Danzo
28-08-04, 03:36 PM
Hi folks
I've been trying to get some photo hosting so that I don't just show these in the Gallery but Photobucket is down and I can't seem to get our MSN or Truprint online albums to load. If anyone can download the Gallery shots to here then please do!
;)
So, are Bryan Bakers 'Svord' knives any good? Well, first of all they pronounce it 'Shvoord' in most of the hunting shops so I'll go with that.
These knives are not marketed as well as they could be amongst those of us who collect as well as use as they are pretty much all hand made. And they are very good handmade knives.
1. Deluxe Drop Point in Native Wood handles.
I think that some of the knives that go to the USA are in a black stabilised wood. Well, I got two in native woods; a silver beech and a tawhai, which I suspect to be the same. The colours in both are quite amazing. There are stunning, shimmering movements within the wood. There are really nice brass pins over steel and a lovely brass bolster/guard.
The blade is awesome. It is over an inch wide. It is fairly narrow at the top (1.5mm) as befits a using hunter and is ground to a very scary convex grind. It is close to the sharpest knife I have ever used but Guyceps Convex Hunter will take some beating as the sharpest thing in the whole world, ever. Mr Bakers prime handmade knife is a real hard-use, never let you down user, but it is also a collectors piece par excellence.
My version of this came with a beautiful mottled oxblood sheath and a presentation box for less than £70 at NZ prices and our exchange rate. The cheaper one in the plain black sheath is already sold.
2. Economy Skinner
Gary has written a far better user review over on BCUK of the Economy Drop Point than I could hope to achieve. The Skinner is identical other than the blade shape so I won't try and do better. These are using knives for people who know their kit. They are collectable if you haven't got something from New Zealand but these are really knives that cry out for th outdoors. The handle is just waiting to soak up sweat and dirt and become personally coloured. Lots don't like 'inside the belt' sheaths but, hey. it gives you something to restitch when the batteries on the Portable telly go.
Sadly my spare one of these is sold as well.
3. Peasant Folder
If a bloke wanting to get to the pub quickly had been ordered to finish off Opinels this is what would have happened. This is the ultimate basic friction folder. I love it. It really is about as basic a complicated knife that one can get to. I am not going to use the phrase 'Neo-Tribal' as it means so many different things. I think Bryan Baker has made a knife that does what he says. Cut stuff. Roger Gregory says he approves. That is great praise indeed.
I shall post more pictures as soon as I can.
:approve:
Danzo
I've been trying to get some photo hosting so that I don't just show these in the Gallery but Photobucket is down and I can't seem to get our MSN or Truprint online albums to load. If anyone can download the Gallery shots to here then please do!
;)
So, are Bryan Bakers 'Svord' knives any good? Well, first of all they pronounce it 'Shvoord' in most of the hunting shops so I'll go with that.
These knives are not marketed as well as they could be amongst those of us who collect as well as use as they are pretty much all hand made. And they are very good handmade knives.
1. Deluxe Drop Point in Native Wood handles.
I think that some of the knives that go to the USA are in a black stabilised wood. Well, I got two in native woods; a silver beech and a tawhai, which I suspect to be the same. The colours in both are quite amazing. There are stunning, shimmering movements within the wood. There are really nice brass pins over steel and a lovely brass bolster/guard.
The blade is awesome. It is over an inch wide. It is fairly narrow at the top (1.5mm) as befits a using hunter and is ground to a very scary convex grind. It is close to the sharpest knife I have ever used but Guyceps Convex Hunter will take some beating as the sharpest thing in the whole world, ever. Mr Bakers prime handmade knife is a real hard-use, never let you down user, but it is also a collectors piece par excellence.
My version of this came with a beautiful mottled oxblood sheath and a presentation box for less than £70 at NZ prices and our exchange rate. The cheaper one in the plain black sheath is already sold.
2. Economy Skinner
Gary has written a far better user review over on BCUK of the Economy Drop Point than I could hope to achieve. The Skinner is identical other than the blade shape so I won't try and do better. These are using knives for people who know their kit. They are collectable if you haven't got something from New Zealand but these are really knives that cry out for th outdoors. The handle is just waiting to soak up sweat and dirt and become personally coloured. Lots don't like 'inside the belt' sheaths but, hey. it gives you something to restitch when the batteries on the Portable telly go.
Sadly my spare one of these is sold as well.
3. Peasant Folder
If a bloke wanting to get to the pub quickly had been ordered to finish off Opinels this is what would have happened. This is the ultimate basic friction folder. I love it. It really is about as basic a complicated knife that one can get to. I am not going to use the phrase 'Neo-Tribal' as it means so many different things. I think Bryan Baker has made a knife that does what he says. Cut stuff. Roger Gregory says he approves. That is great praise indeed.
I shall post more pictures as soon as I can.
:approve:
Danzo