RyanW SPK Passaround WIP

[JParanee]

Guys, I am up next I believe but I sit here very depressed. I have been catching a very nice buck on camera the last few weeks and just had no time to hunt him. Yesterday I got home late and since the wind was right I slipped into the woods with a climber on my back. I hadn't been in the tree an hour or so when he came slipping by me hot on a doe. He stopped at 30 yds with his head behind a bush and I saw my chance. I put the arrow right into his shoulder. Even though I seemed to get good penetration the blood was sparse. I waited 3 hrs and took up the trail only to back out and wait for light. Well after looking all day I'm heart broken and truly saddened to have not recovered this deer.

I have hunted deer my whole life and this is the second Buck I have ever lost. The first time it really messed with me and this time it is worse.

I am very excited to be involved with this pass around but it is very bitter sweet for me because unless I recover this buck I doubt I will be shooting another one this year.

I will find something to test the knife on but right now I'm very upset.

 

[Grayzer86]

As a fellow bowhunter i feel your pain. One thing i was told a long time ago is to watch for birds for the next few days in that area. lots of times you will see vultures/crows/magpies etc fly away from or hover near the animal. Even if the meat is gone you may still find the horns at least.

 

[Codger_64]

It is a good thing, I think, that some states allow the use of dogs on lead to recover shot deer. It that possible there?

 

[RyanW]

Joe that is heartbreaking, I am sorry on many levels. It says a lot about your character!
Ryan

 

[JParanee]

It is a good thing, I think, that some states allow the use of dogs on lead to recover shot deer. It that possible there?

Codger

I have Dogos they track deer and have recovered many

I put them out and we had no luck

I don't believe he's dead

 

[JParanee]

Joe that is heartbreaking, I am sorry on many levels. It says a lot about your character!
Ryan

He deserved better than a shoulder shot that's for sure

I Suck

One way or the other I'm gonna stay on him

 

[mewolf1]

You can be sure that deer is running around yet. Buddy of mine shot a monster buck some years back, and when butchered found a broadhead stuck in his spine. The hide was healed over it!! There was no apperent sign the deer had anything wrong with it.
This morning my girl schmucked an 8point on the way to work. He was chasing a doe. She hit him goin 50; he spun on his back, got up, and continued his run. No blood, not even hair on the truck. It sucks to lose a deer like that; I understand, not for your sake, but the animals. Fact is the dern things are tough as nails when it comes right down to it. Don't beat yourself up too bad about it, you did the best you could/can.

Kent

 

[JParanee]

Thx Kent

 

[Mack]

Good luck Joe. I hope you find him nursing a small scratch instead of a large wound.
I really appreciate a hunter that takes it as seriously as you obviously do.

 

[JParanee]

I got it guys

Just came this morning while I was in the woods hunting

We did a quick sweep and push looking for the one I hit

I had a ton of deer mostly doe and small bucks with in bow range but not my big boy so I did not loose an arrow

Are early archery season ends Monday and we have no hunting on Sundays so I only have one more day to look for him and I'm not gonna shoot any other

I just unpacked it when I got out of the woods and had to run to meet an insurance adjuster on one of my buildings for a storm claim

So a quick impression is that it's a very nice knife just really dull

Ill be back

 

[JParanee]

I just found a minute to start enjoying this little gem of a knife

Ryan makes a very nice knife and this is the first piece of his that I have gotten to fondle and I am impressed.

The first thing I did was to put it on a Jewel Stik, and a very nice edge popped up with just a few passes and a back drag.

I sharpen free hand and i can tell Ryan definitely has a good grip on edge geometry because the edge came right up to a nice biting edge in short order.

I really would prefer if the blade was sharpened all the way down but that's just personal preference and maybe as I use it I will see the logic in not doing so.

The handle is smaller than I imagined it to be but I find the shape pleasant and I like the way it tapers in the center kinda wasp waisted and where my middle finger lies feels nice and indexes well.

I will be honest, I am a big fan of simple in lack of a better word paring type utility / skinning knives like the Jurassic B&T that Jason and I just did, but that is probably because when I was younger and really learned to skin and cape it was on a Ranch In Texas where my buddy who was a surgeon on critters when it came to skinning had cases of cheap paring knives we would use and throw out.

But I can immediately see how choking up on this blade and putting your pointer finger out on the ridges toward the tip would make for a very exacting tool and I like it. I am not a fan of very upset tips on a game knife but I can see how the generous belly would really be able to cover some ground when removing large animals skin and then just choke up an index the tip to do the more detailed work

So simple put this is just a knife I would have to get used to to get the most out of its designs and over the next few days I will see what I can do.

If my plan would have come to fruition I would of had this buck on the ground and hanging on my scale waiting for this knife to arrive. But as usual plans when it comes to big deer don't work out

I looked all day again for him and we saw no sign of him on the hoof when we did a push.

Ryan your work is very nice and I love the look of the blade.......from its shape to the etch it is quite the wicked little bugger

Thanks to all for involving me and let's see how the next couple days go with it

 

[JParanee]

I know there has been a lot of pics of this knife but it is very photogenic

I had kit out today with bow in hand and snapped a few pics

 

[Mack]

Those are some incredible pictures Joe. Thanks.

 

[JParanee]

Those are some incredible pictures Joe. Thanks.

Not bad for an I phone

The knife is very photo genic

 

[RyanW]

Glad it arrived safely Joe, and thanks for the photos. It looks like it is already taking on a patina and starting to tell a story! I really look forward to hearing how it performs for you.

 

[JParanee]

This knife is on its way to Codger and it saddened me to let it go

Ryan is a great maker that I can see many great things coming from him in the future. His fit and finish is very good and beyond that in a sea of knives his pieces stand out as his which is an accomplishment many makers never achieve.

His use of modern handle materials and his etched blade finishes combine an ancient and modern look that I truly dig

I see great things coming from him and I anxiously await the day we can work on something together.

As for his knife .......simple put I love it

As stated earlier I am used to a more paring shaped knife as a skinner etc. I wish I could of put this knife thru its paces actually caping and skinning an animal but alas I failed at harvesting my target animal and no doubt will not get a chance to put something down or at least one of my kids putting something down till later in the season.

I could easily see how I could get used to the upswept blade and by choking up on the blade I am sure detail work would be a pleasure.

What I do like about the knife is as follows

Handle shape

Blade shape

Finish

Serration on the spine of blade for when you choke up on it and different hand positions

Blade takes a keen edge quickly

What I don't like

Would prefer the blade was sharpened all the way down

On a handle this size I would like all one material (personal preference)

Although the sheath is very well made on blades this size I would prefer a horizontal sheath but again that is personal preference

Ryan Ill be watching you and thanks so much for including me

 

[RyanW]

Joe, Thank you so much for doing this. I am sorry for you not getting your deer, sounds like it has been a rough hunt for you this year. I hope things look up later in the season!

I really appreciate the kind words regarding my work, I value your opinion as a knife guy. You have worked with some of my favorite makers in the past and I would love nothing more than putting something together down the road with you. Just let me know when you are ready!

You summarized very well, the only thing I didn't catch is what you thought of the toothy Edge. I know you mentioned earlier that you liked a toothy edge. How did you feel about this one?

 

[JParanee]

Ryan when I recieved the knife it was rather dull from being used. Kent is having a much better year than me After a few swipes on the Jewel Stix it had a nice bite and the way I sent it to Codger is more than exceptable to me so yes I like a toothy edge

 

[Codger_64]

I am expecting at least one deer to come here this weekend and possibly more the coming week or two. I'll attempt to get my son to do the photos for me when the knife arrives and I get a chance to put it through it's paces. I sorta-kinda prepared for it by using the original Sharpfinger all the way through on this first buck of the season, with the exception of slicing the loins and hams for making jerky. I get much more consistant cuts by partially freezing the cleaned meat and running it through my electric meat slicer. My motto in preparing the meat is "if I see white, it isn't right". SO I go to a lot more trouble than any butcher I have known to remove all fat and connective tissue. On a full grown buck whitetail, that is a lot of detail work for one blade to do.

Thanks for the review Joe. I'll let you and Ryan know when the knife arrives.

 

[RyanW]

Thanks again Joe! I heard from Codger and the knife arrived safe and sound! He is the last in the passaround so he will be able to hang on to it as long as he needs to. It sounds like great things are to come from him. I really look forward to it.

I just finished up another custom order of one of these SPK's, the customer asked for a little bit longer handle, No Re-Curve, and fully sharpened.