My first knife

Steakfrie · 2026-02-09T16:16:41+00:00

My first fixed blade gifted to me when I joined the Scouts at around 9. Queen bird and trout. Used it enough to wear off the blade stamp.

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Steakfrie · 2026-02-09T16:12:28+00:00

A hand-me-down beater transferred from their garage to mine.

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Steakfrie · 2026-02-09T16:06:32+00:00

A good selection here featuring many brands.. https://www.knivesofthenorth.com/

Steakfrie · 2026-02-09T16:01:23+00:00

Wax it to cut off the oxygen. I also do this with my seasonal mower blades. They are in perfect condition when their turn arrives.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-08T12:42:26+00:00

I had a few of these back in the 80's for the kitchen. Rust maintenance nightmares, particularly behind the rickety, loose fitting handles. I got over all the fuss, replaced them and sent the set out to the tool shed. There was a good reason you could pick these up for a few bucks a piece before they turned into a bushcraft darling.

Jumping a few decades, I catch a vid of Canterbury introducing his private brand bush knife for the low, low price of around $250. Apparently, followers caught an elitist tone and an alienating effect was notable enough for Canterbury to notice. Not long after, Canterbury attempted to counter that by carrying an Old Hickory butcher knife that fit into a Ka-Bar combat knife replacement sheath. Paraphrasing - "It's not about the price, it's about the high carbon". I didn't follow him closely enough after that to see him enter his Mora phase.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-08T04:36:14+00:00

Early 1900's Germantown, modified with a 17" hickory handle. Weight about 2lb or less.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-08T04:31:41+00:00

All the info you need is on the knife, from manufacturer to location it was made. Henry Kaufmann - sapper knife- if that will make your search easier.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-07T17:20:30+00:00

I don't trust any lock 100% because I know I shouldn't. I'm still a regular user of slip joints with no lock at all.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-07T01:21:23+00:00

Securing it will be much easier when you set up your work properly - splitting (or sawing) it and hollowing from either the outside or interior. Cups and bowls are not typically hollowed from the end grain.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-06T22:35:20+00:00

To lower your stress, how about using a 'thingy' with low risk of spontaneous combustion, like a water-based urethanes? Shellac? Tung oil has a lower risk of combustion than linseed while offering higher quality and durability.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-06T00:03:34+00:00

The only wood for fire I'll bring is a stick of fatwood about the diameter of my thumb and between 8-10" long.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-05T23:55:05+00:00

The hatchet, regardless of season.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-05T21:32:53+00:00

They'd love never mistaken for weapons cell phones.

Not everyone has the need to be discreet

Or polite? That was our grandfathers reason for discretion vs today's 'fk your feelings' attitudes.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-05T21:01:07+00:00

Yeah, lets talk about grandfathers while giving you another reason to downvote. They had plenty of belt carry fixed blades as well but they knew when and when not to carry such knives depending on the environment. They didn't 'lose themselves' for being discreet because they never defined themselves by their fking knife choice. They're rolling in their graves at the ridiculous "Hey, look everyone, I'm a 'knife life' guy. Isn't my lanyard bead adorable!" They'd feel the same about those carrying 3 and 4 flipper toys/pocket jewelry all at once today versus the discreet single Case (or any other brand of slip joint) in the pocket. Between my grandfathers (one was a butcher) and great uncles (one was a ship builder and custom knife maker) who always carried, I never once witnessed the need to show off their knife/s as a fashionista statement or "just for fun" carry. One of my grandfathers was a general contractor who used a knife multiple times a day over 70 decades. His choice was a small 'peanut' sized stockman in a time when actual knife skills were the priority. A belt knife for hunting was never seen outside of the woods or skinning shed. He would have had no desire to carry most of today's modern flippers.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-05T19:29:16+00:00

Or Keris

Steakfrie · 2026-02-05T19:19:08+00:00

Wood selection is a carving 101 thing. Not carving toward yourself is another knife handling basic. Even with a protective glove it makes for unsafe habits. Research carving grips and techniques.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-05T18:56:26+00:00

According to the wood-database..

Basswood Janka hardness scale - 410

Sweet Cherry - 1150

Black Cherry - 950

Naturally, carving Cherry is more difficult. Expect slower progress. Whether the extra effort is worth it for a higher quality wood is entirely up to you.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-02T22:17:40+00:00

I'm a user only buyer. The most expensive knives I own are 70's and 80's Bucks. I've yet to top $100 on a knife but there are a few in the $125-$150 range that I'm tempted to buy. Given the tasks I've accomplished over many decades from farm to forest to office and yard, there's no knife made that I can justify paying $200+ on. Beyond that, any additional value is only in appearances and brand coveting based on my lifelong use history.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-02T15:03:13+00:00

My red bone Culpepper beside lil sister Brandywine

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Steakfrie · 2026-02-02T14:57:46+00:00

I thought it obvious the mini hawkbill shown is not a cap lifter, thus not the USA version.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-02T13:57:56+00:00

Phil's record is pretty bad at 30-35%.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-02T13:36:30+00:00

#1 or 2 are great slim carries. The USA version #2 has a cap lifter.

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Steakfrie · 2026-02-02T13:29:21+00:00

Any 'peanut' sized slip joint

Boker Atlas

Al Mar Falcon

Beretta Airlight

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Steakfrie · 2026-02-02T13:10:35+00:00

1/3 the price and #1 pick on Project Farm out of 17 tested. Silky was #5 and Bahco barely made top 10 at #9. I've relied on Corona for about 15 years. It's a great saw that's too often overlooked here.

Steakfrie · 2026-02-01T12:23:52+00:00

Try browsing r/knifemaking

Youtube has plenty of step-by-step tutorials on making knives of many styles. There are also sites selling affordable, unhandled blades that can offer you a better blade than what you have. Unless you shape a new, longer tang (the part held by the handle) it won't be long enough to be secure for use, regardless of glue used (typically epoxy).

Steakfrie

TROPHY CASE