A little Birdy arrived today...

Grant Lamontagne · **on:** February 27, 2008, 07:48:08 PM

In case you looked at the Boker thread and thought to yourself "That's just WAY too much knife for me" I thought I'd post this one that I just got from Splat:

It's pretty tiny as you can see, not much bigger than the SwissCard it's sitting on! In fact, it is only slightly larger than the blade in the SwissCard!

To put it in perspective with the Boker, here it is next to the RESCOM, which like all the knives in Chad's series, is the same size as the SUBCOM.

In case you don;t have a SwissCard or a Boker, here it is next to the Becker Necker that I got from our own Micky D:

This is one of the tiniest fixed blades I have, and considering how much I like small fixed blades, that's saying something!

As you can see, Ranger used VERY thick stock to make this knife from. It's actually 4mm thick, which translates into some fraction thing for the Americans in the audience- 3/32nds of an inch I think. I can never remember which line means what on the inch side... Either way, very thick for such a small knife!

It's an interesting little (and I do mean little!) knife, but it's not quite what I was expecting. It should either be made from stock half as thick or it should be twice as big as it is. As it stands now, the grind from the 4mm spine all the way down to the edge is far too severe to get any serious cutting tasks done. Beyond stripping bark or cutting vegetables I think this Little Bird would find itself in over it's head.

Def

Benner · **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2008, 07:51:35 PM

I didn't realise it was that small!

Roadie · **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2008, 07:54:45 PM

Thats tiny! I do like the looks of it though

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2008, 08:00:42 PM

Justin makes awesome knives doesn't he

That looks like a really good little un, what are you gona use it for boss

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2008, 08:10:12 PM

Probably not gonna use it for much!

I'll take it with me when I go camping for peeling bark for fires and the like, but I doubt it'll see much more use than that. Most small knives are built for fine, precise work, but this one is built like the bigger "ram it through a car hood" type jobs. It's a nice change in a way, but there's a reason why heavy duty knives are usually much bigger!

I'm not thrilled with the epoxy coating either- I may have to get the wire wheel out and polish it for food prep. I'd also have liked a lanyard ring on it to help pull the knife from it's kydex sheath and give a little more control during use.

Not a bad knife, and certainly better than having none at all, but I think it's either too little for so much, or too much for so little if you catch my meaning.

Def

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2008, 08:19:40 PM

The coating is fairly easy to get off (at least it was on the entry tool I had) I know what you mean about the thickness of it being a bit of a bugger though, I was really keen on getting a TOPS wolf pup, but the stock is just too thick on such a little knife

, and would just get in the way of what would have otherwise have been a great, controlable little field knife, and I guess your's is the same (if not worse).

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2008, 08:22:58 PM

Yeah- although it will be good for fine bull work- when you need a small knife for precision or in an enclosed space, but most small knives are too fragile for. Other than that, I think it's just a toy.

Def

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2008, 08:24:32 PM

Yeah it'll probably be excellent at de-barking and light splitting, and maybe stiring the beans too

WhichDawg · **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2008, 09:10:19 PM

I friend from the Ranger forums visited me last week, and brought his "little bird" I was also
surprised how small it is. Cute would be a good way to describe it, but I'm sure it could take
some abuse, though I'd also like a lanyard hole and for it to be thinner. Nice shots boss.

Splat · **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2008, 04:01:27 AM

Whew! Glad you finally got it, Def! It made one heck of a trip... I wish I could'a took!

Well, now I can rest easy.

It _is_ a stout Little Bird. The blade is actually closer to 5/32" thick. I think if Justin(Ranger Knives) made the handle around an inch longer its usefulness would multiply. I knew it was too small for me even without trying it out. I love that Black Canvas Micarta though! Well, it's the most bad-ass letter opener you now have!

However you use it, use it in good health.

Sea Monster · **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2008, 08:52:27 AM

Quote

which translates into some fraction thing for the Americans in the audience- 3/32nds of an inch I think.

.

5/32 = 3.9mm
The next size up is 3/16 = 4.7

I prefer as much flat blade as possible, but this little 'un looks like it could get a lot done.
Though I agree with splat, I'd like a full size handle, regardless of blade size.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #11 on:** February 28, 2008, 01:56:26 PM

Thanks for the conversion Nomad... I hate wasting brain cells on trying to figure out which little line means what!

Splat- I'm glad you have no significant attachment to this one as it's already been disassembled and I am removing the black coat since it was chipping off anyway!

Def

Splat · **Reply #12 on:** February 28, 2008, 04:06:44 PM

Chipping off?!

You baton something with that thing already?!

When I had it it was fine and I swear I didn't even use the thing for anything, Def! I prefer non-coated blades for less drag when cutting but that coating looked pretty stout. Maybe the sheath is rubbing the blade?

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #13 on:** February 28, 2008, 06:24:16 PM

Nope, I didn't use it for anything. It might have been bumped in shipping or something, but there was a noticeable chip in it already. Here's a pic I took...

Def

Splat · **Reply #14 on:** February 28, 2008, 11:37:54 PM

I wonder if it's from the sheath then. It just may be too tight on the blade. Still, that chip irks me because I'm looking at one of Justin's RD6 knives for camping. It may be the sheath or a coating fluke on the Little Bird but I haven't heard many, if any, complaints about his coatings coming off easily.

WhichDawg · **Reply #15 on:** February 29, 2008, 06:55:24 PM

the coating will come off, whether in the sheath or in use. one of the things I checked into when I was first
getting into knives, coated or non-coated and why.

I found out they all wear off, some faster then others, Rangers were more faster but the 5160 underneath is really
tough and durable.

the coating will give you more maintenance free time but overall it's still better to leave it on or have it,
even if it is wearing off. we call the way it looks as it wears, "personality" and it's all you!

I word of caution, many times the steel underneath is not finished, and has pots and scratches and
lots of abrasions for holding on to the coating (and unfinished), removing it may leave you with lots of sanding
ahead of you if you want it shiny!

Splat · **Reply #16 on:** February 29, 2008, 09:36:13 PM

I will leave it on when I get an RD6. IMO when you remove the coating you're just inviting rust since all the pores will now be open. Actually, any blade I might get with coating I would leave alone because I agree, it gives it personality.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #17 on:** March 03, 2008, 02:18:05 AM

Well, the Little Bird has been plucked!

I'll take some pics tomorrow, but I managed to take the handle scales off and strip all of the black off it. I think it looks pretty nice with the grind marks going down to the edge. I'll have to sharpen it still, as it's even duller than it was before, but given the steep angle it's ground on I doubt it will ever be hair popping sharp.

Before I started this mess I found another good use for this little knife- it makes a serious spark on a fire steel!

Def

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #18 on:** March 03, 2008, 04:37:04 PM

Nice and clean!

Def

Roadie · **Reply #19 on:** March 03, 2008, 05:57:05 PM

That looks pretty cool! Perhaps even better than it did before, what did you use to remove the coating?

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #20 on:** March 03, 2008, 07:05:58 PM

Looks good mate, complete rust trap

, but nice all the same

Splat · **Reply #21 on:** March 03, 2008, 07:13:56 PM

Schweet! I like both the all-black and this new all-steel look. You going to coat it with something... mineral oil, etc.?

Benner · **Reply #22 on:** March 03, 2008, 08:36:49 PM

Those grind marks look pretty cool.

Good job.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #23 on:** March 03, 2008, 10:53:10 PM

I'll probably just wipe it down with mineral oil or something on a regular basis. I'm not concerned about rust as it'll spend most of it's time in a drawer with a silica gel pack with most of my other fixed blades.

I like the polished look better myself- plus it was the rough epoxy coat, not a black Ti or anodizing, so that added significant resistance to the list of why it doesn't cut well.

As for how I did it, well I used a wire brush, several grades of sandpaper and a few band aids!

Def