Old Guy is Starting to Despair

OldPhysics

OldPhysics

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Sep 2, 2006
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This started out a week ago as a review. You know -- big chopper plus general camp knife -- in this case, CG NMFBM and Comp Grade SARSquatch (Special Edition with the great edge).

The knives have worn me out. And they're still about the same.

Here's where they started:

IMG_0372.jpg


Don't worry about that bit of rust on the 'Squatch. It's Comp Grade and that just doesn't matter (it's decarb related anyway).

I figured I'd start with the obvious stuff -- chopping -- and then move onto something more sophisticated and savoir faire. I never got that far. :mad:

I went out to an old, fallen tree on my back 40. It's been down for about 5 years and is much harder than you'd think. This section is suspended well above the ground so it hasn't succumbed to moisture-driven rot.

So I started:
IMG_0374.jpg


The NMFBM has a very large sweet spot. Although the edge is not razor-sharp, it lands with a satisfying 'thunk' when swung properly. I decided on a 3/4 arm swing with medium strength -- something I could keep up for hours, if needed. I like to think of it as Cobalt's easy pace ... :D

Other parts of this trunk have been hard on other choppers, proving difficult even for my Chopweilers, Ratweiler, and DogFathers. The CG FBM takes it fairly well, but shows pretty slow progress. Only my FFBMs have done well before.

Here's 50 chops in:
IMG_0375.jpg


Then, 100 chops in:
IMG_0376.jpg


Frankly, this did nothing to the edge at all. The coating is just a bit smoothed:
IMG_0377.jpg


I alternated angles, chopping slight right then slight left. After 120 chops, the cut looked like this:
IMG_0382.jpg


Not to forget the SARSquatch, here are 25 chops:
IMG_0383.jpg

Please keep in mind that the 'Squatch is a camp knife, not a chopper -- although it really does about as well as my Chopweiler (Ratweiler is a bit better). Also, please remember this is very hard wood.
 
That was a good start. I kept on in a similar vein, chopping various forest woods, some free hanging and some fallen. Here's the NMFBM after about 250 chops:
IMG_0389.jpg


I'd show you the NMFBM after 800 chops ... but the doggone thing looks exactly the same!! Very irritating. :mad: Previously, I've been able to seriously peel away Busse coatings well before this point. I've ruined lots of black coatings this way ...

Here's the SARSquatch after about 400 chops:
IMG_0385.jpg

If you look closely, I think you can tell that I've removed some of the decarb from the sweet spot and off the tip. I've also managed to add some vertical scratches to the polished edge. The edge still shaves hair off my arm, by the way.

So. I can't even press on to more sophisticated cutting tests yet. I haven't managed to really dull or turn the edge on either knife. :mad: The coating (Sage) just smooths out ... haven't really removed any yet.

Any suggestions? I suppose I could just chop on, day after day, until I've reduced my favorite fallen tree into so many short logs for the fireplace.

Experiencing a little bit of despair here. :grumpy:
 
Great pics! :thumbup: Good to see the NMFBM get some challenge.

OldPhysics said:
I think I'm going to keep chopping with the CG NMFBM until one of us gives up.;)
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I'm not sure I like those odds! :eek: :D Those NMFBMs can be pretty stubborn...
 
Elen said:
Great pics! :thumbup: Good to see the NMFBM get some challenge.



I'm not sure I like those odds! :eek: :D Those NMFBMs can be pretty stubborn...
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So am I! :D

And, as Chickenplucker says, I can 'cheat' and use BenGay! :D:D

If I was out west, I could look for some really hard woods ...
 
Wait... "Deep Penetrating Pain Relief"? And it's called Bengay. ... I sense an enormous investment opportunity here. :D
 
i would go in at a wider angle.the gap you've made looks to be about 2 inches or so.general rule of thumb is to make the gap as many inches wide as the tree/limb is thick.

so if its a 10 inch thick tree widen that cutting area out to around 10 inches and you would've been through it already.

here's my NMFBM after a good bit of chopping,maybe 100 hits,probably not though.did do some batoning though.

it sure is fun to go out there and chop stuff.playing with INFI,being in the woods and comparing busse's.

image25-2.jpg


image24-2.jpg
 
Great review OP, and thanks for the pics:thumbup:



Elen said:
Wait... "Deep Penetrating Pain Relief"? And it's called Bengay. ... I sense an enormous investment opportunity here. :D
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It's been around my whole life and I've never though of that:D
 
Thank you, GentleHogs.

1) No sawing. That would be ... somehow unfair! But thanks anyway, Jason.

2) Northern1 is of course correct. I should have widened out my cut so I could chop free bigger chunks of wood. I was actually a bit surprised to see how deep I could get with such a narrow cut. When I return ... tomorrow ... I'll widen the top and see if I do better. I'm going to avoid batoning at this time.
--That wood really is tough, however. :o

I'd expected to fairly rapidly wear away coating, much like Northern1 did. I think this Sage coating is tougher than expected.
 
OldPhysics said:
I'd expected to fairly rapidly wear away coating, much like Northern1 did. I think this Sage coating is tougher than expected.
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Sage has been getting good reports. I think I'll keep my NMSFNO order as sage/black.
 
Elen said:
I wish I could, but the women are going to kill me already even for just one little CG and one inexpensive LE MNSFNO :o
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Well do I know that feeling.

Much as I love Black/Black ... you really should consider Sage/Black. ;)
 
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