I got this knife a few months ago, but I wanted to learn more about it before I tried it out in the woods. After looking on the Internet, I found out very little. So I guess I had to find out for myself and take it out in the woods for use. I'm glad I did. This is the Northwoods Knife Co.'s Gladstone Drop Point Hunter. You can see it at their web site, www.northwoodsknives.com
Price was around $70 if memory serves and while it's nothing fancy or new, it's a great custom at an affordable price. The measurements provided here differ slightly from the ones listed at the Northwoods website, and are by my ruler.
Handle Details: The Gladstone has a full, exposed tang fully visible between the handle slabs. They're cocobolo, and they're contoured to give you a nice choil. The handle is 4-1/4" long and 13/16" thick. It's plenty long and thick for woods use, and it's very comfortable. The choil and slightly flared butt make it really comfy to use. The cocobolo scales are held in place with both epoxy and two brass pins. There's no hole for a lanyard, and that bugs me a tiny bit. I like to have a lanyard on all of my woods knives. The grain on the handle scales is great; very decorative and straight. Extended use was a joy; I developed no blisters or callouses, and there was no splintering or loosening of the handle slabs.
Blade Details: The Gladstone has a drop point blade made for hunting, and it's made of D-2 steel. The tester at work showed a Rockwell hardness of 60. The blade is 3-3/4" long, 3-5/16" of which is the cutting edge. The blade is quite stout at 3/16" thick, and it's in the traditional drop point favored by hunters. Personally, I'd like a bit more length on the blade; maybe an inch or even 1/2". But this is quite effective. It's flat ground and takes a razor edge very quickly. The right side of the tang is blank; the left side tang is stamped NORTHWOODS KNIFE CO over GLADSTONE, MICH USA.
All I can say is, very good. I've skinned and butchered game with the Gladstone, and I've batoned a lot with it. It does a great job at making fuzz sticks and notching out traps. Like, say, a camp knife. The edge held very well and only needed a stropping after a full day of camp work.
The Sheath: The Gladstone comes with a brown leather sheath, and it's pouch style. The sheath is 7" long by itself and 8-3/4" long with the knife inserted. This is a nice length for an outdoor knife, considering that it's a pouch style and knife retention is important. The leather is 1/8" thick and it's stitched closed. The stitching is well-made and the stitches themselves are of heavy-duty quality. There's a belt loop sewn in, and it will accomodate a belt up to 2" wide. The front of the sheath is blank; the back is embossed with the Northwoods Knives logo. There's not much else to say about the sheath; it's a well-made piece of leather that will keep the Gladstone ready for use. With the knife inserted, the sheath is 1" thick.
You might notice that this is one of my shorter knife reviews, mainly because there's just not much else to say about this knife. The Northwoods Gladstone Drop Point Hunter is a great knife for any outdoors task, and it's reasonably priced. It looks plain and no-frills, and that's just what it is. A great blade steel and superb handle make it ideal for extended use. Consider one as your next bushcraft or woods knife.
EDITED: Pictures added.
The Gladstone is the last knife in this photo...
And here it is with a Victorinox Hunter...
Price was around $70 if memory serves and while it's nothing fancy or new, it's a great custom at an affordable price. The measurements provided here differ slightly from the ones listed at the Northwoods website, and are by my ruler.
Handle Details: The Gladstone has a full, exposed tang fully visible between the handle slabs. They're cocobolo, and they're contoured to give you a nice choil. The handle is 4-1/4" long and 13/16" thick. It's plenty long and thick for woods use, and it's very comfortable. The choil and slightly flared butt make it really comfy to use. The cocobolo scales are held in place with both epoxy and two brass pins. There's no hole for a lanyard, and that bugs me a tiny bit. I like to have a lanyard on all of my woods knives. The grain on the handle scales is great; very decorative and straight. Extended use was a joy; I developed no blisters or callouses, and there was no splintering or loosening of the handle slabs.
Blade Details: The Gladstone has a drop point blade made for hunting, and it's made of D-2 steel. The tester at work showed a Rockwell hardness of 60. The blade is 3-3/4" long, 3-5/16" of which is the cutting edge. The blade is quite stout at 3/16" thick, and it's in the traditional drop point favored by hunters. Personally, I'd like a bit more length on the blade; maybe an inch or even 1/2". But this is quite effective. It's flat ground and takes a razor edge very quickly. The right side of the tang is blank; the left side tang is stamped NORTHWOODS KNIFE CO over GLADSTONE, MICH USA.
All I can say is, very good. I've skinned and butchered game with the Gladstone, and I've batoned a lot with it. It does a great job at making fuzz sticks and notching out traps. Like, say, a camp knife. The edge held very well and only needed a stropping after a full day of camp work.
The Sheath: The Gladstone comes with a brown leather sheath, and it's pouch style. The sheath is 7" long by itself and 8-3/4" long with the knife inserted. This is a nice length for an outdoor knife, considering that it's a pouch style and knife retention is important. The leather is 1/8" thick and it's stitched closed. The stitching is well-made and the stitches themselves are of heavy-duty quality. There's a belt loop sewn in, and it will accomodate a belt up to 2" wide. The front of the sheath is blank; the back is embossed with the Northwoods Knives logo. There's not much else to say about the sheath; it's a well-made piece of leather that will keep the Gladstone ready for use. With the knife inserted, the sheath is 1" thick.
You might notice that this is one of my shorter knife reviews, mainly because there's just not much else to say about this knife. The Northwoods Gladstone Drop Point Hunter is a great knife for any outdoors task, and it's reasonably priced. It looks plain and no-frills, and that's just what it is. A great blade steel and superb handle make it ideal for extended use. Consider one as your next bushcraft or woods knife.
EDITED: Pictures added.
The Gladstone is the last knife in this photo...
And here it is with a Victorinox Hunter...
Last edited:
