than most other bushcrafting style convex knives! When you strop two similar thickness hiking buddys and compare their blades, one might have a wider polished edge, showing the curved convex edge is wider, suggesting the blade might be ground just a hair thicker "behind the edge". The knife with the narrower polished edge will be thinner and slice quicker and easier than the other knife. In the kitchen knife world, people commonly discuss how thick a knife is "behind the edge". They even take pictures of the edge, attempting to show the grind and how it terminates into the edge. Andy does an amazing convex; if he did not, we would not be using these in the kitchen! Have you ever used a Bark River in the kitchen? They are great in the woods, but a little more of a single purpose knife. Enough rambling.... thanks Brian, this is a great thread!

-Will

Thank you Will, I'm glad you enjoyed the post! A Hiking Buddy was the second model Fiddleback I picked up. There was one in the photo with the original Bushfinger I had and I was snared immediately. That one was a scandi as I was still studying the scandi grind on thicker knives...before I realized what a marketing genius Mr. Mears must be to convince an entire country, and then some, to toss all their other field knives in a drawer, and buy a scandi 5/32 instead. Hell I even bought a British made one myself. I learned in those studies, that while I could function in most tasks with a 1/8 scandi fine...except certain aspects of food prep, 5/32 was really pushing the envelope, and even alienated a few folks by expressing my opinion that a 3/16-inch thick blade with a standard scandi grind could only possibly be surpassed in foolishness by the same grind on an even thicker blade. To me in any thickness over 1/8 the pros of the scandi grind start being seriously outweighed by the cons, but that's just one man's opinion I suppose. After working my way through a few of them I learned that for my preferences I wanted a 5/32 blade with a high grind and a synthetic handle. And that all I told Ken at Blade. Man did they ever nail me perfectly on this one. I couldn't have requested a model I would have been happier with. For all around woods use in a sheeple infested environment I think the Hiking Buddy is the best model for me. It works well in all of the intructionals I do, and many of my experiments. I gave a fire starting less to a group of young men on the front porch of the local general store with it a few days ago. They were all impressed that the ferro rod I struck cause zero visible edge degradation, but I told them I am well experienced with a ferro rod and it doesn't take a lot of striking for me. I suggested a beater knife for practicing such skills, and then ended up, after talking to their father, arranging for a lesson in fire starting next weekend in exchange for him having been so kind as to let me use his 200 acres of woods for my work here close to home. I may have just found my new assistant. I'll have to train him of course, but he has interest and spirit. So there, I rambled some too, feel better?

Mist,
Great post as always & glad to see that you've had some time to spend out and about with your new hiking buddy! While I haven't owned a 5/32" variant as of yet, I have been most impressed with my (similar) 1/8" SFT HB, and feel that a lot of your observations are spot on! Fantastic job as always with photo documenting your review, and as other have noted, awesome patina!

Glad to see this post and to hear that things are going well

Best,

will

Thanks Will...gee that seems awfully familiar... I loved how the 1/8 version performed in light whittling and cutting tasks, and particularly in the paring knife role, and never had any issues with it at all, but always wished it was 5/32 so I would feel more comfortable with it in harder use...I do perform some crazy experiments at times when I am off in the woods...and when the urge strikes, whatever knife I have will be the knife I use. Now all I need is a Bushcrafter in this same configuration with a slightly lower grind for the classes this winter, and we are past the whole "he has a knife" thing and can get down to serious studies

 

[Mistwalker]

The full-height 5/32 has no problems with gouda