Using What You Make

As I know I've stated many times before throughout the rambling lines of this blog, there is no feeling quite like using something you make. Building something from scratch, from raw materials, and then going out and stress testing it to make sure it works is such a good feeling.

That being said, within the last few weeks I've gotten to test a lot of my stuff. I've got to but them through some tests for durability, edge retention, and comfort of use. I was able to do some squirrel hunting (and it was a fruitful hunt!) and some light camping recently. Here's what I found:

5160 Bowie with Green Canvas Micarta Scales and Brass Pins: 
This knife still is not technically finished... but performance wise it is. It's been heat treated and has a handle on it. My dad, brother, and I slipped out to our honey hole for squirrel hunting a few weeks ago. It was a nice day to hunt in the early season, not too hot, humid, nor were there a bazillion mosquitoes. We slipped into the woods shortly before daylight as the woods started to wake up. The particular woods we were hunting was a swath of very tall hickory trees. by 10:30 AM, we had 11 squirrels between the three of us. A decent harvest, we didn't each hit our limit, but my dad did. I was pretty excited to clean all of these squirrels, I brought three knives with me and one of them was my bowie. I asked which knife they wanted to use (they've cleaned far more squirrels than I have) and my dad pointed at my bowie and said "... lets use that pig sticker you made". Jackpot!

It was and still am elated to say that my knife made easy work of the squirrels. Cutting through the legs, bone and all was no problem. Both my dad and my brother were impressed, I think. But the best part was that after it was all said and done, it still shaved. Yet again, Jackpot!

2.5lb 4140 Camp Axe from my axe class with Liam Hoffman... and Bowie round two: 
I was super stoked to camp at Kentucky Lake with my girlfriends family... but I cannot lie and say that I wasn't just as excited to get to put my axe through a long, long overdue stress test. We stayed at a place called The Triangle Fishing Club... and to my luck many of the members were having a work weekend. There was lots of timber laying around just itching to be chopped. It was not long after we arrived on Friday night that I wandered outside and started chopping on some fallen oak. The axe threw chips magnificently. However, when I was finished, I noticed that my edge was not quite as keen as before after only a few minutes of work.

The next day, I decided to start a fire around noon. I mounted up, axe and knife in hand and went to chopping. The club had provided us with plenty of fire wood, but it was fresh, wet red oak. I took my axe and started splitting. The head design and weight performed well. I was able to split some decent sized stuff, even being wet. I was also able to throw some shavings to try make some kindling. I did notice some continual edge wear at a certain part of my blade. I've never worked with 4140 before, I don't like how it hardens.. but I don't have the best supplies to harden it with (need to get some parks 50). I would like to master this steel one day, like many other ax makers have. My handle held up well, I blew a few chunks out of it, but that's what I get for not having a guard on it. I'll fashion one this weekend.

As for round two of my bowie... I used it to shave some sticks, create some small chips for kindling, and for making curls on the firewood for ease of lighting. The edge held up great and the handle was very comfortable in my hand.

I can't wait to make my small changes, and be ready to pump out a superior product. Also, let's be real here. I can't wait to field test more of my stuff!