Tag Archives: nemoknivesreview

Spyderco FB33GP Gayle Bradley Pocket Bowie !

28/11/2017 nemosandman 1 Comment

This is Gayle Bradley first Fixed Blade collaboration with Spyderco. A “unique blend of expert design and state-of-the-art metallurgy”… But is it a real Bowie ?

A true Bowie is “the most effective fighting and survival knife ever made.”
Just to quote Bill Bagwell as he was attending the Paris Knife Show, where one of his Bowies won the award for the best fixed-bladed Damascus knife in 1995…
A stiletto can pierce, but not more effectively; a cleaver or kukri can chop with similar result; and a razor can slice, but only in one direction and without the power of a combat Bowie. A 10 inches perfectly balanced beast with a false edge ready for a back cut… This is Bill definition of a big bad Bowie.
Actually I got a Cold Steel Trailmaster but much prefer the Fallkniven A2 for camp knife purpose. The A2 is not a proper bowie but the 8 inches blade gives you the scale of the Bradley Bowie which is not much longer than a Phil Wilson South Fork.

Also I have noticed the edge is quite thick on the Bowie. It’s not a great whittler. I was immediately tempted to get a thinner edge. I felt also the edge to be very far from the handle because of its large choil.

In that matter its little brother the Junction was much more capable. Being much more thinner behind the edge.
But a 5 inches blade is not the best chopper. The size emphases the portability but not the chopping performance. This Bowie must be designed with a special purpose: hunting knife, pocket camp knife ? It’s a bastard dog but Gayle Bradley don’t design by guessing, he must have a reason. I have asked him in an email and will update this review as soon as he will be kind enough to answer me.

To quote Bill Bagwell: ” There is a difference between the ideal fighting Bowie and an ideal survival Bowie, even though the basic design is relatively similar. The ideal fighting Bowie and survival Bowie would have roughly the same blade length of about nine to ten inches, because this is the length that offers the perfect amount of balance and leverage in both scenarios. But the ideal survival Bowie might be a fair amount heavier overall and have a greater concentration of the weight further up the blade. This concentration of weight further up the blade gives the Bowie a balance more like a hatchet, so that it has greater chopping power, separating it from the more nimble fighting Bowie class.”

The Bradley Bowie is a Jack Of All Trade focused on a Sub 6 inches fixed blade market.
In that domain I already got some favorites Spyderco: the Serrata !

The Serrata offers a cleaver power in the field. But the Bowie is tougher in the choice of its steel. “An incredibly tough spray-formed tool steel. Like the particle metallurgy process, spray forming rapidly solidifies molten steel into small particles so its component alloys cannot “segregate” or settle. This creates an ultra-fine, extremely homogenous grain structure that is ideal for knife blades. PSF27’s alloy composition includes molybdenum, vanadium and a generous 1.55% carbon, but because its chromium content is 12%—just below the official threshold for stainless steel—care should be taken to maintain it properly.”

The Bradley Bowie is also an eye candy, even if I don’t like where the trademark hole has been placed, at least it is very very small and even smaller than on the Junction.

The contoured polished G10 handle is very confortable in the hands. much better than the Junction which is very very flat. I’m not a fan of the tubular holes on both models but it offers some potential in creativity: who want to make a spear from they knife ? Boar hunting anyone ? And it respects the prime designs of Gayle Bradley.
I also love the balance of the Bowie making it “alive” in the hands.

IMHO the Bradley Bowie would be great as a soldier’s knife. Some kind of modern KABAR…
It’s thick enough to withstand some serious abuse. The tip and the blade shape would make it easy for opening crates if needed. It can be used for batoning of even light chopping.

So it’s a Bowie easy to pocket in its boltaron sheath or rigged upside down thanks to its great retention. The pancake sheath works great and is very secure. There is no play or rattle when shaken. It’s a sheath of great quality.

Conclusion, the Pocket Bowie made in Taichung is ready to follow you in any kind of expedition you got in mind. Its full tang construction and general design make it fit for any tasks where a solid and reliable knife is needed. The Bradley Bowie is a tough cookie.

More to come soon.

Folders, Review

SLIVERAX — ELEGANT DREAMED ENGINEERED KNIFE – ACT III: Using.

23/11/2017 nemosandman 5 Comments

My Sliverax is a dancer. you can open in a lot of different ways. The flipper is the first. The thumb with the hole. The middle finger with the hole. The ring finger while holding it handle first and some kind of gravity opening: just a flick of the wrist and “Schlak!” it is ready. So there is a lot of way to waltz with that folder hence her name: “Dancer”. This is bringing the fun factor to high rate. You can see I have mounted my Ed Schempp Bowie clip for now. Now that I feel confident with S30V heat treated by Spyderco, since I have play with the Nilakka (Taichung) and the Wolfspyder (Golden), both radicaly scandi ground knives, I have decided to give the Nilakka a very very thin convex edge. The first step was here. But then I have decided to give sandpaper a try and work on thinning the factory edge not only de-shouldering it.

So it’s very simple: P800 SP on my old leather belt to thin the edge, then white ceramics (a lot) to turn it into mirror. One hour later, I got a incredible performer ! On wood: it goes deep and smoothly. You got a lot of control. Of course it has been used daily in the kitchen and on meat preparation and guess what, the flipper eventually is not a problem for board cutting.

On plastic and wood, I have twisted the blade inside and no harm has been noticed to the edge or the mechanism. I have used it hard at full grip and got full confidence in it in hammer or reverse grip. Like on the other compression locks knives it’s so easy to close it and put it back in the pocket, preventing any way to harm yourself or the others. It is especially great when working around animals like horses for example, when you want your edge to be out of play as soon as possible.

I have also the chance to compared it to my ZY0562CF which is an excellent flipper with a sure fire every time. But it’s a knife much more heavy and less elegant, more rugged, full of screws… Another philosophy in folder making that I enjoy also, but the Hinderer design is more of a Toyota Landcruiser when the Silverax is a BMW Serie 4. I enjoy both but the Sliverax offers a very light solution for high perf. I also like the fact I can easily check/ have access to the pivot to grease it with a micro drop of nano oil BTW.

In the woods , I was able to whittle a lot without any hot spots on the handle. The clip did not bother me in that matter. I have also rounded a little more the spine to feel confortable as my main technic asks for my thumb to push there, giving les stress to the pivot. Also I place my index on the flipper most of the time choking up the blade. Despite the absence of choil, I have not cut myself.

Oh and I really enjoy the fact their zero jimping. Most of the time I’m obliged to file them a bit on the corner to have them to my taste. Here no need for jimping and as a tool the Sliverax is perfectly anchord to my hand. The CF/G10 material is working perfectly without chewing my pants. After EDCing the Paramillie in 52100 it’s a pleasure to get the benefits from stainless steel researches and use the knife with zero concern about rust. It’s a luxury I am rediscovering. I can pocket my dirty knife and I don’t mind. I feel like a man making fire for the first time with a gaz lighter instead of some flint… Then back home it’s very easy to rinse under hot water. It can go in my denim front pocket to dry.

On of the main characteristic of the Sliverax is the long edge in such a compact design. i cannot remember a knife which has given me that impression, especially in a folder. I love my Native 5 for example but the choil “eats” a lot of blade length. This length available is another luxury. You can of course pushcut but also keep in mind that any saw motion will be very easy thanks to the absence of choil to trap the matter you are cutting.

So the Sliverax is great, providing a long edge easily from a light and wasp shaped handle, giving a lot of cutting performance for a SUB 4 inches knife. More to come soon as I always got new things to write once it is published…So this is a first draft but this week end I’ll be in wood … 😉

Folders, Review

Spyderco C211TIP Marcin Slysz SpydieChef — Folding Utilitarian Cooking Knife.

11/11/2017 nemosandman 9 Comments

OK , I do love acronyms, pardon my French but when I have received the Spydiechef I was very excited to test a design made for chefs: a folding tool cooks could keep in their pocket.
Knowing my needs to turn SD design into tools, this time the grass was cut under my feed. Marcin Slysz purpose was very clear even in the material choice.
But first the design.

Why using a Sebenza like handle ? Because Titanium is stainless and the opening construction is easy to clean. It’s also a relatively thin design, easy to pocket. No jimping, no need for and again easier to rince under water.
Because a cooking tool do get dirty. Here for example are the remain of Mozzarella di Buffala…

The choice of the blade steel is also interesting. LC200N is a state-of-the-art high nitrogen alloyed tool steel that is specifically formulated to offer superior corrosion resistance and extreme toughness, even at high levels of hardness. I have used carbon steel with patina on it and no smell or taste has been noticed during their use with food, but here with that kind of steel you are certain to show a clean knife to inspection before starting your recipes…

So the whole knife is very much completely impervious to rust. That means it could also been used near the sea and even on a boat where the possibility to open and close a rust free knife with one hand can be really safe and useful. There is no steel insert to prevent excessive wear on the lock, like many new RIL locks nowadays. I don’t know if the titanium has been heated to be harder, or perhaps the nitrogen alloy is not abrasive ?
One thing which can be noticed is that this alloy can be ground flat when H1 could not. All H1 steel were hollow ground blade.

Back to the kitchen. Once closed it needs a bottle to stand up right. Chose your poison !

The detent is quite strong and is the main brake to the opening and closing of the blade. The more it will be in use the better it will become. unlock, the blade falls free and there is no blade lateral or vertical. Taichung has done a great work again.

But what is especially great with that Marcin’s design is the possibility to cut on board.
It’s much easier than to use a flipper knife for example as here all the edge can get in contact with the cutting board with nothing on the way even no choil. Practical to do all those moves for vegetable preparations for example. This is very very practical in my book.

The factory edge was so sharp and toothy, it was a breeze to cut into tomatoes. Tomatoes are a good test for sharpness as those fruits can have a resilient skin on very soft flesh.
The Spydiechef was a razor right out of the box and the geometry is thin enough for its main battlefield: the kitchen.

The broad blade goes easily with a lot of control. And the lenght makes it handy in polyvalence. You would need a longer blade too, but the Spydiechef can do 90% of the work with precision and ease. It is also a beautiful tool to use and feel under the hand.

And out of the kitchen ? Is the Spydiechef a knife to go ?
Yes it is. With it’s belly, this knife can be a nice tool to bring with you during hunting season. You can hold it by the broad blade and you got a very efficient skinner. I still don’t know how the edge will last on dirty rabbit hairs but so far it was easy to keep the edge razor sharp with a light touch up.
On wood, the knife goes steady and deep as the edge is thin and the belly helps a lot. The lock is also very sturdy. I was able to get big chips of wood. The blade is not fragile either especially the tip which won’t break easily. So yes, the cook can go camping ! There is even a lanyard hole, so the knife was thought with outdoor safety in mind.
Overall this is a lovely knife, which can be a great EDC. At least it’s not a free ticket to jail.
It works great in the kitchen and I’m looking forward using it on bigger chores.

And the Chef and Honor.

Advice, Folders, Review

Getting my S30V Nilakka back to Zero Grind.

09/11/2017 nemosandman 2 Comments

As you can notice, my Nilakka was developping a gentle convexing ground since JD had the patience to give a decent edge to it two years ago.
But since, JD has sent me another video showing how tough well heat treated S30V can be and knowing how forgiving my Nilakka and my Wolfspyder were after sharpening beyond factory edge… I have decided to put the blade flat on on diamonds and grind it until the convex bevel disappearance. In fact I was very encouraged with my various experience with that Wolfspyder. S30V heat treated by Spyderco is now back as a friendly steel in my book.

So for one hour I have work on that using a new Double Stuff 2 which I have discovered thanks to Howard Korn from the Knifecenter who gently add it in my last parcel.
The new diamond surface is quite abbrasive and soon the blade was a mess.
But continuing in the same way made the scratches all going in one direction and both side of the Nilakka blade soon were acceptable in term of esthetics.

There is a lot of matter to remove and by hand, it takes some time.
But eventually I was able to get some sharpness back with not pressure on the edge while sharpening but an even pressure on all the side of the blade.

After all the Nilakka was made that way, the angle of the thicked stock blade was designed by Pekka Tuominen to be a zero ground edge, with no bevel.

There is still a micro bevel but I’m almost there.
My idea for future refreshing of the Nilakka edge it to do like with my Wolfspyder: like scandi sharpening shown in Ray Mears video…. only using the flat of the blade as guide.

For now I got a razor able to make hairs jumping and been harvested with only one caress.

But also it can stand whittling in hard wood: no chipping or edge warping.
More to come very soon, as I will erase definitvely that microbevel, but I need more time…
“I need more time to make good on the promises I made to the world
When the world was moving slower…” Justin Sullivan.

Advice, Folders

Spyderco Manix Blue Sprint C101GBL2 — Seven Years of EDC, New Homemade Caged Ball.

02/11/2017 nemosandman 5 Comments

My wife’s cousin used his Manix 2 since I have given it to him seven years.
The knife is his EDC both at his work and at home.
Every year I sharp it for him and I have noticed that the knife looks like new after all those services.
But last week the caged protecting the ball lock has broken (The hardened steel ball bearing encased in a polymer cage).
Thanks to his work, where he works as modeling mold, he was able to measure the broken part and make a new one in resin. He choosed blue resin for obvious reason.
He’s planning now to make it in aluminium.

Folders, Review

Wolfspyder upgrade – adding a deep pocket clip on the folding bushcrafter.

04/10/2017 nemosandman 4 Comments

I had ordered a titanium deep carry clip for my Yojimbo2 but eventually I did not like how it was slowing the draws on that SD folder. But there is one knife which desserved another attempt: the beloved Wolfspyder. So here it goes ! I’m always amazed at how thick the blade is and how solid this little folder is after one year without real maintenance. I have found the scandi S30V quite easy to maintain razor sharp and to my surprise it is easy to keep that way without any convexing and losing the “zero ground” scandi edge. But the best thing about the Wolfspyder is how hard you can use it with now after thoughts. You can drill with its point and cut hard in wood or plastic. There is no risk of failure from the point to the lock and the thick G10 slabs are confortable during long cuts sessions. Mine has developped zero play in any direction after one year of use. It’s one of the knife which is sheeple friendly and gives a lot of joy in use. Controlling the whittling cut is really something which gives you a grin of satisfaction. The Wolfspyder ? Still highly recommanded in my book. 😉 Easy to carry and easy to reach in the pocket. This one will be in my pocket for a trip in Norway very soon ! The Scandi ground little big knife in Scandinavian territory !

It can take big chips of wood from hazelnut trees.

Geometry rules!

And after a week end of whittling it is still razor sharp.

Advice, Folders

Spyderco Delica Vertical Play Solution

02/10/2017 nemosandman 4 Comments

As I had pointed earlier, going back to the Endura or the Delica (no choil, lockback, steel spacer) is like going vintage in a beautiful way. Those are the roots of modern “tactical” folders: “one hand opening and closing” and “Clip-it”. The Endura I have bought from the Knifecenter is just flawless: zero blade play. It’s a great perfectionist work from Seki knifemakers but lockwise it was not the case with my Delica: it has a noticed vertical play while cutting hard things.

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The results on wood cutting were top-of-the-notch despite that annoying recoil of the lock on each hard cut.

I have been looking on the internet and the forums and someone mention to tight the screws. Why not ?

I have found those torx screws were not tied and I could easily adjust them in an half of a turn clockwise.

The lock screw was also easy to turn and now I don’t have that annoying vertical play anymore. Hurrah !!
Here is my solution: the handle screws need half a turn. I have done it on my Stretch and it is also now perfect.

Before when only bolts were used in knife construction it was not possible… But with the Delica 4 all screws construction it’s easy to adjust them.
The action is a little more stiff but no more recoil while cutting hard things like wood or plastic.

Folders, Photos, Uncategorized

Tuscan Raider #6 — Ed Schempp Bowie at his best, in the plates !

01/10/2017 nemosandman 3 Comments

It’s not a surprise but Ed Schempp Bowie is not only a knife to keep in a safe for collection.
I have been taking a lot of knives in Tuscany. Fixed blades to test in the wood of the national parks and some folders. But eventually the Bowie has taken an important place in my trip.
Why ?
First it’s a gorgeous knife which create a lot of conversation.
Also it’s so easy to pocket. This is a huge plus for this EDC: it’s stay in your pocket like a much shorter folder. It’s easy to grab it and to take it. It’s always with you.
I have thinned the edge to the level of my Delica and the result on whittling wood are really outstanding.

It was easy to keep clean and classy. Meaning it can be used in the farm and in the city.

But it’s in the plate and in the kitchen that the Bowie was able to shine bright.

On the table, the Bowie takes its place with pride.

And the Kukri’s curve (Ed Schempp Signature) helps a lot when cutting in the plate.
At the opposite of my ZT0562CF with its flipper getting in the way…

The beef meat cookes at the flame is zipped open by the convexed edge.

The Tuscanian crostini are made of liver are gently spread on bread.

The trip back home leaded us through the Alps and the Opinel birth place.

Spritz, beer, hams and cheeses. The bowie was easy to open and close without to be noticed.

The roblochon is a cheese which needs a long blade.

Eventually the Bowie excellence can be expressed in the woods and in the plate. This is not the case of all folding knives. Ed Schempp’s EDC does it with elegance and efficiency.
So no, really it’s not a safe queen this is a knife to be used every day with pride.

Fixed Blade, Photos, Review

Tuscan Raiders #4 – Geometries, Gayle Spyderco Gayle Bradley Junction and whittling.

23/09/2017 nemosandman 8 Comments

It has all started when I wanted to review the Spyderco Gayle Bradley Junction. It’s a great design for an EDC fixed blade which can be used for everything. Easy to carry in its pancake constructed bolteron sheath. But the edge was just too thick for my own use. To my knowledge, SPF27 is some kind of CPM D2 steel. A lot of carbon 1.5% and not a lot of chromium around 12%. Not the easiest on the stone as a semi stainless. It was not very soft under the diamonds compared to another blade in N690 HRC59 I got with me. And it was not really easy to remove the shoulder to create a gentle convex edge. Patience… In sharpening is important. And I often lack of it but I was able to improve it. Next some black stone mostly to remove the scratches. And then the white ceramic to get a better finish and a razor steel. You can notice the chamfered signature hole on the Junction. A première. The cuts were deeper. It was better! Much more enjoyable. But the spine was too sharp for my thumb and diamonds came handy to rounded the angles. It would never be a Sebenza spine…. Again the control during whittling was much much better. One should never be scared to round the edges for suiting your own needs. The handle is very flat on that knife. It’s an attention for people who wish to stash their knife in a pocket or a backpack without leaving a print. But a flat knife is not the most comfortable in the palm of your hand… Especially when cutting hard things for a long time. I decided to make a quick comparison with the Spyderco Sprig which is a pleasure to use. You can notice how the Phil Wilson’s Sprig got a thicker handle. And it change everything when cutting hard things. Also Phil Wilson’s is all about performances. Its geometry is stellar. It immediately cuts deep in wood without any real improvement needed…. But diamonds were there to be usef. 🙂 I was able to get thin regular cuts into the wood. So I have decided to try the diamonds on the Gayle Bradley Bowie I have brought with me. This one got a thicker geometry and is made if the same pulverized alloy as the Junction You can always improve an edge. Used as a light chopper it worked just fine. Gayle Bradley has provided a great compact Bowie which can be used as a light camp knife. You can see: it’s not a lot bigger compared to my Ed Chempp Bowie. And the edge once thinned is honorable. Of course it is not as thin as my Pekka Tuominen Urban II for example. And not as aggressive as the Sprig… I got…. too much knives on my table…

It was time to go to lunch.

An Francesca knows how to prepare the pasta with pomodori.

Crostini a la Toscane. Poultry liver, oignons, red wine, bread and a Bowie.

Back in the outside I was thinking of a simple way to see the “impact” of good geometry on whittling. On the right, a single cut if the thin Delica and, on the left, a single cut of the thicker ZT0562CF. The Delica cuts deeper on a more open angle. Better geometry. But the ZT was pleasant to use even if it was not as fast at the job.

Also the Delica was able to cut from the ricasso to the point without any hard pressure. In the end, I had noticed that the Junction was less good than the Sprig and the Delica was still the best whittler in the batch. No matter the steel, for wood cutting, geometry is queen. So I have taken my Bowie back to the diamonds and put a keener edge. Tomorrow it will be hunting day.

Folders, Photos, Review

Tuscan Raider #3 – Spyderco C215GP Euroedge.

21/09/2017 nemosandman 2 Comments

Again this is all made with my smartphone as I’m far from any computer.

A folding dagger as beautifully designed and made is not a bushcraft knife.

But my very first modern folder back in 1993 has been a Gerber Applegate folding dagger.

The first models were made in a stainless steel close to 420Hc.

The Euroedge is made of S30V.

Cutting wood with it is like making chop sticks with a bastard sword: it was not designed for that. The Euroedge is like a weapon a Templar will keep at hand. The blade is massive and the stock is thick.

The handle is so well made G10 feels like carbon fibers.

It is one of the most beautiful Spyderco ever made and a real tour de force in pure hommage to ancient times.

“”I can do anything”, Ed Schempp, will push the envelope, often just to see if he can. I did a “hammer” in at Ed’s house. Just a bunch of knife afi’s with great skill working on a globe. But no hammers. Ed designed and built a series of miniature rolling mills so we can produce mosaic
Damascus pieces, each with an assignment. Ed’s my “go to” guy for Ethnic series knives. Take a design hundreds, or even thousands of year old, capture the purpose and function and re-create that in a modern folder. He studies the design, the history, function and purpose before beginning. Those of you that have studied and used Ed’s designs know what I’m talking about. True original classics, each and every one.”
Sal Glesser.