Russ Andrews MS - Integral Camp Knife - Field Review Added

That's an awesome looking "worker". Looking forward to the field report.
 
Darn good looking knife. As someone whose major blade usage has been brush work, I enjoy a good chopper. :) Looking forward to seeing it put to work.
 
Roger, that design would work so well no matter what the size. Another winner from the talented hands of ERA. Congrats and whack the heck outta something for us.
 
Yeowza...that's a beauty of a "user"! Can almost feel how nice that handle must fit in the hand.

Masterful work that landed in the right hands. Congrats, Roger! Can't wait to see the results of the field test.
 
Thanks again gents. I should also have mentioned that the sheath it by Russ as well and is very well done.

Roger
 
Roger, congrats!

It is easy to see Russ's expert skills in the clean lines and simplicity of your working knife. Amazing execution.
 
Thanks to Roger for the thread, and the field testing to come....to all
for the great comments.....and to Karl Andersen for an improvement to
the internal nut idea.....Thanks guys...
 
Russ Andrews said:
....and to Karl Andersen for an improvement to the internal nut idea....
Click to expand...

Well this had me scratching my head. So I went to grab the knife and checked out the but end... and see nothing. I move closer to the window to catch some natural light.... and see nothing. So I take it right outside into the bright early afternoon sunshine.... and I can juuuuust make out the outline of the blackwood plug. Very slick, Russ.

Roger
 
Well it seemed a long time coming, but I finally got the chance to leave the stuffy confines of downtown Toronto and head down south of the border for the opening of deer season. I'll post some pics of the weekend at the Farr hunting camp later, but one of the many enjoyable aspects of the weekend was the opportunity to put some quality custom knives to work - including this Andrews piece which jumping out of its sheath at the opportunity.

After a morning spent wingshooting, a short hike from the cabin presented many excellent chopping opportunities.

See that big busted-up Oak behind me? One swing of the Andrews camp knife did that.

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Just kidding. :)

Much chopping was done though, and it gave me a chance to get to know this knife.

Check out the wood chips flying.

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The knife worked very well on the heavier stuff. Enough mass for a powerful hit that bites deep, but not so heavy as to feel unwieldly. Like most choppers, this one had a discernible sweet spot, though it was reasonably generous. See the oak heartwood below? That stuff is SERIOUSLY hard and tough. If your edge geometry is too thin, right here is where that will show up. No worries on that account, though.

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It is also in cutting through really hard medium that you find out straight away whether the knife will absorb the shock, or send wrist and elbow-numbing vibrations straight up your arm. This integral piece with its hidden threaded tang soaked up the impact shock quite nicely.

When it comes to thinner, greener stuff, big power won't get you very far. A thick, blade-heavy chopper will bounce off without making much of an impression because the vine (even when braced, as below) has a lot of "give". Combine that with a thick girth and dense, moist fibers, it's like the rope cut from hell.

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Russ' piece managed well here again, as it did with the lighter, thinner twigs and branches that were dispatched just for fun. Matt took a couple swings on a completely free-hanging vine and managed a couple clean cuts. Good technique played a big part (not sure I could have pulled that off) but sound design as well.

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Russ asked for critical feedback, and I have only two suggestions in that regard. The first is primarily aesthetic: a signature Andrews swedge runing from the tip and back along most of the length of the spine would give this piece some added visual dimension.

Second, I found the handle just a smidge thicker than I would like. It felt good with a bare hand, but grip with a gloved hand would be improved by slightly reduced cross-sectional thickness. Of course, someone with bigger hands - or just a preferenc for thicker handles would have a different view.

Overall, an excellent piece in terms of both design and execution that I quite thoroughly enjoyed using.

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Roger
 
oh man, thats nice, real simple practical design... in that PERFECT Russ Andrews way.
 
We'll make a knifemaker out of that Andrews guy yet. ;) :D



Nice review, Roger. Of course, nice knife, Russ. :)
 
Nice review, Roger, and what a well-designed, straightforward piece as Matt says. Looks like a great blade profile and handle design integrated into a chopper that will take care of your field work for a good spell. Now we need dead animal content, as Joe would say. :thumbup: :D
 
I like that design - very nice, purpose built knife, of course bearing Russ' famously clean execution. Great review as well Roger - thanks for sharing your thoughts.
 
yeah that knife looks damn fun:thumbup:!
 
Danbo said:
We'll make a knifemaker out of that Andrews guy yet. :)
Click to expand...

Maybe....one day...;-)

This was a good field test...and valuable feedback....

As Roger noted earlier, This was based on a Philippine piece...with some

more western touches. I mostly just worked it down till it fealt right.

Once it was together, I checked it out on a variety of stuff, adjusting edge geometry

and grip...with the last test being well seasoned Osage.

Many thanks,Roger.....

and for the comments, guys.
 
Great review Roger! Excellent knife Russ...!!! Fun and informative following this thread..... :thumbup:
 
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