OT: Traditional knives vs. modern

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
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The modern knife, a Gerber Gator folder, the traditional knife, a 4" single edge Scandinavian grind blade with a simple guardless spindle shaped handle carved of French boxwood.

Ok, here's the story. This past weekend was opening of Texas' deer season (gun). A buddy of mine who lives in the country witnessed a terrified deer unsuccessfully leap a fence, getting itself tangled and seriously injured in the process. My friend was not going to let the deer continue to suffer until it finally expired, and he was not going to let it die in vain. That's right, he shot it and butchered it. He started out with the Gerber Gator on his belt, which, in his words "wasn't working well, and got dull quick". Frustrated, he went into the house to have a cup of coffee, and there he remembered the old belt knife I made him was hanging over the fireplace mantle. Down it comes off the peg, and back he goes to the deer, where he was in for an education. He had always discounted the knife I made him as quaint and primitive since it was nothing more than a simple blade with a simple wooden handle. It took that deer apart like a laser scalpel! By the time he got down to cutting steaks and stew meat it had gotten a little dull. Out comes the chakma from his 18" Kobra, and he uses it and a strop just like I taught him in Afghanistan.

He popped into my office this morning with a big grin and a nice hunk of tenderloin for me. Wanted to know if I might find time to make a knife for his father, and muttering something about "piece of junk rubber handled stainless steel knives".:D :D

Sarge
 
All my life I have never had a stainless blade that will hold up the way a well tempered steel blade does. I'll go ahead and take care to prevent rust and let some one else have the stainless knives.:)
 
<b>All my life I have never had a stainless blade that will hold up the way a well tempered steel blade does. I'll go ahead and take care to prevent rust and let some one else have the stainless knives.</b>
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You might try the Swedish Fallkniven line of knives and reconsider. The F1 VG10 'stainless' steel performs better than any other knife I own, including the Kardas. But that steel has a very high carbon content.

If it works, I don't care what it's made of.

-Emile
 
Pappy, by next Tuesday or Wednesday you should have a box of my handmade "toys" for field testing. One'll be a stainless blade from Norway made out of Swedish Sandvik stainless steel. I guarantee it'll surprise you. If you've not yet used knives with a Scandinavian bevel properly sharpened, you're in for an experience. I make a lot of knives. These are some extras that are lying around cluttering up the place. I've got to get a handle on clutter before it gets a handle on me.

:rolleyes: ;)

Sarge
 
Yup Bob, I got it, just didn't have time to answer proper, had to go to a function. Not to worry, I ordered the blades yesterday, Ragnar has the same magic touch mailing stuff as Uncle Bill, so I should be able to get a start on your Brukskniv as early as this weekend. 'Course I can't go skipping tattoo at the highland festival Saturday. Tattoos are great, kind of a big jam session for the pipers, drummers, and fiddlers. It's after the band competitions are over, so the musicians can relax and let their hair down a bit. That's when they crank out the sweetest tunes.:D

Yvsa, if you're tracking, I never fail to pick up one or two new, end blown, six hole, flageolet, aka "fipple flute", aka "tinwhistle", aka "penny whistle", at the highland games. There's a bunch of good whistles and sheet music to be had there. One of these days I'd like to come see you and get introduced to the Native American flute, and some old time I'd like to get my hands on a Japanese shakuhachi (those things sell for a stinkin' house payment :eek: ).

Got to run, coffe breaks over.;)

Sarge
 
Originally posted by eraaij
You might try the Swedish Fallkniven line of knives and reconsider. The F1 VG10 'stainless' steel performs better than any other knife I own, including the Kardas. But that steel has a very high carbon content.

If it works, I don't care what it's made of.

-Emile
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Emile,

You'll know when you have to sharpen the VG-10. You better use a diamond stone. And it resists steeling.
It will work very well until it needs sharpening :)

Joe
 
Emile,

I like the VG=10 as well. My little Spydeco fixed blade has only needed honeing since it's first initial sharpening into a convex edge.
I also have a Camillus Cuda made from 154 CM that's almost as good as the VG-10.

I'm with you......

If it works, I don't care what it's made of.

-Emile
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But No Matter what it is, If it Doesn't work I don't want it.
 
I'm just thinking if that deer had been hung-up in California you'd do jail time for killing it and cutting it down and into steaks. As many Californians are sympathetic to mercy killing for humans this is strange.

munk
 
The young man ended the unecessary suffering of a living creature and saw to it that it did not go to waste. He acted honorably and I'm proud of him. Anybody, Californian or otherwise, who'd have a problem with it is not someone I'd waste my time on.

Sarge
 
<i>You'll know when you have to sharpen the VG-10. You better use a diamond stone. And it resists steeling. </i>
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Hello Joel,

On the F1 and most other knives I use a set of
compact ceramic sharpening rods which I bought in a hardware store in Canada some years ago. This works very good.

Kind regards,
-Emile
 
Yvsa,

<i>I like the VG=10 as well. My little Spydeco fixed blade has only needed honeing since it's first initial sharpening into a convex edge. </i>
Click to expand...

A Spyderco knife in VG10 steel is on my wish list. I also own the Fallkniven S1, which is a bigger and thicker blade with a very nice convex edge. For backpacking and general utility purposes however, the smaller F1 is by far my favorite. Carried in a homemade neck sheat.


Regards,
-Emile
 
Sarge, I'm thinking of the guy who hit a deer on Highway 17 between San Jose and Santa Cruz Cal. The deer had broken both its front legs and had massive internal injuries. The driver shot him and ended it, and was arrested.

The young man ended the unecessary suffering of a living creature and saw to it that it did not go to waste. He acted honorably and I'm proud of him. Anybody, Californian or otherwise, who'd have a problem with it is not someone I'd waste my time on. >> Sarge

Trouble is, there's more of them than us, and they're writing the laws.

munk
 
Trouble is, there's more of them than us, and they're writing the laws.
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What's that have to do with it???

The jerks writing don't care or bother to find out what the people they're "representing" want anyway...Look what Czar "Grayout" Davis did the last couple of years in CA. Everythings an "emergency".

Relected because nobody but another crook could manage to run against him--Doesn't seem to matter what party has control, same thing.:barf:
 
To sort of get this OT post back onto its original topic.................;)

Sarge on both of my real Scandinavian knives I've noticed the simple handles aren't quite as simple as they look on 1st observation.
The tops of the handles are made to roll the edge off the surface you've lain it on.
This protects the edge from any unforeseen accidents that may dull the edge.

Have you noticed the same on yours?

By "real Scandanavian" I mean those made in that part of the world or at least made to the same specs.
I've seen some American made similar knives that don't have the handles designed in that manner.
 
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