- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
- Messages
- 982
A tale of two very different small/med Busses: the Pork Shank and the somewhat maligned, and generally not appreciated, Sus Scrofa. (The P-Shank does not seem so much maligned as often overlooked).
After archiving Sus Scrofa threads and comments, I was pretty much amazed to see how it is not only almost universally unappreciated but almost mocked. It would seem that some even implied that No Regrets might not always be truth (gasp!).
I have had both in the past - loved them - and lost one and gave another to my father - and now replaced them. My original Scrofa was lost deep in the bowels of a technical slot canyon in S. Utah (Imlay for those who care about such things). Deep keeper potholes half-filled with putrid still-water can eat one's tools whilst swimming (thrashing) about laden with climbing and rappelling kit in one's attempts to escape. However, I refuse to carry a cheap, unreliable blade when they matter (ok, ever). The Bossman's original formal offering of the Sus Scrofa said something like its design being a proven favorite of chopper (presumably SAR and general emergency) crews. I carry it when I know I will need to cut rope, webbing, and other cordage in wet, sandy, muddy conditions (Imlay Canyon for one) for what I suspect are much the same reasons. That is to say, a hawksbill blade WORKS for that stuff. They cut cordage and webbing FAST, and they do so cleanly and under the worst conditions when other designs either fail or delay the often desperately needed result when one needs it done and done quickly. Sure, serrations on a "normal" blade help there, but one often has to "saw" back and forth to accomplish one's goal and of course they are miserable to sharpen. I might add that the ergos are awesome on the Scrofa, too. And the stock texture pattern gives great purchase under these types of adverse conditions (my lost Scrofa was the result of my failing to have properly leashed my knife to my harness - no grip and pattern is fool proof - lesson learned!).
As well, the hawksbill blade design is perfect for cutting most of what needs to be cut on a daily EDC type basis. They just slice wickedly good! I for one have found that one almost never needs an actual point on a knife (a point in the traditional sense of that found on a drop point, spear point, or clipped point, etc design). I mean, what do you actually stab on a daily basis? What I need is to cut, and for that the edge is what matters. Similarly I like a sheepsfoot and for the same reasons (I historically EDC'd a Randall Cattleman). With urban EDC at least, belly is of little use (to me). Now, skinning game - well, that is another story of course. As well, and not to be controversial or to start a martial arts thread, but the style of small blade fighting I was taught is largely based on slicing to the extended inner arm of the knife-hand on the advancing attacker whilst one is in tactical, responsive "retreat." The Scrofa with its hawksbill is perfect here, too. So, my Scrofa is my technical blade in the wilds, and one of two for urban EDC (the Pork Shank being the other).
Is it just its looks? Preconceived notions of what a knife should look like? I don't get it. Yeah, it is not perfect for everything, but it is perfect for what at least I do most.
The Shank covers the rest on an EDC basis (and is of course a great thruster in the "weak" hand).
What gives?
After archiving Sus Scrofa threads and comments, I was pretty much amazed to see how it is not only almost universally unappreciated but almost mocked. It would seem that some even implied that No Regrets might not always be truth (gasp!).
I have had both in the past - loved them - and lost one and gave another to my father - and now replaced them. My original Scrofa was lost deep in the bowels of a technical slot canyon in S. Utah (Imlay for those who care about such things). Deep keeper potholes half-filled with putrid still-water can eat one's tools whilst swimming (thrashing) about laden with climbing and rappelling kit in one's attempts to escape. However, I refuse to carry a cheap, unreliable blade when they matter (ok, ever). The Bossman's original formal offering of the Sus Scrofa said something like its design being a proven favorite of chopper (presumably SAR and general emergency) crews. I carry it when I know I will need to cut rope, webbing, and other cordage in wet, sandy, muddy conditions (Imlay Canyon for one) for what I suspect are much the same reasons. That is to say, a hawksbill blade WORKS for that stuff. They cut cordage and webbing FAST, and they do so cleanly and under the worst conditions when other designs either fail or delay the often desperately needed result when one needs it done and done quickly. Sure, serrations on a "normal" blade help there, but one often has to "saw" back and forth to accomplish one's goal and of course they are miserable to sharpen. I might add that the ergos are awesome on the Scrofa, too. And the stock texture pattern gives great purchase under these types of adverse conditions (my lost Scrofa was the result of my failing to have properly leashed my knife to my harness - no grip and pattern is fool proof - lesson learned!).
As well, the hawksbill blade design is perfect for cutting most of what needs to be cut on a daily EDC type basis. They just slice wickedly good! I for one have found that one almost never needs an actual point on a knife (a point in the traditional sense of that found on a drop point, spear point, or clipped point, etc design). I mean, what do you actually stab on a daily basis? What I need is to cut, and for that the edge is what matters. Similarly I like a sheepsfoot and for the same reasons (I historically EDC'd a Randall Cattleman). With urban EDC at least, belly is of little use (to me). Now, skinning game - well, that is another story of course. As well, and not to be controversial or to start a martial arts thread, but the style of small blade fighting I was taught is largely based on slicing to the extended inner arm of the knife-hand on the advancing attacker whilst one is in tactical, responsive "retreat." The Scrofa with its hawksbill is perfect here, too. So, my Scrofa is my technical blade in the wilds, and one of two for urban EDC (the Pork Shank being the other).
Is it just its looks? Preconceived notions of what a knife should look like? I don't get it. Yeah, it is not perfect for everything, but it is perfect for what at least I do most.
The Shank covers the rest on an EDC basis (and is of course a great thruster in the "weak" hand).
What gives?
)
