Woodlander

B

bikerider

Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Messages
144
Anybody have any experience with the Hossum fixed blades? I'm looking for a good camp knife that can handle light chopping and some battoning. I really like the looks of these knives and am a big fan of spyderco. I haven't been able to find any reviews on these. Any help would be appreciated.
 
since you are just a registered member like myself you cant do any searches on here...i suggest you go to the spyderco website and look up woodlander or dayhiker in the search function...a bunch of threads will pop up with some posts by Mr. hossom himself. i remember there was a youtube video going around with a guy dismantling an old cottage wall using a dikehiker IIRC, just abusing the crap out of it but the knife took it.




edit..i found the video, it is the second one but the first one looked like it might interest you too.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bdcTib4SX7U

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wfiTsJVYBK4
 
i own a forager, and i'm VERY pleased with it. have used it from cutting big tiber and forage wood for campfires, too preparing food and finer jobs/cuts.
holds an edge nicly, tho i have convexed my edge a little more. love the shape of it, and the forager for me is a perfect size.
the only thing i must say im not that fond of, maby because of my tecnique or just maby because the size/form of my hand, is that some times when i chop, like big full motion chops, the far end of the handle (underneath, finger coil or whatever) lays besides my pinky finger and "smacks the sXXt" out of it, making my pinky tender and chopping a "bad" experience. but mostly its ok.

(in progress of re-handeling my forager with some iron wood, making the butt of the handle a litte thicker/rounder to get some more grip)

if theres anything you might want to know about it, shoot! :)
 
Thanks for the responses, can't check u toob here at work but will tonight.
I was wondering about how that handle felt when chopping...thanks for the input. I've read good things about the steel as well.
 
I bought a woodlander about 6 mnths ago but still not put it to any use its too nice a blade its the only blade i dont use mostly though because i heard the steel just isnt right for a big fixed blade.This had to be after i bought it.
This might just be my paranioa though as im sure it handle most things and if i need to smash concrete i will buy a sledge hammer also i dont have a belt sander and using sandpaper to sharpen it would require lots of sheets and at the curve id imagine would be hard to get right.
I still cant think of a need for it so im buying a log burner for the back yard so i can bust up some logs to at least try it out.
And if anyone wants to break into the house im sure i could take a limb off with one or two chops.
At the moment i just look at it and even doing that im happy i bought .
 
These_Nutz said:
I bought a woodlander about 6 mnths ago but still not put it to any use its too nice a blade its the only blade i dont use mostly though because i heard the steel just isnt right for a big fixed blade.This had to be after i bought it.
This might just be my paranioa though as im sure it handle most things and if i need to smash concrete i will buy a sledge hammer also i dont have a belt sander and using sandpaper to sharpen it would require lots of sheets and at the curve id imagine would be hard to get right.
I still cant think of a need for it so im buying a log burner for the back yard so i can bust up some logs to at least try it out.
And if anyone wants to break into the house im sure i could take a limb off with one or two chops.
At the moment i just look at it and even doing that im happy i bought .
Click to expand...
Yes you are paranoid. There is nothing wrong with the steel for this blade. Just watch the Youtube vid above.
 
Ive watched that but i read Ed Schempp opinion on the steel and since then ive had my doubts.
He said its the total wrong steel for a blade that size.
 
just got home from an overnighter in the woods, and my forager got used allot! i think i must have chopped down 2 or 3 big dead dry treas with it, and then split them into pieces a foot long, and then battoned it through those pieces. it still shaved after, so i personaly cant see anything wrong with it. but shure, there might be something wrong. mine works tho!
(nearly cut the tip of my thumb off an inch down from the tip, trying to split a piece of dry wood. missed?! me?! never!!...thank god for fingernails... :D )
 
zenheretic said:
Link?
Click to expand...

He said it over in the spyderco forum theres a whole thread on it just use the search funtion on the spyderco forum and its there i cant be arsed finding it the now but its there he said it was not a good choice of steel for a knife like this.He sounded very sure of this and i take his word.
He also said he could get a $12 machete and use it like that and expect it to still be in one piece.
I love the design of the spyderco woodlander its ergos are perfect plus its convex which is ideal except without a belt sander its a bitch to sharpen and it looks really good it also fits even the biggest hands but my only concern is the steel in that if it deforms easy chips out etc i know its gonna be a bitch to sharpen again as like i said ive no belt sander and id need a lot of sand paper and with its blade shape would be even more of a problem to get a good even edge.
 
I guess Ed and I disagree on a few things. N690Co is an excellent and tough stainless steel and has held up well in testing by me and by others.
 
Sorry it was Cliff Stamp that said that i was going by memory when i posted that it was Ed i just searched it on the spyderco forum if you type n690 into the search its under the thread How tough is N690.
Basicly said its the wrong choice of steel for that type of knife and if choosing from the 440 line then 440A would be better but 12c27m would have been one of the best options.
Personaly having never used it i cant comment on how tough it is but im happy with it just sitting there doing nothing it looks that good.
Ive also read a lot of conflicting stuff on this steel as with most steels but im sure its up to most tasks you could throw at it just not smashing through brick walls etc i hate all the stupid knife abuse tests anyway.
Its so nice i dont even really want to use it if you no what i mean.
 
I really don't recall saying that this steel is not appropriate for this knife. I tend to prefer high Carbon steels for large knives, particularly for competition pieces. N690 is a very good clean steel, and it should perform well in Jerry's design. Jerry is a very good designer and knows his materials. I can't imagine that I said that N690 was the wrong steel for his designs. I might have said it is not my preferred material for my designs. Fox has done an excellent job making Jerry's design. These designs will be some of the best knives some will ever own.

Like Jerry has mentioned we are not in agreement with all of each others choices, but I certainly respect Jerry his designs and his choices. A knife that has both Hossom and Spyderco on the blade has had to meet two sets of high standards; and those standards are some of the best in the industry.

Take Care...Ed
 
The best way to tell if this steel is appropriate for this application would be to get out in the field and use it. Only YOU can tell if it works for YOU.
First hand experience is the best way to learn things. Don't always take the word of internet "experts" as gospel.

Spyderco has a great warranty If the blade fails in normal use, they will take care of it.

Bruceter
 
From a metallurgy point a view a material is chosen to meet a minimum standard. Knife makers are different in their choice of materials. They want the highest performance not a minimum standard. I often use steels with a higher Carbon content than a metallurgist might recommended for an intended use. I just draw the hardness back to a more appropriate level for the use intended. Because of this "excess" Carbon you often get more toughness and great edge retention than than the minimum requirement will yield.

N690 is an extremely clean steel and that attribute alone will give you better performance over other choices.

Metallurgists are trained to provide material at a given standard at least cost. The actual cost of the steel to the knife maker is not as big an issue as optimizing performance. These choices to a working metallurgist might cost them their job...Take Care...Ed
 
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Lol, the stink of Cliff still fogging the air around the knife makers.

Mongo difference between the knife maker Ed Schempp and the guy sitting in the grand stands on the sideline shouting with the bullhorn.
 
Yeah sorry Ed again i should have checked that before posting i just didnt have the time at that point.I think i was reading one of yours and cliffs arguments on SF not long before i posted.Your names were both in my head at that time.
I wouldnt expect of any knife to hold up to what he puts them through.
Although as i said ive still not used the blade i think its the best chopper ergo wise ive ever held and it looks even better kind of like a big birds nose with the hole as the eye.
Its made me look at Hossoms knives in general and now i know were my cash is going when im looking for a new fixed blade i really want to try out cpm3v.
 
The few problems that Cliff and I have had are more based in semantics than metallurgy. We come from different points of view and have different social skills. Cliff does provide a lot of good information; that is a fact that really can't be argued...Take Care...Ed
 
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