View Full Version : Bark River
I am interested in a smaller knife to accompany my Woodlore Micarta. I like the look of some of the bark river knives...what are they like?
I dont want to spend alot. You may have realised that i have little money (being a student)! I have a puukko, but would like something like the Bison bushcraft, but i dont have enough money. The mini candian is about £40, which looks like a bargain.
Any other small recomndations?
Cheers,
Jake
i've got a highland, it's a fantastic blade. too sharp for leather so it lives in kydex. i'm looking forward to some of the new models. i reckon the north star will make a great bushcraft knife. quite fancy a mini or a mikro too.
so manyknives, so little money......
cheers, and.
Do you know much about the fieldsman. It is a hidden tang (is that the same as a stick tang?).
Or this http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_maker/a_through_d/bark_river/bark_river_highland_special_an tique_stag_bone.html
Cheers,
Jake
I was looking around. Could you tell me the names of some of the reputable makes...heinnie has so many, but i dont know what is good.
hi jake take a look at the fallkniven wm1 its a bit more than your £40 but it would compliment the ws macarta well i have one and would recomend it as a good little allrounder :-D
Cheers grumit. I had a look on outdoor supplies and they have a mini canadian for about £41. How much is the WM1?
Cheers,
Jake
its about £50 nice knife has a small handle good for small hands :-D
I think i'm gonna go for the bark river. seems reliable enough. and i like the shape!
Another vote for the Bark River Highland. Great little knife and sharp like a razor. If I had to by it again, however, I would not get one with Stag Bone handles. Too slippery when wet.
-Emile
I'm gonna order the mini canadian. From joe on outdoor supplies. Is he a member on the site?
I'm gonna order the mini canadian. From joe on outdoor supplies. Is he a member on the site?
Dunno if he is here ... but he is over on British Blades.
Thats where i got confused then. It looks like a nice knife!
Has anyone uses knives made by Marbles?
Whats the grind on the bark river knives??
Has anyone uses knives made by Marbles?
I have a few. :-)
http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images5/marblesdrawer.jpg
http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images5/marblesexpert1.jpg
http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images5/deweese1.jpg
bigjackbrass
21-04-2004, 19:21
One day, Hoodoo, you are going to shock us all when somebody asks about a bit of kit and you have to sheepishly admit that you only own one example... :wink:
Hoodoo, i have never seen anything like it. You have such vast amounts of kit!!! You should photograph it all in a big heap in a field from far away so that you can get it all in.
Anyway...what are they like? Are they worth it? Are they users? I think you should be allocated the job "Kit Advice Man".
:biggthump:
Jake
Well gentlemen, think of them as investments. :-D Even if I use them they will increase in value over time. Simply because they are some of the best Marbles knives that were ever made. Almost all the knives above were made when Mike Stewart was running the shop. Same guy who now owns Bark River. In the last year or so when Stewart was there and then afterwards, Marbles quality began to decline. First they stopped doing the cryo treatment. Now they are using "mystery" steel. Lots of great models were discontinued. It's not the same anymore. I have just one of the newer ones but if I were going to get one I'd look for an older one, maybe 2002 and earlier. I'm not exactly sure when they stopped cryo treating the blades nor when they stopped using 52100 steel. When they started screwing up the Marbles knives, that made my little collection worth a lot more. All the ones above with the short little guard are older ones. Somewhere online is a webpage for dating them based on the handle spacers. But I don't have that info handy. I will see if I can find it.
Marbles are wonderful using knives and have a long history as using knives in the woods. They were the favored knives of Rustrum (the marbles expert) and Kephart (the marbles woodcraft) as well as others.
Would you recomend i get the mini canadian as oppose to the the marble?
blimmin 'eck Hoodoo, I've got knife envy! :wink: :lol:
The General
21-04-2004, 22:48
I have just bought a Highland Special and will be reviewing it quite soon as time allows! :-)
The General
21-04-2004, 23:02
The Highland has a convex grind and the steel is A2 with a Cryo treat.
Would you recomend i get the mini canadian as oppose to the the marble?
I don't want to shock bigjack here but I only have one Bark River so I can't advise too much on that score. :wink: I'm going to a knife show this weekend so that may change. :-) If you like full tangs though, I would go with Bark River. But to be honest, if I was picking something to go with the Woodlore for bushcraft use, I would think in terms of a folding knife like a Swiss Army or maybe a Leatherman Pulse. A good sturdy stockman ain't nothing to sneeze at either. Small, razor sharp blades can be handy at times. Queen makes some good ones and the old Case Classics are highly regarded. Personally I think the SAK Camper is a great sidekick to the Woodlore. It's got a nice little saw too for cutting saplings and notching twigs. Big, multiblade folders usually give you plenty of flat area to push against for heavy cutting.
Marbles makes a minicaper fixed blade (yes, I have one, :-D ) but personally I don't find the grip all that secure for hard use. It is a full tang though. I think John Greco might be selling the same exact knife. I'm not even sure who makes it anymore.
I don't want to shock bigjack here but I only have one Bark River so I can't advise too much on that score
Hoodoo, youve let yourself down :wink: :lol: .
I'm not much for folders. I have a leatherman, but never use the blade. The only folder i use for cutting is the opinel.
General...where did you purchase your highland from?
Cheers,
Jake
Keith_Beef
23-04-2004, 09:57
Has anyone uses knives made by Marbles?
I have a few. :-)
..snipped images..
Wow, that's a fair few!
Some of those look similar to "scout knives" made in Sheffield.
A guy called Andy over on BB posted a message about them:
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?p=48439#post484 39
This one, by Reg Cooper:
http://www.yoxio.com/images.php?id=27819
is quoted at £25.50 plus P&P.
No mention of what the steel is, but maybe you could find out from somewhere...
Keith.
Keith, that's a sweet looking blade. I'm guessing that the basic scout knife design originated with Marbles. Also, Marbles made knives for lots of different companies. I know Marbles originated the Woodcraft design which is something of a variation of the Nessmuk design.
The price on that knife looks like a steal!
The wait is too much...and i only have to wait 6 days. Off camping this weekend. Back monday. I had great difficulty with sharpening my knife earlier. Im hoping my diamond sharpener thats in the post will sort out all my sharpening troubles!
With the convex grind on the highland, what is the method of sharpening it? I know how with a single bevel, but not with anything else!
Cheers,
Jake
Jake, sandpaper backed by a mousepad allows you to maintain the convex grind when sharpening. If just using a stone, I like to use a hard arkansas and a circular motion, much like you might hone an axe.
Would i just make an assortment of wet'n'dry grits? Is a convex edge effective?
Cheers,
Jake
Would i just make an assortment of wet'n'dry grits? Is a convex edge effective?
yes and yes. just strop the knife along the wet'n'dry with the edge trailing, like you were spreading butter a long slice of baguette. hold the blade flat without too much pressure on the edge, you don't want to round it off completely.
as long as you don't let the knife get too roughed up, you shouldn't need anything more than the finer grits.
for a really polished edge you can move onto a bit of chrome polish on the inside of a bit of cornflake box. Tcut scratch remover paste will do, but it's not quite as quick as the autosol.
a convex edge like the highland works very well both as a woodworking knife, and a pretty good slicer as well (much better than a nasty woodlore thingy) :shock: :wink: :-D
cheers, and.
(much better than a nasty woodlore thingy) :shock: :wink: :-D
My nasty Woodlore thingy heard that! :-D
You're right though ... the scandi grinds aren't the best for slicing ... but I still think it is unbeatable for wood!
My nasty woodlore thingy heard it as well! Thanks for the tip. Is it difficult to sharpen a convex on a bench diamond stone?
Also....i have heard that i may have to pay *a lot* of fees when my highland arrives in this country, is this true of all items bought from america or is it just stories? When i read about the puukko review it sounded like it just arrived, no more fees. I did pay $25 for the p&p. help!?
Cheers,
Jake
My nasty woodlore thingy heard it as well! Thanks for the tip. Is it difficult to sharpen a convex on a bench diamond stone?
I wouldn't recommend it. You would be trying to sharpen a rounded surface on a flat stone and that takes a bit of experience. And if I were to use diamond stones, they would be very fine or well worn. You are much bettter off sticking to the mousepad and sandpaper imo. If you want to use a stone for touch up, I would recommend a HARD arkansas stone. It does quite well.
I have to say that people have been sharpening convex edges on flat stones for eons. I've been to several Scagel Knife Hammer In's and none of the guys there that I talked to use sandpaper and mouse pad on their convex ground Scagels. For touch up, they use a hard arkansas. For profiling, they use a slack belt grinder or a buffer laden with grinding compound.
The General
26-04-2004, 14:16
I won it on E-Bay :oops:
Cheers hoodoo,
I'll get an arkansas stone. Do you use them like waterstone? Are they cermaic?
Cheers,
Jake
I'll get an arkansas stone. Do you use them like waterstone? Are they cermaic?
No, they're not ceramic, they're a natural stone, nowhere near as hard as a ceramic stone ... but there's no arguing with tradition!
Do they work well on single bevels?
Cheers,
Jake
Do they work well on single bevels?
Cheers,
Jake
Yeah, they're great for the scandi type grind that you have on the Woodlore ... however, the main reason that I prefer ceramic is that slowly, over time, you wear the stone out of flat and you have to dress the stone to regain the flatness - with ceramic, no such problems!
There's nothing I could do with a natural stone that I can't do with ceramic though. In fact, ceramic needs less care and attention than a natural stone.
Is it a stone cut from the ground? Or is a mixture of natural stones.
What is duty tax in this country...i was told i am going to pay it when my highland arrives, if it costed me about $40...what will the charge be? :-x
Cheers,
Jake
Is it a stone cut from the ground? Or is a mixture of natural stones.
What is duty tax in this country...i was told i am going to pay it when my highland arrives, if it costed me about $40...what will the charge be? :-x
Cheers,
Jake
They look like they are just mined out of the ground and dressed ... some oilstones look real pretty!
That's just over the £18 threshold ... so there is an import duty on knives of around 8% + the VAT 17.5% ... plus a handling fee. It's close though and you might be lucky!
I'm guessing i'll have to pay about a tenner for it then. (unless i just made myself look stupid!). Adi...youre a fountain of knowledge!
Cheers,
Jake
if it's not too rude where are you getting the highland from?
at a guess, the worst case scenario import duties wise is about 12-13 quid, unless your suppliers do something daft like insure the package for a hundred bucks, then you'll have to pay taxes based on that amount! :shock:
any way you look at it, you are getting a fantastic knife at that price.
cheers, and. (anxiously awaiting the release of the north star. 8-) )
Its not rude! www.dlttradingcompany.com
I was told by Joe from outdoorsupplies that i would be charged at least £20 and have alot of major complications. I dont think he liked the fact that i bought from the US when i could have got it from him.
How do i pay for it. Does the postman come to collect the money or do i have to go and pick it up?
(anxiously awaiting the release of the north star. )
Whats that?
Cheers,
Jake
Yep, normally either the postie will ask for the cash or give you a receipt to go to the sorting office to pick up the package when you have the cash. Having said that, I've had a package handed to me in the morning plastered with charge stickers and not have to pay a penny ... :lol:
So if i have the money available in the moring i can just pay him and be done with it? Adi...i like your avatar, but how do you choose one?
Cheers,
Jake
So if i have the money available it will be fine? Adi...i like your avatar, but how do you choose one?
Cheers,
Jake
Yeah, usually ... been a while since I paid anything :-D
Avatars ... you need to upload an image to some web space and point to it in your profile ... there are no images in the gallery yet.
Kath made me this one ... cool, innit!
Do i just type in the location of the avatar once i have saved it onto "my pictures"?
Cheers,
Jake
Whats that?
it's a scaled up version of this, a bigger pointier highland
http://outdoors.free.fr/images/Sharpshooter_1test7.jpg
for the posty on your doorstep, a cheque will do too.
cheers, and.
I read a review on that one in outdoormagazine it looks good. Does the highland shower sparks?
Do i just type in the location of the avatar once i have saved it onto "my pictures"?
Cheers,
Jake
That's on your hard drive from what I can see:
http://c:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Jake%20home/My%20Documents/My%
You need to upload the image (try www.yoxio.com ...maddave has his signature there) and then put that address in ...
Adi, your a genius. I didnt know you could look onto my hardrive. Could people see things like Credit card details on my computer?
i'll go on that website.
Cheers,
Jake
Adi, your a genius. I didnt know you could look onto my hardrive. Could people see things like Credit card details on my computer?
i'll go on that website.
Cheers,
Jake
I can't see in ... I can just see the address of the image not loading on the side (right click on it and select Properties) ... no hacking involved!
Does the highland shower sparks?
i've polished up the spine on mine and ever so slightly rounded off the corners, so while it does make lots of sparks, it's not the best striker ever. but if you squared up the spine, it would be close.
cheers, and.
I suppose that is what i know! How easy is it for one to hack?
I'm sure i have my Credit card details on my computer...should i delete them?
Jake, a ceramic stone will work just as well. I've touched up convex edges using a rod from a Sharpmaker the same way I use a stone. Basically I use a slow circular motion or just sharpen by dragging the blade across the rod like sargey said but you have to rotate the knife slightly while doing it. Personally I like the circular motion. One of the reasons I like the arkansas stone is that I can hold the stone in my hand (I use a small one for this) and I can "feel" the bevel as I'm sharpening.
Still...sandpaper and mousepad are hard to beat. :-D
Hoodoo...i'll go for your sandpaper and mousepad!
I won it on E-Bay :oops:
Should I take offence that you are embarrassed to buy a knife from me? As I see it, you will be getting a very good knife and saving money on what you otherwise would have paid.
Couple of things.
From what I've seen of Bark River knives the quality is superb. I've sold my Highland Special because it has been made redundant due to the Al Mar Nomad I bought around the same time. This is in no way a bad reflection on the HS, just a reflection on my own needs. At one time I would have kept it, but now I only keep what I use.
For tasks more suited to fixed blades, I've got a Bark River Northstar on order. For slaying dragons and seeing off marauding hoards, the Evolution One heading my way will do the job. If you want a superb fixed blade knife at a good price, then Bark River or Fallkniven will not let you down.
I used to own one of those Reg Cooper knives shown on this thread. Liked the pattern, but the build quality was not up to scratch. The guard was very poorly fitted, and looked like the tang hole had been stamped for something entirely different, ( I know its not unusual for Sheffield makers to use boxes of parts that were obtained from the factories that closed down during the '80's). The big gap in the guard would have led to the tang rusting from moisture if it had been used in the field.
Regarding customs fees, I used to work for the Royal Mail. In my experience, postmen cannot take money on the doorstep but instead leave a card and you have to go and pay at the delivery office. Parcel Force drivers on the other hand do. Dont know if this has changed of late.
I paid £17 fees when I got my Highland Special, delivery was by Fed Ex.
Hoodoo, i have never seen anything like it. You have such vast amounts of kit!!! You should photograph it all in a big heap in a field from far away so that you can get it all in.
Actually here in Michigan we have 3 marks on our compases: True North, Magnetic North and Hoodoo north. All that steel in one place throws off your compass.
Hoodoo has a seriously nice collection of blades, all great users too.
Just wait until he shows you his newest Nessmuk knife, it is gorgeous!!
i've polished up the spine on mine and ever so slightly rounded off the corners, so while it does make lots of sparks, it's not the best striker ever. but if you squared up the spine, it would be close.
Being carbon steel (it is isnt it?) it would probably work well if i did just that.
Bex...i think mine is being delivered by fed-ex, or at least thats what DLT told me. I have never had problems with buying from america before.
What is the Al Mar nomad like?
Cheers,
Jake
Jake,
What you will find if you are using Fed Ex is that you will receive a bill for the duty, tax and 'clearance'. It normally turns up about 2 weeks later.
The Nomad is very good. As a rule I normally dont buy liner locks as they are not as secure as other locks. This one has so far proved very secure. Razor sharp out of the box and with the usual build quality that is the mark of Moki made knives, (Moki of Seki city Japan manufacture the current Al Mar range).
One thing I would say is that anyone with large hands would probably find the handle uncomfortable and the choil unusable. Big paws would be better suited to the SERE model.
Do i get the bill and then the knife after i paid it? Or do i receive the knife and pay the bill later?
Has anyone used the Carson F4 by timberline? At £20 it looks like a simple bargain...whats it like?
Cheers,
Jake
The twice I've used Fed Ex, the bill turned up about 2 weeks after the knife.
Isnt the Carson by CRKT? Not tried any of the CRKT range, so I dont know. General comments about the steel arent great.
If you want a cost effective fixed blade, most people in the know recommend Frost knives, priced between £10-15.
All depends if you want your knife to use or to look at.
Sharpshooter
27-04-2004, 16:26
Did someone say Bark River?
http://outdoors.free.fr/images/Sharpshooter_brkt.jpg
I have a few...
Left Side Top to Bottom: Forager Limited Edition Antique Stag Bone, North Star Prototype II Black Micarta, North Star Prototype III Rhodesian Teak, Mini Canadian Orange G10
Right Side Top to Bottom: Forager Antique Stag Bone, Fieldsman II Black Micarta, Huntsman Rhodesian Teak, Mikro Orange G10
Bottom: North Star Prototype I Bacote
I'll be receiving an Evo I, the Second Production Mikro and the FIRST Full size North Star Prototype within a few weeks. The pics will be posted as soon as I get them.
Reid
MartiniDave
27-04-2004, 16:39
Reid,
Welcome to BCUK!
You have way too many nice toys!
Dave
Just in case anyone doesnt know, Reid is the brains behind the North Star design, having worked very closely with Mike Stewart on this project.
Those of us who have been following this over on knifeforums.com have been eagerly awaiting its arrival. Not much longer to wait now...
Would you recomend i get the mini canadian as oppose to the the marble?
Jake, Marbles won't say what their current crop are made of or any details of heat-treating. :roll: On the other hand, the Bark River items are A-2, cryo-quenched, and come quite sharp indeed. Plus, the guarantee on the Bark River knives is quite good. To get a "feel" for Mike Stewart of Bark River, go to Bark River Forum at KnifeForums.com. I suspect you will become a Bark River customer. A new woodcraft model, the "North Star," is due any day.
I think im a member of knife forums.
Isnt the Carson by CRKT? Not tried any of the CRKT range, so I dont know. General comments about the steel arent great.
If you want a cost effective fixed blade, most people in the know recommend Frost knives, priced between £10-15.
Bex...I have the frosts mora, i just want to extend my collection, i like using all types but i have rather restricted amounts! The carson is made by CRKT. Is it a reputable company?
The General
27-04-2004, 19:42
I won it on E-Bay :oops:
Should I take offence that you are embarrassed to buy a knife from me? As I see it, you will be getting a very good knife and saving money on what you otherwise would have paid.
NO WAY!!!!! :-? Simply that I used e-bay! Rather than buying it from a retailer, thats all! In my business we do a lot of e-bay sales and the customers we get on e-bay are the dumbest, never read the advert bunch of idiots you ever did meet! Makes my life a... So don't take offence! :oops:
Indeed. I have encountered one or two less than great intellects. The majority-especially the knife purchasers-have been great do deal with.
Jake,
CRKT is a reputable company, but the reviews have been variable. The fact is that 6A is a cheap cutlery steel, inferior to the likes of 440C, 8A, and much inferior to ATS34, VG10, etc.
Get a Becker Necker BK11, if you are looking at that sort of pattern, from Joe at ODS. £26, good quality carbon steel and good reviews.
http://www.knifeforums.com//ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=36303 5&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o =&fpart=1
Bex,
What make is the becker necker?
I just found out that my knife is being shipped via UPS.
Cheers,
Jake
The General
27-04-2004, 22:03
Indeed. I have encountered one or two less than great intellects. The majority-especially the knife purchasers-have been great do deal with.
Glad we see eye to eye! 8-)
Bex,
What make is the becker necker?
I just found out that my knife is being shipped via UPS.
Cheers,
Jake
Becker Knife and Tool, a division of Camillus.
http://www.camillusknives.com/
The General
28-04-2004, 02:06
Any relation? :-)
Well, not as far as I know...definate shared intrests though!
I'll check them out. Im itching for my bark river. They just sent me an email saying it was shipped on friday via US post...could anyone guess when it could arrive? They said 5-10 days...
Cheers
Jake :-D
bushwacker bob
29-04-2004, 01:03
my swmbo deals quite a bit with america,if its posted when they state its usually nearer to 5 days. The fastest was 3 days. I cant wait to hear your appraisal as it looks great 8-)
Cheers Bob, i cant wait...
swmbo
What does that mean?
'She who must be obeyed'. Taken I believe from John Mortimer's Horace Rumpole character.
Thanks.
I couldnt resist yesturday, i ordered a bark river mini canadian from joe at ODS. Are they good back-up little knives (if you know what i mean)?
Please try to justify me buying it!
Jake :-D
Oh yes...my new diamond DC4 came today, muchsmaller than expected. quite expensive for such a little thing. Very good though. I would recomend you get a DC4 rather than a DC3. The DC4 is a light compramise (sp?) between a benchstone and a fieldstone. I think heinnie have them in stock, or try www.outdoorsuppliesuk.com
(i had to see if the colour thing worked :wink: )
Jake
i got a DC3 a while ago, good little piece of kit, still not sure about the ribbed ceramic bit though.
cheers, and.
Does the ceramic bit have to be wet?
no. though i sometimes use it with a drop of spit, i use spit and a quick rub with a finger to clean it. but it does sort of depend on the company i'm keeping at the time. :-? :-D
cheers, and.
I just used it, it is incredibly hard to keep a single bevel flat on it, i just gave myself a secondary bevel :-x , oh well, good fo the field though. I think the eze-lap 600 is better.
Jake
assuming you haven't already tried it this way...
hold the knife in your weak hand, pop the stone on the knife with your strong hand, use your index finger to hold the stone down on the bevel. hold the knife still, with the edge away from you and move the stone. to do the other side, hold the knife almost as if you were going to pass it to someone, so the point is pointing over your wrist, and the edge is still pointing away from you.
you could just hold the edge towards yourself, but if you go too far or slip, you'll slice your stone holding fingers on the edge, try it as described and you can only hit the spine.
apologies if i'm teaching anyone to suck eggs with this idea.
cheers, and.
Cheers Sargey, i'll give it a go...
Jake
Agreed, with the small stones/sharpeners you are much better off taking the stone to the knife, rather than the other way round.
AHHGG, i just did it agian. I liked the look of the coldsteel pendleton mini hunter. Only £25. What do you think?
What edge do they have?
Cheers,
Jake
Jake,
Slow down. You will see lots of good knives out there. Thats the benefit of the time we live in. By your own admission you dont have a huge amount of money to spend on cutlery. If these purchases are going on your credit card, remember they have to be paid back-with intrest.
All those £25's add up...
Hi Bex,
I promise i dont spend that much. I just have'nt had a spree in a while. So 3 more knives in the post and that is it for another year. £110 every 6 months or so isnt too much...is it?Thanks for your concern :lol: !
Jake :o\: :chill:
I just took the advice about sharpening using a DC4, it really does work quite well. Again, not sure about the cermaic. Is that all you need in a sharpening stone?
Jake, for optimum, when you're getting close, be sure to do only one stroke per side of blade at a time, otherwise you'll just keep nrolling the edge. The ceramics are superb, they really do work well to "polish" in the edge. But you have to have a pretty good edge to start with. Same thing, one stoke per side at a time and that blade with crop hairs off your arm by the bushell. ;)
Cheers Martyn. I tried the circular motion job on the bevel but i fail to get a razor edge. I find th diaomond more effective than the waterstone. How long will a diamond stone last?
What Motion would be best for the DC$ ie cirular, fig of 8, straight scraping, horizontal scraping?
Cheers,
Jake
Brynglas
01-05-2004, 18:23
[quote="Jake Rollnick"]I am interested in a smaller knife to accompany my Woodlore Micarta. I like the look of some of the bark river knives...what are they like?
I dont want to spend alot. You may have realised that i have little money (being a student)! I have a puukko, but would like something like the Bison bushcraft, but i dont have enough money. The mini candian is about £40, which looks like a bargain
I have been using a H Roselli UHC carpenters knife for a couple of years now and it's been a fantastic tool for me, The quality is fantatsticI and both my carpenters knife and leuku have taken some heavy use extremely well. I bought them at the factory in Finland but I'm sure that they could sort you out mail order. They have a small range of puukot and other scandinavian models including a first rate axe which may be of interest and they make knives in standard good quality high carbon steel or Ultra High Carbon steel which is a great steel for taking and maintaining an edge. Check out the website for prices etc. I can reccommend them
Brynglas
www.roselli.fi
Cheers Brynglas,
Another student! I kow what you mean by money matters. But i find myself working (for Money) and studying and not spending that i eventually have enough money to go a bit mad.
When the Bark River arrives (which it feels like it never will) i'll tell you what it like, I'll check out rosselli.
Cheers,
Jake
Jake, just take the hone straight down the length of the blade from ricasso to tip, in smooth light sweeps, alternating one stroke per side (if the blade is very dull, start with 10 strokes per side and reduce the number as the edge gets finer - always finish with single strokes). Remember, consistency is the key. All it takes is one stroke at the wrong angle and you'll roll the edge and have to start over. This is why the woodlore is so easy to field sharpen, the flats of the bevels are your guide. Keep the hone flat gainst the bevel (you can feel through your fingers when the hone is "sweet" against the blade) and move in smooth, firm but light sweeps down the blade. Dont overdo it with the diamond. They're very aggressive, so as soon as you start getting a keen edge, move to the ceramic to polish it in. Same technique for ceramic. They should last a very long time. Wear on them is minimal.
remember, the diamond is for bringing back a very dull edge, or a chiped/damaged edge. For a knife that is generally fairly shrp, use the ceramic. After each time you use the knife, three strokes each side with the ceramic will keep it in tip top condition. Your knife wont need major resharpening with the diamond nearly as often, it will always have a "ready to go" razor edge on it and will last much, much longer.
Thanks martyn, i just took your advice. I got the ceramic on it and FINALLY a razor edge! Thanks mate.
Jake
ditchfield
01-05-2004, 21:41
:-D When Brynglas said "I dont want to spend alot. You may have realised that i have little money (being a student)! I have a puukko, but would like something like the Bison bushcraft, but i dont have enough money. The mini candian is about £40, which looks like a bargain" he was actually quoting you, Jake, in your original post! :lol:
:rolmao:
Ive recently learnt how to save (money)! How did you find that out?
Is that what i actually said? I didnt say "The mini candian is about £40, which looks like a bargain" Did I?
Brynglas...this wasnt a coincidence, was it, that us welsh student bushcrafters think this much alike?
Crikey
Jake :lol:
Thanks martyn, i just took your advice. I got the ceramic on it and FINALLY a razor edge! Thanks mate.
Jake
Yay, way to go Jake. There's nothing like the satisfaction of putting a shaving sharp edge on a dull blade by hand. Any fool can do it with a jig, but it takes real skill to do it by hand. All our grandfathers new how to do it, but it's a skill that eludes many today. With practice, you'll find it takes less and less effort, with fewer strokes as you start to "zen" the process. The woodlore (or any scandi) is a good knife to practice with, because of the broad bevels, but soon, you'll be takling blades with small edge bevels and have a big grin on yer face as hairs just leap from your arm as that blade approaches. :wink:
The General
02-05-2004, 17:57
I hope Tony won't mind me posting a link here?
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1435
have a big grin on yer face as hairs just leap from your arm as that blade approaches.
I know the feeling!
Thanks for the link.
Jake
Mike Stewart
03-05-2004, 20:37
I know that I came late to this party but if anyone has any questions on the Bark River knives , I would be happy give any info I can.
Mike.....
[quote=Jake Rollnick]I am interested in a smaller knife to accompany my Woodlore Micarta. I like the look of some of the bark river knives...what are they like?
I dont want to spend alot. You may have realised that i have little money (being a student)! I have a puukko, but would like something like the Bison bushcraft, but i dont have enough money. The mini candian is about £40, which looks like a bargain
I have been using a H Roselli UHC carpenters knife for a couple of years now and it's been a fantastic tool for me, The quality is fantatsticI and both my carpenters knife and leuku have taken some heavy use extremely well. I bought them at the factory in Finland but I'm sure that they could sort you out mail order. They have a small range of puukot and other scandinavian models including a first rate axe which may be of interest and they make knives in standard good quality high carbon steel or Ultra High Carbon steel which is a great steel for taking and maintaining an edge. Check out the website for prices etc. I can reccommend them
Brynglas
www.roselli.fi
I'd second the UHC carpenters knife, absolutely fantastic at cutting/whittling wood, better than anything else I have tried although probably not suitable for splitting. I got it through moonraker accessorieshttp://www.moonrakerknives.co.uk/index.html
best to phone as they sometimes take a while to answer e-mail
I know that I came late to this party but if anyone has any questions on the Bark River knives , I would be happy give any info I can.
Mike.....
In case anyone didn't know, Mike's the Main Man at Bark River - great to have you here, and I've really enjoyed reading your posts on KnifeForums
I know that I came late to this party but if anyone has any questions on the Bark River knives , I would be happy give any info I can.
Mike.....
Hi Mike
When's the North Star going to be available (sorry if you've been asked this a million times before)!
Fraser
Hi Mike,
Welcome to BCUK! Interesting group of folks here and I think your knives are a perfect match for this bushcraft crowd. I'm looking forward to your new models. Any idea when you will have them listed on your website? BTW, are you still in Bark River?
Hi Mike
When's the North Star going to be available (sorry if you've been asked this a million times before)!
Fraser
Second best, but Mike has posted elsewehere that the North Stars will be coming out of his shop this month.
Hi Mike,
Great to have you. Im sure you'll cost us hundreds :wink: . What will the price be on the northstar?
Jake
Sharpshooter
04-05-2004, 17:57
The North Star will retail for $100 US; don't tell Mike but the dealers will likely discount it a bit.
The response to the North Star has been spectacular, to say the least. The first run will be a hot commodity, so I wouldn't wait to get one. Fortunately, I'm going to get one before anyone, "Prototype #1"... I'll post pics and a review as soon as it hits my door.
Hoodoo, can you say Escanaba?
Reid
(Has this been said?) When will they be available? And will the UK dealer be Joe Echols at ODS?
Cheers
Mike Stewart
04-05-2004, 22:56
Gentlemen,
Thanks for the warm welcome,
The North Star will be out very soon. It is running a little behind but not a lot behind. We just finished the Evolution Ones and are now building and finishing 350 custom knives for A.G. Russell. I then must make 750 Highland and Woodland Specials for A.G. also. He called and said that he was almost out. I will then start on the Mikro-Canadians and the North Stars at the same time. I will try to make 50 of each model each day.
Joe will get knives right off the top of that production. Sarge-Mike must approve the first Mikro and Reid must approve the first North Star. I don't think that will take them very long. We have all worked very hard to get these two models the way all of us want them.
I must tell you that it has been a real pleasure working with Reid and Mike in the development of these two models. Both of them are great communicators and we managed to keep all the cursing and four letter words down to a minimum.
Hoodoo,
We , as you might have guessed , out grew the 1800 sq.ft. Dairy Barn and have moved into the Big City, You know---Escanaba.
Our new location is 12,000 sq. ft. and we should be able to stay here until I am ready to retire. I am in the process of adding two new folks and will be adding more after these two are trained.
I have to apologise about the website. I have not had the time to update it and will try in June. By then ,I can put all the pictures of the Fieldsman II, Mikro- Canadian, North Star, Fox River , Huntsman II, and the 7 inch Rogue Bowie. There will be a few more models to intro after that but by June I should have all the changes made.
All I need is a month of 36 hour days to get caught up.
Thanks again and I'll visit at least once per day for any questions all of you may have.
Mike.......
hiya mike, welcome to bcuk. can't wait for the northstar. 8-)
cheers, and.
hiya mike, welcome to bcuk. can't wait for the northstar. 8-)
cheers, and.
Ditto!
Had my order in with Joe since Febuary for a North Star and Evo 1. That'll complete my cutlery wish list for the moment-and give the devils plastic a much needed rest!
Mike Stewart
05-05-2004, 13:40
Micheal,
Both you and Sargy have E-1s ready. I am waiting for the Consealex sheaths form Eric to ship your knives. He can only make a small number per week. The knives have been finished for over two weeks. I am supposed to get some in this Wed and again next Wed to complete the shipments.
You both are getting North Stars also. Joe told me that you wanted one. You will get those right off the top of the first shipment.
Mike........
Could I put an order for the northstar in with Joe?
Cheers,
Jake
Mike Stewart
05-05-2004, 16:46
Jake,
It would be a good idea. I.m not sure he even has all the pricing and I won't have it totally nailed down until I actually make the first run.
The first run is 500 units and we are already over sold. Joe will get all He needs out of that run. I will make more in August and again in November.
Almost 40% of our production is now dedicated for making knives for other companies. It is great work but it does interfere with our regular Bark River porduction.
Mike.......
Maybe i'll wait until my highland and mini-canadian arrive!
Mike Stewart
05-05-2004, 22:10
Jake,
I spoke to Joe today and he said tht you were covered. He will get knives right off the top on every new build that we make.
Mike........
bushwacker bob
05-05-2004, 22:42
they obviously haven't arrived yet then,Jake? Thats a bit of hard luck :cry: must be over a week now
Mike,
That's great news. Thank you very much. :-D
Jake,
There can be delays with mail from the US due to security following 9/11 and the anthax scare. What used to take 4-7 days can take 3-4 weeks. That happened to me during December/January past.
Arhhhggg, BEX! You bring bad news! Oh well, what can i do?
Bob, i'll let you know when they do...BUMMER!
Thanks Mike, im sure they are great (but not for my bank balance)
Thanks for telling me,
Jake
thanks for the info mike. 8-)
the northstar certainly has the potential to be a top class bushcraft knife, at a price to beat most of the competition. will it have a fast taper like the foragers and gameskeepers?
cheers, and.
Mike Stewart
07-05-2004, 23:12
Sargey,
It will have just a bit slower taper to the point so that bushcraft chores are easier. With the blade spine of .170" , it should be easy to manuver for fine work and still be stout enough if you have to horse it around for larger tasks. The one that Reid did all that batoning with was .150" thick and he had no trouble. The .170" spine will have superior geometry because it is a taller blade. The grind goes almost to the top of the blade. For batoning you won't have the drag of a shoulder half way up the blade like some other knives of this type and size. I can't wait to start on them. I am going to have a sheath made for mine with a Mini-Canadian in Piggy-back style.
It should work out as a great combo.
Mike........
The Mikro-Canadian would work well too like that but I can't give in to SGT-Mike.
Hi Mike,
The knife i look forward to the most is the mini-canadian. Bought mostly for a back up knife. I was wondering...would it serve well as such? Or is it mostly for skinning?
Cheers,
Jake
Mike Stewart
08-05-2004, 13:29
Jake,
In My opinion, The Mini-Canadian is the most versitile knife in our entire line. The blade shape is mostly cutting curve and the point is slightly dropped to the center. It is very small for the amount of work it can do and it is easy to actually have with you. It is all I woudl need for field dressing small to medium game. As far as bushcraft is concerned it is a bit small for some of the things but it can easily out carve bigger knives and with the forced choke-up grip --I can't think of any other knife that would offer more blade and edge control.
The Mini-Canadian is also small enough to use as an EDC if you are prone tword fixed blades.
I guess you figured out by now that I like the knife.
Mike.......
Hey Mike!
The mini canadian looks the business. I'm a big fan of small fixed blades. Will you by any chance be offering it with a pocket sheath (Al la woodswalker)? I know the Mikro will fit the existing woodswalker sheath, but thats too small for me.
Thanks Mike, I cant wait now!
The Mini-Canadian is also small enough to use as an EDC if you are prone tword fixed blades
I am very prone towards fixed blades, but what is an EDC? :oops:
Cheers,
Jake
EDC = Every Day Carry ... the knife you have about with you on a day to day basis.
Mike Stewart
09-05-2004, 05:49
Raz,
The Mini will come in a new two piece sheath that is not like our current wraparound.
There will be an optional pocket sheath like the Woodswalker. Some folks tell me tht they fit the Mini into the woodswalker but I think it may be too much of a stretch.
Mike......
Excellent news Mike!
Got any photos of the pocket sheath for the mini? Will it have some good rough leather on the back for use as a strop?
Mike Stewart
09-05-2004, 15:09
Raz,
No pictures yet. You can use the back and the front. I am trying something a bit new on this and I will post the picture as soon as possible.
Mike......
Mike, I gotta put my mod hat on for a second. I'm totally aware that you're responding to direct questions, that's cool - but parts of this thread are starting to read like a Bark River promo. BcUK doesnt allow advertising of any kind on the site, I know you're not trying to duck the radar or anything, but I'd just ask you to be mindful of BcUK's no advertising policy.
Thanks,
Martyn.
----------------------------------------------------
EDIT: Just read this over and realised I've come accross a bit heavy handed here Mike. That was not my intention, reading over the thread I can see you were doing nothing other than answering enquiries, for which i should be thanking you. I guess I'm just cognisant of the no advertising thing and was trying to head it off at the pass, so to speak. I think I jumped the gun a little, My apologies Mike.
I just got a leather sheath making kit from shing through the post. I thought i'd make a sheath for my mini-canadian when it arrives. But i may not be able to wait! Spoke to Joe, and he said about 10 days....Roll on the 20th. It will be a happy birthday! (24th but near enough)!
:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
I just realised what i did!
I am interested in a smaller knife to accompany my Woodlore Micarta. I like the look of some of the bark river knives...what are they like?
I dont want to spend alot. You may have realised that i have little money (being a student)! I have a puukko, but would like something like the Bison bushcraft, but i dont have enough money. The mini candian is about £40, which looks like a bargain
I have been using a H Roselli UHC carpenters knife for a couple of years now and it's been a fantastic tool for me, The quality is fantatsticI and both my carpenters knife and leuku have taken some heavy use extremely well. I bought them at the factory in Finland but I'm sure that they could sort you out mail order. They have a small range of puukot and other scandinavian models including a first rate axe which may be of interest and they make knives in standard good quality high carbon steel or Ultra High Carbon steel which is a great steel for taking and maintaining an edge. Check out the website for prices etc. I can reccommend them
Brynglas
:oops: :oops:
I thought you meant i said that months ago when i first asked a similiar question!! I just read through all the posts now and made myself cringe when i came across that one.
:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
Damn!!
Jake :lol:
Since then both my knives have come through. The highland, what a great knife. Holds an edge, looks simply stunning and i am getting used to the sharpening!
The mini-canadian, also a great knife. For some reason i find it harder to sharpen, but again...getting there!!
Cheers,
Jake
Has anyone had any experience of using the Gameskeeper model, I am considering getting one, aswell as a Northstar when they become available.
I want the northstar as soon as it is available!
Sharpshooter
08-06-2004, 15:18
The mini-canadian, also a great knife. For some reason i find it harder to sharpen, but again...getting there!!
Jake...
Here's a link on Sharpening Convex Edges that will make the job a snap....
http://home.nycap.rr.com/sosak/convex.htm
The information is right on the money, which should be very useful for those who have North Stars coming.... just a few weeks away now. :super:
Reid
Cheers Reid,
A very detailed tutorial. I read it on Knifeforums (you are over there aren't you?). I bought some wet'n'dry paper but for some reason i only bought grit 600. So when i went to sharpen an almost shaving sharp mini-canadian all i did was damage! Would that happen normally if one went onto 600 on a sharp knife?
Cheers
Jake
Jake,
Were my convexed knife "almost shaving sharp," I believe I'd strop it on cardboard to bring it to greater sharpness. Thus far, 1200 grit is all I've had to use with any convexed knife, and that was after heavy use over a five-day period.
Tom
Cheers Tom,
I guess that sounds logical. I willl have to get down to a hardware store and get some other grits, 1200. Why i didnt buy it in the first place defeats me. After all the good advice i had received!!
Cheers,
Jake
:nono: :rant:
:o):
cheers, and
Sharpshooter
09-06-2004, 05:40
Jake,
Most of the time people actually take their convex edges PAST sharp...
I usually strop mine on cardboard or even a sheet of white paper, just a few strokes and that's it. In the field I use my trouser leg and get pretty good results.
Right now I'm working on a "Field Sharpener" for the North Star... a hint;
Doan Firestarter with a bit of innertube glued to one side, on top of the rubber is some Pressure Sensitive Adhesive 15 micron abrasive sheet.
Sarg...i apologise!!! :rolmao:
Tom, could you explain that again? And if you did make that northstar field sharpener, i will definatly buy one.
Cheers,
Jake
BorisTheBold
11-12-2009, 11:21
I have a few. :-)
http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images5/marblesdrawer.jpg
http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images5/marblesexpert1.jpg
Hello I've been lurking a while but this is my first post here so go easy on me.
Can anyone help me identify the knife below. I've searched the forums and the ones above are close but not quite.
It was my first knife and was given to me sometime in the early seventies by my father and if I remember correctly we bought it somewhere in the lake district (Ambleside I think). It looks like the Marbles one above but it has no markings on it and it has a lateral indentation on the blade which none of Hoodoo's ones have.
It still takes a good edge and has been used and abused over the years. I would love to find out more about it.
http://www.campingforums.org.uk/forums/members/boris-albums-equipment-picture250-my-first-knife.jpg
and
http://www.campingforums.org.uk/forums/members/boris-albums-equipment-picture249-my-first-knife.jpg
and
http://www.campingforums.org.uk/forums/members/boris-albums-equipment-picture248-my-first-knife.jpg
Many thanks