My new Von Gruff

bruce moulds

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it turned up today after a covid challenged journey.
upon opening the package, what I saw reminded me of the time I bought a brand new no1 mk111 lee enfield.
built to a purpose and a standard.
you can't roll shit in tinsel and call it gold.
many knives today come under that heading, but not mine.
it was built with absolutely no bling, but purely to be a workhorse.
workhorse it may be, but it is also a thorough bred.
with this knife, garry had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
all corners are square and sharp, the handle fits faultlessly, the edge is in the middle, the blade/tang is as straight as a gunbarrel, and the polish is well executed and even all over.
the blade came sharp, and is an even sharpness from front to rear.
other than that it is a standard hunter/skinner with canvas micarta handles.
the blade shape is unique to me, and shows a number of dna traits.
it will clearly suit flaying, but will also run the cuts you have to make prior to actual skinning.
the point is fine enough to do reasonably intricate work, and while not a specialized caping knife could come close.
it is pointy enough to stab a sheep in the neck to cut its throat.
some might feel that a 4" blade is small, but this is a big knife in the hand.
I cannot say yet how it performs the tasks allotted to it.
a knife takes getting used to and that is the journey to come.
and each person will have different preferences and priorities.
here I think I have found a good all round knife with a preference for skinning and meat processing using mostly slicing.
for camping I am near a car and can use a bigger choice of tools.
I do not want to carve wood, make tent pegs, do scrimshaw, or chop pelvises.
I want to be able to take 1 knife into the field that will either stay sharp or be sharpenable.
this knife is good steel well heat treated, and comes with its own little steel.
the rear half of the cutting edge is straight, and can be used to save the front curved part edge.
what I did discover is that garry measures blede length differently than me.
his 4" seems to be the length of the sharp part.
the difference is small and proficiency in use will far outweigh the small irrelevant difference.
I look forward to getting blood and fat on it.
should I decide I might prefer a different shape I will go back to garry to get it for the standard of workmanship.
also garry has never bulshitted anyone that I have seen or heard, preferring to describe things and processes just how they are.
no magic, no free rides, no gimmics, just quality basic products to which you can add on what you want.
a last point is that the sheath can be worn sitting in a chair or car seat on my pants belt.
bruce.
 
Thanks for the kind words and the very thorough unboxing critique Bruce. I am pleased you have recognised the design elements in this Hunter Skinner pattern and abviously that comes from having a very sound understanding of these aspects of a knife and its intended use.
 
Thanks for the kind words and the very thorough unboxing critique Bruce. I am pleased you have recognised the design elements in this Hunter Skinner pattern and abviously that comes from having a very sound understanding of these aspects of a knife and its intended use.

And I might add Bruce asked for my opinion.
So I figure I should get done brownie points!!

Lol
 
ray, with any luck I won't have to.
much thought went into this.
however if I discover something I overlooked I will get the next one right based on experience.
and poor garry might have to do a full custom shape.
handling the knife is showing me that the handle shape is completely new to me.
the rear of the hand can make use of the birdshead, something I am not used to yet.
there is more design in this knife than a cursory glance would reveal.
the other thing is that you can tell it is hand made as opposed to made by a machine.
this is not to say it is substandard, as it is hand made to a very high standard.
bruce.
 
it turned up today after a covid challenged journey.
upon opening the package, what I saw reminded me of the time I bought a brand new no1 mk111 lee enfield.
built to a purpose and a standard.
you can't roll shit in tinsel and call it gold.
many knives today come under that heading, but not mine.
it was built with absolutely no bling, but purely to be a workhorse.
workhorse it may be, but it is also a thorough bred.
with this knife, garry had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
all corners are square and sharp, the handle fits faultlessly, the edge is in the middle, the blade/tang is as straight as a gunbarrel, and the polish is well executed and even all over.
the blade came sharp, and is an even sharpness from front to rear.
other than that it is a standard hunter/skinner with canvas micarta handles.
the blade shape is unique to me, and shows a number of dna traits.
it will clearly suit flaying, but will also run the cuts you have to make prior to actual skinning.
the point is fine enough to do reasonably intricate work, and while not a specialized caping knife could come close.
it is pointy enough to stab a sheep in the neck to cut its throat.
some might feel that a 4" blade is small, but this is a big knife in the hand.
I cannot say yet how it performs the tasks allotted to it.
a knife takes getting used to and that is the journey to come.
and each person will have different preferences and priorities.
here I think I have found a good all round knife with a preference for skinning and meat processing using mostly slicing.
for camping I am near a car and can use a bigger choice of tools.
I do not want to carve wood, make tent pegs, do scrimshaw, or chop pelvises.
I want to be able to take 1 knife into the field that will either stay sharp or be sharpenable.
this knife is good steel well heat treated, and comes with its own little steel.
the rear half of the cutting edge is straight, and can be used to save the front curved part edge.
what I did discover is that garry measures blede length differently than me.
his 4" seems to be the length of the sharp part.
the difference is small and proficiency in use will far outweigh the small irrelevant difference.
I look forward to getting blood and fat on it.
should I decide I might prefer a different shape I will go back to garry to get it for the standard of workmanship.
also garry has never bulshitted anyone that I have seen or heard, preferring to describe things and processes just how they are.
no magic, no free rides, no gimmics, just quality basic products to which you can add on what you want.
a last point is that the sheath can be worn sitting in a chair or car seat on my pants belt.
bruce.
@bruce moulds
Good write up mate but where's the photo of it. It would be nice to see a picture of it.
Failing that you could just send it to me and I'll give it a work out.
 
bob,
page 69 of my African knives has a photo taken by garry.
being intellectually challenged I have yet to learn how to post a photo.
the knife is called a hunter/skinner, and has a little steel in the sheath.
it has canvas micarta handles and no bling.
what I forgot in the original post was to talk about the sheath.
you don't see leather of that thickness and density as much these days, and the stitching is superb.
the knife is held in firmly, but when released comes out freely.
the steel is a firm fit, so unlikely to work its way out
to get that fit might sound simple, but there might well have been a bit of head scratching went on to get it just right.
bruce.
 
IMG_0026.JPG


IMG_0027.JPG
 
It was my intent to order a knife when I met up with Von Gruff in October during my trip to NZ. But alas, the Chinese flu has caused a delay in that plan and one can hope that the good Lord will grant me the time to make good on the plane tickets that are already paid for and non-refundable and allow me to place that order in person!
 
How can you plan something like that but forget the post a picture?
@Forrest Halley
Ya cheeky bugga don't go take'n The piss out us older people, we do have senior moments and occasionally forget or just plain don't know how to do it. One day you'll be in the same boat young'n. Haha
Bob
 
bob,
I forgot to add, I am butt ugly as well.
even more than a hat full.
bruce
@bruce moulds
If'n you want ugly mate I fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down, then some bastard hit me with a bit of the stump.
I took a photo of a pig I had shot with me standing beside it. I asked my son what he thought of the photo. All he said was the pug looks good dad.
Bob
 

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