What you've already got.

[Sufler]

In my recent "Best Woodlore?" thread I had somewhat of an epiphany that I wanted to share with you guys. I'm not sure what prompted the "desire" in me to pick up a Woodlore styled knife - it was most likely the endless videos of Ray Mears on YouTube. Anyway, after the previously mentioned thread, tons of reading/research, and the delivery of a Condor Bushlore I came to realize that my Fehrman Peacemaker is "all" that I "need" in a small knife. I guess even more so it was seeing the prices that makers are charging for Woodlore-styled knives - my Peacemaker didn't even cost that much. More so, I can only imagine the potential of my PM if I decided to put a convex edge on her - I'm not willing to let go of the beveled just yet as she's a great cutter that way as well.

If anything, I'll just fork up the $16 and try out a Mora to experience the Scandi grind. But, reaching close to $300 seems a bit... weird - might as well put in an order for the real Woodlore.

It's not easy wanting to "squash" the desire for another knife... but seeing some of the price tags usually helps.

Anyway...

 

[Codger_64]

I have 1,000 knives (+/-) and I can tell you that it never ends. You may slow down. You may take a break. You may go a while between gotta-haves, but you can't eat just one Lay's potato chip! For instance... have you thought about trying the knives that were popular in 1900-1910? Then there are the 1920-1930 knives. The '40's and 50's were interesting too! My last old "get" was a c. 1931 Kent Sportsman knife made for F.W. Woolworth's by Camillus.

I couldn't find a c. 1905 Dall Deweese by Webster Marbles I could afford so I had Brian Breeden make me one. I had better luck with the slightly later Outers pattern and got one from Marbles, Remington, Case/Kinfolks and Imperial.

I couldn't afford Webster Marbles' fishing knife either, but did find a copy by Camillus/Adolph Kastor that was made in their factory in Gemany pre-WWI (W.H. Morley branded) -

 

[Sufler]

Hey, Codger.

Believe me... I've been "there" and back a number of times. WW2 era knives. Pre-war hunters. Randall knives. Other makers. Agreed - doesn't stop... but, it's good to know that you've already got that one piece that's really as good.

I'm still intrigued by ol' carbon cheapies as this Old Hickory.

Not to bash Ray Mears... but to realize that he speaks of simplicity and minimalism while wearing a Rolex Submariner and using a $300 knife... makes ya wonder. hehe

 

[Jakeboy]

Check out the Condor Bushcraft knife. Great buy.

 

[Codger_64]

Yup. I agree. Take a look on Knifebay at the Herters hunting knives. If you like Old Hickory, they are worth a shot and actually in the same low price range!

 

[OwenM]

I haven't bought a knife in 2-3 years. Sold a bunch, though. I find that what I actually use now, after all the using, playing, testing, and many thousands of dollars gone, is almost the same as before knives became a hobby for me. Now I see extra stuff as just so much clutter. I may finally buy another knife, one that reminds me of a favorite that was never seen after a move 23-24 years ago. I've been debating whether I'll actually use it much or not...for the last 12 months.

 

[LMT66]

I find that what I actually use now, after all the using, playing, testing, and many thousands of dollars gone, is almost the same as before knives became a hobby for me. Now I see extra stuff as just so much clutter.

Well said! Been down that road also. When it becomes a hard decision on what blade to grab for an outing, you have too many!

 

[JV3]

Not to bash Ray Mears... but to realize that he speaks of simplicity and minimalism while wearing a Rolex Submariner and using a $300 knife... makes ya wonder. hehe

watch this guy's videos. he's very skilled as well and has a good teaching personality but without the uber expensive gear associated with his name - at least not until he becomes famous too i guess

[youtube]BO1S0i_jd8s[/youtube]

 

[Fonly]

Not to bash Ray Mears... but to realize that he speaks of simplicity and minimalism while wearing a Rolex Submariner and using a $300 knife... makes ya wonder. hehe

I believe there is two ways to look at that...

One, yeah, its easy to talk about what the best tool is when you can pick up what ever you want.

two, i can't see it being fair to judge just because a person cant afford more, its not that he feels its better to have something more expensive, he can just afford to have what he feels is more of what he wants. Like most, I've spend thousands on knives, however the $80 master hunter is what always gets used, some is a $400 busse, but its that love of the tools that keeps us going.

Just for reference, the man who taught Ray, Mors Kochanski, still feels a clipper is the way to go, it does all of what he does, and has never looked back. That in my eyes is the man everyone needs to look into, Mors has just not gone public like most.

Its like Ferrari's, everyone knows about them, but how many commercials do you see for them?

 

[Sufler]

I'm a horology enthusiast and have seen Ray go from a Timex-like cheapie to a Tag-Heuer to now a Rolex - a true progression of a WIS (Watch Idiot Savant). So, please, don't take my pointing out of his watch as ridicule. As far as I'm concerned, it could have just as easily been a gift. As to the knife, I'm sure it wasn't as expensive when he designed it and had it made years ago.

I guess it's a natural progression to buy up all that you can afford to hopefully, down the road, realize that something much less expensive can do an equal or better job.

 

[PayetteRucker]

The folder I started with and ended with was the same, and that process was probably the biggest waste of money since the beginning. I'm glad I got into Kabar early-it kinda set the bar as far as performance and value. It took me a long while before I got into scandi grinds, but I wish I'd have started with them. In the end, education pays off. 400 dollar Bushlore knives are awesome, but if there's any question as to the utility of the grind, you'd be foolish not to pick up a Mora, Hultafors, Roselli or some of the other companies making scandi blades at that pricepoint. I remember the day I got my first fixed blade knife-I got 3 or 4 from the same source. The Kabar 5 inch and a Cold Steel Finn Bear were in there, and to this day they are some of my favorite knives. I've got lots of knives specifically designed for different environments, like the jungle for example, and I remember when living in the tropics/subtropics, the generic design of the Ontario Camp Machete was all I needed to thrive.

 

[OwenM]

I guess it's a natural progression to buy up all that you can afford to hopefully, down the road, realize that something much less expensive can do an equal or better job.

I think one of the big pitfalls when it comes to expectations is that people equate cost with performance. The performance between steels, however big a deal we may make of it, is often incremental, and not even much of a factor as long as the steel is adequate to support the geometry. Fit, finish, features, handle materials, the other things we typically pay extra for also have little to do with how a knife performs. On the other hand, blade and edge geometry, ergonomics, relation of the blade to handle, things that have everything to do with performance, are often sacrificed for aesthetics, a certain look, or durability for the sake of edge maintenance and warranty concerns on more expensive blades. Comparing your $300 knife with a $30 knife and accepting that the cheaper one simply works better can be a hard pill to swallow, but that happens sometimes.

 

[upnorth]

Jeez, I feel kind of confused these days when it comes to knives. They used to be another peripheral interest out of many, that would flare up now and then, and I'm in a higher interest period right now. I'm coming to see that my choices\mentality toward blades had a narrow focus. From northern experience I felt that I needed a big blade ''just in case''. And I still feel some of that, but maybe a light machete would placate me. I seem to have an aversion, or look down my nose at small knives as fairy wands or some type of elitist B.S. I'm currently exploring my attitude toward small knives to find why I have such an aversion to them. My interest in metal detecting flared old interests in history. And fur trade era finds of knives and a belt Axe dove tailed into my ongoing interest in knives. It all feels to be a continuous loop for me, particularly since it all involves being outdoors. About six months ago I realized that the Becker BK-5 was the spitting image of a common fur trade era knife design, just a bit longer. I was even discussing this with Mr. Jerry Fisk, a well respected knife designer. He copied pictures of some of my fur trade knives. This opened my mind, along with often using my Endura, that a thinner blade is a great cutter. As opposed to my Becker Brute mentality. The fur trade belt Axe led to my getting a couple of Cold Steel hawks. Everything seems to be interrelated for me. Currently were I am at is confusion over what my primary grab and go set up is. It's coming down to a smaller blade and a machete. There are variations due to location etc., but that's were I'm at right now. I simply need a chopper for practical reasons while going through river brush while detecting. I am also taking this forum more seriously and bush craft ''skills'' that I used to smirk at. Yes, some of it was an arrogant attitude ? I'm in a transitional outdoor\knife period and trying to be open minded and push away preconceived attitudes. This is the only way that I will keep learning and move forward.