View Full Version : Svord knives.
http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v342/bearclaw/080804013.jpg
I have just been testing and evaluating a new knife with a view to stocking it and I thought people on here might be interested in the results.
The knife itself is hand made by Bryan Barker of NZ and is called the Svord drop point. 4 3/8 inch Carbon steel blade which is square at the spine and castes the best shower of sparks from a fireball firesteel I have ever seen, I even ignited a green birch feather stick with them!
Handle is mahogany and is shaped similar to a kitchen knife but is surprisingly comfortable to use - tang is full with the centre being alined with the tip of the blade for strength. The spine isn't wide (2.5mm) and thus is good in a utilitarian role while still remained strong.
The blade itself is convex ( :yikes: ) and initially this was a thing I disliked as I like so many people have grown used to the flat grind. However I am a convert - convex is the profile for me! Why? Because not only is it the most commonly shaped blade profile found on 'primitive' tools but being shaped similar to an axe head the edge is tough as old boots, I even used it the reduced a wrist thick beech to kindling and the edge was still shaving sharp. For carving, forget the myth about flat grind biting better into the wood, the convex blade was equally as good and impressed me a great deal.
Sharpening - this is a little trickier as it requires a practiced eye to maintain the correct angle but once mastered isn't anything to worry about - incidentally I also found the edge was easily touched up with a GB ice hockey puck stone meaning one stone is ideal for knife and axe.
Not yet available in this country the knife reminded me of the type of knife often traded by mountain men and native americans another reason I liked it - it is rugged and practical yet with an olde stitched charm but more importantly it is an extremely good knife!
The only real down side to it knife is the sheath - this is deep shouldered and leather and is a similar design the the WL sheath but lacking fire steel loop another reason for it reminding me of the mountain men who wore this type of sheath all the time. Problem here is that while the leather is thick and of good grain the belt when passing through the loop is (theoretically exposed the the blade as drawn. This is due to the fact that there is no sown in leather wedge here. Having said that I used the sheath without problem.
Over all an extremely good knife and one that will (reluctantly) replace my Mora as my daily work horse. Although I might make it a new sheath.
Is this it: http://www.svord.com/pages/catalog/DP.htm
Nice looking blade Gary. I certainly like the handle style. Looks well built and solid.
I've read a lot about convex and concave grinds recently and how many people seem to be converting to them. My main gripe with them is one of sharpening. Yes, sharpening a convex isn't a big deal if the edge is just a little dull but wait until you have edge damage or after a few sharpenings and you end up with a convex edge that you either have to reprofile as a single bevel or regrind the convex edge from scratch. Either way it's a bigger job (as far as I'm concerned) than a single bevel. The other thing I really like about single bevel is the fact that, as long as it's done right, the edge of the blade is the same after each and every sharpen.
Nonetheless, a nice knife!
Good points mate and as yet I have no answers as I am a convex virgin. :redface:
Maybe Sargey could lend some advice here as I think his knowledge far out strips mine.
Although as I say the convex profile (once I got used to it) does seem easy to sharpen and all I can go on (at present) is my axe which is still convex after many moons of use and sharpening.
I remember once seeing a guy sharpening a golok on a sand stone block which was so worn it was the perfect shape for a convex blade - indeed the golok was convex from repeated sharpening, maybe, with the popularity of convex blades we need to re-invent one of these too!!
Ahh, the advantages of sharpening on a softer stone - the stone wears to the shape of the grind!
Good point that - with huge enphasis on ceramic and diamond hones, there are advantages too to using established methods and materials! :biggthump
for convex knives i just use a stropping action on wet'n'dry on a mouse mat. hard side up or soft side up depends on the blade profile, usually soft side up for axes and hard side up for knives. don't push too hard as it's easy to round the edge off.
hoodoo hones are great for in the field when you don't have a nice worktop handy.
there's not much more to it than that.
cheers, and.
At risk of being shouted at for being rude and direct, how much are you looking at stocking it for?
At present I dont know I am making arrangements with the maker now - cost will be around the £40 - £60 mark (roughly the same as they sell for in NZ), depending on what I get stung for by the lovely tax man this end - but I can't see it being more than that.
As with all my stuff I'll try to keep the cost as low as possible after all thats why I set up the trading post!! :pack: .
Sargey - is there pictures of these blocks or a link?
rapidboy
08-08-2004, 18:13
I think Svord make a simple little folder as well don't they?
I remember someone raving about the steel in it on another forum.
Any pic's of the sheath Gary?
They do Rapid - a very simple but very effective looking thing caled a peasant knife - but as I dont recommend folders for bushcraft I will not be stocking them.
Interesting to hear their steel has a good reputation though just goes to add to my esteem of the tool. :biggthump
Sheath picture - I will put up a picture of both knife and sheath if and when I decide to sell them on my web site mate, but I dont think this is the place for me to be pushing them certain people hassle Tony about that sort of thing. Sorry. :?:
Anybody who is interested can pm me or go via Bearclaw of course. :wink:
rapidboy
08-08-2004, 19:41
Wasn't thinking of a folder for bushcraft ,just remembered a discussion on another forum and had considered one as a collector.
RB
I made a pair of HOODOO hones this weeekend, sanding blocks with closed cell foam from a old sleeping mat glued on, AND I AM VERY IMPRESSED! I also made a strop from an old piece of sole leather - very hard but for a convex edge its perfect. :-)
Overall - I am now a Convex convert I have even ground my SAK main blade into a convex. Sharpening is easy as its little more than stropping the edge although there is a definate knack to doing it right. The edge is so robust, after so many years of flat grind, i cant beleive how long it lasts and what it will do - I even chopped through a thicker than wrist thick seasoned oak branch this morning and it didnt do a thing to the edge on the svord.
Now I just need to await the North Star! :super:
welcome aboard mate, you do realise you have just branded youself heretic, you wil be hunted down by the establishment and exterminated!
i recently got my hands on some sexy new technology for convex edges. trials are ongoing.
cheers, and.
Heretic - sounds about right, but I am sure you all know me by now I'm not one to toe the line just because..... If it works it works!
Really what? Secret stuff or can you spill the beans?
gurushaun
17-08-2004, 12:36
Yeah Sargey spill the beans :yikes: :yikes: (another convex nut :wink: ). I've got me Evo to look after you know :wink:
Cheers
Shaun
Nice looking knives Gary, the knife handle is reminiscent of a kitchen knife (not a bad thing as you use these with wet greasy hands) and the blade looks a little like an old super swede that i had (also not a bad thing as this was one of the best knives for the amount of use that it had that I have ever had). :wave:
Cheers mate - and yes it is a good knife. :biggthump
Hi folks
Glad you like the knife Gary. I've just got back from New Zealand yesterday with a few 'Svords'; a couple of deluxe drop points with native wood handles and brass fittings, an economy skinner and several peasant folders. All are pretty impressive and I'll post up some pics here and over on www.britishblades.com when I can, but I'm back in work today, which after a thirty hour flight with a six month old is fun........... :shock:
The Svords are quite difficult to get in New Zealand stores as they are all pretty much handmade and are often ordered direct.
I may have a couple to sell but I need to sleep first before I can think........
Danzo
Danzo,
PM AWAITNG YOU ON BB.
I have it all sorted with Bryan now mate I am just awaitng the first batch to arrive and clear customs!
Hi Gary
I can't log on to BB at work so I'll pick it up this evening if I'm awake!
I think these will sell well here and probably over on BB as well. The deluxe models are awesome pieces of kit and the peasant folders are very functional and good value.
:biggthump
Danzo
Gary, i like the sound of this. Convex is great but difficult to repair if gets damaged, unlike flat grinds. I would agree with you though that Convex performs just as well as flat grind when slicing wood.
As for sharpening convexes the only answer has to be the starkie sharp!!
If i repair the highland would i have to grind it down on the stones?
tenbears10
19-08-2004, 15:54
As for sharpening convexes the only answer has to be the starkie sharp!!
There you go again jake I can hear the royalties rolling in :o):
Bill
tenbears10
19-08-2004, 16:18
Well done mate
Bill
Jake, Hoodoo is the man for convex questions - personally I have dinked my own knife just to see if it was hard to repair and I found the GB icehockey puck worked a treat.
Repair is tempered to damage I would guess some damage is easily repaired some .......... :shock:
OK WHATS THIS SHARKIE SHARP THING THEN?
Well, it all started a few months back....
Sargey recomended me a thing called a Starkie Sharp (thats right Bill, im not completely to blame) its from here (http://www.starkiesharp.com) , its a small piece of leather with a secret ingredient, the starkie honing paste. It will enable you to shaving sharpen up anything with an edge in moments, not only to razor finish but also to a high polish finish as well.
Its best to order a order form and send it by snail mail. Gary, this is the perfect companion to a convex edge, perfect for the up-keep of the profile.
BTW i just removed the dent with a DC4 diamond stone and the got it razor with a starkie. One thing is though, its so sharp i have now got a bald arm, and i swore to myself that i would never do that again, another few months wait until i have matching limbs.
GET YOURSELF ONE TODAY! :lmao:
Cheers,
Jake
Oh, the dent wasnt too big, it looked like the edge had rolled, only took 15 minutes to grind it out.
Perhaps i'm somewhat of a convert now, now that i can repair edge damage.
Gary, i think i'll probably buy one of those knives when they arrive, they do look good, and you seem to like them!
Now I am going to have to get a sharkie sharp too - I have used a plain leather strop and that works well - but magic paste? Gotta try it!.
Does this thing have a name? There are lots of diamond stones ect - no magic paste? :o):
rapidboy
19-08-2004, 18:03
Best value for money piece of sharpening kit out there.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=180010
"Honing paste" doesnt quite give it the deserved effect as "magic paste". I can't believe that it isnt one of the most popular sharpeners around. ALL CONVEX BLADES SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY A STARKIE! (and for that matter its great for sharpening flat grinds to.)
Cheers,
Jake
how much is it? their website doesn't sem to be working for me.
rapidboy
19-08-2004, 20:13
DMT Strop-Honing Leather £2.10
DMT Honing Paste £3.35
:o):
DMT Strop-Honing Leather £2.10
DMT Honing Paste £3.35
:o):
Wish I'd seen that when I was ordering my waterstone kit :wink:
Lurch. Get yourself one anyways!
jake are the ones you like more or less? are they the same thing in fact?
will I save on postage if I go elsewhere.
They look like similiar descriptions but i cant remeber anything said on the box about DMT, only starkie. Postage was about a pound if i remember correctly so very cheap. You should go on the starkie site and perhaps order it by phone, you'll speak to Judy (i think), very friendly. I couldnt say that the two items are the same, perhaps they are, but for safety go for starkie.
Cheers,
Jake
tenbears10
19-08-2004, 22:29
Best value for money piece of sharpening kit out there.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/default.asp?part=180010
These are the ones I got Jake the're the starkie ones.
Bill
Lurch. Get yourself one anyways!
Probably will!
..but I'd have saved myself P&P if I'd seen it earlier :naughty:
true, but its worth 10x the p&p!
Ive become a big fan of Convex grinds too! Really tough compared to a flat grind, needs sharpening much less often and as long as the edge isnt too thick just as capable for most cutting tasks.
Jason
Well Jason as sargey would say - welcome to the club!
Got my Sharkie sharp today - excellent, good tip there Jake. :biggthump
rapidboy
21-08-2004, 19:19
For those who don't know what a "Starkie" is........
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/rapidboy1/403_0387_1.jpg
RB
once you've got magic paste, you can just rub it on the inside of your belt, and you'll always have a loaded strop! worked a treat on the abo course last year!
the secret squirrel sharpening device is actually a case of some multinational mega-corp' robbing the little guys ideas. 3M are attempting to circumvent hoodoo's northwoods knifeworks hoodoo hone patents, by applying a diamond coated film to a very firm sponge. the end result is a widget that looks like a kitchen scouring pad, but is an outrageously aggressive, ultralight knife sharpening thing. the finest one is probably all you'll ever need.
http://www.thomasregister.com/images/73730160/no100.jpg
google for 3m diamond hand laps
cheers, and.
but after all that, my favourite sharpening device is still a slice of cornflake box on a mousemat with some autosol.
cheers, and.
bushwacker bob
22-08-2004, 00:57
I descovered that dremel polishing paste works very well as magic paste on strops :wink:
I have a big piece of 5/6mm vegetable tanned hide thats really too thick for sheaths, I cut a generously sized strop from that and I used a very sharp bench plane to resurface the back side of it, will fit metal loops each end when I get round to it so that I can tension it against a hook in a wall or whatever. At the moment I just pop one end in the vice and load it with Autosol which works well. Wet and dry on a mouse mat for the earlier stages. Couldnt be much simpler or easier.
Jason
Someone asked about the sheath for the svord - heres a picture of it compliments of Danzo on BB!!
http://IMG78.photobucket.com/albums/v342/bearclaw/116knife0009-med.jpg
Hope that has helped answer that question!
I see the Svords are now up, for a very reasonable price too.
The General
29-08-2004, 00:40
Damn... must resist... :wink:
:rolmao: :rolmao: resistance is futile! :borgsmile
Gary!! I blame people like you for my lack of funds! :lmao:
BTW why is it called a "skinner"? It puts me off when knives call themeselves "skinners". Makes me feel they arent up for wood tasks, a better name would be a "woodsman"!
Its not called a skinner outside NZ and OZ - they are officially sold by Svord as drop points to me.
May be the skinner title is a reflection on NZ and Australian hunting traditions either way it doesnt detract from their hand made quality.
On BB gallery with Danzo's picture its called a skinner. How is yours facing up Gary?
Danzo got his in NZ ..............
Mine is doing well - excellent for butchering game and carving. Feather sticks are a little awkward for some reason but I'd just make arctic ones and be done with it if pushed for a fire. I used a Garry block to polish off the bluing and once the metal stained it looks excellent - still reminds me of a fur trade trade knife - and the Mahogony scales have gone quite dark now which give them a bit of extra character.
And like you I dinked the edge too - I used a GB ice hockey puck and ground it out like I would an axe edge - worked a treat. And she loves your sharkie sharp too
Over all very impressed.
I like the way the starkie has become "mine" :o):
I was suprised as to how easy it was to fix the dent in my Highland. Alan hasnt replied yet, he must be away.
Whats an Arctic feather stick?
Cheers,
Jake
Temperate feather sticks are curly ended sticks about 12 inches long - in the arctic wood is at a premium so there they shave the feathers into groups and then loop off the whole collection of curls and stack these to catch the thermal column of the fire - 1 stick is all thats needed as they use the whole stick to make curls.
Its not as pretty a technique as the feathers sticks we all practise but when your teeth are chattering and your wearing mittens its a darn site more practical and just as effective!
And I stand corrected on the skinner drop point thing - just checked the website - they are two different knives, Skinner as per danzo's picture has a slightly up swept butchers tip hence its name The drop point is as the name suggests a drop point
http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v342/bearclaw/svord.jpg
However the sheath which they both come in is still the same as pictured.
Ah, i see. My feather sticks dont look pretty BTW!
As long as they work what more can you ask of them! :?:
I suppose so. I never saw how one could light a feather stick with a firesteel?
Would the knives be available from bearclaw with handles like this?:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/YoungBushman/svord1.jpg
Its not as hard as it sounds Jake - feather sticks and candles can both be lighted with a fire steel just takes practice and fine feathering of the wood, I have come up with a simplified feather stick techique especially for the Svord (although it should work for most knives) which works well that way - remind me to show you some time its really simply.
Scott, yes mate that is the Bearclaw Svord drop point and it looks exactly like that but with the sheath in Danzo's pictures.
Scott, yes mate that is the Bearclaw Svord drop point and it looks exactly like that but with the sheath in Danzo's pictures.
So it has the light handle rather than the dark one in your first picture?
Handles vary in shade Scott - most are darker than the picture though - the one in my first picture (with hat and spoon blank) has grown darker with use and this is one of the reasons I like the knife it develops a character of its own with use, its not a shelf knife but a worker.
Do you like the darker handle then? I am sure I can find you a darker one :wink:
I like the look of those Gary. Looks like a Green River knife!
PM sent.
Handles vary in shade Scott - most are darker than the picture though - the one in my first picture (with hat and spoon blank) has grown darker with use and this is one of the reasons I like the knife it develops a character of its own with use, its not a shelf knife but a worker.
Do you like the darker handle then? I am sure I can find you a darker one :wink:
No no, I liked the lighter one better. I was just making sure you didn't only have the darker ones as I will be asking for one for christmas :wink:
Well, I cant guarantee a light one as light as the picture but I will put one aside for you.
Burnt Ash
31-08-2004, 11:35
Its not called a skinner outside NZ and OZ - they are officially sold by Svord as drop points to me.
May be the skinner title is a reflection on NZ and Australian hunting traditions either way it doesnt detract from their hand made quality.
The Svord website (Economy Sporting section) shows a 'Drop Point' (4 3/8 ") and a 'Skinner' (5"). The first is definitely a 'drop point' design, but -IMO- the latter is definitely a 'skinner' with a belly like that (albeit a drop-pointed skinner). There are other models listed with a much more accentuated curve and skinning belly in the style that has come to be associated with Green River.
Burnt Ash
Burnt Ash
31-08-2004, 11:50
Scott, yes mate that is the Bearclaw Svord drop point and it looks exactly like that but with the sheath in Danzo's pictures.
I don't want to seem difficult, Gary, but the model pictured by Scott/Young Bushman earlier in this thread is the Svord 'Drop Point'. The model you show on your web site appears to be the 'Skinner'.
Which model do you stock: the 'Drop Point' or the 'Skinner'?
Burnt Ash
BA - it is the drop point which we stock as per Scotts enquiry. The confusion was caused by me publishing a picture of the skinner to show the sheath detail without specifying the knife was dofferent.
Sorry for any confusion guys.
Hi folks
I was just going to PM Gary as I realised there was some potential for confusion when I saw events had overtaken me! I have other pictures if anyone, including you Gary, want others.
:roll:
The round thing is a Maori necklace carved from whalebone, sometimes called a Tiki in Maori, although I think this more properly refers to stylised human figures and not the abstract designs such as this one and the more famous fishhooks style.
The Svord in my picture is the Skinner. Gary has the Drop Point. The Skinner has an identical handle and sheath but has more belly and an upturned point for, er, skinning things! Gary is selling the Drop Point as seen in the pictures from the Svord website posted here and is much more of a traditional bushcraft design. The skinner would of course be an admirable knife for those who skin things. I was told in New Zealand that by far and away the most popular there is the economy pig sticker; wild pig hunting is very popular down under!
I can't link to BB at work but there are a few thoughts on Svord over there now in 'Testing and Reviews', including the deluxe drop point. These are awesome beasties with massive convex ground blades and brass fittings. Mine has a tawhai burl handle, but most have an almost black stabilized wood. They can be bought from NZ$180 in New Zealand, which at about £65 is amazing value for a handmade knife of that quality. However they are hard to find! Bryan Baker (Mr Svord) may post up some one offs for sale on BB so keep your eyes peeled..........or skinned!
:shock:
:o):
Danzo
Burnt Ash
31-08-2004, 13:24
BA - it is the drop point which we stock as per Scotts enquiry. The confusion was caused by me publishing a picture of the skinner to show the sheath detail without specifying the knife was dofferent.
Sorry for any confusion guys.
Thanks for clearing that up.
Burnt Ash
Gary,
Having had the pleasure of meeting you this weekend and seeing your knife I'd like to order one please, can you tell me the best way to go about this?
Hi Zac, was nice to meet you to mate.
I'll pm you re-ordering.
Sorry if this is the wrong place to do it but its easier than PMing every one.
The first batch are in and will be posted out this weekend. Thanks for your patience! :biggthump