The Bush Pilot?  Is that the Cigar Moose?

I 'm not sure either but a Moose pattern is a great outdoorsman knife.

Well thank you very much Mr. Hanner.  I went and looked at that listing and before I knew it I lost control of my hand and the next thing I knew I owned the darn thing.

Congratulations on the buy James but I got a tell ya.  Those boy scouts that appear on the bottom of the cardboard look kind of creepy!

Or maybe I'm just jealous!

Looks more like a Girl Scout - LOL

Tobias, Ken,  Yah, he does look a little effeminate.  Well maybe a little more than a little.  Specially with those cute little pixie shoes.

Steve my friend, yes you are, thank you.

Hey everyone.  I just discovered a knife maker practically next door to me.  He is in Rogersville AL as we say here in the South, just down the road a piece (about 20 miles.)  I have already picked out my Christmas present.  I am going to have him make me a knife using antler from one of my deer kills for the handles.

I encourage everyone to check out his website.  I met him today at the Old Time Fiddlers Convention held every year here in Athens.  He had a booth there. Musicians come from all over the US to compete in the various competitions.  The main event of the competition is the crowning of the fiddle champion.

 http://customhuntingknives.org/

I LOVE this!  if you hunt, you should have a hunting knife made from your own antlers!

aways means more when your apart of the process.

Congratulations on the find, Charles.  I have often thought that Pennsylvania had the fewest Case dealers per capita than any state, except maybe Delaware.  And, there are fewer old-time hardware stores.  Plus, the chain hardware stores here sell a lot of China knives.  This seems odd because we have W.R. Case, Queen and GEC making knives all day long here in PA.  I too stumbled on a new knife manufacturer in PA last Spring (Survive Knives [CPM-3V steel] fixed blades) out in Gettysburg, PA, so I ordered a couple.

Hey Howard, thanks for telling us about that company.  I didn't realize that PA had become home to another knife compnay.  The product looks good....what do you think about it?

https://www.surviveknives.com/news/1747

Jan,

I am new to CPM-3V and my pre-orders of the GSO-7/7, and GSO-10 have not been filled yet.  The latest update from Survive Knives says that the GSO-7/7s should ship next week, and the GSO-10s should be shipped by the end of November.  I ordered the bow drill divot on the GSO-7/7 and am anxious to try it out.  I have seen videos about making a home-made bow drill divot (take a stainless steel [or aluminum] measuring teaspoon, cut off the handle, round off the cut, and drill the appropriate sized hole in the knife handle.  Put a cushion of JB Weld in the hole and press the bowl of the teaspoon into position.) so if this "custom made" bow drill divot works well, I might have to do the home-made alteration in other of my knives.  Don't suppose it would work for the GSO-10 since the blade is too long to balance at the handle, and it wasn't an option.

We're up to 67 members!  The number keeps climbing.  Thanks to everyone who has joined.

Gratuitous knife photo follows:

This is a great group and growing all the time. I knew it would not effect the Outdoor Group. Fine job, Tobias.

Hi Robert, if anything I think the two groups compliment each other. If you like knives of the Great Outdoors and have not checked out  Outdoor Living, I strongly recommend dropping by!  a href="http://www.iknifecollector.com/group/outdoorliving" target="_blank">http://www.iknifecollector.com/group/outdoorliving >

Tobias,

I like your "Gratuitous knife photo".

I was up at the cabin last week, and took along my A.G. Russell Sandbox Bowie (DM-1 Steel) to baton some kindling for the camp fire.  I am liking this knife.

That is one fantastic knife, Howard.  How wide is that blade?  It looks a good three inches or so at its widest!

2" at the widest point, Tobias, and the blade is 3/16" thick at the back.  I might add an observation (not a complaint) about this knife.  The false edge on top is a bit rough on a baton, but after all, if you are in the woods, there are probably plenty of branches from which to fashion another baton.  The thing is, it might be more difficult to find a good piece of dense hardwood.

Final note on the outing with the Sandbox Bowie.  Game cameras showed 11 black bear on the property (cubs included).  I saw a sow and two cubs 80 yards away, so I felt somewhat comforted with a sturdy knife on my belt, even though it was false security.  I always carry a "sturdy" handgun in the woods as well.

Well hopefully that "sturdy" hand gun was in  .45 caliber range otherwise you're going to really tee-off a bear with it!

Yep, .45 ACP hollow point (Kimber 1911).

This one, Tobias.

Howard, That beats poking a black bear with a pointy knife!

Hahahahahaha.  Absolutely true, Tobias.  Even at half my age and twice the knife, I would be no match for an adult black bear, despite those stories in the vintage outdoor magazines.

While I am "recuperating" from the week at the cabin, today, I might as well add a couple photos of other of my "Great Outdoors" knives.

Busse:

Cold Steel San Mai III Trailmaster:

Real handy knives Howard.

Thanks, Ken.  I haven't done a lot of work with these two, but so far, so good.

That Busse is pretty cool.  Is that linen micarta for the handle?

Black/Orange G-10 handle.  Knife is a 2012 Team Gemini Light Brigade Series with "Muddy" blade finish.

Jan,

The Survive Knives GSO-7/7 arrived yesterday, too late to take to the cabin.  It came shaving sharp out of the box, and I did a little batoning with it today.  Still shaving sharp.  Not sure about the included Kydex sheath since I have never used Kydex.  From tip to scales (handle) the blade is about 6 3/4" long - long enough to baton with it.  The blade is 3/16" thick at the back.  Pics below:

With trusty hardwood baton:

Bow drill divot.

Hi Howard, how would you compare this knife to the Esee 6 or Ontario RAT-7

Howard it is nice looking and glad it seems to be holding an edge.  Looks like you have that and the trailmaster, which one would be your go to?

Tobias, I don't have an Esee, but compared to a RAT-7, which should be essentially the same knife (except for those Escuela de Supervivencia Escape & Evade = ESEE devotees).  This Survive Knives GSO 7/7 is 1  1/2" wide, a bit narrower than the RAT-7.  It feels a bit more balanced in my hand, and of course the RAT-7 blade is a full 7" long.  You can't see it but there is a lanyard hole under the scales (remove the handles/scales, run a lanyard through and put the scales back on.  Also, I have a small hand [#3 military glove], and this GSO-7/7 feels a tiny bit more comfortable than the bigger RAT-7 grip.  I need to work this knife more before giving it a final verdict; especially because I have "New Knife Syndrome", but it did a good job on the oak kindling I split today.  It is definitely a hunk of steel.

Forgot to mention that the Survive Knives GSO-7/7 has an abbreviated "hollow-ground" blade, that is, minimally contoured, not a deep hollow grind.  The RAT-7 is flat-ground, a straight taper from the spine to the cutting edge.

That is a tough question to answer, Jan.  For a "deep woods" or "survival" knife I would go with the Trailmaster.  But, the Trailmaster isn't a "hunting" knife - too long and bulky for skinning, but would sure hack a pelvis.  The GSO-7/7 is more of an all-around knife; short enough to be carried on the belt comfortably, and possibly just short enough so that I wouldn't look like Rambo at the local hardware store.  It is baton worthy, and while not a good skinner, you can choke up on the blade for basic skinning.  If I was going into the bush for an extended period (weeks or months), at this point, I would take the Trailmaster, and a pocket knife, but I have a GSO-10 [should be the same length blade as the Trailmaster] coming by the end of November.  That will be a better comparison to the Trailmaster.  Backpacking on a "survival" level means you can't have everything you want so I would give up a smaller fixed-blade and axe in favor of a bigger knife (Trailmaster size) and "Pocket Chain Saw".  Of course, I welcome other points of view.

Well Steve, it ain't as big as the Trailmaster or Busse, but long enough to be "embarrassingly long" at a garden party.  I tried it on my belt, but it sits too high for comfort.  It really needs a nylon "Tactical" sheath like the Busse sheath - something that would drop it down to a more useful level.  I still have a "battle harness" (shoulder straps clipped to a web belt) where I could strap the knife upside down on the shoulder strap, but there is not much call for this arrangement as an EDC.  I think my best option is a tactical nylon sheath with protective plastic(?) liner.

Hahaha. That rig around my neck would sure allow this knife to shave what little chest hair I have.

We hit the big 70 today.  Not bad.  I wonder if we can hit 100 by Christmas.

Oops forgot to throw in a gratuitous knife photo

I recently purchased the Turtle Man Lightning and the Heavy Hunter Sidewinder from SMKW.  Both are  well made economy priced hunting knives.  Having bought them at roughly the same time, it was inevitable that I would wind up comparing them. My wordy comparison is at http://www.iknifecollector.com/profiles/blogs/turtle-man-or-heavy-h... if you care to read it.

If you just want to see a picture or two they are below.

Heavy hunter Sidewinder in sheath

Heavy Hunter Sidewinder (above)

Turtle Man Lightning (below)

Tobias, those are awesome knives - all of them.

What to post?  What to post?  I know.  I'll post a picture of a knife!  I really never thought of it as Knife of the Great Outdoors but apparently the muskrat is very popular among hunters!  Below is a latest offering from Rough Rider, a Hawbaker or Improved Muskrat. 

Some very nice collections here. Tobias, those bowies look great, I have been keeping my eye on those online.

Tobias, you are right about a Muskrat. Lots of outdoorsman like them. I guess, that's why I like a Moose, it's an improved Muskrat. Ken, takes his hunting all the time.

My Old Timer is an Old Faithful

Thanks Jason.  Both proved better than I thought they would be.

Saw a Hen & Rooster - Solingen Germany Fixed blade - stag - today. Nice looking knife, the guy wanted $60 Bucks for it. Wonder if I should have bought it.?

Tobias - you had a discussion on fixed blades somewhere, I can't find it?

Try here for the fixed blade discussion, Ken:  http://www.iknifecollector.com/group/knives-of-the-great-outdoors-f... .  I need to post some more knives.

Been a while since I posted a knife of the Great outdoors.  How about this one:

Imperial Camper:

or maybe this one, A Cattleman's Cutlery in Zebra Wood

Or maybe even this one, A Colonial Mountain Guide

But you might want to pass on this one:

Unless you need to skin a troll!

Nice knives Tobias