nessmusk compared to scandinavian knives?

[hannibal lecter spyderco]

For the longest time I had a scandinavian knife, and recently thanks to the members here I picked up a rat3. I've been looking at all the nessmusk knives out there. I have never had a pleasure of owning one.

I was wondering if those of you who have owned both, could do a write up of pros and cons of both.

thanks

 

[Fonly]

well, the only knife I have close to the nesmuk stlye is a #4 from Grohmann. I dont really see a knife like the RAT 3 being that diffrent. Any knife with a certain blade thickness and full flat grind will perfom the same, is there a specific model you were looking at?

 

[hannibal lecter spyderco]

well, the only knife I have close to the nesmuk stlye is a #4 from Grohmann. I dont really see a knife like the RAT 3 being that diffrent. Any knife with a certain blade thickness and full flat grind will perfom the same, is there a specific model you were looking at?

Well the rat 3 is a nice knife, its a good knife for the money no question about that. I have not been able to fall in love with it from the look stand point as a woods knife. Ever since I bought it I've only used it once relying more on my canadian belt knife, which is considerably smaller knife. While scandinavian knives are legnedary for bushcraft, I love the overall shape of the nessmusk knife. All things being equal which would serve the best for most camp chores etc...

 

[BarberFobic1992]

i have several traditional scandis and a nessmuk. i personally like the scandi better, for countless reasons. i do still use the nessmuk pretty often, but i only do so as kind of a testament to Nessmuk. the nessmuk might have some advantages in hunting, but in this matter i am not very knowlegable, as i do not currently hunt.

 

[hannibal lecter spyderco]

i have several traditional scandis and a nessmuk. i personally like the scandi better, for countless reasons. i do still use the nessmuk pretty often, but i only do so as kind of a testament to Nessmuk. the nessmuk might have some advantages in hunting, but in this matter i am not very knowlegable, as i do not currently hunt.

So, what is it that the scandi have over the nesmuk that makes it better in your opinion. I would think that the narrow blade would make some task much harder?

 

[BarberFobic1992]

So, what is it that the scandi have over the nesmuk that makes it better in your opinion. I would think that the narrow blade would make some task much harder?

my primary uses for an outdoor blade are wood carving and food cutting. in the food cutting department, they are just about equal. but in the wod cutting department the grind on a scandi (in my opinion) cuts much better. the point is also good if you are doing somthing requiring drilling or similar tasks. balance is als0 better/more normal on the scandi. but i culd be biased, as i grew up using a traditinal scandi.

 

[pitdog]

Compromise and get a Scandi grind Nessmuk.....

 

[kgd]

Basically the main thing that the Nesmuk has for it is the aesthetics. Different makers put their own interpretive spin on the classic Nesmuk hump giving it a lot of character. Some folks claim to use the hump as a spoon to shovel food in their mouths. I'm not sure that is a particular selling feature to me.

Some makers, like Dan Koster, produce a Nesmuk with a scandi grind. So in that case you get the same wood carving ability as your classic scandi-type knife. IMO, I think the spear point blade profile of the scandi pukku is still more functional, but they certainly aren't as pretty.

Regarding makers, check out Dan Koster, Charlie Ridge, JK-knives, Koyote and Scott Gossman. Fiddleback has some awesome Nesmuks, but he doesn't take orders so you have to find one of his on the secondary market or scoop them as he posts them.

 

[Frostyfingers]

Basically, Scandis and Nessmuks are two different knives designed for two different purposes. Scandis (like Moras) are often used in bushcraft because they are excellent for woodworking, which is an important part of "Bushcraft" as we all understand it. The the scandi grind is excellent for cutting wood, and the relatively narrow blade and sharp point are also great for carving, etc.

The nessmuk is a whole different animal. As I understand it, no one really knows where Nessmuk got the inspiration for the design, and many believe it has no function other than aesthetics. In my opinion, the "hump" on the back plays a key role in the main function of the knife: skinning game. The hump rests against the carcass and keeps the tip of the knife from puncturing any internal organs, which is sometimes a problem with pointy knives.

Now, that's not to say that either of these knives is useless in the other task. Plenty of people skin game with scandis, and nessies can be made in any grind, scandi included. Remember, though, that Nessmuk himself carried a combo: a slipjoint (the blade of which shares many characteristics with a scandi), a fixed "nessie" and a double-bitted axe. In my opinion, the folder/axe were for woodworking, the nessie for game and camp chores. My own "trio" actually consists of a mora, a nessie, and a hatchet.

Hope this helps,

Frosty

 

[RescueRiley]

hard to beat a scandi grind on a belt knife.....

 

[Thomas Linton]

hard to beat a scandi grind on a belt knife.....

Which raises the question, "Why does such a small percentage of knives made in Scandinavia come with a "Scandi grind?" I have a number -- up to about forty now, including some customs -- and only two, I think, didn't come with a secondary bevel. More were slightly hollow ground than "Scandi" ground.

 

[hannibal lecter spyderco]

As I've said scandinavian knives with small point tend to excel at word carving.

Besides spoons and bowls What other task can you guys think of that really going to need the tip for? the Nessmusk I would assume doesn't fair as well with this type of work even with scandi grind. nor would it excel at work requiring finer peeling like an apple. However I assume that it would excel at skinning and chopping and slicing types of work.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Drill holes, I am told. But I can't recall doing much of that. Probly' just me.

 

[Fonly]

As I've said scandinavian knives with small point tend to excel at word carving.

Besides spoons and bowls What other task can you guys think of that really going to need the tip for? the Nessmusk I would assume doesn't fair as well with this type of work even with scandi grind. nor would it excel at work requiring finer peeling like an apple. However I assume that it would excel at skinning and chopping and slicing types of work.

Again, it just comes to personal prefernce. It wont matter what the blade style is, if their ground the same way, you wont see much difference. (My preference would be scandi for wood work, Nessmuk for skinning)

That said, a scandi ground thin bladed drop point knife, to me would be more suited for wood work, the shape and belly on a Nessmuk would be on a hunting knife, or food prep. Though again, both style are interchange able.

 

[koyote]

I'm going to take this in two parts- the grind, and the blade 'style'.

I'm starting off assuming that by scandinavian knife you mean something we'd recognize as a puukko, not a 7 inch leuku

GENERALLY speaking, you'll find that the puukko has a better point for drilling, a narrower blade with a good woodcarving geometry, and a fairly narrow belly taper.

MOST nessmuks will have a bigger belly, more blunt angle at the point, the famous hump, and be ground more for slicing draw cuts like you'd expect with a belly like that.

(still disregarding the grind for the moment) I find that a nessmuk is much more of a hunting style utility, food prep, and -- well-- hunting knife. A small one like the necker and pocket sized would make an excellent tool for low impact hiking, small game processing, and cleaning large game for packing out to the butcher. The mid sized ones, Fiddleback's are the WSS gold standard for these, are going to be -IMO- a long step up from carrying a regular American pattern clip point hunter or drop point hunter.

On the larger side, and not in the same class, are some of the bigger drop edge, wide blade nessmuks. These are very very good camp knives, and excellent wilderness knives especially if paired with a small puukko or woodslore/bushcraft style necker or pocket fixed blade. Koster makes some very good ones in this area. I *don't* consider them 'nessmuks' in the traditional sense, but I think that they are excellent as medium/large field knives. I'd take one along to help quarter out game, split firewood, or do whatever I want when woodsbumming.

The puukko style is going to be closer to (and forms the basis of) a woodcraft or woodslore style bushcrafter. While my martini puukko serves fine as a fish or small bird knife, it's mostly a utility knife for people who deal with wood I'd far rather carve a figure 4 with this than a nessie most of the time.

the scandi grind itself (now we're talking grinds) makes for a very strong woodworking edge, wicked sharp and conceptually easy to sharpen. There's nothing wrong with it on a nessie or a puukko. You'll also find a lot of flat grind with final bevel in a V, compound V, or convex on a lot of nessmuks. No problem there, just think of it a a green river with a specialized tip. Nessmuks (especially smaller ones) are also a place you are likely to find full convex grinds. I think there's nothin better, but that's me!

 

[hannibal lecter spyderco]

I'm going to take this in two parts- the grind, and the blade 'style'.

I'm starting off assuming that by scandinavian knife you mean something we'd recognize as a puukko, not a 7 inch leuku

GENERALLY speaking, you'll find that the puukko has a better point for drilling, a narroer blade with a good woodcarving geometry, and a fairly narrow belly taper.

MOST nessmuks will have a bigger belly, more blunt angle at the point, the famous hump, and be ground more for slicing draw cuts like you'd expect with a belly like that.

(still disregarding the grind for the moment) I find that a nessmuk is much more of a hunting style utility, food prep, and -- well-- hunting knife. A small one like the necker and pocket sized would make an excellent tool for low impact hiking, small game processing, and cleaning large game for packing out to the butcher. The mid sized ones, Fiddleback's are the WSS gold standard for these, are going to be -IMO- a long step up from carrying a regular American pattern clip point hunter or drop point hunter.

On the larger side, and not in the same class, are some of the bigger drop edge, wide blade nessmuks. These are very very good camp knives, and excellent wilderness knives especially if paired with a small puukko or woodslore/bushcraft style necker or pocket fixed blade. Koster makes some very good ones in this area. I *don't* consider them 'nessmuks' in the traditional sense, but I think that they are excellent as medium/large field knives. I'd take one along to help quarter out game, split firewood, or do whatever I want when woodsbumming.

The puukko style is going to be closer to (and forms the basis of) a woodcraft or woodslore style bushcrafter. While my martini puukko serves fine as a fish or small bird knife, it's mostly a utility knife for people who deal with wood I'd far rather carve a figure 4 with this than a nessie most of the time.

the scandi grind itself (now we're talking grinds) makes for a very strong woodworking edge, wicked sharp and conceptually easy to sharpen. There's nothign wrong with it on a nessie or a puukko. You'll also find a lot of flat grind with final bevel in a V, compound V, or convex on a lot of nessmuks. No problem there, just htink of it a a green river with a specialized tip. Nessmuks (especially ssmaller ones) are also a place you are likely to find full convex grinds. I think there's nothin better, but that's me!

ahemmm all i can say is wow.. really good posting thank you so much for everyone input so far.

 

[x39]

It is worth noting that Nessmuk carried a folding knife in addition to his fixed blade knife, so even he didn't see it as an all around tool.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

From reading Nessmuk's book, he considered his famous knife to be his least used tool. Seems it was used primarily to skin and to eat with -- which the design excels at. When I first saw one, I had no clue what it was, and immediately thought "That's a hell of a skinner."

He said he used his hatchet for most of his woodscraft (going into great detail about the design and procurement of it), and used his pen knife (small folder) for most other tasks.

It's funny to e, that his least important tool gets so much attention, yet his favorite -- his axe -- has very few makers, and an even smaller following.

 

[hollowdweller]

Nessmuks are cool.:thumbup:

 

[wintermute]

It's funny to e, that his least important tool gets so much attention, yet his favorite -- his axe -- has very few makers, and an even smaller following.

It's sort of like Boba Fett in Star Wars - he's by far the coolest character, and the air of mystery is alot of the reason.

To give this discussion a personal spin - I'm not a hunter, I don't see myself skinning any game anytime soon. There's several reasons why I love nessmuks (in no particular order):

1. Aesthetics - it's an absolutely gorgeous knife design. I love how the curve of the handle is often carried out through the blade. When I buy a custom or boutique knife, I want it to look special. Also, it doesn't look menacing in the least - no one's going to freak out if you pull it from your hip.

2. Ergonomics - this is tied into the aesthetics - the shape of the handle on my Fiddleback is the most comfortable handle I've held and it's really secure

3. History - George Washington Sears yada yada yada

4. Cliqueshness - I know, this makes me pathetic, but it's awesome that there's no big manufacturer that makes these things.

5. Great all around knife - Heck, I'm married with two kids, I don't get to go out into the woods that often and this thing is great in the kitchen and at the grill. Best tomato slicer ever.

6. Great for alot of stuff in the woods - great for stuff you do around camp and most mundane tasks. Would I use it to chop? No, that's what a hatchet's for. Would I use it for delicate carving? No, that's what my pocket knife's for. Fuzz sticks, food prep, prying open a can of beans (Andy, if you're reading this, it was my wife, not me), cutting cordage, etc. - have at it.