Out today with 2 small ML Knives !

pitdog

pitdog

Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Messages
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A fellow forum member recently e-mailed me asking about my ML Short Survivalist knife.
This is what he asked in the e-mail:

Im just after a small blade (3-3.5") to do most things I require and I was hoping this profile will be the most versatile for general duties and food prep. I would greatly appreciate your opinion and if in your experience a different profile with a short blade would work better please share.

I replied that although I love my ML SS dearly and find it a wonderful blade I have to give the edge to my ML Sgian Dubh model , it's just a pleasure to use and feel perfect in the hand.

Anyway I figured I'd take em both out today for some comparison pics and just to be clear in my own mind that what I was telling this guy was right.

I decided to do a little wet weather fire practice again also, I'd only been on the trail a couple of minutes when I noticed a Cedar tree, Fatwood stump and a Balsam Fir all together as seen in this pic.......good tinder is pretty easy to find here !

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I scraped some Cedar shavings using my Sgian Dubh.

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I added some Balsam sap and lit her up, it took exactly 5 strikes of the ferro-rod and the first two didn't produce any sparks.

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The two knives together.

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Ugly bugger but great in the hand.

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Yup I like em chunky !

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It's a close call with the two as they are both awesome little blades.

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The Sgian Dubh is very easy to get shaving sharp, super tough as proved when I've batoned it through some tough knotted wood and great for making fine shavings !

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I tried a little notching using them both today and although both work great and I'd be very happy with either, the little Sgian Dubh still came out top.

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I can't do a post without at least one dog pic, here is Snicker from today !

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I'm a sucker for small blades.. so handy and easy to carry.

Is this your design or Matt's?
Every time I see it I wast one....one of this days.
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tek77 said:
I'm a sucker for small blades.. so handy and easy to carry.

Is this your design or Matt's?
Every time I see it I wast one....one of this days.
010.jpg
Click to expand...

Matt's version had an extended pommel, shorter handle slabs and the edge didn't come all the way back, he sells both his version and mine now.
 
As much as I love large knives, I really have been liking the appeal of these smaller knives lately. Thanks for sharing the pics. :thumbup:
 
Hahaha....I knew everyone would gravitate towards the SS regardless of my post, please try and picture the Sgian Dubh with some nice handle made by Matt instead of the one I did. IMO this is the perfect small Bushcraft blade !!!!
 
Great pics, man! You should post more stuff. :D :D :D You're insights on bushcrafting are always good, and with the excellent pics (great composition, shots, and post-processing work) to boot!
 
Thanks pitdog for going to so much effort! It looks like the sgian dubh has thinner gauge steel. Just wondering if this is why the edge goes to this blade. No pun intended
 
Good post and a nice comparison of knives. I always enjoy reading your posts pitdog.
Through my making and using knives my tastes have really developed. I really like the looks of a knife with a wide blade like your Short Survivalist.
However, after reading and practicing what I see in these outdoor forums I have found that for me a narrower blade is a better performer. I like the edge to be almost in line with my knuckles, or a little shy of, for me to get the best control. I also find this minimizes the torquing effect of wider blades. I recently made a Sgian Dubh that had these aspects and immediately felt the utility and usefulness.

DSCN1801.jpg


I think it has similar features as your small ML knife.
If I recall you also posted once that Mrs.Pit liked the smaller knife better for making fuzzies. I wonder if that has to do with the extra control one can get with a narrower blade?
My wife just laughs at me when I do this sort of thing.

Knowing what types of knife work best for you will definitely help narrow that decision when the stuff gets deep.

Chris
 
Palacian said:
Thanks pitdog for going to so much effort! It looks like the sgian dubh has thinner gauge steel. Just wondering if this is why the edge goes to this blade. No pun intended
Click to expand...

Both are made from 1/8" stock steel.
 
Big Chris said:
Good post and a nice comparison of knives. I always enjoy reading your posts pitdog.
Through my making and using knives my tastes have really developed. I really like the looks of a knife with a wide blade like your Short Survivalist.
However, after reading and practicing what I see in these outdoor forums I have found that for me a narrower blade is a better performer. I like the edge to be almost in line with my knuckles, or a little shy of, for me to get the best control. I also find this minimizes the torquing effect of wider blades. I recently made a Sgian Dubh that had these aspects and immediately felt the utility and usefulness.

DSCN1801.jpg


I think it has similar features as your small ML knife.
If I recall you also posted once that Mrs.Pit liked the smaller knife better for making fuzzies. I wonder if that has to do with the extra control one can get with a narrower blade?
My wife just laughs at me when I do this sort of thing.

Knowing what types of knife work best for you will definitely help narrow that decision when the stuff gets deep.

Chris
Click to expand...

I think you are quite right about the narrower blade buddy, that and the alignment of the blade with the handle. The handle on yours looks far nicer than the pigs ear I put on the ML knife, feels great though and that's the main thing eh !
 
Pit, excellent pics and commentary once again. I have a hard time trying to find a knife with a short blade and a handle that will not "twist" or "turn" in my hand when I try to cut with it (XL-2XL size gloves). The handle always seems to not quite go to the back edge of my to allow me to get a good grip on it. Does that "chunky" style of handle help in any way with alleviating this problem, or is that model's handle long enough to keep it from happening? Hope this is clear enough to understand, my Geritol hasn't kicked in yet . . .
Good to see Snicker on guard duty watching our for ya' . . . . :D
Thanks buddy.
Be safe.
 
This thread has been very helpful. I think I'm getting a SD. What is the length of blade/ handle?
 
Palacian said:
This thread has been very helpful. I think I'm getting a SD. What is the length of blade/ handle?
Click to expand...

3 1/4" handle, 3" blade. Mine feels great with the handle being so stocky but with Matts typical handle slabs being slightly thinner I'd be tempted to request a 3 1/2" - 4" handle.....Matts a great guy to deal with so it would be no problem.
 
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