Spyderco Rock Salt VS. Forager - any advice?

rld3

rld3

Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Messages
9
Hi,

I've been debating for a while about these two knives, They both seem great for camping and outdoor work. I would appreciate any advice on which you think is the better of the two. I want a useful blade that can really take a beating.

Thanks in advance for any advice or recommendations.
 
They are both great knives. I own the dayhiker and it is a good all around type camp and hunting knife. The rock salt looks pretty sweet but you will pay more for it then the day hiker as it is a bigger blade and made out of H1(which wont rust even in salt water), so if you live near an ocean go with the rock salt. If you live, or camp mostly in the woods, go with the day hiker. I think you will be happy with either one!
 
Thank you very much for your reply. I live relatively close to the ocean, but I camp in the mountains. I ended up going with the Woodlander, the length seems perfect for the woods and campsite. I'll let you know what I think. Once again thanks for taking the time to reply.

Sincerly,

RLD3
 
Let us know what you think of the Woodlander.

I am up in the air as to what to think of mine. The blade seems OK, but the handle length is a bit annoying at times. The handle length may grow on me as I use it, though.
 
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The Woodlander should arrive tomorrow. I'll take it out right away and start chopping. I'll try and post pics and do a review. I'll keep you posted.

Take care.
 
I would love to know the answer to your original question! :D

I look forward to your review, rld3. :cool:
 
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Sorry it took so long to post a review. I started traveling the same day the knife arrived. But I have been back for a week and I'm posting the following review. Any feedback is appreciated.

The Spyderco Woodlander is a well-balanced knife designed for chopping. I am very impressed with the sweep of the blade, the blade material, and the way it chops - especially well for 6" blade. This is a beautiful and functional knife. I tested it right out of the box by cutting through some 3” green logs that were drying for the fireplace as well as put it through the ropes cutting and peeling fruits and vegetables, and finally cutting cardboard boxes.

The knife excelled at chopping through wood. It bites in deep and makes very effective cuts. It is not as effective as an axe or my 10” Kershaw Outcast, but it is extremely effective for its size – and if I wanted to carry and use my axe or my 10” Kershaw Outcast then I wouldn’t have bought the Woodlander ☺. I can only imagine how great a chopper it’s sister knife the Forester with a 7” blade must be.

As I stated, the Woodlander is designed for chopping, but it is a great batoning knife. It also sliced through sheet after sheet of heavy duty cardboard with no problem. It didn't do the greatest job cutting onions, apples, and carrots, but I guess you can’t have it all.

Overall I’m very pleased with the weight, the blade strength, the size and the craftsmanship.

I have two concerns however - the handle and the sheath. The blade handle is really long. This is necessary for a chopper so that one can have a good grip. I have very large hands so this works well for me, but IMHO I would have also liked the handle to have a more pronounced curve to allow for more comfort while chopping. The other concern is the scabbard/sheath. The sheath is a Boltaron sheath which is very sturdy and has a five-position removable TekLock® fastener. But, since the handle is so long, I couldn't find a comfortable carry position even with all of the pre-drilled holes and mounting options. I prefer to wear my longer fixed blades further down on my hip as opposed to high on my belt like a side arm.

The most comfortable carry position with the included mounting options was a tip up position, which made me nervous even with the secure sheath. I’m not confident that it would stay in the sheath as I move through heavy brush. I ended up drilling additional holes to mount the blade in a "handle up" position.

Also, the Micarta handle although very durable and attractive, immediately shows signs of wear when it’s placed into and removed from the sheath. It is a very tight fit and rests securely in the sheath. Applying slight thumb pressure to the sheath and pulling on the blade handle remove it quite nicely. It’s functional, but I will most likely purchase or make a sheath more to my needs.

KnifeCenter.com had a great price and shipped it fast. I’m happy with my purchase and I plan to take the Woodlander on all of my backpacking and camping forays.

I took a series of photos, check them out at flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/41283515@N07/sets/72157621864583571/
 
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