Why a Nessmuk?

voider said:
Here is my Nessmuk. Thank you guys for your guidance. What do you think?
kbBorOs.jpg
Click to expand...
Very nice!!! :)
Who's the maker?
 
Bringin' this one back up.

I recently bought a small hatchet head, and started googling to find out who might have made it. During the course of my search, I came across these advertisements from the Colclesser bros, who made Nessmuk's original hatchet, as well as Kephart's knife. I was not aware such a catalog still existed.

kephartad3ax.jpg


Take a good look at that double bitted axe. It actually looks like a high quality tool, made by folks who knew what they were doing. No flat cheeks. The haft is actually contoured as well- unlike the piece of broomstick shown on the illustration in "Woodcraft".

This is really firming up my belief that the knife shown in "Woodcraft" was also poorly drawn. I.E., Nessmuk's fixed knife was most likely a common skinning pattern of some sort. And then my mind starts to ponder all these modern copies of that poor drawing...
 
Honestly, other than for skinning, I don't understand the Nessmuk knife design for general woods use. The Kephart design with the spear point seems functional to me.... basically a strong pointed knife design, but not a great knife for skinning stuff. But you can certainly get by with occasional hunting chores with that design.
 
I have issues with the design of that knife in general, but will hold my thoughts for now.

I also find myself disagreeing with the concept of a light fixed blade paired with a heavy pocketknife. Especially a slip joint with two blades of the same size and similar amount of belly. Then you still end up with two knives for lighter use. I'd rather have a folder with more variation in the shapes and sizes of the blades with very thin, keen edges. Then the fixed blade could stand to be a little heavier so you have more overall capability.
 
the possum said:
I have issues with the design of that knife in general, but will hold my thoughts for now.

I also find myself disagreeing with the concept of a light fixed blade paired with a heavy pocketknife. Especially a slip joint with two blades of the same size and similar amount of belly. Then you still end up with two knives for lighter use. I'd rather have a folder with more variation in the shapes and sizes of the blades with very thin, keen edges. Then the fixed blade could stand to be a little heavier so you have more overall capability.
Click to expand...
I tend to agree as I have gone to a lighter (but larger 111mm SAK) and a slightly longer bladed fixed blade for general woods use. My general purpose fixed blade is 5.5-6" generally in blade length (but definitely not a 4" knife) and I favor the added feeling of my BRKT Wilderness Explorer model over my old favorite BK-15 which is light. Heavier than most Mora's, but still pretty light.

When I bought a couple really nice GEC Trapper patterns (#23 and #42 frames) with the two blades I was thinking in terms of the way I used to do things with a single folder in my pocket in the woods that did "everything" I normally needed to do. This was a slight shift from a Schrade 250T which is basically like some of the "hunter models". I carried the 250T for a number of years in the woods. I got a number of the (one #23 and decided it was too big) 42's (straight GEC, Northwoods (Madison), and large Gunstock by Schatt & Morgan) and then backed up after really plunging into the concept that I was very comfortable with in the past. I still like the concept of the large simple SAK (tinker-like) and the larger leaning medium fixed blade, but now I'm starting to look at some of the smaller slippies like the #14 Boys Knife as a reasonable alternative as well. As I said in the other thread on Woodscraft, I favor the Creek Stewart suggestion for his "survival" knife or general woods knife. I know he has a folder on him too.
 
I got the feeling from reading the book that his “hunting knife” was just that, a knife to feed oneself with. If your fixed blade is for food only, then a skinner pattern makes perfect sense. IMO I don’t think his fixed blade ever met a piece of wood. I see woodworking on his part to be with hatchet and pocket knife. Utility also the pocket knife.

I can see why someone would think of having a smaller blade on his slippy would be beneficial but back in the day...I think it was double bladed because of soft steel. He essentially had the same knife with twice the edge life. On top of that, I personally have never had a need for one of those small blades in the woods but YMMV.

As far as that advert, it’s an advert. I don’t think that was nessmuks exact hatchet. It’s no different then looking in condors catalogue and seeing a “nessmuk” or “kephart” pattern. Is the engraving in the book exact, maybe not but I think it would be a bit closer then a marketers drawing.
 
the possum said:
I don't know what thread you're talking about, but now I'm curious. Link?
Click to expand...
I believe the knife dimensions are mentioned in this video. To me the survival knife and the woods knife are essentially the same thing.

The thread I referenced is in the other Outdoors sub form started by Sparkly G. It is mostly a chit chat thread about getting started with "woodscraft/bushcraft". The video is the source information essentially although I believe the written form is somewhere in Creek's website. I like the guy, but I know it is mostly about fun, not survival for most of us.
 
Last edited:
Shotgun said:
I got the feeling from reading the book that his “hunting knife” was just that, a knife to feed oneself with. If your fixed blade is for food only, then a skinner pattern makes perfect sense. IMO I don’t think his fixed blade ever met a piece of wood. I see woodworking on his part to be with hatchet and pocket knife. Utility also the pocket knife.

I can see why someone would think of having a smaller blade on his slippy would be beneficial but back in the day...I think it was double bladed because of soft steel. He essentially had the same knife with twice the edge life. On top of that, I personally have never had a need for one of those small blades in the woods but YMMV.
Click to expand...
In Kephart's book he mentions that he keeps the small pen blade sharp and clean for emergencies on his jack knife, mostly self medical things if you have an accident of some sort in the woods. Sears may well have only used the "Nessmuk" knife for skinning and animal prep/food prep. I haven't read his book. For some reason, his stuff never really drew me where as Kephart's book on camping and woodcraft is much focused in the SE US where I live versus New England. I believe Sears was a big Axe guy also so his big knife wood prep usage might be rather small.
 
As far as that advert, it’s an advert. ...Is the engraving in the book exact, maybe not, but I think it would be a bit closer then a marketers drawing.
Click to expand...

I should have mentioned this at the beginning, but I also came across several pictures of original antique Colclesser "tomahawks", and the illustrations in the advertisement are a perfect match. They show the complex geometry of the high centerline, etc., so right off the bat I considered them more credible than the cruder drawing in "Woodcraft".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top