Recluse/Arete is the tip profile the only difference?

willic

willic

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May 13, 2013
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This may sound like a really silly question, but... if you dropped the point of the Recluse, would it be an Arete?

I have this really pretty Recluse, that I love, I was using it in the woods the other day and had the thought -- the only thing that would make the knife better for my use would be to drop the tip a little... I got that idea from VASticks post in "Two for Tuesday". I got home, took the sharpie and marked the blade, it looked an aweful lot like an Arete! Maybe I'm just a little slow and someone already thought of this... LOL

Thanks in advance for setting me straight...

-Will
 
Not really...

I guess it depends on how "small" you look when weighing differences between models.

Andy has 2 styles of handle design (with tons of small changes per model of course). There's the bushfinger handle (which is somewhat similar in general shape to the recluse and the kephart. And there's the bushcrafter design (which is somewhat the same as the arete and the hiking buddy). The major difference that I immediately notice is the swept down butt by Andy's lanyard bullseye. This is noticeably similar on all the arete, bushcrafter, F2, hiking buddy, KE Bushi... The recluse is more "box-y". cleaner angles. like the kephart and recluse

The recluse has a nearly perfect straight spine from tip to tail. The arete actually dips in a bit as it nears the choil then back up towards the tip. This is probably the only blade of Andy's that actually has an inverted sweep. It's one of the best features on an arete (in my opinion).
 
Despite being similar in size, the two knives have quite different lineages. If I'm not mistaken, the Recluse was designed by Andy as a joint project between Bark River and Fiddleback Forge. Mike Stewart and Bark River were to produce a "mid-tech" version in larger production runs, while Andy and Fiddleback would produce the custom version. I believe Andy designed the Recluse to be an "all-around" knife, with usefulness for hunting, bushcrafting and general knife chores. Into this role, it fits well.

The Arête, on the hand, was designed by Talfuchre, one of our forum members and quite an accomplished bushcrafter and sheath-maker. If you search the forum, you can find a post that details Tal's journey in searching for the perfect bushcrafting knife, which ultimately led him to design (and Andy to build) the Arête that we know today.

Obviously, there will be certain similarities; the two knives are similar in size and built by the same craftsman. But they're not the same knife with slightly different blade patterns. Different knives with different origins.

ERG
 
Willic,
Even with the point dropped on the Recluse, they are very different. I have an Arete and will take some comparison pictures for you.

VAsticks
 
Thanks guys!

solid4ever - This idea has made me pay special attention to the ends of the handles, they are almost as individual as the blades! I'll look at Fiddleback's a little different now that I've noticed this! :) Thank you!

eginder - Thanks! The Arête is a beautiful knive, this makes me like them even more... and on the Recluse, why don't you ever see the Bark River one? Were they made for a very brief time? That's a cool story!

VASticks - Thanks, that would be awesome! I have gone back and looked at your picture many times... I even printed it and hung it near my desk to think about!

-Will
 
willic said:
eginder - Thanks! The Arête is a beautiful knive, this makes me like them even more... and on the Recluse, why don't you ever see the Bark River one? Were they made for a very brief time? That's a cool story!

-Will
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I'm not 100% but I do belive Bark River did a one time production run of them in either A2 or D2. (Can't remember which) They made some beautiful handle combos of just about everything they typically do. I still can't believe how quickly they sold out and I'm still regretting the fact I never purchased one.
 
schmittie said:
I'm not 100% but I do belive Bark River did a one time production run of them in either A2 or D2. (Can't remember which) They made some beautiful handle combos of just about everything they typically do. I still can't believe how quickly they sold out and I'm still regretting the fact I never purchased one.
Click to expand...

Hey guys, there's one for sale right now in the production fixed blades exchange. Posted yesterday.
 
I think Schmittie is right; they were a "one and done run" for Bark River. I'm probably way over my head here, but it seems to me that Bark River has a lot designs, and comes up with new stuff every year. They are still a relatively small company, though, and there's only so much they can build. So certain lines only get done every couple of years, or only once if the reception isn't great. I've been asking Mike Stewart for years to do another run of his original Drop Point Hunter, the one with the really contoured handles. No deal.

I also asked him if he was ever going to do another run of the Recluse. The answer I got was "no." They do pop up occasionally on the used market.

I don't have one, but it is the knife that led me to Fiddleback. I was just getting started in my knife obsession a few years ago, had bought a Fox River and liked it, and was browsing the KSF website when I saw the Bark River Recluse. They were nearly sold out, but the description mentioned Andy, Fiddleback and the custom version. I clicked on the Fiddleback Forge website and was blown away by Andy's work. I spent the next few months obtaining a Fiddleback Recluse and when I finally circled back to KSF, they were sold out of the BRKT version.

There are a few reviews floating around the Interweb. If the right one ever surfaces on the used market, I'll probably try to snag it. No rush though for me; I love the one I've got.

ERG
 
As far as I remember. The designer of the Arete was far more sexy than the designer of the Recluse.

THAT is a major difference right there.

TF
 
Talfuchre said:
As far as I remember. The designer of the Arete was far more sexy than the designer of the Recluse.

THAT is a major difference right there.

TF
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Tal,

That is it! LMAO :) That really made me laugh, and after this Monday, that was a difficult thing to do! Thank you!

-Will
 
This reminded me of another thread that had some nice comparison shots. The shot below is a Recluse, photoshopped Recluse, Arete and Hiking Buddy.

LightGuy said:
Hmmm...I don't really think it looks like a large Hiking Buddy, but the handle definitely resembles the Arete. But, the blade shape is much less of a spear point, and to me it looks much less purpose-built bushcraft and more like a general utility blade than the the Arete.

So I guess it's a little similar, but still looks quite a bit different than these two blades IMO.

8222048671_a7389f636e_b.jpg
Click to expand...
 
KP said:
This reminded me of another thread that had some nice comparison shots. The shot below is a Recluse, photoshopped Recluse, Arete and Hiking Buddy.
Click to expand...

WOW - That is exactly what I was thinking about on the blade! Thank you so much!

It looks really cool with the tip dropped, yet not nearly as sexy as the Arête!
 
willic said:
WOW - That is exactly what I was thinking about on the blade! Thank you so much!

It looks really cool with the tip dropped, yet not nearly as sexy as the Arête!
Click to expand...

Hey Willic, Check your settings to see if you are allowing incoming private messages. I can't seem to PM you.

Thanks,
Justin
 
Wow - those comparison pics really help me as well. I knew the Terrasaur and Bushfinger would fit the sheaths I am making for the Arete - but that really slams it home.

I like the look of that Terrasaur.

TF
 
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