The Fiddleback Duke Vs The KA-BAR

After that, we basically just screwed around a bit.

I thought this shot had some artistic value,
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Same stick, different angle,
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The Duke does feathers just fine,
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And here is my I-didn't-Tri-2-hard-Stick,
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That's about it for today!
 
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I've been wanting to post on this thread, but keep retracting for some reason...

A big KA-BAR is a great knife, I had a KA-BAR USMC as a kid, she's still in my chest of drawers with my Shrade Sharp Finger and first Scout Knife. Those things can take a beating and have some great "lines". but..... The Fiddleback Duke is a special animal! She's big enough to get big tasks done, but still has what it takes for detailed knife work. The Duke is a great all around knife... GREAT. One of my most used Fiddlebacks is a high grind 5/32" O1 Duke. Now, if you want to "beat on the pommel", I'm sure you could, and I'm sure she'd take it, but unless I was in a SHTF situation or on the AT with nothing but the minimum, I have tools that do those tasks better. For that purpose, I would consider Andy's production Camp Knife in 3V a better comparison to any larger KA-BAR. We'll I'm not sure I helped in this discussion in any way, but I hope you might look at the Camp Knife some time in the future and consider trying one!

-Will
 
I've been wanting to post on this thread, but keep retracting for some reason...

A big KA-BAR is a great knife, I had a KA-BAR USMC as a kid, she's still in my chest of drawers with my Shrade Sharp Finger and first Scout Knife. Those things can take a beating and have some great "lines". but..... The Fiddleback Duke is a special animal! She's big enough to get big tasks done, but still has what it takes for detailed knife work. The Duke is a great all around knife... GREAT. One of my most used Fiddlebacks is a high grind 5/32" O1 Duke. Now, if you want to "beat on the pommel", I'm sure you could, and I'm sure she'd take it, but unless I was in a SHTF situation or on the AT with nothing but the minimum, I have tools that do those tasks better. For that purpose, I would consider Andy's production Camp Knife in 3V a better comparison to any larger KA-BAR. We'll I'm not sure I helped in this discussion in any way, but I hope you might look at the Camp Knife some time in the future and consider trying one!

-Will


Post away Will!

The Camp knife has a lot of appeal.
The reason I opted to pit the Dike and the Ka-bar agianst each other comes from Andy. As he said he built the Duke as a direct replacement for his Ka-bars.

Flr the record, I'm not one to use a knife pommel to beat things or pound things. You are 100% correct. There are better tools for the job. Where I live rocks are plentiful. I can't begin to count how many tent/tarp stakes I have driven in with rocks of batons.

If the pommel of a knife was a great hammer. Estwing would buid its hammers with the handle coming straight off the head.

I just wanted to bust Andy's chops a bit, and that was the only glaring weak spot I could find on his knife.

You are also correct that in a emergency situation. The pommel on the Duke or the Camp Knife would surley see you through.

Some day, I may have a Camp Knife to pit against others. That would certainly be fun. But for now. It's "Run what ya Brung"

Thanks much for the input!
 
I guess it's about time for the;
***Fiddleback Forge Duke Vs KA-BAR Comparison Thread Disclaimer Notice and Legal Section.

***First off neither Fiddleback Forge nor KA-BAR have any responsibility for my actions in this thread. I don't condone useing these knifes, or any knife for that matter, in an unsafe manner, or in a way that the makers didn't design them for.

***Knives are sharp. Don't cut yourself.

***Any tree damage or fire damage will take place on private property, not public lands. Some private property owners may actually be notified prior to the damage occurring.

***Most of what you will see in this thread is Smoke and Mirrors. Much of it executed in Ma's Basement.

***At my discretion, I may lie, I may cheat, I may steal, I may do unscrupulous things. I may not show up at all, or for days even weeks at a time. And when I do, I may not do anything but drink. Don't believe anything I say, and very little of what I do. I am not here for your benefit. I'm here for mine. As long as we all understand that this should go well.

*** Sorry that last paragraph was from my application to run for Congress. But I figured I'd throw it in here anyway!

***I am not a Survival Expert and don't pretend to portray myself as one.
However, it should be noted. That as of October 13th, of this year, if I make it. I will have been sucessfully not dying for 59 years running. So I'm not a moron either.

***Some action, language and or discussion may possibly be politically incorrect, or of a sensitive possibly even abrasive nature. There may be blood, there may be meat, there may be alcohol. They may be combined in various interesting ways.

***If you are a snoflake, and I upset you.
Send me your address, and I will send you a tissue scented with Chamomile, and one sguare of Scott Bathroom Tissue personalized by me, as my way of apologizing for upsetting you delicate sensibilities.

***All work done with these blades in being done by a highly untrained procrastinator on a closed course. Trying to replicate them, could result in personal injury, angry wives, or husbands, empty bank accounts and damaged livers. So please be careful out there.

That should cover the generalities. If needed specific disclaimers will be attached as necessary.

Tally Ho!
 
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Nice post LV, I love your approach! With Andy it was the Ka-Bar, but for me it was another issue knife. The metal pommels combined with a metal ladle make a decent improvised mortar and pestle :)
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So far I see that both are capable woods knives. :D


That they are!

A big knife should be able to do "Big Knife Jobs". Kind of a no brainer. But there are always smaller more intricate things that need doing in and around camp.

Batoning and hacking is fun. But it uses a lot of energy.

There are days when I wish I was born in a different time. My Avatar reflects that as well. But maybe not even that far back. I have to believe after the Civil war up until the early 1900s up here in the Adirondacks must have been a pretty cool time to roam these woods.

Life was simpler. Today everything is so rushed. I have neighbors, that to be honest, I don't even know why they own a house. They are on the road from six AM until midnight. Work, kids, sports. Their two vehicles never stop.

I even see it creep into Bushcraft and woods roaming. Everything has got to be done right now. People even have contests to see who can get a fire going the fastest. Not the best, or the longest lasting, just the fastest. It's pervasive.

You have to charge into the woods with your knife and chop, hack, split, shave, and burn. Then head off to tomorrow's mission

I prefer a more relaxed approach. A deep breath even.

I like to think ahead as well. If I know I'm going to have a fire tomorrow night. Why not do some prep work tonight while I'm sitting around the fire sipping a cold one.

So last night while sitting around. I spent some time taking the Duke to task on smaller jobs.
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Not every fire has to consist of giant logs broken down by a knife. Sure it's fun sometimes. And I admit I enjoy doing it at times. But there is something to be said for a little forethought.
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The Duke as it arrived from Fiddleback does a fine job of making smaller curls. Remember it is a big knife. But it feels good and its balance is awesome. I think it could do better yet. It was used when I received it. I'm sure a good stropping would take it to the next level. But for now, it does a fine job.

While I was pretending to be working hard at camp chores. While my wife gatherd dry sticks from the forest floor. I noticed some of the blocks that were recently cut had a decent split running along them. I had an idea. Here is one and a shot of the sheath that comes with the Duke Pro.
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That block and its friends were attached to a tree last week. It was about twenty feet up. A branch that took off on its own. Trying to reach the sun. It must have lost the race. The last storm did its magic and brought it down for this post. How cool is that?? Been dead for a while, no bark and standing dead dry. Beautiful!

Ok, this part is going to bet a bit more technical. So pay close attention. Most of this woods stuff is extremely difficult and should only be attempted by a high tuned professional. Take three pieces lf wood, and tie them together.
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I realize that is a lot to absorb. But this woods living is complicated.

Then, and this is another important step. Take a nice picture of Andy's knife. So he lets you keep it for another week.
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Make note of the small triangular gap in the center of the logs. You need a gap there for some air flow. I figured the cracks would help the process along.

There are a lot of ways to do this. I have done it with just twine. Sometimes it stands, sometimes not. Snare wire or any wire that isn't coated works well too.

For today's little experiment. I took the KA-BAR and did a little excavating. I didn't dare throw "Fluffy" in the dirt. Because it's not my knife. I mean it thinks it's a Duke. Royalty doesn't dig holes. At least not today. The digging was easy. More loosening with the Knife and scooping with the hands.
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I buried it about three inches. Just enough to keep it from tipping over. While the Ka-bar and I were doing the dirt work. Fluffy the Duke readied the top. Shaving some more, cutting twine into three inch pieces, slicing a few small strips of birch bark, and "Fluffing" some twine. Somebody has to do the cushy gigs.

As you can see, this is all complicated work. It takes a vast amount of intoxication.
 
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Here is an aerial view taken from the Viking Drone. With the Duke out of way. Just so you can see how much work I actually put into this.
Just pile some twigs and shavings on top. Shove a few down that space in between the blocks. But don't cram them in there, air space is good.

We want air flow for this.
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Strike ferro rod into fluffed twine and off we go. I absolutely love one strike fires!
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I highly recommend you have some small dry kindling in reserve. You may need it, you may not. But it's better to be looking at it, than looking for it.
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Soon enough, it looks like this.
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If necessary, add your reserve to keep a small fire going on top for a while.

It will die down a bit. Don't panic. Just slowly feed the smaller fuel towards the center gap. You can see the red coals already developing.

It doesn't look overly impressive at this point. But there is massive amounts of heat. I'd say roughly 300-400 degrees based on the hand over the fire count of five.
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Things are going great. It took right off. You fed in your extra kindling and got more flame. Things are rockin'.
Feeling pretty bright aren't ya?


Right about then, this happens,
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Crap!
Now what.
You fed in all your wood and this thing went out like someone flipped a light switch. Poof, no flame, no fire, just smoke.

What is a skilled woodsman to do??

That's right. Have a beer! It's all good. We are not in a hurry. Relax, enjoy that cold one.

As you're sitting there sipping your beverage of choice. Suddenly up springs a small flame.
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That tiny flame tells us were are over the hump. We have entered the maintenance free fire zone.
Another shot from the Viking Drone confirms this.
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Andy, you'll receive a seperate invoice for the Drone rental. It wasn't cheap. But I feel it makes the story. Sort of like the surfing scene in "Apocalypse Now" it needed to be in there.
 
These fires are great for cooking, or just hanging out. They use a miserly amout of wood for the heat and light you get.

It's sort of difficult to tell. But I didn't spend a lot of time evening up the top of the logs. I wasn't planning on cooking on this one so it didn't really mater. You can cut them evenly with a saw. Or you can dig one section a little lower if need be. These work estremely well with cast iron. Pot stand built right into your fire.

Woods roaming is thirsty work. Better have another.
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Alright, it's "Full Disclosure Time"

It wasn't exactly maintenance free!

When it got to this point.
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I tipped the three pieces in towards the middle. Brutal,
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Another fun day in the Duke vs Ka-bar Face Off. Courtsey of Andy, Phillip, and Fiddleback Forge.

I can tell you, the handle on the Duke is really growing on me. It just fits so well in my hand.
 
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