Hurrul
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2017
- Messages
- 1,267
I’m not particularly skillful at naming objects (David asked me to put a moniker to this sharp unit), but in honor of the woods and mountains I love, I thought perhaps Sylvan was good enough. Also, one of my favorite authors, J.R.R Tolkien, populated part of his cosmological literary creation with a group of forest dwelling Elves (Sylvin Elves) whose woods craft was unmatched by most Middle Earth denizens.
Also, Green Lightening, because the 1st one of these that David made was named Blue Lightening.
Anyway, this blade is (in my opinion) outstanding. I was looking for an experiment, to test a blade that hit with some weight, but was faster at the point than what I typically use (BF maker Bill Siegle Recurve Camp):
I’m not comparing the two, to claim one is better than the other as they are both different enough - David’s knife is balanced to favor speed; Bill’s is a 1/4” stock beast while the Sylvan Camp is 3/16” and AEB-L instead of 5160. Primary bevels on David’s is a flatfish-vex tapering to a lean secondary edge, while Bill’s is a full flat primary down to a thick V secondary (quite tank like). Nor am I going to replace or get rid of my multiple Siegle blades - they are dear to me, but change can be nice sometimes...
However, in the month I’ve had David’s piece, I’ve been tramping around the woods and hills, chopping, prying and searching for fat/pitch wood, processing wood and other material for my backyard fire and set up, laying up some material for another bow drill - friction fire kit - this thing has been so, so fun.
Photos below, are showing deep bites in greenish wood. Even if a bit green and softer, the 3/16” thick bites deep and is a pleasure to use as it has a very well shaped handle - easy to hold onto, no hot spots thus far. It bites just as nice as the Fiddleback Mid-tech machete with it's 3/32" stock.
No sweat on some causal seasoned wood, too.
For me, this my 1st chopper in a non-tool steel (5160, 1084, 1075, 80cRv2, 1095, L6) and thus far, no complaints about AEB-L in it's seeming ability to withstand deformity during hard impacts.
Glamour shots:
Great work and design, David - thanks for making it. Probably, going to have to get another....because, big blades that perform are just too fun.
![xCsmEpBl.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/xCsmEpBl.jpg)
Also, Green Lightening, because the 1st one of these that David made was named Blue Lightening.
Anyway, this blade is (in my opinion) outstanding. I was looking for an experiment, to test a blade that hit with some weight, but was faster at the point than what I typically use (BF maker Bill Siegle Recurve Camp):
![wKvNv3Kl.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/wKvNv3Kl.jpg)
I’m not comparing the two, to claim one is better than the other as they are both different enough - David’s knife is balanced to favor speed; Bill’s is a 1/4” stock beast while the Sylvan Camp is 3/16” and AEB-L instead of 5160. Primary bevels on David’s is a flatfish-vex tapering to a lean secondary edge, while Bill’s is a full flat primary down to a thick V secondary (quite tank like). Nor am I going to replace or get rid of my multiple Siegle blades - they are dear to me, but change can be nice sometimes...
![hLETkj5l.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/hLETkj5l.jpg)
However, in the month I’ve had David’s piece, I’ve been tramping around the woods and hills, chopping, prying and searching for fat/pitch wood, processing wood and other material for my backyard fire and set up, laying up some material for another bow drill - friction fire kit - this thing has been so, so fun.
Photos below, are showing deep bites in greenish wood. Even if a bit green and softer, the 3/16” thick bites deep and is a pleasure to use as it has a very well shaped handle - easy to hold onto, no hot spots thus far. It bites just as nice as the Fiddleback Mid-tech machete with it's 3/32" stock.
![sZzqOldl.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/sZzqOldl.jpg)
![2gLQTaYl.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/2gLQTaYl.jpg)
![wyZ5Y1ol.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/wyZ5Y1ol.jpg)
No sweat on some causal seasoned wood, too.
![UM6kedwl.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/UM6kedwl.jpg)
For me, this my 1st chopper in a non-tool steel (5160, 1084, 1075, 80cRv2, 1095, L6) and thus far, no complaints about AEB-L in it's seeming ability to withstand deformity during hard impacts.
Glamour shots:
![ychk0lPl.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/ychk0lPl.jpg)
![jcApejsl.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/jcApejsl.jpg)
![jIUNhdMl.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/jIUNhdMl.jpg)
Great work and design, David - thanks for making it. Probably, going to have to get another....because, big blades that perform are just too fun.