Very high on my want list. Will own one before the next winter. My Corona Razortooth folder is convenient, and does a fine job of summer tasks. But for serious winter wood, whether up here or in N Scotland, I'll take a Boreal.
As it should be. It's the best saw I've ever used. Of course, it can't compete with my Silky pocketboy for ease of carry, but it does 3x the work in 1/3 the time (if not better).
I've never seen that before, looks great. Might have to look at picking one up. Reminds me a lot of my Bob Dustrude (RIP) Quick Bucksaw. Great saws. Now, what you really need @Stone, is the Katana...
After days of reading, and tonight watching video reviews (here's the video review that sold me), I bought this new blade (arriving Friday) that I suspect may -- could (?) -- work its way into my top 9, depending, of course, on where I'm ranking said 9. The line up for the 'hoods would be different from the line up for the 'woods. <ahem> A folding shovel listed as a "blade"? Yeah, I think this one fits. I'll report back on it after next weekend. Oh, and this is the first folding shovel I've owned in ... decades. Why do I now want a folding shovel after so long? The answer has to do with the fact that I live in a landscape shaped by glaciers. I'll get back to you on that ...
I don't own all these but these would be my top nine. 1. Esee 3mil 2. Bk12 3. Esee 4 4. Benchmade volla 5. Victorianox camper 6. Swamp rat 7. Dark timber honey badger 8. Esee jg3 9. Wusthof 5" satuko
After a lot of reading and watching videos, plus some experiences with my Fiskars X7 hatchet, I predict that one of these is going to bump the Fiskars out of my top 9. I think the length, handle and sheath are going to work better for me. Eager to try it out (after next payday -- I'm tapped out for now).
Well, I've been away from this thread for some time, and I've been aware the whole time that I owe the thread an image of my top 9 blades. Busy, busy, busy with an important project, so haven't gotten back around to it yet ... but it's coming now sooner than later. But, I now have a new problem. I have a new blade that's going to require one of the existing 9 to get bumped to #10, therefore off the list of 9. (Think of this like a game of 9 ball; there are only 9, except for that cue ball is 10, eh, @ManOfSteel?) So what I'm going to do is list my original 9 here, then list the 10 that I'm in the process of paring down to the top 9. (And all the while, knowing this is just a game of favorites -- because all ten will remain in my kit -- but this forces me to really think about the question, what -- exactly -- is the utility value of each of these blades, and is there substantive overlap so that one will do the work of two. ) So, my original list (see OP), listed originally in order of length: Fiskars X7 Corona Saber Tooth Saw SW HRT9B Mora Bushcraft Black ESEE RB3 Zancudo Izula Enzo Necker TDI Now, here's my revised list as of today (but ask me again in six weeks ), but I'm going to list all 10 for now, then in a later post, pare it down to 9. Note, there are three new blades not in the original list, one of which I don't own yet (but then, few do), and one really stretches this thread about "blades" into a new niche. Here we go. I'm listing now in terms of general size and mass, not just length: Schrade SCJSH1 folding shovel ESEE Hatchet {aka Carving Axe}; niche temporarily held by Schrade Scaxe 10, which bumped the Fiskars X7 Corona Saber Tooth Saw (holding the niche until I can add a Boreal 21) ESEE RB3 Mora Bushcraft Black SW HRT9B Zancudo Izula Enzo Necker TDI Necker I'm planning a group photo soon. Which will get bumped from the nine by a shovel? And again, I'm back to this: it forces me to really think about the question, what -- exactly -- is the utility value of each of these blades, and is there substantive overlap so that one will do the work of two? Based on that criterion, I can see two pair with substantive utility overlap for which one member could get bumped. The question then becomes, which pair? But I love them all, so this is so damn tough.
I don't know about this one myfreind...It may really be better than it looks but I didn't see any real testing being done in the video. . I broke the pin in a $100 kayak paddle 2 days into a 5 day and it wasn't even under duress at the time. I've destroyed or broken more folding shovels than I want to admit to buying, even a couple of the German issue that were much better than US GI versions. Where as my CS Spetsnaz has something like 18-19 years of brutal service on it, shovel, hatchet, machete, chopping holes in gravel infused clay, boat paddle, grappling hook, even used it as a grilling spatula at a cookout once. . Boy did I get some stares with that one.
I've been "testing" (using) the hell out of this one since I got it a few weeks ago. I've cleared (de-weeded, leveled) about 100' of trail (in glacial til with a LOT of roots and rocks), leveled out my main experimental camp, dug a couple of holes (I'm beginning to study soils, and need to dig a hole down beside a large glacial erratic to see how deep it goes (surface or partially buried). The locking collar is the best I've used on a folding shovel (but this is only my third; the first was very old military surplus (WWII or Korea); the second was a cheapo I no longer own). The collar's coarse threads are positive but it doesn't over-tighten. The edge is sharp as an axe (which helps it go through roots and dig deep in soil). If you aren't careful (as I am now being, exploring a piece of ground gently before hacking in hard), you'll ding it, but dings come out easy with a puck. So far I can say it's the best $20-something I've spent for camp gear in a long time. But it's going to get heavy use all summer -- how did I live so long without one of these? -- so I'll report on it as time goes by. And I'll for sure let you know if it ... can't handle the tasks I throw at it. BTW, it was my early experiences with this shovel, how impressed I was with its solid feel, that convinced me to try Schrade's Scaxe 10. Not quite as impressed as I am with the shovel, but it's still moved into the top slot of my camp hatchet kit (replacing the Fiskars X7, which is now modified -- handle is now 3" shorter -- but I'm keeping it for certain tasks) ... until I get my ESEE Hatchet.
OK, as promised: here's a shot of my top 10, to be pared back to top 9 soon. I shot this yesterday along with a dozen other shots (after culling about 50) out at my experimental camp in the backwoods about 70 m from here. I call it Studio Two; it's mainly a hammock/tarp practice area, but a good place for me to practice all of my skills with tools in prep for a serious**, long-term camp up near Katahdin later in summer. (** All camping/hiking in northern Maine is "serious", especially when you get dropped off at the trailhead after 25 mi of logging roads with no cell (no bars there) and no car to get out.) I'll post others during the weekend ... today is busy...
Top 9 (Favorites for Different Reasons/Purposes) 1. Victorinox Explorer (most often carried EDC) 2. Leatherman Wave 3. Bradford Guardian 3 4. Chris Reeves Inkosi (Large) 5. Rick Hinderer XM-18 3.5" 6. Council Velvicut Hudson Bay Axe 7. Bahco Laplander Folding Saw 8. Spyderco Native 5 S110V (Blurple) 9. Microtech Ultratech
Yes. I agree with all of that, it's as nice to look at as it is to use. I never feel like I'm carrying the wrong knife when I've got it in my pocket.
<kilt flies up> Yeah, I agree. There's a lot of science that goes into blades -- especially metallurgy -- and tons of technological knowledge, but there's just as much art.