Random Thought Thread

This seems to be the biggest issue these days because our generation doesn’t have to use these types of tools like previous generations had to.
I honestly think tutorials or diagrams would be cool, but I also think that the only way to “learn a tool” is to practice by chopping branches, splitting lumber or even something as easy as carving a trystick like these.


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I think that you hit the nail on the head. In my experience there is no substitute for quality repetitions in any learned skill, but especially when it comes to technical skills. The trystick is a great example!
 
Where’s that at? Local? Torrey Pines State Beach? The free ocean front is what has always caused me the biggest inertia against moving out! No. Cal also has some heavenly state beaches but it’s also full of Birkenstock and Ugg wearing hippies :D
Hey Mat I love to wear Birkenstocks. My feet are a challenge and they feel really great .
 
More resistance penetrating a hard object with less binding. Optimized for wood working and bushcraft.

You will probably never see me do a scandi grind, but this is leaning away from a FFG towards the thin edge and robust primaries you see on bushcraft knives.

I'm trying to address the biggest shortcoming that I see with production Kepharts today, which is their tendency to look like the original without incorporating the design intent of the original. This is a natural consequence of people buying things based upon pictures on the internet without really grokking the geometry.

I could be completely off-base. But I don't think I am. I'm a geometry nerd and I've been mulling this over...
I think you are rounding third and on your way to another Home Run! :) We are all pretty lucky your a geometry nerd :thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
I think the only makers who have managed to reproduce a Kephart somewhat correctly are ones who have actually had the opportunity to handle an original. As simple as the knife looks, there are a lot of design elements and subtleties that get overlooked if one is simply going off of pictures.

Even with Ethan Becker, the Kephart held no appeal for him until he actually had the opportunity to handle one in person.

I am thrilled with your approach though, there is something to be said for modern manufacturing and design. Though the likelihood of me getting to experience an original is slim to none, I do have a custom Kephart being made (the maker having had the above opportunity), I have yours in the works (IIRC, you also had that opportunity), and I have a number of production examples (Ka-bar and others). Once they are all in hand, I will be doing an extensive study - utilizing Kephart's philosophies and demonstrating how they all comparatively perform.

I am really looking forward to it.

This is fantastic. Please keep us posted!
 
When I first started getting actually interested in knives about 5(?) years ago now, there were two that really set the hook: 1) the HDFK, and 2) the GSO 5.1. I finally found a 2nd-gen GSO to go with my HDFK. Now that I can hold both, they have some really surprising differences and I want to make a solid, informative comparison post without getting too deep into value judgments. They are both “big” knives but they are actually not that similar! Also, brilliant job on the HDFK balance. It’s incredible what this does to a knife so big.

edit: while I’m bothering to make this post, I’ll ask you all a question. What, in your opinion, makes a good knife review?
 
Minus 11 here today. Pipes are frozen in various buildings.

5 inches of snow last 24 hours. Colder tonight. I am very grateful to have a wood burning boiler, but heats the shop and a large part of the house. As well as a nice wood stove in the living room, that takes care of the rest. We will probably burn about 12 cords of wood this winter.
 
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