Wheeler Choppers

Dawkind

Dawkind

Platinum Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2000
Messages
13,006
Almost a Yin/Yang kinda thing what with the Brute de Forge blade on one piece and the 'more refined' finish on the other. :)

Both blades feature wonderful distal-taper and exemplary machine finishes, exceptional fit/finish/shape of the guard/handles and supremely SHARP....thin and VERY aggressive edges! :eek: :thumbup:

The black-hafted piece sports leather by the one and only Paul Long but let me tell y'all....Nick's leather is superb and this one was made from a many year old over-head machine belt and the belt stud is iron from the same factory....I think that's it but I hope that Nick chimes in. It's an extraordinary sheath and the leather is amazing....gives new meaning to the term 'heavy duty'. :cool:

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What a pair!!! Agree the Yin/Yang thing and really appreciate how the knives and sheaths compliment each other in so many ways. Excellent!

This...illness...it seems to spread amongst us like a Zombie plague :D
 
Really like the green handled one. Something about it. Even the huge handle pin is just perfect for it.
 
Man, this Dudley character sure has good taste!

:p ;) :D


THANK YOU for your amazing support my friend!!! :)

You got the story right. :thumbup: Some of you collectors & makers that have been victim to my blabbering, know that my Great-Grandfather owned/operated a lumber sawmill in the center of the town I grew up in (it was sold off long before I came along though).

One of his sons (a Great-uncle to me) was the blacksmith there. Nowadays you'd call him a millwright. Anyway, he did all the maintenance work like pouring babbit bearings, welding, forging parts, etc. Even though the family sold off the mill in 1950, they kept parts of it.

Fast forward to about 10 or 15 years ago, and one of the stepsons finally let me in to what was left (NOT MUCH!) of the blacksmith shop. There was a huge 13/14 oz hide rolled up in the shop. It had been used to make/repair overhead line shaft belts.

As you can clearly see in the photos, it will never "finish out" the way Wickett & Craig leather will (Paul's sheath) but for a knife like this, I like it because you could drive over the sheath with a tank and barely scratch it. :eek: :D

***Just to be clear I am NOT comparing my sheaths to Paul's!!! :foot:--- but I pointed that out because I am using the exact same leather finishing products that Paul does--- thanks to his AMAZING sheath-making videos. :cool:

Oh, and yes, I made the sheath stud from a huge bolt that came from hardware stock from the saw mill. :)


Thank you Dudley!!! :)
 
I thought I might chime in here and offer up an opinion of the Nick Wheeler shown above that's mated to the Paul Long sheath.

Dudley and I, now and then, do a knife deal and this was one of those deals. Probably one I shoulda kept, it's THAT FINE A BLADE. The fit and finish - absolute perfection. The edge - bloody amazing (cut myself twice). Anyone who ever gets a chance to buy a Wheeler and doesn't is nuts. Period.

Bob
 
Yin and Yang sounds right.
Two real beauties, Dudley, the single lugged guards on your camp/chopper blades must be your signature.:thumbup:
Ultra-cool sheaths complete a great story.
Congratulations !

Doug
 
I'd love to bring my Wheeler out chopping more often, but its edge is just too acute for heavy work. These guys look a little more brutish and burly :)
 
NickWheeler said:
Man, this Dudley character sure has good taste!

:p ;) :D


***Just to be clear I am NOT comparing my sheaths to Paul's!!! :foot:--- but I pointed that out because I am using the exact same leather finishing products that Paul does--- thanks to his AMAZING sheath-making videos. :cool:
Click to expand...

Nicky, your later sheath work shows that you not only could, but should compare it to my work....or anyone else's work. It's that good!

Paul
 
Nice Dudley! Can't go wrong with either. Would like to tackle a trail with that green one.

- Joe
 
OK Dudley, I'm gonna need you to stop acquiring so many nice knives




jk :D


-Michael
 
Geez, thanks guys. :)

Bob- Damn, seeing your post really made my day! :eek: Thank you. :)

Paul- I sure appreciate you saying that (but I know better! ;) )

Lorien- Did the edge on that knife fail somewhere? I chopped with it like crazy before sending it up north, and it held up to the antler chop---which is a BRUTAL test for an edge. Knowing what I do now, I would have made it a heavier blade for mass in motion, but still would put a thin edge on it.


Thanks guys. :)
 
NickWheeler said:
Lorien- Did the edge on that knife fail somewhere? I chopped with it like crazy before sending it up north, and it held up to the antler chop---which is a BRUTAL test for an edge. Knowing what I do now, I would have made it a heavier blade for mass in motion, but still would put a thin edge on it.
Click to expand...

for such a thin bevel, it's probably the toughest knife around, but hacking at stuff under tension puts a lot of lateral strain on any knife. Result being a dent here and there. No edge failures by any means, in fact, there are no rolls or chips at all. I have another knife, which had far more material behind the edge bevel, which chipped out big time- like the top 1/5 of a dime- occur when I was hacking at a pretty small cedar limb that was under tension. When it gave way, it took a chunk of blade with it. I have yet another knife whose edge majorly dented while slicing through a 1cm in diameter ocean spray stalk that was under tension, in that case the edge was just WAY too thin.

When I'm out there, I'm really givin er. I maintain my knives really well, but when I use them, I'm really using them.

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about working on another project with you for a long time, Nick. Just gotta clear some other projects through first :)
 
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