Prolonged whittling. 91mm wins?

[Lynn LeFey]

I have been doing a LOT of whittling hardwood the last couple of days, with my cheapie Coghlan's SAK knockoff.

I had a good bit of hotspots on my hand from it yesterday. It got me wondering a few things.

So, I pulled out my Farmer, Rucksack, and every 91mm SAK I have (Tinker, Super Tinker, Climber, Explorer, and Handyman), along with my Wenger Evogrip 16.

My thinking was that part of the discomfort was the thickness of the tool. It didn't fill my hand completely. This seems to play out. It was clear that the Super Tinker was more comfortable for long work than the Tinker. The only difference between Super Tinker and Climber seemed to be for left handed use of the small blade, where the corkscrew starts to be uncomfortably pressed into the hand.

The Evogrip 16 was very good, but the back end of the scales (the side away from the blade) started digging in a bit.

The Farmer, a tool I otherwise generally like, REALLY seemed to tear up my hands. The alox scales seemed strangely abrasive, and the saw stuck up enough to bite into my pinky.

While the Rucksack is generally very comfortable in-hand, it too has some issues with the saw causing hotspots.

As I increased in layer thickness on the 91s to the Explorer and Handyman... somewhere in there, at 4 to 6 layers, seemed to be most comfortable for prolonged hard whittling. Again, the corkscrew is a bit of a problem using the small blade left handed, but that could be fixed by having a Craftsman, instead of a Handyman. The corkscrew didn't seem to give me much trouble right handed.

I didn't have a 5-layer to test. It might hit the sweet spot. the Handyman didn't feel TOO thick, but 5 layers might be more comfortable. I don't know.

Maybe the 111mm would be more comfortable with other layers to sort of shield the saw, keeping it from creating such serious hotspots. Or a model with no saw. I dunno. I don't have nough SAKs to test this.

I don't have a TON of experience with this, and was just wondering if this synchs up with other folks' experience.

[ducttapetech]

For me, no SAK or multiplier is good for prolonged knife use. This is one of the main reasons why I love and carry folders or fixed blades.

That's us mobile.
Nate

[Fattsgalore]

Sounds like your hankering for a Ranger or Master Craftsman.

[Lynn LeFey]

I had a ranger and got rid of it. It was too big in hand. 

[Fattsgalore]

I had a ranger and got rid of it. It was too big in hand. 

Really? It's smaller than a Craftsman.

[Mextreme]

I like four layers for hand comfort and control. Five is probably better for comfort but the shape is starting to get too square and you get less control.
It´s a big difference between hard whittling trying to remove big chunks of wood or trying to achive fine details. For the fine work, the small blade of a 2-layer like the small Tinker is fine.
The 111s are really good for whittling for fire wood and stuff like that.
I tested the small blade in left hand position and you are right. That´s horrible ergonomics with the CS in that position.

[magentus]

The lack of back side tools on the alox models make for a comfortable grip, especially with the extra layer on the Farmer, but the key ring always felt uncomfortable to me.

My Standard Issue Farmer overcomes this problem with the hollow rivet and bail. It's extremely comfortable to use now;

[Flint Hills]

I like SAKs but they're definitely not my first choice for whittling.

I like traditional slipjoints for that and certain patterns are more comfortable than others. My favorites being Stockman, Swayback and Congress patterns. Has to be carbon steel blades too.

[styx]

Interesting insight. Could it be that the Alox tore up your hands because you have soft girly hands? 

[comis]

Lynn,

I don't whittle, but once in a while will use various SAKs/MT to do feather sticks or little wood crafting just for fun.  From the saw test experience, I kinda wonder will a thin profile 93mm tends to slide or rotate more in hand than thicker 91mm, because it doesn't fill up the hand?   But the strange observation is a few 'traditional' slipjoint/whittling knives I purchased in the past all look kind of slim, but they seems to work fine in the hands of crafty whittlers.

And do you feel the hand is more easy to cramp/fatigue when the handle is too thin?  I sometimes do feel this way when I was using thinner SAKs for prolonged sawing.

[Lynn LeFey]

Interesting insight. Could it be that the Alox tore up your hands because you have soft girly hands? 

HEY!!

Uhh... yeah, probably a little. 

I don't have a construction job or anything. My hands don't get beat up that much, and don't have much in the way of calluses.

And do you feel the hand is more easy to cramp/fatigue when the handle is too thin?  I sometimes do feel this way when I was using thinner SAKs for prolonged sawing.

I think the cramp/fatigue from thin handles is a major thing, at least for me.

And as a general note, I kind of assumed everyone would know I meant that this discussion was referring to SAKs only, not dedicated whittling tools. I'm sure a knife made specifically for the task would be best.

[Mextreme]

I like SAKs but they're definitely not my first choice for whittling.

I like traditional slipjoints for that and certain patterns are more comfortable than others. My favorites being Stockman, Swayback and Congress patterns. Has to be carbon steel blades too.

Congress is a superb pattern for whittling. There´s a blade for everything.

This would come close:

[Flint Hills]

I like SAKs but they're definitely not my first choice for whittling.

I like traditional slipjoints for that and certain patterns are more comfortable than others. My favorites being Stockman, Swayback and Congress patterns. Has to be carbon steel blades too.

Congress is a superb pattern for whittling. There´s a blade for everything.

This would come close:

(Image removed from quote.)

Oh nice! What model is that or is it a mod? I've never seen a regular (non-electrician) sheepsfoot blade like that on a SAK.

[Mextreme]

I like SAKs but they're definitely not my first choice for whittling.

I like traditional slipjoints for that and certain patterns are more comfortable than others. My favorites being Stockman, Swayback and Congress patterns. Has to be carbon steel blades too.

f d
Congress is a superb pattern for whittling. There´s a blade for everything.

This would come close:

(Image removed from quote.)

Oh nice! What model is that or is it a mod? I've never seen a regular (non-electrician) sheepsfoot blade like that on a SAK.

It's a mod of the small blade.

Actually theres a book of whittling with a SAK.

[twiliter]

I like SAKs but they're definitely not my first choice for whittling.

I like traditional slipjoints for that and certain patterns are more comfortable than others. My favorites being Stockman, Swayback and Congress patterns. Has to be carbon steel blades too.

f d
Congress is a superb pattern for whittling. There´s a blade for everything.

This would come close:

(Image removed from quote.)

Oh nice! What model is that or is it a mod? I've never seen a regular (non-electrician) sheepsfoot blade like that on a SAK.

It's a mod of the small blade.

Actually theres a book of whittling with a SAK.

Interesting site also >> http://www.whittlingwithchris.com/ 

Looks like the small 91mm blade on the Hiker was made into a more traditional carving shape, just taking the belly out of it. Pretty cool! 

[HarleyXJGuy]

Did someone say wider Alox?

[twiliter]

Did someone say wider Alox?

I heard wider titanium, but might just be my Oldztimers kicking in. 

[Smaug]

For me, #1 comfort was the 84mm Recruit. Smooth back (no back tools) made the difference.

My preferred whittled is the 91mm Hiker. Phillips on the back, instead of corkscrew helps.

I re-profile the small blade to be more like a Wharncliffe. Also, removing the key ring and grinding down the key ring nub is a must.

[Marcellus]

For me, #1 comfort was the 84mm Recruit. Smooth back (no back tools) made the difference.

My preferred whittled is the 91mm Hiker. Phillips on the back, instead of corkscrew helps.

I re-profile the small blade to be more like a Wharncliffe. Also, removing the key ring and grinding down the key ring nub is a must.

What is your method to remove the key ring "nub" without buggering up the liners?

[Luna Knife]

I didnt realize how much the corkscrew bothers me whittling until I read this thread.

Good thing I have a nice variety of corkscrew and Phillips backside SAKS

[firiki]

I've been meaning to post my 2 cents for a while now.

When it comes to whittling, the 91mm pen blade is very good. I much prefer it to the 84mm one. The corkscrew is under your thumb using the pen blade with either hand so you either like that or not. I do, I feel it enhances control. Sure, it can become annoying with prolonged whittling but I don't think one needs to be pressing down on it all the time, only when that's necessary. I don't whittle all that much, though.

As for Huntsman/Ranger/Handyman (I own one of each), my first pick is the Huntsman. It has the tools I'll use most often on a SAK and it feels better in my hand than the other two. I think it strikes a rather nice balance between size and weight and every tool on a Huntsman is very comfortable to use. The hook can be a little hard to deploy. 

The Ranger has this quirk, for me, I often find the main blade is tilting during a cut in a way the Huntsman's and Handyman's doesn't. That's probably due to the Ranger's girth and the way I'm holding the SAK. Also, the Ranger in noticeably heavier than the Huntsman, not enough to make the Ranger tiring but the difference is noticeable both in hand as well as while pocket carrying the thing. The Ranger is the SAK I use around the house and I certainly don't like using it's main blade. Pen blade is OK. The hook can be a little hard to deploy on this SAK also.

Finally, the Handyman is a weird case for me. I love it but I only EDC it in my bag paired with a Spirit. So far it was worked well. Every tool on the Handyman is very comfortable to use (others more than the rest perhaps), despite its size and weight; in fact I see those two factors as beneficial, in contrast to their Ranger counterparts. I think I'd much rather be whittling with the Handyman instead  of with the Ranger. Again, I don't whittle much and of the three, my first pick is the Huntsman.

Finally, I think the saw on the Farmer is protruding in order to protect the main blade from being pressed down against the spring when one is using the awl or the flat scredriver/pry tool; it allows for one's thumb to rest on the saw and not the blade's spine. When are those Pioneers with scissors coming out, Victorinox?

Rambling over. Sorry about that.

[zoidberg]

For me, #1 comfort was the 84mm Recruit. Smooth back (no back tools) made the difference.

My preferred whittled is the 91mm Hiker. Phillips on the back, instead of corkscrew helps.

I re-profile the small blade to be more like a Wharncliffe. Also, removing the key ring and grinding down the key ring nub is a must.

What is your method to remove the key ring "nub" without buggering up the liners?

I don't know Smaug's method but I partly deploy the bottle opener to lift the key ring up off the liners a little while I work on it.

[TazzieRob]

For me, #1 comfort was the 84mm Recruit. Smooth back (no back tools) made the difference.

My preferred whittled is the 91mm Hiker. Phillips on the back, instead of corkscrew helps.

I re-profile the small blade to be more like a Wharncliffe. Also, removing the key ring and grinding down the key ring nub is a must.

What is your method to remove the key ring "nub" without buggering up the liners?

I don't know Smaug's method but I partly deploy the bottle opener to lift the key ring up off the liners a little while I work on it.

By Bottle Opener you are referring to the Cap Lifter, I presume, not the Corkscrew. This works on the 91mm where the keyring attachment is on the spring, but not the 84mm where it is attached to the liner

[zoidberg]

For me, #1 comfort was the 84mm Recruit. Smooth back (no back tools) made the difference.

My preferred whittled is the 91mm Hiker. Phillips on the back, instead of corkscrew helps.

I re-profile the small blade to be more like a Wharncliffe. Also, removing the key ring and grinding down the key ring nub is a must.

What is your method to remove the key ring "nub" without buggering up the liners?

I don't know Smaug's method but I partly deploy the bottle opener to lift the key ring up off the liners a little while I work on it.

By Bottle Opener you are referring to the Cap Lifter, I presume, not the Corkscrew. This works on the 91mm where the keyring attachment is on the spring, but not the 84mm where it is attached to the liner

Correct. Thanks for mentioning the 84mm, I wasn't aware of that, the few I've had were passed onto members here pretty quickly. 

[firiki]

You didn't like the 84mm size, zoid? I like the Recruit myself but I keep thinking I much prefer a Camper in its place.

And, I don't care for the 84mm's pen blabe

[Marcellus]

For me, #1 comfort was the 84mm Recruit. Smooth back (no back tools) made the difference.

My preferred whittled is the 91mm Hiker. Phillips on the back, instead of corkscrew helps.

I re-profile the small blade to be more like a Wharncliffe. Also, removing the key ring and grinding down the key ring nub is a must.

What is your method to remove the key ring "nub" without buggering up the liners?

I don't know Smaug's method but I partly deploy the bottle opener to lift the key ring up off the liners a little while I work on it.

GREAT tip, Thanks

[Marcellus]

This tread prompted me to modify a super Tinker into a traveling whittling knife
Thanks Aloha for the caplifter/screwdriver  half stop tip, made the key ring nub,  a clean removal

[TazzieRob]

This tread prompted me to modify a super Tinker into a traveling whittling knife
Thanks Aloha for the caplifter/screwdriver  half stop tip, made the key ring nub,  a clean removal

Think you meant to thank Zoidie there?

I got a couple of Recruits to possibly donor springs for a Cadet scissor mod, but I reckon I'll give one a go for some whittling. Already carefully filed off the keyring nub, now may just start by getting it really sharp instead of making it pointier like Chris Lubkemann does. His top ten tips for successful whittling are to have a sharp knife, the pointy tip just makes it more precise for the finer, tighter curves.

I can see how size, shape, etc would be a fairly personal preference as to how comfortable the knife is to use for long periods. Each to their own

[Marcellus]

Oh  yeah, it was Zoidberg who made the suggestion about the screwdriver at half stop  for the mod
My confusion, want to give credit where it is due

Thanks for pointing it out Tazzie

[zoidberg]

You didn't like the 84mm size, zoid? I like the Recruit myself but I keep thinking I much prefer a Camper in its place.

And, I don't care for the 84mm's pen blabe

At the time I gathering 91mm parts for mods, I'll give the next 84mm I pick up some pocket time and we'll see.