Ok, Who Has A Standard Karda and a Bushboot or a Hiking Buddy?

[Mistwalker]

Does anyone have a standard three-finger Karda and a Bushboot or Hiking Buddy they could take a pic of for comparison? I am thinking my daughter's first Fiddleback will be one of these three, but I want her to have some room to grow with it. I have seen her with a Hiking Buddy in her hand and a Bushboot. They are both a good bit long handled for her to comfortably use now so I am thinking about a Karda...but if it is so small she won't have room to grow with it some I'll need to stick with the others.

 

[pveiled]

I have an Every Day Karda and my wife has a Hiking Buddy; if it would be of any use to you I'd be happy to take some comparison pictures for you tonight once I get home from work.

I know you are looking for pictures of the Three Finger Karda but I thought I would offer this anyway, just in case. Is there any reason why you're not considering a Bushcraft Karda or an Every Day Karda as well? The EDK is my favorite Fiddleback so far and I really cannot recommend it highly enough: it is an extremely practical small knife. It absolutely deserves the "Every Day" part of its name. I haven't used it in the kitchen at all but have used it for all sorts of small tasks plus a good deal of carving and it is, in my opinion, an extremely useful and versatile knife. Comfortable as heck to use too, of course...it is a Fiddleback after all

 

[icybluesmile]

I have a 3-finger Karda and a Hiking Buddy. This is the best that my cellphone wants to do this morning. I need to get one of those mats that Maw has for better size references.

Length was a little hard to see on the Karda here so I added a red line at the tip.

 

[daisy cutter]

i have one also, ill post some pics up this evening. as far as room to grow, its a great edc size and i front pocket carry mine a good bit. pm me your address and ill send it to you to let her test drive if you want.

 

[pveiled]

Wow so, based on those photos and my knowledge of how big the EDK is next to a Hiking Buddy, the Three Finger Karda is indeed quite a bit smaller than the EDK. It is a very cool looking knife: looks like it'd be a great little slicer and the blade shape just screams "food prep" to me!

Great looking knives icybluesmile...I especially love the look of that Hiking Buddy :thumbup:

 

[Mistwalker]

I have an Every Day Karda and my wife has a Hiking Buddy; if it would be of any use to you I'd be happy to take some comparison pictures for you tonight once I get home from work.

I know you are looking for pictures of the Three Finger Karda but I thought I would offer this anyway, just in case. Is there any reason why you're not considering a Bushcraft Karda or an Every Day Karda as well? The EDK is my favorite Fiddleback so far and I really cannot recommend it highly enough: it is an extremely practical small knife. It absolutely deserves the "Every Day" part of its name. I haven't used it in the kitchen at all but have used it for all sorts of small tasks plus a good deal of carving and it is, in my opinion, an extremely useful and versatile knife. Comfortable as heck to use too, of course...it is a Fiddleback after all

The reason is that I already have a Bushboot, my wife has a Hiking Buddy, and I just finished a deal that netted me another Hiking Buddy that actually matches my Bushboot. My daughter, who is seven, likes to help me in the kitchen and works on her knife skills when we are out. I have watched her use both a Hiking Buddy and a Bushboot, and both are just really long for her small hands. She has long hands like her mother so the diameter of the full tang 1/8 scandi HB isn't a problem for her, but the handle is nearly twics as long as her hand, so considering a knife with an even longer handle than the HB won't work. I have been wanting a stainless Karda for a neck knife anyway, and thought maybe getting the Karda and letting her use it for now until her hand gets bigger and the HB is a better fit. It's starting to look as if I may never have a Hiking Buddy of my own. The wife snagged the first one months ago, and then tried to snag the new one today! Then, asking her "dang woman, how many knives do you need?" just earned me a really funny raised-eyebrow look...and the statement "a lot less than you..."

I have a 3-finger Karda and a Hiking Buddy. This is the best that my cellphone wants to do this morning. I need to get one of those mats that Maw has for better size references.

Length was a little hard to see on the Karda here so I added a red line at the tip.

Thanks man, that's perfect, tells me everything I need to know! She would indeed have room to grow with the Karda.

 

[pveiled]

Right on mistwalker, sounds like you've got this all planned out

I wouldn't say that the EDK handle is longer than the Hiking Buddy, I think they're about the same size, but yeah it sounds like the Three Finger Karda would be the right choice no matter what. Now all you have to do is score the RIGHT Three Fingered Karda...the quest begins!

It's starting to look as if I may never have a Hiking Buddy of my own. The wife snagged the first one months ago, and then tried to snag the new one today! Then, asking her "dang woman, how many knives do you need?" just earned me a really funny raised-eyebrow look...and the statement "a lot less than you..."

Hahaha that is priceless. The truth hurts My wife loves her Hiking Buddy too but surprisingly (to me at least) she has taken a greater shine to her Bushfinger: Andy made her one with a handle that's a little slimmer than usual (very little palm swell) and she loves that thing. Works OK for me since I have taken to borrowing her Hiking Buddy haha!!!

Good luck with finding the right knife for your daughter.

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks man, I'll probably just snag a Karda in a Friday batch that works for me when I get caught up on funds (The Bushboot and Camp knife will keep me happy for a while ), and let her try it, or maybe take Daisy Cutter up on that offer, then watch how she handles it. I do want to get her a Fiddleback that is personalized to her. After her hand gets a little bigger I'll see about a HB made just for her with maybe 1/8 and full grind, bolsters, and something like purple Kirinite

Edit: Or...maybe the way things are going politically I should just stick with the Karda, and it will be small enough to be discrete...

 

[daisy cutter]

Here ya go mist, some comparison pics with a lady finger

 

[Rhiney]

Am I the only one who thinks it's funny Mistwalker thinks he's only getting his daughter one or two knives? Who wants to bet that he gets his daughter more than two knives this year alone?

 

[HWF]

The man is a genius. Totally legitimate reason for multiple Fiddleback purchase. This is why I have two daughters

 

[Shamr0ck]

Brian - I'll snap some pics on the grid mat tomorrow - been traveling a lot lately and just saw this post. I've a

Hiking buddy
Andy's personal carry Karda
Bushboot
3finger Karda.

I'm stuck on my phone presently so don't know if someone has already made the point that in comparison, the 3FK may be the best size for her, but its handle will be far smaller in diameter.

Also, depending on her desired use for the knife, many of the Kardas have a very flat cutting surface while the other blade profiles have a touch more belly. The 3FK I have (along with the one Rick Lowe purchased) has more belly than the other Kardas I have and many that I've seen. Personally, I like the more belly profile better.

 

[chainring]

Mist, I've got the original Red micarta 3-finger Karda prototype that I bought for Crystal - you are welcome to borrow it for as long as you like. Shoot me a message if you want to let her try it out. Crystal has other blades that she uses, so it would be no problem.

 

[Shamr0ck]

@Mist -

with apologies in advance for the quality of the picture - here is a comparison snap on the grid mat of

From top:
Bushboot
Andy's Karda
Hiking Buddy
3 Finger Karda
Bushboot

I placed the intersection of the scales with the top of the blade on a grid intersection point so that it would be easy to compare the blade lengths, handle lengths and the handle heights.

The 3FingerKarda is the lightest of the knives and depending on your daughter's age/hand size, could be a perfect place for her to start.

Hope this helps -

 

[chainring]

Mist, I've got the original Red micarta 3-finger Karda prototype that I bought for Crystal - you are welcome to borrow it for as long as you like. Shoot me a message if you want to let her try it out. Crystal has other blades that she uses, so it would be no problem.

 

[Mistwalker]

@Mist -

with apologies in advance for the quality of the picture - here is a comparison snap on the grid mat of

From top:
Bushboot
Andy's Karda
Hiking Buddy
3 Finger Karda
Bushboot

I placed the intersection of the scales with the top of the blade on a grid intersection point so that it would be easy to compare the blade lengths, handle lengths and the handle heights.

The 3FingerKarda is the lightest of the knives and depending on your daughter's age/hand size, could be a perfect place for her to start.

Hope this helps -

Thanks Shamr0ck, that grid pic really puts it into perspective for me!

Here ya go mist, some comparison pics with a lady finger

Thanks for another perspective man, I also have a Ladyfinger to go by as well.




This is such an awesome forum, and I am so glad to be a member here with such a great group of guys!

From posting exactly the kind of pics I need to help make a decision,

To humbling me with selfless offers!!

i have one also, ill post some pics up this evening. as far as room to grow, its a great edc size and i front pocket carry mine a good bit. pm me your address and ill send it to you to let her test drive if you want.

Mist, I've got the original Red micarta 3-finger Karda prototype that I bought for Crystal - you are welcome to borrow it for as long as you like. Shoot me a message if you want to let her try it out. Crystal has other blades that she uses, so it would be no problem.

To making me LMAO with great senses of humor!! You guys rock, and make my world a better place!!

Am I the only one who thinks it's funny Mistwalker thinks he's only getting his daughter one or two knives? Who wants to bet that he gets his daughter more than two knives this year alone?

The man is a genius. Totally legitimate reason for multiple Fiddleback purchase. This is why I have two daughters

 

[Mistwalker]

Am I the only one who thinks it's funny Mistwalker thinks he's only getting his daughter one or two knives? Who wants to bet that he gets his daughter more than two knives this year alone?

The man is a genius. Totally legitimate reason for multiple Fiddleback purchase. This is why I have two daughters

LOL, while in time, as she gets old enough to use them, since I am trying to train her as my assistant, I am sure I will buy her multiple knives to figure out which actually suits her best profile and edge geometry wise. However I think I will be able to successfully pull off one for her this year at best as far as the missus goes. BUT I am very fortunate in that with my work, multiple knives is a plus for me. I use them in various articles and and other professional projects. I like keeping a large variety of blade sizes, profiles, and edge geometries around for my students to work with and gain a true understanding of knife design variation as applied to wilderness skills. Also to keep them aware that while certain geometries and profiles work better for certain tasks, that their survival in the bush is dependent on the knowledge in their heads rather than on a particular blade style or geometry. Plus...I use different sizes of knives for my photography and my skills posts. I can get by with buying more knives for myself than I can for someone else And then just to keep the pond from getting too rippled...I gift some to special people on special occasions through the year. So far, only three people have been special enough to get Fiddlebacks, but that is really only because my finances are very finite. If I were independently wealthy...then everyone I know (and like) who likes knives would already have at least one of Andy's knives, and some would have a few.