Giants of June/Big Blades Challenge 2025

[gra_farmer]

DAY 17

The knife research Rasul, this kind of reminds me of the trade knives, in the fact that the blade is forward, and the hands are higher in the hand, a little like a kitchen knife.

The grind is a high saber, and just works, it is about 4.25 inches in blade length, but feels bigger in use. It will also take huge abuse and the edge just stays...a really nice knife.  The previous owner regretted selling it to me, and asked the knife designer, the famous Michele Pensato - aka "molletta" if it would ever be made again, of which the answer was no.

The steel is a high-speed carbon steel, so it has an English mustard finish, the handle has been ground to aid traction, and it does have custom handle scales, of which I will dig out....

So here is with the BR aurora 2 for scale and comparison

[BPRoberts]

Day 17

Opened some new cat treats for Pumpkin.

[cody6268]

Day 12: a classic Finnish-made Fiskars Puukko--I'm thinking '60s or '70s era. It's the 5" blade model.

Got it on eBay for less than $20 a couple years back. Seller had it listed as a fillet knife. Seems you see about ten of those for every Puukko. I think Fiskars increasingly got rid of virtually all the knives in the US market after they bought Gerber. There's some Mora clones they sell in Europe, however.

I find it one of my most comfortable fixed blades. Great handle, and thanks to the dangler, it doesn't get in the way. Also ,the brass spacer is a nice touch.

My only complaint is the retention. It stinks--and it seems these were notorious for sliding out. Thus, a zip-tie helps me keep it a bit more secure.

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[nate j]

Day 17

A.G. Russell California Bowie

8.5” of 154CM steel and buckeye burl handles

Have I ever used this one?
No.

Will I ever use it?
Probably not.

But I’m tickled to have it in my collection.

[gra_farmer]

DAY 18

.....I am weak, bought this last night.....



A Carothers BFK in magnacut, this is a 5 inch blade, and have wanted to get a Carothers knife to test for ages.....I want an all rounder, and the Magnacut looks to be what I am after....should arrive next week....I hope?

There is a good chance that the BFK could push the Rasul off the leaderboard as top blade?

[IMR4198]

Day 18

   Decided to weekwack a while before it rained again.  Pulled a couple of dozen yanks on the starting cord of my ancient Echo.  Nothing.  I finally came to the realization that the old thing wasn't going to start.  I started to put it down and saw the start switch was OFF.  Flipped that to ON and the thing started with one pull. 
   There were weeds left when I stopped, but I was whacked.  Came out later to check on my Cub.  It started raining the instant my foot touched the ground outside.  Figures. 
 
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[Antti Lammi]

Day 12: a classic Finnish-made Fiskars Puukko--I'm thinking '60s or '70s era. It's the 5" blade model.

Got it on eBay for less than $20 a couple years back. Seller had it listed as a fillet knife. Seems you see about ten of those for every Puukko. I think Fiskars increasingly got rid of virtually all the knives in the US market after they bought Gerber. There's some Mora clones they sell in Europe, however.

I find it one of my most comfortable fixed blades. Great handle, and thanks to the dangler, it doesn't get in the way. Also ,the brass spacer is a nice touch.

My only complaint is the retention. It stinks--and it seems these were notorious for sliding out. Thus, a zip-tie helps me keep it a bit more secure.

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if im not horribly wrong that is SissiPuukko, nowdays Peltonen makes those models. There are models collaboration of Fiskars and Peltonen what is SissiPuukko

[nate j]

DAY 18

.....I am weak, bought this last night.....



A Carothers BFK in magnacut, this is a 5 inch blade, and have wanted to get a Carothers knife to test for ages.....I want an all rounder, and the Magnacut looks to be what I am after....should arrive next week....I hope?

There is a good chance that the BFK could push the Rasul off the leaderboard as top blade?

[BPRoberts]

Day 18

Got this knife roll as part of a promo. Testing it out with some of the knives from the challenge.

[JonesE]

Day 18



Just chilin’ after a long work day.

JonesE

[nate j]

Day 18

Benchmade Crooked River

This version features 4” of S30V steel with aluminum bolsters and grey G-10 slabs over stainless steel liners.

Dual thumb studs and Benchmade’s excellent AXIS lock make this knife fully ambidextrous, as well as OHO and OHC.  Pocket clip is reversible for RH or LH carry, but tip up only.

It’s a pleasure to carry and use, though a bit heavy at 5.5 oz.

The Crooked River is evidence that someone at Benchmade understands knife handle design to an extent that some other manufacturers do not.  Namely, if the handle is properly sized, shaped, and contoured, an aggressive texture is not needed to keep a knife secure in hand.

IIRC I got this one new years ago for about half of what they seem to be going for now.

[JonesE]

Nate, The Crooked River is very nice knife. I had the G10 version and one with the Diamond Wood scales and orange G10 backspacer. I didn’t carry it as often as I should have and passed them along. I do miss the Diamond Wood one from time to time..

JonesE

[IMR4198]

Day 19

   Today the 'find IMR a woman' part of MTo is avalanching me with offers from the same two nasally, unsmiling news wonks.  I suppose wonk might be a pejorative, but it sounds better than 'common tater'.  I'd set the dogs on either of them and hide under the bed. 
    Yesterday, however, the AI demon playing matchmaker rang the bell.  The ad showed a good looking brunette that would have passed for 40 something.  Her heart-felt plea was a problem she had been pondering.  I wiped away a sniffle as I read, "I am a 70 year old with 1.4 million in my retirement account.  Should I switch 140 thousand a year out of that account?"   Yes, my love.  I am here to help.  Let's meet.
    I charged up the battery in my Cub and mowed a half an acre or so.  The deer barked at me from the woods.  They were in the shade, at least.  Heat and humidity felt like a sweat cabinet.  How about a CASE photo?
Best wishes.  G
 
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[nate j]

Nate, The Crooked River is very nice knife. I had the G10 version and one with the Diamond Wood scales and orange G10 backspacer. I didn’t carry it as often as I should have and passed them along. I do miss the Diamond Wood one from time to time..

JonesE

I agree it’s a good knife.  I carried mine quite a bit for a while, but not as much since I got a ZT0450.  I prefer the flipper tab of the ZT0450 to the thumb studs of the Crooked River for opening.

Also, the ZT0450 is more than an ounce lighter than the Crooked River, for a blade that is at least as long.  This may not sound like much, but it’s a noticeable difference if I’m carrying it around all day.  And if I’m able to shave an ounce here and an ounce there off my carry, it can add up.

If you miss your Crooked River too much, AFAIK the G10 is discontinued but the stabilized wood version is still being made.  Prices have risen into the stratosphere, however.

[nate j]

Today the 'find IMR a woman' part of MTo is avalanching me with offers from the same two nasally, unsmiling news wonks.  I suppose wonk might be a pejorative, but it sounds better than 'common tater'.  I'd set the dogs on either of them and hide under the bed. 
    Yesterday, however, the AI demon playing matchmaker rang the bell.  The ad showed a good looking brunette that would have passed for 40 something.  Her heart-felt plea was a problem she had been pondering.  I wiped away a sniffle as I read, "I am a 70 year old with 1.4 million in my retirement account.  Should I switch 140 thousand a year out of that account?"   Yes, my love.  I am here to help.  Let's meet.

[gra_farmer]

DAY 19

Surprised that no one has shown a Helle knife on the forum to date since I joined...that changes now

The Helle Brakar



For a 5 inch blade it is surprisingly slender

[nate j]

DAY 19

Surprised that no one has shown a Helle knife on the forum to date since I joined...that changes now

The Helle Brakar



For a 5 inch blade it is surprisingly slender

Looks great!

I know they have an excellent reputation, but I don’t own any Helle knives.  They have two features that I don’t prefer on knives I actually carry and use, namely wood handles and leather sheaths.

[gra_farmer]

Looks great!

I know they have an excellent reputation, but I don’t own any Helle knives.  They have two features that I don’t prefer on knives I actually carry and use, namely wood handles and leather sheaths.

I understand, I prefer micarta or g10 handles....and as the below picture shows, a full tang....I broke this Helle blade while installing it into a handle!!!



I had zero come back from Helle or the store I bought it from....so I welded it together.... I'll dig it out as I still have this blade

[IMR4198]

   I think I would be more upset about the lack of service than the break.  I wouldn't be surprised if the tang was cracked or had a flaw to start with.
 

[BPRoberts]

Day 19

Threw the knife roll in my back pack. The Sabacc slid out completely, and the Opinel was on its way. Thicker knives (or anything with a clip) did better. Not unusable, but I guess you get what you pay for. I'll have something more fun tomorrow.

[nate j]

Day 19

This is the Cold Steel Large Espada.

It boasts 5.5” of S35VN steel, with black G10 slabs and aluminum bolsters.  F&F and W&T are excellent.

It features Cold Steel’s solid Tri-Ad lock.  Pocket clip is configured for RH tip up carry only.

It has an interesting ambidextrous thumb disc for opening, which is also designed to catch pocket edges etc. like an Emerson wave.  None of that is really necessary though, as a quick flick of the wrist causes the massive blade to fly open and lock with a satisfying clack.

The finger grooves lock my hand solidly into the handle.  Another example of “you don’t need aggressive texturing for good retention/security if you design a proper handle”.

I’d like to carry this one more, but at 9.9 oz it’s just more than I want to tote around.

[gra_farmer]

   I think I would be more upset about the lack of service than the break.  I wouldn't be surprised if the tang was cracked or had a flaw to start with.
 

Me too, it makes me really think hard about buying Helle knives....

Fallkniven has the worst customer service, I had a lovely gentlemans knife that had an off centre blade and early linerlock fail, using it for the first time the blade also chipped at the edge, asked the seller to sort this, Fallkniven were contacted and pretty much told me to 'F off'....I have a number of Fallkniven blades, but would not buy another after that

[IMR4198]

Day 20

  I don't know what these pink flowers are.  Aside from them being pink.  And flowers.  There used to be some in two spots around the house.  Now there is an unbroken row of them along a side yard.  Also, Buckthorns are growing everywhere.  I never saw one until two years ago.  There was a huge amount of Chinese Lespedeza along the roadsides around here.  Simply everywhere.  It simply left.  Maybe it got the Chinese Lespedeza blight, or maybe it picked a fight with the Buckthorns and got run out of town.  Another invasive (Smartweed) is doing quite well, along with the Japanese Knotweed.  There was always one bushy stand of Knotweed by the house.  Nobody knew what it was.  Years later it started growing all along the paved road to W-Mart. 
   First day of summer.  Might cook some red beans and rice later.  Mmmm.  Did you ever notice that nothing useful ever sprouts up on the lawn?  Like red bean plants or maybe rice?  I wonder why?  Best wishes.  G
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[gra_farmer]

Day 20

  I don't know what these pink flowers are.  Aside from them being pink.  And flowers.  There used to be some in two spots around the house.  Now there is an unbroken row of them along a side yard.  Also, Buckthorns are growing everywhere.  I never saw one until two years ago.  There was a huge amount of Chinese Lespedeza along the roadsides around here.  Simply everywhere.  It simply left.  Maybe it got the Chinese Lespedeza blight, or maybe it picked a fight with the Buckthorns and got run out of town.  Another invasive (Smartweed) is doing quite well, along with the Japanese Knotweed.  There was always one bushy stand of Knotweed by the house.  Nobody knew what it was.  Years later it started growing all along the paved road to W-Mart. 
   First day of summer.  Might cook some red beans and rice later.  Mmmm.  Did you ever notice that nothing useful ever sprouts up on the lawn?  Like red bean plants or maybe rice?  I wonder why?  Best wishes.  G
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Looks like Spiraea japonica (Little Princess), we have meadow sweet that looks very similar, but ground laying, not a shrub quite like yours...

[gra_farmer]

DAY 20

After the disappointment of European blades, I have a few US blade....in form of a lump of 1095, with the TOPS BOB



Now for someone that has some outdoor skills, I find it difficult to understand the over built blade nowadays....I used to be bigger is better, but when your out rough camping for 3 weeks without the joys of the civilised world, a saw, axe and more refined blade is sooooo much better.

Also a stainless steel, as carbon rusts, and taints food with a metallic taste and discoloration....

Still the BOB is fun...even though I will rehome it at some point soon.

[IMR4198]

  The pink flower things aren't woody at all.  Just about three feet tall.  Nothing eats them, which is saying something around here.  Deer have nibbled off and killed lots of things.  They have rubbed antlers on all the alder and killed them off and are working on the honeysuckle.  Surprisingly they have set back the diabolical plans of world domination by the multiflora roses. Those fiends. 
   I hope nobody ever finds out that the Japanese Knotweed plague began in my back yard from a single plant.  Fighting off a hoard of villagers with fire brands and pitchforks could be a bother. 
Best wishes.  G
 

[BPRoberts]

Day 20

My wife and I traveled to Ohio for a couple days, and I stopped at River's Edge Cutlery. Beautiful store (probably the largest knife store I've ever been to), and great staff. I asked them to show me what they had that was local (like a good tourist) and found the knife below. I have no ruler (aside from the little one on the PWII, which someone did borrow as a straight edge the other night) so here's the Sabacc for scale. I'm going to guess the blade is just under 5 inches by the AKTI method.


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This is the Boxer Blades MUK by Tanner Elick, out of Liverpool, Ohio. Spine is ~.095" thick, so a bit slicier than many of the mass production Nessmuks. I think he got the blade shape just about perfect (a lot of them are too pointy/not enough belly). 1075 steel, I'll get a weight for it once I'm home. The "button" on the sheath slides up and down, so you can lock the knife in place, which isn't a feature I've seen before.

This is my first "designer" knife, and I'm excited to carry it as my fixie for my Nessmuk challenge next month.

[IMR4198]

   Looks Nessmucky to me.  The sliding button on the sheath is interesting.  Best wishes.  G
 

[nate j]

The "button" on the sheath slides up and down, so you can lock the knife in place, which isn't a feature I've seen before.

Have seen something similar, though I think the idea was more to adjust the sheath tension.

Either way, cool piece!

[JonesE]

Day 19 Catch UP



Y Easter day afternoon when I got home we lost internet connectivity some was unable to post. I used a 0452 to free a new Maxpedition Platy pouch from the mailer. The color I chose is the wolf gray.

JonesE