6 Months of the Woodchipper

Buzzbait · **on:** February 11, 2024, 12:35:30 AM

:ahhhHi all!!!! Sorry I haven’t been around for the last……. almost six months. I went on a one-month vacation to the mountains last September, and really got into a groove with the Woodchipper. I honestly haven’t felt the itch to carry anything else.

I do grab the SwissChamp every now and then, when I know I’ll need the extra tools for a project. But it’s the Woodchipper that goes into my pocket every single day. The tool package for this custom alox model is just so perfect for an outdoorsman. Yes, it would be nice to have an extra tool once in a while, but the beauty of the Woodchipper is that you have all the tools to make the tools you don’t have when you’re outdoors. You get both a spear and a sheepsfoot blade, a wood saw, a file, and an awl to build whatever you require, as well as a cap lifter for that brew at the end of a long day.

I eventually got the point where I didn’t notice the knife anymore; it was just sort of always with me, until last week. I’d been running errands all day long, and found my pocket empty at the end of the day. I was utterly devastated for the next 24 hours until my sister found it at my father’s home, where I’d been the previous day to fix some stuff at the old house. It really got me thinking how much I value the Woodchipper. It’s honestly hard to imagine not having it with me all day every day.

There may not be a “perfect knife”, but I can’t think of a more perfect minimalist SAK for light bushcrafting.

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MTSAK · **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2024, 01:26:13 AM

That is pretty close to perfect.

rvlulu · **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2024, 05:27:23 AM

As in many fields, the best material is the one you have with you.

Huntsman · **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2024, 08:10:09 AM

Great mod - I can see your enthusiasm for this set up

I would have to add the scissors - As they are one of my favourite tools.
Even in the wild - torn nails, opening dried food packages, etc Of course the knife could do some of those !

I guess that would be the Alox Ranger - Which would be good

Buzzbait · **Reply #4 on:** February 12, 2024, 04:27:56 AM

Quote from: Huntsman on February 11, 2024, 08:10:09 AM

I would have to add the scissors - As they are one of my favourite tools.
Even in the wild - torn nails, opening dried food packages, etc Of course the knife could do some of those !

I initially did have a scissor layer in the design, but ran into a couple of issues. First, whenever I add an alox scissor layer, the closing is always lazy; never very snappy. I’m not sure why, and it bugs me to no end.

Second, the knife ended up far too heavy and wide for my liking. I felt like I was still carrying my SwissChamp. It was a tank.

So I ditched the scissor layer, and was much more happy. Lack of scissors hasn’t been too big of an issue when outdoors. The two knife blades really add to the cutting versatility, and the nail file has proven adequate for nail care. And I always have a Classic buried somewhere in my gear if I really need it. Hasn’t happened yet though.

Grand_Banana · **Reply #5 on:** February 14, 2024, 01:33:15 AM

I thought the first sentence was going to end “and…. I didn’t come back for 6 months.” If I could, that would probably be me

This woodchipper is a great knife. Did you talk about the decision on the electrician blade vs the pruner blade in the last post about it? I thought it was in the August alox challenge but I’m not sure if my memory is correct. I’ve taken my harvester out a bit as it warmed up here the past week and was thinking about how the file would be a nice addition, which is basically what you have.

Did you get any action shots?

Enginears had a nice thread putting his farmer through some good work you might check out.

Glad you didn’t lose it!