Why all the tree choppers?

M

MagicDot

Joined
Oct 15, 2008
Messages
112
..I've been following along here for awhile and its been interesting. I'm really excited to build my own knife now because I can't seem to find one I really think fills my niche and, thanks to all the information I've learned here, I'm not as put off by the thought of making something I can really use. But. I've noticed that everyone seems to be concentrating on huge Rambo like blades.. ..why is this? I'm much more interested in producing something I can use on a daily basis, not something to chop down the oak tree behind the house because I have an axe for that.

I know that the right tool for the job makes life easier and maybe everyone here lives in the middle of the great redwood forests, but I'm much more interested in a configuration that I can carry on me every day.

..its just an observation. No offense needs to be taken. Some of the designs I'm curious to see how they might be applied on a smaller scale.
 
I started out making small hunters and personally prefer those to carry hunting etc. But it isn't just about that. There is a lot more to the knife made by a true craftsman than what it is meant to cut I think. Some a symbolic. Some are a working art form. Some are for recalling heritage. Some are for chopping up stuff in camp. Some are the cool factor. I built some of them because I want to and I can. Some because I want to see if I can. Knives are like women and horses everybody doesn't like the same thing. LOL any way there are lots of reasons for lots of knives. Jim
 
But. I've noticed that everyone seems to be concentrating on huge Rambo like blades.. ..
Click to expand...

No offense taken here, but you may be painting with a pretty broad brush with that statement. I think most makers here focus on knives that are made for specific purposes. I, and many others, mostly make EDC size knives that can be used for multiple purposes. Some makers make hunting purposed knives. Some combat style knives. Other makers focus more on camp type knives which can benefit from a bit more heft to allow easier collection/arrangement of firewood and kindling as well as performing a myriad of other tasks around a camp site. True dedicated choppers are more of a rarity in my experience. Sometimes we just get an itch to make something BIG to cut down small trees with. No real reason behind it unless you're planning on some deep woods expeditions, but they sure are fun to make, hold, and SWING! :D

--nathan
 
Many of us here make all types of blades for all types of people. I know many here make pocket knives, you cant chop a tree down with those.
I think it is more that we(knifemakers) like to show off the big knives more than the small ones.
 
Never needed anything larger than the sheepsfoot blade on my Uncle Henry pocket knife to clean and skin a deer. Watched a fella skin a deer once with a huge knife, that hide looked like swiss cheese when he was done.
 
MagicDot said:
..I've noticed that everyone seems to be concentrating on huge Rambo like blades.. ..why is this? ...
Click to expand...

Because that's what the customers order. ;) Actually, I suspect most makers make as many or more small knives than big ones. But the big ones are more fun, and thus maybe get posted more.
 
Also, a bigger knife is harder to make well. I've only made a couple of
long kitchen knives so far and I'll certainly be eager to show off the first
successful Bowie or big chopper I manage to create.
 
I make what people want to a point. Some is my own experiments How about this tree chopper. Might take a while
5" open
3 1/4" closed
1 3/4 of O1 blade
invertedcompcopy.jpg
 
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