My LT Wright Sospes arrived today with special thx to Rob from Practical Survivor for shipping it over to me from the US, the way the postage is at the moment. Doesn’t weigh as much as I thought it would from the you-tube clips mentioning heft. Very well balanced, beautifully made.I don’t know why LT Wright stopped making the model. I would have liked the scandi ground version but the sabre was the last one I could find any where. I think the rocky mountain grip put people off purchasing but it feels great in the hand no hot spots and adds to the look. Ill enjoy testing it out later this week. Thx Dave for sending through the pics, the resolution is smaller than usual but my phone is playing up.
I really like this oneJRE Industries sheathPurchased from Old towne Cutlery
http://www.practicalsurvivor.com/
May have to copy and paste the link to Robs blog that seems to playing up too.
The age old question. Does size matter? I’m speaking of bushcraft knives of course! Ive had a theory for some time that I will be putting to the test very shortly in that a 6 inch bushcraft knife is far better than a four inch blade for Australian conditions. Ive watched many a you-tube clip of Bushcrafter’s overseas in the Northern Hemisphere making feather sticks and carving try sticks, even tent pegs, but try doing those on Aussie timbers which are much denser then I believe a larger blade would be more suited.
Ill be testing side by side a Mora Garberg and a Spyderco bushcraft with an LT Wright Sospes sabre grind with a Helle Nord. In everything from buttoning to finer carving chores to see if the larger blades can also be counted as bushcraft knives rather than be classed in the survival knife category.
Well I finally took the plunge and brought a Mora. Id been given cheaper model Moras before and ended up passing them along to mates, I have a phobia about stick tangs but they love them for processing deer. Ive just owned better knives. What I DON’T like about Moras? Plastic handles, plastic sheaths, the same design being re marketed over and over again with slight differences. Put a 90 degree spine on the same model and resell it under a different name. For the price of a Garberg I can get a Nieto Yesca with a decent leather sheath and ferro rod, for another $50 a Joker Ember both having very nice timber handles. Thin blade stock on cheaper models, stick tangs, micro bevels. I think that about covers it.
What Id like to suggest to Mora. One, sharpen the clip point and do a military model with a decent molle compatible kydex sheath and Two, Sell the Garberg as a blank similar to what Spyderco do with the Mule blanks so people can put their own handles on them. Such as MICARTA or even better just do a version with a micarta grip.
Why then did I purchase a Garberg ? Good price, I used afterpay, I wanted to get the price up with an order to get free shipping and I really wanted to have one in my hand and see for myself and before you ask, I am planning on cutting off the plastic grip and replacing it with MICARTA ! Ill also be removing the micro bevel after seeing the cutting tests performed by Cedric. (See below).
What I like about the Garberg? At least it has a what they call a full tang. It goes all the way to the pommel.I class a full tang as being able to see it through the handle scales. I like the blade design and it has a thicker spine at 3.2mm compared to other models. They also have the tempering right.
I really like the look of the Stainless Garberg in Sandvik 14C28N however I went for the Carbon version after watching DBK compare the cutting ability between the two. (See below). I also wanted to try and use the carbon spine for striking against a shard of flint for fire lighting. The carbon being much easier to field sharpen. Id like to take this blade on Dave Canterbury’s Level one course, where minimal equipment is used ( no sharpening stones) and pack weight is going to be a consideration, along with a prerequisite of a carbon steel knife.
I also like the price compared to other blades Ive purchased, this probably being the cheapest blade Ive ever purchased. Sorry Im a knife snob I freely admit it.
I had just emailed 160 OT’s Occupational Therapists in the hope of finding one that could do a functional assessment for me and was taking a break and I always like to check out Dan Ward at Ochoco Bushcraft after dealing with medical issues rather than have a beer when dealing with the medical system. He was talking about having a backup buchcraft knife in a cross-draw rig on his latest video. He designed the knife with Sagebrush Customs to have a short blade but a full size grip which is missing on most neck knives.
It occurred to me that I had done something similar but had never thought of actually calling it a backup blade. I like larger blades as a primary 6 to 8 inches. I currently have a LT Wright Sospes on order with a 6 inch blade length. However I find when doing the normal bushcrafty jobs on courses a smaller knife length is handier for carving chores. So what I had done is modify the sheath of an ESSE RB3 to a cross-draw to carry on my left side for use with smaller jobs.
Has anyone else thought of having a similar system?
Its always a good habit to get into to touch up your blades after each day of use. Not only are they easier to sharpen before they are totally blunted but also to oil them to prevent rust. The last week I used the two larger blades in the pictures I ended up in hospital for a series of operations and never got back to them until today, 8 months later. Sharpening my carving knife reminded me to get them out and I have paid the price. They will now require much more work to get an edge back on them and a lot of TLC with steel wool and oil to remove the rust that has started to develop.
When I first wanted to try carving I searched for a traditional hook knife and found them at Cariboo blades. I asked Aki and Scott if you just had one hook knife in the bush what would it be and they made me the following blade. “Which has a medium size blade with a longer walnut handle. The blade has a little more hook. The steel is from spent lumber mill band saw blade (15N20)”. After double checking the sizing with Aki and Scott although I thought the timber was Yew. Ive had it for must be five years now and is still my favorite. If I’m carrying a carver in the bush rather than carry and entire tool roll of specialist tools I carry this one blade. I seem to get a lot more leverage if that’s the correct term, making it a lot easier for me to use with the damage I have in my hands. The edge is also sharpened on both sides for left and right handed use, but I like being able to change directions when making a spoon.
latest projectbeautiful workmanshipsizesI keep meaning to get a 4 inch draw knife at some stagea better look at overall shape
154CPM Green micartamust be supplying a different ferro rodshango notch
I was going to do pictures on the different angles to use on the shango notch when using ferro rods. I was very curious after seeing many posts on forums and youtube etc mainly complaints. I even multiple ferro rods including the one provided with the blade. Tried it facing me and facing away. This has got to be the worse concept I have ever used to strike a ferro rod. I couldn’t find anything good to say about it. Definitely being ground off.
Beginners Knife Making by James Gibson an ESEE Knives Designers. I really enjoyed this course, it gave a good introduction to knife making and I became interested enough to consider making my own blades. I have designed knives before and had them made up by other makers and had done forging earlier on in my life. The short course covered :
Roughing out a blank
Profiling the knife blank
sharpening drill bits
Grinding bevels
Heat treating
Stoning the blades
Blade etching
Attaching the scales
Kydex sheaths
Final edge sharpening
The course was a good concept of teaching someone else within the shop and filming it. I would like to have seen more of tempering, sanding grades and applications, close ups of marking the blade, however well worth the $25USD.
Id like to try getting a stencil of a LT Wright GNS and make up my own version in 15N20 steel and Tasmanian Blackwood. I have a few questions on angles to start with on different grinds, different heat treatment temperatures of steals. Ive had a good understanding of metal work from school and beyond with a good eye and timing. While I have access to a workshop this is something Id really like to try. I’m trying to nut out a few courses I have put off lately to make way for my tracking course where it will require more concentration and is tested throughout the course, before my Bird Language course begins.. I don’t see the point in wasting time while I’m laid up doing rehab when I can still be learning. I’m starting to get back on my feet, thx Dave for the motivation.
From Wiki ; (The Sami knife (Sami: stuorraniibi = “big knife”, Finnish: lapinleuku or leuku), is a large knife traditionally used by the Sami people.
The Sami knife has a long, wide, and strong blade that is suited for light chopping tasks such as de-limbing, cutting small trees for shelter poles, brush clearing, bone breaking and butchering tasks, and is sometimes used as a substitute for an axe for chopping and splitting small amounts of firewood from standing dead trees—an essential ability when all dead and fallen wood is buried underneath many layers of snow. Typical Sami knives have a blade length ranging from 200 millimetres (7.9 in) to 450 millimetres (18 in).
The blade’s edge often has a Scandinavian grind, i.e. a single flat bevel. The blade should be strong enough to split (reindeer) bones, and tempered to sustain low temperatures.
The Sami people typically use two knives; the smaller called a, puukko or unna niibaš ( “small knife” ); while the larger “Sami knife” is called stuorra niibi ( “big knife” ). An even larger version known as a Väkipuukko (or Sax) is similar to a seax named after saxons.)
The Shaman Leuku arrived today. The postage only took a week from Hungry. We were a little concerned with the shipping at the moment as to whether it would arrive or not. Laci was great to deal with, always keeping me up to date and great to chat with.
file work
Made from Slepner Tool Steel, a tougher version of D2 steel with greater edge retention and hardness. I was looking for a Leuku that was a modernized version. This one is 200mm long approx 6mm thick but looks much thicker. However doesnt feel heavy, that you would think from the look of the full tang. I really like how Laci finished it off for me with the rustic file work to the handle.
leather sheath
Had to have a quick chop for an initial testing. Felt no hot spots on the handle, no harmonics. I only had seasoned Yellow box Gum on hand and the blade made quick work of it and left no rolling or chipping to the blade and could still take hair off my arm. I like that it has a hand guard unlike traditional versions.
high scandi grind
I’m no longer living in an area with a state forest so Im having difficulty finding green wood to do my testing on. Ill have to do a complete review after I have a chance to spend a few months using it. I luv the nice high scandi grind. The sheath is made of thick leather and reinforced with rivets with what feels like an oil finish.
nice balance
It arrived at just the right time. I’m finally out of the leg brace after six months but still require one crutch outdoors and can only bend the knee to 90 degrees. Between the pain killers and loosing the staffy I’m going a little stir crazy so blade testing will get me motivated to get out more and explore the area. Not really the same without the dog following me around watching everything I’m doing with a look on her face like what are you doing crazy human but Ill follow you around anyway.
A new blade about to be posted to me from Europe. Made by Laszlo Nemet at Shaman Workshop Knives . Made from Sleipner Tool steel with a FR4 handle. Cant wait to test it out.
