The Ugly Stick

[Bladite]

Kinda grows on ya, doesn't it. Actually, it won't look quite so ugly in the final version. I worked on it some today, and I'll refine it more tomorrow.

By the time I'm finished, it will have a good sheath with a pouch, and I hope to incorporate a BK-13 into the sheath design.

Process wood? This baby will process wood like nobodies business, and help tend your fire, too (and help start it, for that matter).

Whether we ever see it for sale is up to Ethan and KA-BAR, of course. It may fly, then again, it may not. I don't think anyone is even going to give it a good look though, until sometime after the Blade show.

Incidentally, Blade starts next Friday, and there'll be wondrous new Beckers to drool over and buy then. Can't wait.

The Tweeners are coming!

that knife's so ugly, it up and uglified anything involved with it real good. the wood it chopped it ugly, the photochop is ugly, i mean, UGLY. wow.

ugly good
wood bad


Bladite

 

[MustardMan]

Lose the serrations and the elf choil, and I'd dig it.

It actually vaguely reminded me of a design I wanted to do - basically taking a Cold Steel Kukri Machete, and chopping off the pointy tip to make a more chisel / spatula point on it. I almost never use the point on my kukris, because I use them for chopping wood, not fighting people.

 

[dawsonbob]

that knife's so ugly, it up and uglified anything involved with it real good. the wood it chopped it ugly, the photochop is ugly, i mean, UGLY. wow.

ugly good
wood bad


Bladite

There's ugly, and then there's UGLY.

The National Committee of Uglification is using this knife as a poster child next year, and it may get voted Ugly of the Century at the next meeting.

It's so ugly that only its father could love it, and then only if he were blind.

So that's good, right?

I still want one.

 

[dawsonbob]

Lose the serrations and the elf choil, and I'd dig it.

It actually vaguely reminded me of a design I wanted to do - basically taking a Cold Steel Kukri Machete, and chopping off the pointy tip to make a more chisel / spatula point on it. I almost never use the point on my kukris, because I use them for chopping wood, not fighting people.

Wait till you see the modifications I'm working on: I think you'll like them.

 

[dawsonbob]

Okay, here are some modifications to this ugly, ugly thing.

As you can see, some things are the same, but some thing have changed. I did read everyone’s comments about the first version. Some I thought were very good ideas, and incorporated those (as much as possible). Other suggestions might have been good, but didn’t quite fit in to what I see this knife as being: that doesn’t mean I won’t use them on a different design, though.

I increased the length of the saw portion — both the one with regular saw teeth and the notched type — to 4 1/4 inches. That should be enough for the things most of us would use it for in the wilderness. If you’re wondering why I made the saw lower than the flat pounding/batoning edge, it’s because branches are round, and will fit right in there. Also, it helps keep a baton from hitting the teeth.

I eliminated the serration's on these. If needed, they can be reintroduced later.

The specs on these are still pretty much the same as on the first one. The blade is still 8 inches (a full inch shorter than the BK-9), but it’s now 2.5 inches wide (except for the very last one where I got silly: I haven’t measured that one yet), and it’s still 13.75 inches overall.

I don’t think I need to call out every little change on these — you’ll see ‘em.

All in all, these may be even uglier than the original.

Lemmeknow.

This one is just getting silly... isn't it?

 

[Bridgeman]

bout time. Who said you could take a break anyway?
one vote for mark1 ug1 (uglification no. 1)

Although...
I don't like that I will have to live with crooked arrows...
unless the thong hole can double.

 

[MustardMan]

I'd still lose the elf choil (I refuse to buy any knife with a sharpening choil larger than a sixteenth of an inch wide, and prefer no sharpening choil at all).

I also am curious about the sawbacks - 99% of sawbacks I've ever held were completely worthless. What kind of teeth would be put on these to make them more than an aesthetic gimmick? Ideally, double teeth, that cut on both the push and the pull, would be the best bet - something like the teeth on most folding survival saws.

 

[dawsonbob]

bout time. Who said you could take a break anyway?
one vote for mark1 ug1 (uglification no. 1)

Although...
I don't like that I will have to live with crooked arrows...
unless the thong hole can double.

Break? I was just attacking in a new direction.

Okay, okay, when you say the Mk1, does that mean the original (with all the callouts, or the first modification?

As far as the arrow straightener, sqoon pointed out that the lanyard hole would fulfill the same function, and I agree, so I took it out. Just another hole to drill, anyway.

 

[sqoon]

Now we're talking! I love 4 and 5. The saw still does make batoning much more of a hassle. If either of these were for sale, I would pay for #4.

 

[dawsonbob]

I'd still lose the elf choil (I refuse to buy any knife with a sharpening choil larger than a sixteenth of an inch wide, and prefer no sharpening choil at all).

I also am curious about the sawbacks - 99% of sawbacks I've ever held were completely worthless. What kind of teeth would be put on these to make them more than an aesthetic gimmick? Ideally, double teeth, that cut on both the push and the pull, would be the best bet - something like the teeth on most folding survival saws.

The little sharpening choil is on almost all Becker blades. Not only does it help eliminate a stress riser but, for me, it allows me to get my stone further toward the end. It's only 0.317385 wide, so I don't think it's a killer.

I pretty much agree with you about most sawback's: 99 percent of them are pretty useless. I don't do aesthetic gimmicks, though, so if I put something on a knife, it'll be the real deal: otherwise, I'll leave it off. What I'm seeing on this thing is a real (useful) saw that cuts on the pull stroke (like my Silky saw). The reason I like saws that cut on the pull stroke on knives is that there's less chance of having your hand slip forward onto the cutting edge of the blade. If this goes further down the line, I would have to discuss the exact type of saw with KA-BAR. Manufacturing considerations weigh heavily in a decision like this.

I like the double teeth too.

 

[Bridgeman]

I was thinking Mk1 = original

 

[dawsonbob]

Now we're talking! I love 4 and 5. The saw still does make batoning much more of a hassle. If either of these were for sale, I would pay for #4.

Actually, the saw shouldn't make batoning more difficult. I've purposely included a nice flat space toward the end of the blade, just for that purpose. It should be good for pounding on other stuff (tent stakes, etc.), and getting pounded upon (by a baton).

 

[dawsonbob]

I was thinking Mk1 = original

Gotcha.

 

[Switchblade61]

I like the second one from the bottom.
I would keep the original "arrow straightener hole" as well (doesn't hurt anything there, why not?).

 

[dawsonbob]

I like the second one from the bottom.
I would keep the original "arrow straightener hole" as well (doesn't hurt anything there, why not?).

Okay, that's a valid point. It doesn't cost that much to drill a hole.

Oh, and just so everyone knows, I do intend to etch a ruler on this thing. Just didn't get around to showing it.

 

[Raymond1000]

I can live with a pull-cut saw, though it seems less important here than on many fold out or slide out saws. This monster gives plenty of protection against your hand sliding forward on a push cut. With your hand unlikely to slide onto the blade, a pull-push cut saw is more efficient.

Are you planning to give the saw teeth a set? It plain works better when the kerf you cut is wider than the body of the saw.

As for etching a ruler onto the blade, make one side English and the other side metric. Personally, I’ve used English measures all my life. I have no plans to change. But including metric will improve Ethan’s chances of selling this thing internationally.

 

[dawsonbob]

I can live with a pull-cut saw, though it seems less important here than on many fold out or slide out saws. This monster gives plenty of protection against your hand sliding forward on a push cut. With your hand unlikely to slide onto the blade, a pull-push cut saw is more efficient.

Are you planning to give the saw teeth a set? It plain works better when the kerf you cut is wider than the body of the saw.

As for etching a ruler onto the blade, make one side English and the other side metric. Personally, I’ve used English measures all my life. I have no plans to change. But including metric will improve Ethan’s chances of selling this thing internationally.

Normally I would only use a pull cut saw on a knife for safety reasons but, you're right, a double cut actually makes more sense on this thing. It's stiff enough that the blade's not going to bend, and it would be pretty tough for a hand to slip forward on the Becker handle. Yes, I'd like to see the teeth set slightly; like everyone else, I hate binding in a kerf (which is, in my case, usually followed by some truly creative swearing).

Nowadays you pretty much have to put both standard American and Metric on things. We may use English measures, but the rest of the world doesn't, including the English.

 

[grlangr]

I like it



Bottle/can opener anyone? (yes I know....tacky)

Glad I read through the posts becore I said it also, Can opener. The only other thing would be having the sheath fold out into a portable kitchen sink foa all your campin' and survival needs , Really looks well thought out!

 

[dawsonbob]

Glad I read through the posts becore I said it also, Can opener. The only other thing would be having the sheath fold out into a portable kitchen sink foa all your campin' and survival needs , Really looks well thought out!

Well, meeting all your camping and survival needs is what this thing is all about. I should say almost all your camping and survival needs, because the can opener is out — maybe a bottle opener, but no can opener.

Also, sad to say, no sink. You have to use this thing to carve your own sink (c'mon... where's your spirit of adventure?). I do have a number of nifty things planned for the sheath but, alas, no sink.

 

[Bridgeman]

The little sharpening choil is on almost all Becker blades. Not only does it help eliminate a stress riser but, for me, it allows me to get my stone further toward the end. It's only 0.317385 wide, so I don't think it's a killer.

dawsonbob...
When it goes into production, ya might wanna ease up on the tolerance. The millionth of an inch might bump production costs.