The Handmade Hollow Handle Survival Knife

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AV8R

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This subject has been beaten to death over the years, but I like these knives and have always had a slightly different take on what are considered their "worst" attributes. Sawteeth, round handles, blade / handle joint, usefulness of the handle cavity.

Sawteeth - when done right for a specific application, they are a good thing to have. Original Randall 18 teeth were for cutting your way out of a chopper. I would think, if you're stuck in one and have to self-rescue, better than nothing. Teeth like on these Timberlines make really short work going through wood. Notching, cutting, shaving, making tinder, it could be done with the blade, but using the sawteeth saves the blade edge and expends a lot less energy. Do the sawteeth weaken the blade spine? Yes. You gonna bust that blade anyway? No.

Round handle - lots of old Randalls, Scagels, classic knives were round handle. When you index your thumb over the guard, the knife comes right into position and there is no hot spot in your palm. Over extended use, I find the round handle less damaging to my hand. Grab a flat handled knife and then a round handle, flat feels better. Use it all day, round handle leaves your hand in better shape. Hammers are oval handle, basically round with the ability to index. Ever use a flat handled hammer all day? No.

Blade / handle joint - Timberline. Neeley. Sanders. These knives are not coming apart or working loose. Is a full tang Busse better as a ladder rung ot to use as a trailer hitch? Absolutely, and that would be a consideration if you are going to use it to tow your boat. Is the Timberline blade / handle joint stronger than a Randall 25 or the typical classic mastersmith style bowie (that nobody worries about)? It absolutely is and there is no question about it. The blade would have to break first. This point of strength is not a consideration.

Handle cavity - I treat it as if the knife / sheath is all I have. Fish hooks, water tablets, aspirin, metal match, tinder, compass. Ever leave your pack in the vestibule of your tent and have it gone in the AM? Neither have I, but I know those who have had it happen. Do you unbuckle your pack crossing rivers? I hope so. Will I ever lose my pack? No, don't think so, but the knife stays on me. Next to me at night, on me in the river (haven't had to do that yet).

Anyway, I view these knives in the "jack of all trades" category. Not perfect for any one thing, but pretty damn good at lots of stuff. That's what a survival knife is, in my opinion. Good weapon, catch a frog, notch some wood, got a compass, aspirin for your heart attack, drink a little water, make a fire, look cool, have a little fun with it. All comments welcome,

Pete
 

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Good post. I've been thinking a Neeley might be a good addition to my Randall 18's and 14's. Vaughn makes a super nice HH knife. They're definitely not for everyone, but the saw teeth do work. Now the decision comes down to blade length...
 
Jerry:

The SE, 6 3/8 or something like that, is perfect. It's the middle one in my pic. The SB is good, too. I like the mid-length the best. These are great knives. They're 440C, which I think is the most under-rated steel out there.
 
That seems like a good compromise. The 7.5" is a big knife. Are the Neeleys flat ground?
 
Personally, I love the concept of a solid, well made HH knife! For all of the comments that have come before about breakage, handle/blade failure, and other misc. problems, stem from inferior made (I make no comment as to the origin of said knives) product. There is a small maker (actually, a team effort from a father and his 2 sons), just outside of Dallas, TX, that backs their HH knives 100% and have had many orders and rave review from many of our service men and women that are and were across the pond in the sandbox. While I do own one of their fine knives (their bushcraft/tactical model), I have not had the chance to pick up one of the HH knives. It IS on my bucket list as I cannot wait to get back behind the HH and have some wooded fun with what is, in my humble opinion, a fixed blade SAK on crack!

DD
 
Neeley and Timberline are hollow ground. That's one more thing I like about them. Kind of a shallow hollow grind. I was thinking the same as posted above, kind of a fixed blade SAK. On steroids.
 
discdoggin said:
Personally, I love the concept of a solid, well made HH knife! For all of the comments that have come before about breakage, handle/blade failure, and other misc. problems, stem from inferior made (I make no comment as to the origin of said knives) product. There is a small maker (actually, a team effort from a father and his 2 sons), just outside of Dallas, TX, that backs their HH knives 100% and have had many orders and rave review from many of our service men and women that are and were across the pond in the sandbox. While I do own one of their fine knives (their bushcraft/tactical model), I have not had the chance to pick up one of the HH knives. It IS on my bucket list as I cannot wait to get back behind the HH and have some wooded fun with what is, in my humble opinion, a fixed blade SAK on crack!

DD
Click to expand...

Are there knives forged or stock removal ?
Can you post any pics ? Thanks in advance

Frank
 
Frank.......

I'm pretty sure that the discdoggins is referring to the same family as mentioned by Buffalohump and they are stock removal....
 
Check out one of my HH knives on Arizonea Custom Knives. I came up with this design for my son to have with him, at all times, in the Boundary Waters on the Canadian border. This particular one has a scandi grind, I think.
 
Hello,

Just won a handmade hollow handled survival knife on Ebay. The knife has J.W.B initials on its tang. After researching and researching, I finally came across some handmade boot knives with the same initials and written the same way. Apparently the knife maker's name is John W. Budgen and he is from Murray, KY. The knife is old but only cosmetically. When I get it i plan to either Duracoat the blade with Black Oxide color, bead blast the blade, or even both. I am also going to put new 550 lb military grade para cord wrap on the handle. The blade is made with either A2 or D2 tool steel. Being that it was made in 1985 and in Kentucky, I am guessing that it is made with A2 steel. the knife looks to be solid and extremely well made.

Judging by the quality of the knife and the date it was made, I believe that once I get it and re-finish the blade, re-wrap the handle, and add a high quality handmade leather sheath to it which I just happen to have that will fit it, I am guessing the knife then will be worth 3 times what I paid for it at least. However, it will Not be sold. It is the rarest handmade USA knife that I have ever come across. There is just 1 of these apparently that was made by this guy. I am trying to find a way to contact him to try and get a Certificate Of Authenticity along with a brief description letter of what materials were used in making the knife. I know the blade is either A2 or D2 steel, and I am betting the hollow handle is a knurled high end stainless steel such as 316 or 304. Maybe it too is D2 steel. the guard looks to be stainless steel as well as the end cap.

If you have any info whatsoever on this knife or the guy that made it (if you know of him that is), please send me a reply message. Thanks!
 
Round handle - lots of old Randalls, Scagels, classic knives were round handle. When you index your thumb over the guard, the knife comes right into position and there is no hot spot in your palm. Over extended use, I find the round handle less damaging to my hand. Grab a flat handled knife and then a round handle, flat feels better. Use it all day, round handle leaves your hand in better shape. Hammers are oval handle, basically round with the ability to index. Ever use a flat handled hammer all day? No.
Click to expand...

Are you comparing a round handle to all other shapes or a round handle to a "flat" handle?

Is there a hollow handle knife with an "oval" handle? Don't see why it could not be done.

I fell into a Garcia "Survival Knife" by Hackman, and the blade-handle attachment is a massive nut (and washer) over a 7/16"' diameter threaded tang. I guess I could break it if I tried hard. Reportedly Bill Moran liked it.
 
check out this one
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/992474-Survival-integral-knife-WIP-(finalized)
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greetings
fernando
 
Hello all! Well I got my handmade JWB hollow handle survival knife that I had won on Ebay. The Seller told me that the only thing wrong with the knife was the blade was really tarnished and had rust spots on it. This was due to the knife being made back in 1985 and having some use and then just being stored up! To me, it is a very rare knife because I did locate the maker and he belongs to the Knife Guild Assoc and knew Jimmy Lile (they were friends, he said, and Lile actually got him into the Knife Guild Assoc). Anyway, I was very shocked and upset when the knife arrived, especially after winning it for nearly $200. When I opened the box, I noticed the handle being loose and also the guard rattling away. The handle actually just screwed right off, LOL! Right away I opted to start an Ebay Dispute with the seller, who offered No Returns, No Refunds.

The Seller ( a very dishonest, rude person) and I bickered back and fourth a bit. But this little voice in my head that I call God, as I am a Believer in Christ, kept whispering to me, "Keep this knife! You can fix it! It is well worth it!" Well, I decided to listen to that voice because in the past when I didn't, I always paid for it.

And so, I messaged the Seller (who is still very unappreciative of my helpful decision to this day. You see, I hate having to ask for refunds and all. I know that people must need money or they wouldn't be selling items or trying to screw others). Still, I kept the knife and after locating the maker of it, which was by shear luck because the knife was made in 1985, I got some suggestions from him on how to fix it. Plus I have a good friend who is a knife maker and has taught me so much!

Well, that decision surely paid off because today I went to the hardware store and got everything I needed to try and repair the knife. I did that, and low and behold, it is now fixed! There are no movements whatsoever from the guard or the handle. I also got some sandpaper and cheaners and polishers to work on the badly tarnished blade . The whole amount of supplies cost me roughly $98 but I thought that is well worth it if I can fix this once-awesome knife. While I was there and had the handle screwed onto the blade to match the hardware I needed, a man approached me and said he was a knife collector. He asked me if he could see the knife in my hand. I allowed him to and he held it and looked at it. And right away, right there, the guy offered me $400 for the knife. I refused it and then he made another offer of $525. Feeling really spiffy and proud of owning it, I just told him it wasn't for sale!

He gave me his card and made me promise that if I ever wanted to or needed to sell it, to please call him first before anyone! Anyway, I got home and fastened everything together permanently, and now the knife really Is a high quality knife and not a junk-looking knife like the guy thought he sent to me. I cleaned the blade and got all of the deep tarnish and gunk off of it. Then I polished it with Flitz polish, sharpened the knife, and now it is Immaculate for the most part. I still want to polish the blade a little more but that is mainly a want and not a have to. The knife is just absolutely Beautiful now!

Now, here is the guy that made this awesome knife. His name is John W. Budgen and he resides in Murray, Kentucky. He said that he only made 10 knives like I have and one of them almost cost him his life. he said that he'd just sharpendd it and then went to wrap the handle. he dropped it and it was so sharp that it hit his leg and severed his femiril artery. The hospital was like 10 blocks away and he said he almost bled to death getting there. No, the one I have is Not the one that almost killed him. I asked him right away, LOL!

Now, here are the materials he used to make the knife I have now: He used Brown And Sharp 01 tool steel for the blade and the handle guard. the handle, he said, is knurled steel also, probably 01 or maybe even 440C stainless steel. I actually think it is steel because the knife is rather heavy for its size. Anyway, the handle is wrapped with cord but it doesn't appear to be para cord. That might be my next project.

I now have what I thought I had bought to begin with; an awesome high quality handmade very rare (not extremely rare, but I say very rare because he only made 10 like the one I have) super sharp survival knife made in the Good Ole USA!

This knife is definitely a keepsake and when I croak, someone in my family or on my best friends' list will inherit it, providing of course they don't abuse it nor sell it!
Well, that's my story for today! Tune in tomorrow when we hear John Rambo say, "Live for nothing or die for something...Your Call!
 
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