The Sportsman Challenge - April 2024

[Brock O Lee]

Day 18

Opening a clamshell package containing a Spyderco M/F pocket stone.



In the same package I also had two Spyderco ultrafine triangle Sharpmaker stones. I like my edges on the coarser side, so I've not had a use for these ultra-fine stones before. But, after watching this insightful video about deburring, I decided to give them a try.

Up to now I've been using the SM fine ceramic stones for deburring, and had relatively good results. I suspect however that they are perhaps too coarse for dealing with a very fine invisible burr, and I can probably do better with the UF's.

Perhaps someone else also finds this clip interesting:

[Jeffjeeptj]

Opening some sweet onions.  Wish they were Vidalia, just not the season yet.


 

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[MasterofDisaster]

Day 14

Sportsman ready to take dogs for a walk.

[Canuckdad]

DAY 18 !!!!

I love opening a new box of tea. It smells so nice

[MasterofDisaster]

Day 15

Using the knife to remove the plastic wrapper from the salt and pepper mills.

[AndyAaron]

Day 18

I didn’t have a need to use knife. However I spent nice evening with my former colleagues on alumni party playing bowling

[marlowe221]

You took your Sportsman to play a sport!

[marlowe221]

Day 18

An EDC pocket dump picture for today…

 

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I haven’t needed a pocket knife for anything the past couple of days. This always happens to me during a challenge!

[Brock O Lee]

Opening some sweet onions.  Wish they were Vidalia, just not the season yet.

I have fond childhood memories about my mom making us sweet onion (not sure about the cultivar) sandwiches. She'd butter slices of white bread, put slices of raw sweet onion on top, with a bit of salt and white pepper. Onions are perhaps a bit of an aquired taste, but I always loved those sarmies.

[Brock O Lee]

An EDC pocket dump picture for today…

The Rambler (or is it a Manager?) is a winner! 

[Brock O Lee]

Day 19

Replacing the batteries of our gas central heating controller.



"He's dead Jim!" 





Fresh Eneloops





"It's alive!"   

[Jeffjeeptj]

Thanks for the memory, Brock.

Opening a can of tuna for grand-kid’s school lunch.

 

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[Canuckdad]

Day 19!!!! 2 things that I use almost every day

I am also adding day two other days because I have no access to internet on the weekend

20 !! New Beard oil came today!

and

21!!!! two of my favorite things ... my Sportsman and Chess

[AndyAaron]

Day 19

No sport today but lot of work done…

[MasterofDisaster]

Still need to catch up.

Day 16

Sportsman came along walking the dogs on a forest trail. File was used to smooth a chipped finger nail.

Day 17

Used the knife to open a blister pack with a new padlock.
Also used the can opener to tighten some Philips screws on a lamp.

[Brock O Lee]

Day 20

A chore I have this weekend is to replace the drain pump on our clothes tumble dryer. I opened up the new pump today.

[marlowe221]

Day 19

I used the file on a ragged finger nail.

 

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It’s really hard to get an action shot of that….

[marlowe221]

The Rambler (or is it a Manager?) is a winner! 

Rambler, in my case. But yeah - it's my constant companion. A great tool for small electronics and kids toys!

[Jeffjeeptj]

Nail file use this morning.

 

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[AndyAaron]

Day 20

Didn’t need to use the knife today. We worked whole day in my father-in-law’s garden. In the evening we went for a walk around the village…

[Sos24]

Great challenge so far.  Some nice uses and pics.

[marlowe221]

Day 20

The blade had a little action opening my son’s after T-ball snack today.

 

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[Brock O Lee]

Day 21

Cutting passion fruit from the garden.

[nate j]

A couple of days late, but as the owner of several Buck 110s, I can share a few opinions and observations.

It must be kept in mind that Buck has offered and continues to offer numerous variations of the 110.  All are solid quality.

The classic version is also a good value for the money. And if you want to own an iconic piece of knife history that is still capable of serious work, go ahead and get one.

However, if someone told me they wanted an EDC folder with about a 3.75” blade, my first response wouldn’t necessarily be “Get a Buck 110!”


As others have mentioned, one consideration is the weight.  The classic Buck 110 and the most closely related variations are quite heavy, largely due to the sizable brass or nickel silver bolsters.  Buck lists the classic version (ebony scales & brass bolsters) at 7.2 oz; I have a version with S30V steel, G10 scales, and nickel silver bolsters.  It’s an absolute tank, but comes in even heavier at 7.6 oz.

The weight problem is resolved with the Slim and LT series 110s (weighing roughly 3 oz give or take, depending on specific variant).  And I actually like the modified blade shape of the Slim lines better than that of the original 110.  However, their thin profile makes them less comfortable in hand.

The sweet spot might be the Hunter Sport.  It retains the hand-filling handle dimensions of the original, but thanks mostly to aluminum bolsters, it is significantly lighter than the classic 110 at only 4.6 oz.


Personally, if I’m going to carry a larger locking folder, I generally prefer it to OHO & OHC.  The classic 110 wasn’t designed for either, but it can be OHO if one pinches the blade and gives it the so-called “biker drop”.

Some later versions incorporate a thumb stud.  The knife of course wasn’t originally designed with this in mind, nor have the actions been tuned to facilitate it, so IMO it’s an example of slapping a thumb stud onto an existing design and calling it OHO.  It is possible to OHO my 110s with the thumb studs, but it is neither quick nor easy as the actions are very stiff.  I suppose they might loosen up eventually with extended use.

And if there is a safe way to OHC a Buck 110, I haven’t been able to work out what it is.

[Brock O Lee]

A couple of days late, but as the owner of several Buck 110s, I can share a few opinions and observations.

Thanks for the informative write-up Nate. 

[AndyAaron]

Day 21

Lot of work done today!

First used it as a screwdriver. Of course I could go and take a regular screwdriver but if I did that I couldn’t have taken this picture


Then I did some cutting


Then unpacked two boxes

[Jeffjeeptj]

Opening a paint can, again.  Seems like Spring is a good time for painting.

 

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[MasterofDisaster]

Day 18

Tried to clean the dog brush with the  backside of the file. It worked surprisingly well. Might have to try that again.

Day 19

Used the knife again to open a new bag of bread.
Also used the nail file to smooth my nails before going to class, so I don’t scratch my training partners.

[Brock O Lee]

Day 22

Opening a blister pack with a 12V "cigarette lighter" connector.



Stripping a few wires for a connection to a 4x4 fridge/freezer power cord.



The plan is to power the fridge on long road trips from the car boot while driving. I already have a power point in the boot.

[nate j]

Thanks for the informative write-up Nate. 

Brock