- Joined
- Dec 3, 2000
- Messages
- 3,002
A couple weeks ago there was a Nessmuk thread which inspired Sarge to handforge himself a Nessmuk knife. I envied, admired, and drooled on it as usual. I must have caught him at a weak moment, because he offered to send it to me. Being a longtime admirer of his knives, and having an IQ greater than my shoe size, I jumped on it like a duck on a june bug.
I just came in from the North Slope last night, and was so tired I couldn't quite see straight, but when I opened my drawer and saw that knife I was jumpin' 'round like an organ grinders monkey and grinnin' from ear to ear.
What I got from Sarge what I believe to be the best workin' man's knife I've ever had.
What I had in the box was a sweet little Nessmuk styled knife with a 4 1/8" blade and 4 1/8" bone handle. with no additional brass, fittings, beads, etc. Which means it's a VERY lightweight and nimble little knife. It also fits my hand like it was custom made for it. I'm normally not a huge fan of bone handles at all, but this is the nicest I've ever handled. One of the most impressive characteristics in the was this knife was made is the way the blade and the handle are blended together so incredibly gracefully. It's hard for a semi-literate grunt like myself to describe, but there's a definite sense of "oneness" to the knife, rather than the feel of a blade and a handle that just don't quite come together like they should. forward grip, reverse grip, edge in, edge out, sabre grip, or whatever, the knife feels good no matter what. (no, it's not a fighting knife by any means, but I do greatly prefer a knife with many grip options)
The edge on the forged carbon steel blade was pure workin' man also. It didn't come with one of the show off factory edges that are so common these days, but rather a true workin' mans edge that could barely pop hair, but very rugged, and capable of maintaining and not chipping or cracking that edge for a very, very long time. I don't believe Sarge makes his knives to show off- he makes 'em to work.
That being said, I was immediately planning on pressing my new knife into kitchen duty, because I fully believe that's one of the best three places for testing a knife. (the two others are around a campfire or a dead animal)
I took out some 1K grit Sandpaper and took her down jus' a wee bit finer. After just a couple minutes it reached the "holy crap makin' hair jump off the arm and run before it touches 'em sharp"
It had no problem cutting a tomato up in slices as thin as notebook paper. You could put 'em over your reading glasses and barely notice a pink tint...
It cut up a large block of cheddar cheese very well, with little pressure required, and it slid through the icketty sticketty cheese without a problem (ah...the beauty of a full convex grind!)
After that it cut up a couple steaks into bite size slices quite well, as well as some lettuce, carrots, and bell pepper.
(anyone know a dinner I can make with all this stuff before I have to explain myself to the wife?)
By the time I was done the edge had deteriorated to some degree, but was still plenty shaving sharp. At this point I did what is commonly considered taboo with convex edges and got out my crock sticks. With literally about ten seconds of sharpening it was back to how I'd originally had it.
Which brings me to a point....
From admitted half day of sharpening and playing with it, I would not say this knife seems to be tempered very hard at all. If I had to take a guess at the RC, I'd say it's probably in the mid to low fifties. (bear in mind, I'm NOT a metallurgist, by degree or implication)
The somewhat softer blade is NOT a bad thing- It is a very, very, very good thing. It seems extremely easy to touch up, durable as hell, and I like knives that I can sharpen or strop on a river rock, coffee cup, belt, box, or even the back of another knife blade. If I were having the knife custom made, it's the type of edge and temper I would have requested. (incidentally I carry a medium Douk Douk with a RC of 52 as my EDC for this very same reason) So far this is easily one of the nicest knives I've owned- not because it was from a friend, or has the handmade nostalgia thing goin' on, but because it truly has all of the characteristics I seek in a knife.
Before Sending this knife off to me, Sarge made me promise to make a sheath for it. I've sort of fulfilled that one already. My wife made the sheath for it. She was very fond of the knife too, and had to get into the act.
It's one of the primitive stitchless designed sheathes made from a single piece of leather. It kinda goes with the rustic, minimalistic nature of the knife itself. (pictures and tutorial coming soon....)
That being said, I'm gonna have to make at least one more sheath for it, because I want to carry it as my EDC! I'm trying to cook up something that would be comfortable and conceal well. maybe a pancake style or IWB? gears are still turning on that one. Until then the stitchless primitive style sheath is very durable, comfortable, and has good retention. I'm debating whether to debase such loveliness with the touch of kydex as well...
I will continue to EDC it for this week, gawking people or not, and continue random testing as well. I'm overdue to at least take my son Spruce Hen Hunting, and fishing. If a miracle happens, I might have time for my own black bear hunt. I'm also considering a fall camping trip, and teaching my son how to build a shelter, a figure four deadfall, and start a fire without Girl Scout juice, matches, or lighters. There will be further reviews, and pictures.
Until then, all I can say is thanks a million Sarge, you've given me a knife better than anything my money could have purchased.
I just came in from the North Slope last night, and was so tired I couldn't quite see straight, but when I opened my drawer and saw that knife I was jumpin' 'round like an organ grinders monkey and grinnin' from ear to ear.
What I got from Sarge what I believe to be the best workin' man's knife I've ever had.
What I had in the box was a sweet little Nessmuk styled knife with a 4 1/8" blade and 4 1/8" bone handle. with no additional brass, fittings, beads, etc. Which means it's a VERY lightweight and nimble little knife. It also fits my hand like it was custom made for it. I'm normally not a huge fan of bone handles at all, but this is the nicest I've ever handled. One of the most impressive characteristics in the was this knife was made is the way the blade and the handle are blended together so incredibly gracefully. It's hard for a semi-literate grunt like myself to describe, but there's a definite sense of "oneness" to the knife, rather than the feel of a blade and a handle that just don't quite come together like they should. forward grip, reverse grip, edge in, edge out, sabre grip, or whatever, the knife feels good no matter what. (no, it's not a fighting knife by any means, but I do greatly prefer a knife with many grip options)
The edge on the forged carbon steel blade was pure workin' man also. It didn't come with one of the show off factory edges that are so common these days, but rather a true workin' mans edge that could barely pop hair, but very rugged, and capable of maintaining and not chipping or cracking that edge for a very, very long time. I don't believe Sarge makes his knives to show off- he makes 'em to work.
That being said, I was immediately planning on pressing my new knife into kitchen duty, because I fully believe that's one of the best three places for testing a knife. (the two others are around a campfire or a dead animal)
I took out some 1K grit Sandpaper and took her down jus' a wee bit finer. After just a couple minutes it reached the "holy crap makin' hair jump off the arm and run before it touches 'em sharp"
It had no problem cutting a tomato up in slices as thin as notebook paper. You could put 'em over your reading glasses and barely notice a pink tint...
It cut up a large block of cheddar cheese very well, with little pressure required, and it slid through the icketty sticketty cheese without a problem (ah...the beauty of a full convex grind!)
After that it cut up a couple steaks into bite size slices quite well, as well as some lettuce, carrots, and bell pepper.
(anyone know a dinner I can make with all this stuff before I have to explain myself to the wife?)
By the time I was done the edge had deteriorated to some degree, but was still plenty shaving sharp. At this point I did what is commonly considered taboo with convex edges and got out my crock sticks. With literally about ten seconds of sharpening it was back to how I'd originally had it.
Which brings me to a point....
From admitted half day of sharpening and playing with it, I would not say this knife seems to be tempered very hard at all. If I had to take a guess at the RC, I'd say it's probably in the mid to low fifties. (bear in mind, I'm NOT a metallurgist, by degree or implication)
The somewhat softer blade is NOT a bad thing- It is a very, very, very good thing. It seems extremely easy to touch up, durable as hell, and I like knives that I can sharpen or strop on a river rock, coffee cup, belt, box, or even the back of another knife blade. If I were having the knife custom made, it's the type of edge and temper I would have requested. (incidentally I carry a medium Douk Douk with a RC of 52 as my EDC for this very same reason) So far this is easily one of the nicest knives I've owned- not because it was from a friend, or has the handmade nostalgia thing goin' on, but because it truly has all of the characteristics I seek in a knife.
Before Sending this knife off to me, Sarge made me promise to make a sheath for it. I've sort of fulfilled that one already. My wife made the sheath for it.
She was very fond of the knife too, and had to get into the act. It's one of the primitive stitchless designed sheathes made from a single piece of leather. It kinda goes with the rustic, minimalistic nature of the knife itself. (pictures and tutorial coming soon....)
That being said, I'm gonna have to make at least one more sheath for it, because I want to carry it as my EDC!
I'm trying to cook up something that would be comfortable and conceal well. maybe a pancake style or IWB? gears are still turning on that one. Until then the stitchless primitive style sheath is very durable, comfortable, and has good retention. I'm debating whether to debase such loveliness with the touch of kydex as well...I will continue to EDC it for this week, gawking people or not, and continue random testing as well. I'm overdue to at least take my son Spruce Hen Hunting, and fishing. If a miracle happens, I might have time for my own black bear hunt. I'm also considering a fall camping trip, and teaching my son how to build a shelter, a figure four deadfall, and start a fire without Girl Scout juice, matches, or lighters. There will be further reviews, and pictures.
Until then, all I can say is thanks a million Sarge, you've given me a knife better than anything my money could have purchased.
Now get out there and skin a caribou with it.
