Well my new blade came in - I broke down and bought a Gerber Strong Arm. Ya know… I coulda made my own… but not at that price point. I dunno how they make a blade and sell it at that price… but they do!
That’s the company’s photo of the product.
In real life… the webbing is nothing like what it is in the pic. It
was so badly made I just threw it in the garbage.
I’m not a good molle/webbing guy, so I’ll cobble
something together with old leather scraps.
The knife nerds I saw on OyTube said the factory edge isn’t the greatest. The self-proclaimed experts said they had to strop it fresh outta the box. Mine came with an acceptable working edge. It sliced paper but is not a razor. I was sorely tempted to touch it up… but if you’re going to start chopping, batoning wood, or striking sparks and doing heavier knife work… I personally don’t need a razor for that. All my other knives are stropped to razors so it’s okay to leave this one as is.
It comes with the plastic fittings so you can carry it horizontally on your belt too. That doesn’t work for me personally. To me, the only guys that need to carry that way are knife-fighting hoodlums or elite war-fighters, maybe? I’m a stubfart on a picnic, more or less. I’ll either carry it on my belt or lashed to pack. I was originally going to throw it in the pack… but some of the guys are fixing nylon pouches to the sheath. I’m going to order a cheap nylon mag or flashlight pouch and repurpose it to carry my fire starting junk. (I just carry a bic lighter and a small ziploc baggie full of dry birch bark.
That’s a great little DIY hack…
I’m just smitten with the cheap blade. If I need a bigger survival knife I’ll probably make that myself… unless there are similar bargains to be had in that market? Who knows? Once I get this one squared away I think I’m done for knives. It’ll go on my get-home bag and go into the Dawgmobile.
It’s little extra peace of mind more than anything else. Having the right tools for the job is always a major stress reliever…
😊👍
If you’re looking for a blade of this type… this one is worth your time to consider.
Have a great Saturday!
Filthie
Very nice Glen. I’m glad you pulled the trigger and got it and you are happy with it. It’s something about getting a something simple and it fires the gray matter up. I too have several knives. Some of which I made, but they all have their time and place. It warms my cockles to learn that you get enjoyment and thought processes from scoring a Coowel item. I still have an hatchet and axe fetish.
ReplyDeleteIMHO, razor edges are important if'n yer gonna shave with 'em but for day to day use something less sharp will hold an edge far longer. If I recall correctly, Randall Knife used to recommend stropping to a sharp edge then for the final couple strokes on the stone hold the blade at a 60 degree angle to the stone. This provided a less sharp but more durable edge. Course I could be talkin' out my arse but that's the way I roll...
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. I have one. I had as much fun as you did with the search for it too.
ReplyDelete'Was a guy down at the local firehouse who could sharpen an ax to where he could shave the hair off his arm. I was an impressed 10-year-old boy. Dad came along and said "Don't waste your time doing that. The first time that ax makes contact with anything, that edge is going away." True enough, but it doesn't hurt to know how to sharpen a tool like that!
ReplyDeleteHave fun with the new blade, Glen!
Cool. A lot of new model sheath straps - belt loops are FLIMSY ! I had a Cold Steel kukri machete that the entire sheath was trashed. All cost directed at blade - very little on how it is carried in field. Not Good !
ReplyDeleteHope the new knife works - it looks great !
Anon 4:19 again - forgot to add I often use a single pistol magazine pouch for tool sheath. A Leatherman Super 300 multi-tool (Heavy!) is my woods choice
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