Patch Knife Review

Comprehensivist

Comprehensivist

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Fiddleback Patch Knife Review - Part 1 of 2


Introduction:

The Patch is a new Fiddleback model that is a scaled down version of the Recluse. It is similar in size to the Hiking Buddy which many of you are familiar with. The Recluse family share the squarer pommel shape, straighter spine, and a nice amount of belly to the cutting edge. The Patch was first introduced on Fiddleback Friday - 07/11/14.

The other model in the Recluse family is the larger Leuku. I don’t have a Recluse, but I do have a Leuku to show for size comparison with the Patch.








Specs:

Model: Patch Knife

FF Lot Info: 2014 0718 04

OAL: 7.280”

Blade Length: 3.140”

Handle Length: 4.140”

Steel & Thickness: 1/8” spalted 01 steel

Tang Type: SFT (i.e. “skeletonized full tang”)

Grind: Convex

Handle Material: Shadetree Evergreen burlap over black g10 with yellow pinstripes

Weight (oz.): 3.7

Blade Height @ Ricasso: .990”

Handle Width @ Palmswell: .660”

Handle Height @ Palmswell: .928”

Balance Point: .475” behind the front pins

Distance from Front of Handle to Center of Palmswell: 1.750”

Maximum Handle Circumference @ Center of Palmswell: 2.750”


Here a couple of photos showing the balance point:









In Hand Photos:

I find in hand photos to be a helpful reference point if I know the dimensions of the hand size. My hands are medium size and measure 3-3/4” wide across my palm and 7-1/8” in length from the tip of my middle finger to the base of my palm where it meets the wrist.

With that reference point, here are my in hand photos:














The yellow G10 pinstripe looks really sharp with the Shadetree Evergreen burlap. This color combo should appeal to Green Bay Packers fans.





One of my favorite subtle features on Andy’s knives is the positioning of the maker’s mark up on the spine where you see it every time you use the knife. I like the fact that it isn’t taking up real estate on the side of the blade to distract me from looking at the nice grinds and spalting.






Comparison Shots:

I always find comparison shots to known reference knives to be very helpful in deciding if I am interested in a particular model. The best reference point I have in my collection is the Hiking Buddy. The Hiking Buddy is one of Andy’s most popular 3” models that is designed to fill the small bushcraft / day hike role. My particular example is 1/8” O1 spalted steel, tapered tang, and Shadetree Ruby burlap over black G10 with a white pinstripe. It weighs 3.4 ounces.

Here are a couple of comparison photos:








Overlay shots are hard to do right. Even so, I took these photos with the Hiking Buddy on top of the Patch to point out some differences between these two models.

The blade tip on the Patch is higher than the Hiking Buddy.





The pommel end of the Patch is squarer versus the rounded pommel of the Hiking Buddy.





The handle on the Patch is narrower and a little taller than the Hiking Buddy. The blade height at the ricasso is also a little taller on the Patch.





You get more cutting edge area with the Patch versus the Hiking Buddy.





A couple of other observations here:

First, my Patch weighs 3.7 ounces with 1/8” thick O1 steel versus 3.4 ounces for my Hiking Buddy with 1/8” thick O1 with a tapered tang. For you Ultralite backpacking people, I strongly suspect that a tapered tang Patch with 1/8” thick O1 steel would weigh 3.4 ounces with similar burlap handles, maybe less with light weight wood or carbon-fiber synthetic.

Second, the handles have different shapes. The Patch is taller and narrower at the palm swell @ .928” high x .660” wide. The Hiking Buddy measures ..880” high x .730” wide at the palm swell. This may not sound like much, but the different feel is noticeable. Interestingly, the circumference of both knives is identical @ 2.750” at the palm swell. The Patch feels like a long oval versus a rounder oval on the Hiking Buddy. For that reason, I suspect that the Patch may provide better control against torque slippage in your grip.
 
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Fiddleback Patch Knife Review - Part 2 of 2


Food Prep Notes:

I used the Patch to cut up some small vegetables for a salad to go along with a BBQ. Again, I wanted to compare it to the Hiking Buddy that I frequently use in that role.





The first thing that I did was to compare what I call the “angle of attack” capability between these two knives. I am not sure if that is the proper term, but I use it to mean how high is the handle when I rock the blade all the way forward toward the tip of the cutting edge. I also considered how far I could rock back before my fingers hit the cutting board while using a standard grip.

Here are some photos to show what I am talking about.


Patch Knife:








Hiking Buddy:








The result was that the Patch allows a higher angle of attack than the Hiking Buddy. Over the full rocking motion, the Patch also puts more edge area to work (1.900” ) than the Hiking Buddy (1.500”.) This is due to the straighter spine and more belly on the Patch. The difference of .400” in cutting area may not sound like much, but it is very noticeable on a small knife.

The Patch did very well in the paring knife role.









Wood Carving Notes:

I wanted to try the Patch for a little wood carving. I grabbed a piece of Silver Maple along with my favorite baton stick to use for this. I was running out of daylight when I started this activity. You can see this from the long shadows in these pictures.





I used the Patch to peel bark, cross-baton, carve notches, and sharpen the end of the stick like an impromptu tent peg. None of the these tasks caused undue stress to the knife and it performed admirably in these roles.












Historical Notes:

As part of my prep for this review, I researched for historical information on Patch knives. What I discovered was that this is a controversial subject with strong opinions on several sides. Some people claim that 1800’s trappers and/or hunters used a small knife like this to cut the excess “patch” material away when they were loading their muzzleloaders. Other people claim that this is BS and that no such specialized knife existed. Folklore or fiction? I don’t know. I could not find a standard pattern of a “Patch Knife” that proved what was true. The romantic part of me says a small 3” knife like this makes a lot of sense whether it is cutting patches or other come-what-may utility chores that occur in the field. In contrast, the critical thinker in me says that a wise trapper/hunter in the 1800’s would have already cut a good supply of patches to hold him through the season. That is not to say that a small practical knife like this wouldn’t be ideal to pre-cut those patches. It really doesn’t matter to me either way because I like this knife either way. I have an excess supply of 12 guage cleaning patches and no shotgun, so maybe I will use the Patch knife to cut them into smaller patches to clean my other guns.

I don’t own a muzzleloader, but I do own a nice hunting rifle. Andy’s modern interpretation of what a classic Patch knife is blends well with a modern classic hunting rifle. I would have no problem carrying my Patch knife as my only knife on a remote camp hunting trip along with my .308 Kimber. Both have classic lines that I don’t see going out of style.











If I am traveling light on a scouting or distant hiking trip, the Patch would pair well with the small .357 Magnum revolver that I carry on those outings.








Any sheath designed for the Hiking Buddy, should work fine for the Patch. I purchased the sheath shown here from Talfuchre (Diomedes Industries.)






Conclusion:

One of my pet peeves about most reviews that compare and contrast two things is when the reviewer does not offer his (or her) opinion about which one he recommends if he was forced to choose one.

We have all seen and read magazine feature articles that draw you in with a supposedly controversial question like, “What’s better, the .30-06 or .270 Winchester?...Mustang or Camaro?...Benchmade or Spyderco?” Then you read the whole thing to get the reviewer’s opinion only to find that he wimps out with an ending that says, “Both have their pluses and minuses...so you decide.” ARRRGGGGGHHHHH gag me!!! Yes, I ultimately will decide, but I want to hear the reviewer’s opinion after reading that far to help me make an informed decision.

I don’t want to be that kind of reviewer, so here is my opinion. If you are looking to shark your first or only Fiddleback 3” model, I recommend that you choose the Patch over the Hiking Buddy. The reasons are that it has more cutting area with a higher tip and more belly that is better suited for food prep and game processing activities. The spear point on the Hiking Buddy is better suited for drilling or poking in wood, but the Patch can do these things too in skillful hands. I just feel the Patch offers more advantages in the areas that people will most commonly use this size knife for.

I still love my Hiking Buddy and I will continue to use it for many things. The only change is that it has a new Evergreen partner to share the 3” role with.


The Final Word:

My best buddy Jessie (a.k.a. “J-Dog”) likes to accompany me anytime that I am using or photographing knives. She is always curious.

Here she is checking out the Patch.





I asked her what her opinion was of the Patch. Her look says it all, “Wise choice.” Now that is a smart dog that deserves to get a cookie...






I hope that you found this information useful to help make your own informed decision if the Patch is the right model for you.


Thanks,

Phil
 
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Probably the best review ever! You actually succeeded in causing me want a knife that I wasn't really interested in before thanks ALOT!
 
Awesome job here Phil. I cannot wait to unwrap the Patch Knife that the mailman left for me today. Awesome SP 101 as well. That pair cannot be beat.
 
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Totally agree with Shane and Walt! Great review with all the info needed to make a good decision on pursuing a Patch knife. I don't think there ever was a particular "patch knife" shape, but in the olden days of black powder, you would have carried a smaller knife to cut patches when needed. Take a look at the old possible bags, often they had a sheath on the strap or on the beavertail front flap to carry that small blade. If one was to run out of ready cut patches, it was use that small knife and cut whatever was available for patching the round ball. It was a long and perilous trip to the local gun store for resupply.

Thanks again for your time and effort!
 
Great review Phil! I especially appreciated your personal opinion on it at the end. I guess I should have snagged the patch knife off bladeco the other day when it was still available because this review is going to make them in high demand!

Thanks again for your thoroughness as always.

Tod
 
KephaC said:
Probably the best review ever! You actually succeeded in causing me want a knife that I wasn't really interested in before thanks ALOT!
Click to expand...

Thanks Shane! The whole point of a review is to help you make an informed decision. I guess that it worked.

McVeyMac said:
Awesome job here Phil. I cannot wait to u rap the Patch Knife that the mailman left for me today. Awesome SP 101 as well. That pair cannot be beat.
Click to expand...

I appreciate the comment Walt. The SP 101 is my only revolver. I don't feel lacking by that. Those things are built like tanks.

Cdmayhem said:
Seriously awesome write up. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Thanks Cdmayhem! I am glad that you enjoyed it.

Rick Lowe said:
Totally agree with Shane and Walt! Great review with all the info needed to make a good decision on pursuing a Patch knife. I don't think there ever was a particular "patch knife" shape, but in the olden days of black powder, you would have carried a smaller knife to cut patches when needed. Take a look at the old possible bags, often they had a sheath on the strap or on the beavertail front flap to carry that small blade. If one was to run out of ready cut patches, it was use that small knife and cut whatever was available for patching the round ball. It was a long and perilous trip to the local gun store for resupply.

Thanks again for your time and effort!
Click to expand...

Thanks Rick. I was planning on contacting you to make a sheath specifically for my Patch, since the one pictured goes with my Hiking Buddy. I'll send you a PM.

Bamboo said:
Thanks Phil! Great review. Who made the holster for the revolver?
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Thanks Ken. I am pretty sure that the holster is a Bianchi. It is a standard thumb-snap model.

hasco said:
Great review Phil! I especially appreciated your personal opinion on it at the end. I guess I should have snagged the patch knife off bladeco the other day when it was still available because this review is going to make them in high demand!

Thanks again for your thoroughness as always.

Tod
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Thanks Tod! You have been putting out some awesome and informative posts of your own lately. You set a high standard that inspires me to try harder every time that I do one of these. I really value your feedback.


Phil
 
Phil,

Awesome work with the Patch Knife review. Really in depth info there. Loving seeing your recommendations. It's now going to be very hard to shark one of these.

I'm with J-Dog on this one.
 
Comprehensivist said:
I appreciate the comment Walt. The SP 101 is my only revolver. I don't feel lacking by that. Those things are built like tanks.

Phil
Click to expand...

Phil, I usually carry one of three handguns, two of them are revolvers. My criteria for a defensive firearm is 100% reliability. I have never had a failure for a revolver to go bang when the trigger is pressed until the hammer falls. The only semi auto pistol I carry is a Glock 23. That is the only semi that I have fired thousands of rounds through, and it has never had a malfunction of any kind. Even with lead SWC hand loads for a majority of the rounds fired.

I just opened my Patch Knife, and I am in love. The Recluse is one of me favorite 4 inch knives. I think that I must snag a Leuku ASAP to fill in the family.

Tell J Dog that she is a very good girl, and give her a big kiss for me. And your Kimber is vary handsome example of a .308 hunter. That Leupold is sweet as well.
 
thurin said:
Phil,

Awesome work with the Patch Knife review. Really in depth info there. Loving seeing your recommendations. It's now going to be very hard to shark one of these.

I'm with J-Dog on this one.
Click to expand...


McVeyMac said:
Phil, I usually carry one of three handguns, two of them are revolvers. My criteria for a defensive firearm is 100% reliability. I have never had a failure for a revolver to go bang when the trigger is pressed until the hammer falls. The only semi auto pistol I carry is a Glock 23. That is the only semi that I have fired thousands of rounds through, and it has never had a malfunction of any kind. Even with lead SWC hand loads for a majority of the rounds fired.

I just opened my Patch Knife, and I am in love. The Recluse is one of me favorite 4 inch knives. I think that I must snag a Leuku ASAP to fill in the family.

Tell J Dog that she is a very good girl, and give her a big kiss for me. And your Kimber is vary handsome example of a .308 hunter. That Leupold is sweet as well.
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Nathan & Walt,

J-Dog thanks you for the attention. She loves getting attention.

Thanks again for the kind words gentlemen. I respect you both a lot.

Phil
 
Phil:

Fantastic review on the Patch Knife. Thanks for making the call on your personal preference over the two models. Not that they were easy to come by before you shared your wisdom.....note to Andy.....crank up the forge as we'll no doubt need more to satisfy demand following your review.

Regarding your Ruger, did you acquire it as a custom model with the bull barrel & adjustable rear sight or did you send a stock model in for a work up ? I also have this model Ruger and agree with your assessment. The one thing that I would like to modify on the stock model are the sights.

Thanks for the thorough reveiw !

Peter
 
You all need to stop! You guys make us all 'need' every knife coming out of FF ;) Seriously though, great informative review.
 
Thanks for the review. Love the pics. I wonder how this compares to Andy other recent release; the clip point hiking Bowie? That has me interested as well.
 
lmari55 said:
You all need to stop! You guys make us all 'need' every knife coming out of FF ;) Seriously though, great informative review.
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Sir... I do strongly suggest you put those quotation marks away!
 
Thanks Phil for the great review on the Patch Knife. I have one on the way to OZ now . I can't wait to put it through its paces.
By the way nice saddle.

Cheers Mick
 
Nice review bother, very thorough. Excellent pics. I've been wondering how a patch knife compared to a hiking buddy.

Love the pics of J-dog! In the pics it looks like she has steak on her mind. The first pic looks like she's sniffing for steak and the second looks like she's asking- " Did you say steak?" Hahahah. She made my day.

Good job buddy:thumbup:
 
Very nicely done, Phil. I echo the sentiments others have shared: great knife, review, guns, and companion. Since I first saw the patch knife, something clicked and I thought that for a lot of people, Andy just came out with a better hiking buddy, so to speak. Sounds like that thought has proved true in your situation and uses. It's pretty amazing how the shop keeps turning out such awesome new knives that we didn't even know we needed. 😄

Again, great job Phil, and great job Andy & Co.


Michael
 
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