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Posted By: Mannlicher Incoming - 11/26/14
Mark Hill, over in the UK, made me another knife. This one is styled like one he made me last year, but is larger. Blade is 5 inches long, same for the handle. Bocote wood, natch! Scandi grind, like a woods knife should be.
Steel is RWL 34, my first time to go with that one. It's on the way via Royal Mail, and I hope to have it next week. The picture here is the maker's.
[Linked Image]
Posted By: antlers Re: Incoming - 11/26/14
Looks like it'll be a real good knife for the woods. I really like those scales, and the shape of the handle. The blade profile seems good for it's intended purpose also. I like a Scandi grind for a bushcraft knife too.
That particular steel sounds interesting...like an ATS-34/154-CM with a sharper, tougher edge.
Posted By: Mannlicher Re: Incoming - 12/01/14
Package arrived today. The knife is quite large. 10 inches OAL, with the blade and handle both 5 inches. The handle is thick, just over an inch at the butt.
Blade steel is 5/32 RWL 34, at 59 RC. Scandi grind. Beautifully finished, and the Bocote wood is exquisite.
Out in the back yard, it cut oak, hickory, Pine and Cottonwood with ease. It makes tiny little shavings with the Oak.
Mark Hill did a great job on this one. The knife will be used for my camping, and bushcraft outings.
[Linked Image]
Posted By: busterhindend Re: Incoming - 12/02/14
Way cool
Posted By: 222Rem Re: Incoming - 12/02/14
I'm not a "bushcrafter," but I know it's popular in Britain, and I think this design is a nice deviation from the typical scani grind drop points that seem so common in the sport. I'll be interested to read how you like it for general purpose woods use.

Is RWL34 (and this maker's heat treat) rated for lots of batoning? Not that I'd want to pound on a nice knife, but I know it's a big part of the bushcraft scene, so I'm assuming Mr. Hill has factored that in.
Posted By: Mannlicher Re: Incoming - 12/02/14
Bushcraft, the concept of working with natural materials in the outdoors, crafting shelters, making fires, constructing items needed in camp and so on, is well established here in the US, and has been for some time.
I have another one of Mark's knives, same basic shape, but smaller, in O1 steel, that I have been working with for about a year and a half now. I am very pleased with that one.
This larger model should do as well.
RWL34 is similar to 154CM, and ATS 34. It is made by Damasteel in Europe. Over there, it is well thought of for knives.
Posted By: Mannlicher Re: Incoming - 12/02/14
the O1 smaller knife, with the larger RWL 34 knife. Shape is the same, just the size and materials are different.
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Posted By: 222Rem Re: Incoming - 12/02/14
Your new larger knife looks like it might be more comfortable during long sessions, by giving your hand a little more "leg room" to stretch out..........depending on your hand size. I've got a box full of Moras in all shapes and sizes, but have yet to spring for a full tang scandi grind drop point "bushcraft" knife. I do have way too many other fixed blades, from the Becker series (both sizes)to machetes and kukris, so I fully appreciate the attraction. smile

I wasn't trying to denigrate the bushcraft trend, just commenting on the fact that it seems more "formalized" in the UK, including what a "bushcraft knife" should look like. Every culture has its own set of skills pertaining to living/surviving outdoors--------some by necessity, and others, in the case of city dwellers longing for simpler times, as a hobby and educational experience. I'm in full support of learning, sharing and practicing various outdoor survival and sustainment skills, and I'm member of Bushcraftusa, and was a member of Bushcraftliving before it disappeared.
Posted By: Mannlicher Re: Incoming - 02/12/15
I asked Doug (757 on the forum) to help me with a dangler sheath for this knife. The finished product showed up today, and as always, it is just perfect.
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Posted By: antlers Re: Incoming - 02/12/15
That guy does good leather work. He made the sheath for a knife that Tim Olt crafted for me, and it is rock solid. Your new rig looks nice.
Posted By: michiganroadkill Re: Incoming - 02/13/15
Doug has been making almost all my sheaths for me the last few years. He didn't like grinding metal very well though.
We are both working at getting better.
Tim
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