- Joined
- Nov 27, 2004
- Messages
- 3,124
Hi all,
This morning, I returned from a weekend of hiking, trail clearing and maintenance, and landscape work. It was a blast, and I have some photos to share.
First, a group shot of sharp stuff: A JK Anniversary Knife (JK-AK), Becker (Camillus) BK-9, Koyote Bushcrafter Leuku, Leatherman Wave, and my ubiquitous EDC scandi.
Task # 1 was to get rid of this tree. It was planted years ago by someone who forgot that the house was already in the middle of the forest, and it looks completely out of place.
before:
after:
My JK-AK made short work of the tree, and sliced through 1" thick branches with such ease that I barely felt the cut. Awesome!.
An in-hand shot:
I used my BK-9 to clear away the rest of the stump. Sure, the JK-AK could handle it, but I didn't want to slip and hit a rock. As it turned out, I did strike a glancing blow at one point, and my BK-9 smacked right into a large rock that was just below the surface, resulting in some serious edge chipping (I would have been astonished if it didn't chip). Ten minutes with some slack belts on the sander had it back to a uniform, shaving sharp edge.
Task #2 was to cut a new path linking my usual hiking trails with my winter snowshoeing trail, and to start the (multi-weekend) process of converting the snowshoe trail into a year-round trail. For this, I brought my JK-AK, BK-9, and Leatherman. After a few hours, I decided that I really need to get a golok. The JK-AK took care of underbrush, branches, and other small-to-medium tasks, and the BK-9 came out for bigger jobs. Both knives performed admirably, but I think that a golok could have taken care of both kinds of task and doubled as a machete for serious bushwhacking. After half a day in the woods, the JK-AK was still able to shave hair with a bit of pressure. It has awesome edge retention and an incredibly comfortable grip. I think this will end up being my primary outdoors knife for the foreseeable future.
Special mention needs to go to my Leatherman Wave, and particularly its saw. I hauled this out frequently to cut through the stumps of small trees, leaving them flush to the ground. Despite being small, it chews through dense wood with ease. Can anyone recommend a good (larger) folding saw with a cross-cut edge similar to the Wave's? I'd like to add one to my kit.
Task # 3 was to mess around with the Koyote Bushcrafter Leuku passaround knife. It could have taken care of the above tasks, but I use the heck out of my working knives, and I didn't want to risk a chip or ding. Instead, I set out into the woods with the Bushcrafter and a cigar with a few hours of fun. I'll post some additional thoughts on this knife in the passaround thread, but for now, let me say that I was very impressed. It takes and holds a scary sharp convex edge, and the blade / handle configuration is perfect for bushcraft and food prep tasks. The sheath, by Koyote Girl, is also terrific.
In-hand shot:
Whittling pointy sticks (for survival sausages):
Notch-cutting for trap-making:
All things considered, it was a great weekend in the woods. The mosquitoes were fierce and persistent, despite my thorough DEET application. I had a bug suit, but opted not to put it on, as the scenery was just too beautiful to obscure with mesh. If I get West Nile, please feel free to tell me it's my own fault.
I managed to get in some good hiking as well, with a three-hour morning jaunt on the Bruce Trail on Saturday. Good times.
Thanks for looking!
- Mike
This morning, I returned from a weekend of hiking, trail clearing and maintenance, and landscape work. It was a blast, and I have some photos to share.
First, a group shot of sharp stuff: A JK Anniversary Knife (JK-AK), Becker (Camillus) BK-9, Koyote Bushcrafter Leuku, Leatherman Wave, and my ubiquitous EDC scandi.
Task # 1 was to get rid of this tree. It was planted years ago by someone who forgot that the house was already in the middle of the forest, and it looks completely out of place.
before:
after:
My JK-AK made short work of the tree, and sliced through 1" thick branches with such ease that I barely felt the cut. Awesome!.
An in-hand shot:
I used my BK-9 to clear away the rest of the stump. Sure, the JK-AK could handle it, but I didn't want to slip and hit a rock. As it turned out, I did strike a glancing blow at one point, and my BK-9 smacked right into a large rock that was just below the surface, resulting in some serious edge chipping (I would have been astonished if it didn't chip). Ten minutes with some slack belts on the sander had it back to a uniform, shaving sharp edge.
Task #2 was to cut a new path linking my usual hiking trails with my winter snowshoeing trail, and to start the (multi-weekend) process of converting the snowshoe trail into a year-round trail. For this, I brought my JK-AK, BK-9, and Leatherman. After a few hours, I decided that I really need to get a golok. The JK-AK took care of underbrush, branches, and other small-to-medium tasks, and the BK-9 came out for bigger jobs. Both knives performed admirably, but I think that a golok could have taken care of both kinds of task and doubled as a machete for serious bushwhacking. After half a day in the woods, the JK-AK was still able to shave hair with a bit of pressure. It has awesome edge retention and an incredibly comfortable grip. I think this will end up being my primary outdoors knife for the foreseeable future.
Special mention needs to go to my Leatherman Wave, and particularly its saw. I hauled this out frequently to cut through the stumps of small trees, leaving them flush to the ground. Despite being small, it chews through dense wood with ease. Can anyone recommend a good (larger) folding saw with a cross-cut edge similar to the Wave's? I'd like to add one to my kit.
Task # 3 was to mess around with the Koyote Bushcrafter Leuku passaround knife. It could have taken care of the above tasks, but I use the heck out of my working knives, and I didn't want to risk a chip or ding. Instead, I set out into the woods with the Bushcrafter and a cigar with a few hours of fun. I'll post some additional thoughts on this knife in the passaround thread, but for now, let me say that I was very impressed. It takes and holds a scary sharp convex edge, and the blade / handle configuration is perfect for bushcraft and food prep tasks. The sheath, by Koyote Girl, is also terrific.
In-hand shot:
Whittling pointy sticks (for survival sausages):
Notch-cutting for trap-making:
All things considered, it was a great weekend in the woods. The mosquitoes were fierce and persistent, despite my thorough DEET application. I had a bug suit, but opted not to put it on, as the scenery was just too beautiful to obscure with mesh. If I get West Nile, please feel free to tell me it's my own fault.
I managed to get in some good hiking as well, with a three-hour morning jaunt on the Bruce Trail on Saturday. Good times.Thanks for looking!
- Mike
Drop Mentor a line. I'm sure he find some "trail clearing, maintenance, and landscape work" that he'd be willing to share.
