Took the boys into the woods...

resinguy

resinguy

Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
14,607
Saturday afternoon was just a great spring day here. After finishing my major chore in the morning (taking down the outside Christmas lights ), I grabbed some toys and headed over to the local woodlot.

DSC02415.jpg


That is a stripped Ruck with a ghetto satin, CG FBM with a thinner edge, a FSH with an amazing Ban job - full convex to a shaving sharp zero edge, a Browning Crowell-Barker that had been originally tuned up by Jim Crowell, and the SAR 5.

DSC02416.jpg


DSC02417.jpg


DSC02421.jpg


The SAR 5 is certainly not a chopper, but I found that if you grip it with the thumb and forefinger around the forward rivet hole, you can get a decent snap cut. This knife was not shaving sharp, but I was planning to strip it and reprofile the edge anyway.

DSC02418.jpg


The FSH is really great. This sapling was about 1.75", and I was able to chop just shy of clear through. The Crowell-Barker was close in performance, but started with the handicap of not being as sharp as the FSH to begin with, and doesn't have the near mirror polish at the primary edge that Ban puts on his work.

DSC02419.jpg


But they were close. Both would chop clean through this branch as it was supported on the log.

I tried a little chop-off; first using the FBM to drop a 3.5" tree, cut it into a 5' section, then try to hold it down on the log while taking 10 chops with each knife in succession.

DSC02420.jpg


Based on this limited experiment, the three were roughly equal in terms of the wood cleared/depth of cut. The FSH was the most fluid, having that thinner polished edge, and was still shaving sharp after these minor exertions. But I was getting some pinky bite as I seemed to unconsciously choke back on the grip for more chopping power. Gloves and/or a lanyard in the forward rivet hole would help. The FBM was the least sharp of the three, and had the thickest edge profile, but held it's own here due to the greater mass. The Crowell-Barker is quite impressive for costing only 20 - 25% of the the Busse blades. I guess being designed by two Cutting Competition champions has some benefits. Once I get this sharper and give the edge some polish it will be even better.

I didn't see any deer this time, but the trails were full of tracks.

DSC02422.jpg


DSC02423.jpg


Last year in May I was wandering this same patch and scared up this guy and a buddy

DSC01805.jpg
 
great outing, with great pics. Good comparison of different blades, and makers. As soon as I saw that FHS I knew it must have been Bandalized. Just something about his work. I love it. You forgot to do some chopping pics and comparisons with the Ruck! Or maybe you did, and are just holding out on us.

I am jealous you scored a SAR too, great to see one out and about being used.
 
Man that FSH look MEAN! :eek: :D

Nice pics and write up... Thanks for sharing! :thumbup:

The pinky bite and choking back on the FSH is why the Mistress is it for me. :)



.
 
That looked like a lot of fun. If I remember right that FSH is only about .22 or so thick. It looks like it held its own despite the weight and length disadvantage. So I take it you like that polished edge ;)

That Barker/Crowell is a darn nice knife for the money. It is also more highly optimized in terms of geometry and balance than both of the Busses because it has a really thin tapered tang which brings its balance way forward. The reason you try to choke back on the FSH is to compensate for the more neutral balance compared to the other 2 blades. It doesn't feel like a effective chopper while swinging but can still move a good amount of wood. I am thinking about really tapering the heck out of my FABM and then fully encasing the tang with micarta to get that forward balance.
 
Awesome pics. The competition cutter did pretty well. Even though the the FSH has an awesome modded profile and edge and can be used as a great all around blade, I would love to see how a CG fbm with Ban's mods would do in the chopping. I have to imagine that gravity, more mass, and more forward balance would give the competitors a run for their money.
 
The lil' buck musta got away...I saw no blood.
Ah well ya can always get em in the fall....Legally:D
 
cool pics. i can't chop comfortably or effectively with a fusion handle unless i'm holding it as far up as i can. i would be a bit disappointed because of that if i had a FSH (though not if i had that one)
 
silverdragon33 said:
cool pics. i can't chop comfortably or effectively with a fusion handle unless i'm holding it as far up as i can. i would be a bit disappointed because of that if i had a FSH (though not if i had that one)
Click to expand...

Hmmm... I am the exact opposite. I can't chop worth a darn when I use the forward portion of the fusion handles. However, I can get some mighty good leverage when I choke back on the handle towards the rear talon hole.
 
Just convert them to straight handles and wrap some micarta slabs all the way around to cover up all of the tang and keep some width.
 
THE FSH is scary looking. Wow Ban!

the 1st pic it looks like the steel in Terminator 3. It looks like its moving and changing shape
 
Looks like it was a good outing. Where's the AK vs Ruck chopping comparison though? Inquiring minds want to know. :)
 
I have to agree that FSH with the Ban job is something else....can tell just from the reflection it casts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top