Swamp Rat and SYKCO Chat

[Hard Knocks]

The grind on that 911 looks much better than my 711 when I stripped it. Looks like you've got a winner there

 

[bikerector]

The grind on that 911 looks much better than my 711 when I stripped it. Looks like you've got a winner there

The 911 is probably the best edge I've gotten in a busse kin with exception to the ratweiler I got from Uncle Timbo which was already stripped and had some time investment into. The rest needed some love, mostly the love for shipping knives with edges suited for a froe, not a knife. Actually was impressed how sharp they got the RMD even with what looked like a bevel angle like that of a steel desk corner (destroyer of thighs).

 

[Uncle Timbo]

The 911 is probably the best edge I've gotten in a busse kin with exception to the ratweiler I got from Uncle Timbo which was already stripped and had some time investment into. The rest needed some love, mostly the love for shipping knives with edges suited for a froe, not a knife. Actually was impressed how sharp they got the RMD even with what looked like a bevel angle like that of a steel desk corner (destroyer of thighs).

Yea, I've been able to work a few pocket knives as far as sharpening goes. I can't tackle anything big what with only one chicken wing. You can't do a lot of nothing. Heck fire, xan't even carve a punkin.
Has the 911 ever carved a punkin up?

 

[inkynate]

Thanks for the posts bikerector , please share as much as you want!

I'd love to be out doing similar work in our woods more often, but have been a bit hamstrung by some injuries (better now) and just a lack of time with work, kids, etc... Chopped a lot of yard debris recently. Mulch the smaller stuff, larger branches sectioned and batoned for firewood.

I don't have the 911, but I do have the 1111 and 1311. Great blades.

Actually forget which one this is, old pic:

Old collection pic:

(Still have all of them, they're just more used now, and I also a few more. )

 

[bikerector]

Yea, I've been able to work a few pocket knives as far as sharpening goes. I can't tackle anything big what with only one chicken wing. You can't do a lot of nothing. Heck fire, xan't even carve a punkin.
Has the 911 ever carved a punkin up?

There's a big problem with that, I own a 911 but not a pumpkin.

Just finished sharpening it up and have some nice green cedar logs from a tree that was toppled over so now I need to figure out what to carve into. Thinking there may be a baby name getting carved into a plank soon... just need to decide what that name's gonna be. 911 will be used to size it down and rough it into the plank, clean it up with the RMD or 311, or both probably, and then get out the carving tools. Luckily I have a whole tree worth of logs so I can practice.

 

[bikerector]

Thanks for the posts bikerector , please share as much as you want!

I'd love to be out doing similar work in our woods more often, but have been a bit hamstrung by some injuries (better now) and just a lack of time with work, kids, etc... Chopped a lot of yard debris recently. Mulch the smaller stuff, larger branches sectioned and batoned for firewood.

I don't have the 911, but I do have the 1111 and 1311. Great blades.

Actually forget which one this is, old pic:

Old collection pic:

(Still have all of them, they're just more used now, and I also a few more. )

I can think of a few of those blades I'ld love to try sinking into a tree or 10. Nice collection.

I think a 1311 would be fun to have but at some point I should be getting my condor golok back from a makeover and want to see how that compares for the bigger, non-machete blade. It worked well before but the handle broke. I've gone through a few of condor's wood handles and how I came searching for bigger busse kin... it's worked out in my favor. Waiting for the makeover is like waiting for a busse... except the busse's have been arriving faster.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

There's a big problem with that, I own a 911 but not a pumpkin.

Just finished sharpening it up and have some nice green cedar logs from a tree that was toppled over so now I need to figure out what to carve into. Thinking there may be a baby name getting carved into a plank soon... just need to decide what that name's gonna be. 911 will be used to size it down and rough it into the plank, clean it up with the RMD or 311, or both probably, and then get out the carving tools. Luckily I have a whole tree worth of logs so I can practice.

BE - if I understand you correctly...congratulations! Is this y'alls 1st? 2nd? 3rd? 4th? ???

 

[inkynate]

bikerector ,

The 1311 is a beast, but since I have the Boom Parang I can understand the appeal of a jazzed up Condor Golok too.

Since I'm in pic mode...

I think of the BP as an honorary Swamp Rat for some reason, (as well as the SOS, for more obvivous reasons).

Oh and congrats! If it's your 1st, prepare to kiss all your free time goodbye, lol.

 

[bikerector]

BE - if I understand you correctly...congratulations! Is this y'alls 1st? 2nd? 3rd? 4th? ???

bikerector ,

The 1311 is a beast, but since I have the Boom Parang I can understand the appeal of a jazzed up Condor Golok too.

Since I'm in pic mode...

I think of the BP as an honorary Swamp Rat for some reason, (as well as the SOS, for more obvivous reasons).

Oh and congrats! If it's your 1st, prepare to kiss all your free time goodbye, lol.

1st. Going to be interesting as I still have a 1yr of grad school left and working full-time. Wife can be a bit crazy but she works with kids as a profession so hoping that helps. We both come from big families so we've at least been introduced to taking care of babies and she's used to not sleeping from her medical training. Not sure if knowing things is better or worse than the bliss of ignorance.

Unfortunately, the boy will have my genetics which means he will be a handful. Need to get into better shape to chase the bugger around. And get sturdier furniture; my brothers and I broke a lot of furniture.

 

[Hard Knocks]

1st. Going to be interesting as I still have a 1yr of grad school left and working full-time. Wife can be a bit crazy but she works with kids as a profession so hoping that helps. We both come from big families so we've at least been introduced to taking care of babies and she's used to not sleeping from her medical training. Not sure if knowing things is better or worse than the bliss of ignorance.

Unfortunately, the boy will have my genetics which means he will be a handful. Need to get into better shape to chase the bugger around. And get sturdier furniture; my brothers and I broke a lot of furniture.

Congratulations! Very good news that went right over my head earlier!

 

[bikerector]

Congratulations! Very good news that went right over my head earlier!

I tried to keep it subtle . Not quite as hard as a busse riddle but tried to sneak it in there so it wasn't super obvious.

We already got a hand-down backpack child carrier so he can enjoy some excursions after a bit. Probably will have to keep him away from the flinging blades and bushwacking for a bit but he'll at least get some outdoor exposure. Working on the bike side of too... good hills training, dragging a kid in a trailer up a hill. Also trying to figure out what age we should take him in the inflatable kayak (they're super convenient for someone without a truck) and when to do the swim training and all that. Probably have a year at least for most of it. Should be an interesting time, haven't really scheduled sleep in there anywhere but I'm told to not worry about it because I'm not going to get any of it anyway.

 

[bikerector]

 

[Uncle Timbo]

NICE FAMILY (of blades) you got there. And in a short amount of time.
Your entire family is growing!
Just think about all the, "firsts" like taking him fishing, hunting, etc.

 

[bikerector]

The wood from that log looks amazing inside. A nice, deep purple. Batoned a pair of planks with the 911 and smoothed out a little with the RMD. I'll have to size it down a little more throughout the week but should make a nice little name board. It's neat some of the things you can scavenge from the woods.

 

[bikerector]

Did a little chopping and hauling before the wife woke up this morning. Figured I would share my wood hauling setup as I'm pretty happy with how it turned out for a low-cost option. Makes it a little easier to get the bigger logs out of the woods so I can get them up to the splitting maul. Dry ash is a bloody bastard to split and battoning hasn't worked out the greatest from an effort to reward standpoint. I've kind of just started using the big pieces in the outdoors fire pit instead of splitting them because they suck so much to split. It's like trying to split wood impregnated with chicken wire.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Did a little chopping and hauling before the wife woke up this morning. Figured I would share my wood hauling setup as I'm pretty happy with how it turned out for a low-cost option. Makes it a little easier to get the bigger logs out of the woods so I can get them up to the splitting maul. Dry ash is a bloody bastard to split and battoning hasn't worked out the greatest from an effort to reward standpoint. I've kind of just started using the big pieces in the outdoors fire pit instead of splitting them because they suck so much to split. It's like trying to split wood impregnated with chicken wire.

BE, that is some purdy wood. It'll be interesting to see what you do with it.
As I sit here nursing this bum shoulder, I wish I had your woes with splitting the wood. The only thing I'm allowed to do is take my arm out of the sling 4 times a day, bend forward at the waist and allow my arm to rotate 10 times clockwise and 10 times counter clockwise.
Count your blessings. I wish I had my Infiweiler up there helping ya!
But seriously, enjoy yourself brother! Give them Rats all the wood they can eat!
LOVE the pics!

 

[bikerector]

There's a well priced, new ratweiler in the exchange this morning. The thread is closed for comments as the BF member only wants responses by email or PM it seems. It would be mine if I didn't have a busse of similar proportions on order.

I still think it's one of the most useful blade designs for the woods of all of the knives I have, paired with something smaller like a 3 fixed or folder. And it's a thin cut, which is also my preference.

 

[bikerector]

Somebody snagged that ratweiler up quick.

Thought I would throw out some quick pics of a big project I've been working on for a little over a year now with many of my excursions into the back woods and then with some free time. It's a big fugly but it's functional and mostly free.I had to buy some screws as I couldn't figure out proper lashing to hold it together as well as I liked. It was a lot of fun to make so that's worth something. The only thing left is to tie the seat sticks together with some tarred line.

The ratweiler, along with some other big knives as I trialed a lot of things out, an axe, and a saw did the majority of the work. Should be a nice spot to sip some coffee or beers when the weather gets nicer. I also get to test out some weather resistance of some different old-school wood treatments that I've never tried. Namely, mineral oil and/or boiled linseed oil. I also learned a bit about how much wood expands/contracts in the rain before and after treatment.

I have one more craft that I need to have finished up before Wednesday (wife's B-day) that is hinted at in some of the 911 pictures above.

 

[Andy the Aussie]

That is some nice work !

 

[Uncle Timbo]

I love the rustic look. Especially when a Busse family of knives was involved. Even better when it was my favorite...the Ratweiler.