Review Osprey K/T Reviews

Hey Danny,

I have no idea what you're talking about because this really is an outstanding review. Great job! Seems very polished, informative, logical and flows nicely.


Jerry

Jerry, I appreciate it. I think you are finding out that the shoulders we get to stand on around here let us see pretty far. Great guys and a lot of knowledge in this little corner of the world.
 
Heck of a review! Thank you. I enjoy seeing the Recon on IG so it's nice to see a full review of it.

I really want to get a Ranger from Chris. :thumbup:
 
Amazing Review!!

Danny, thank you for taking the time out to complete this awesome review. Definitely worthy of a publication for execution and substance. You went above and beyond what I expected and provided an informative, comprehensive and visually stimulating review and I truly appreciate it. I have told you this a couple of times that you photography skills are top notch, when I see your photos they grab my attention and hold it. The videos were a great additions as well and add another depth of enrichment.

I also appreciate the constructive criticism and sharing your opinion. I have come to respect and appreciate your insight on my work and others.


I look forward to any updates you may add in the future!
 
Heck of a review! Thank you. I enjoy seeing the Recon on IG so it's nice to see a full review of it.

I really want to get a Ranger from Chris. :thumbup:

Thank you so much. I'm jonesing for a Ranger too. It caught my eye before the Recon and was the bigger of Chris' knives that I wanted to try out first. From photos it looks like the compromise with those who might be unsure of the Recon handle and chop bias. The actual recurve on the Recon is very slight but I think it adds a little to the knife's cutting. The Ranger looks straight to me pics.
 
Amazing Review!!

Danny, thank you for taking the time out to complete this awesome review. Definitely worthy of a publication for execution and substance. You went above and beyond what I expected and provided an informative, comprehensive and visually stimulating review and I truly appreciate it. I have told you this a couple of times that you photography skills are top notch, when I see your photos they grab my attention and hold it. The videos were a great additions as well and add another depth of enrichment.

I also appreciate the constructive criticism and sharing your opinion. I have come to respect and appreciate your insight on my work and others.


I look forward to any updates you may add in the future!

Thank you again for the opportunity and the comments. Photography is a work in progress, my dslr sat on the shelf for a real long time, but I hope to get reacquainted with it for things other than photos of the kids.

The Recon really is a great knife. When you think chopper, you get images of these big heavy knives that would be burden to walk around in a belt sheath. The Recon has some heft to it but feels great walking around with it in relation to a knife of its size. I had stuff here to make a sheath for it, but I tried it out in a Rick Lowe 'frog' dangler that I had here for a Fiddleback Camp Knife and the fit was good enough for me. Rick's sheaths with the frog do a good job carrying even larger sized knives on the belt.

Regarding the Guard, I had the knife out the other day trimming a piece of wood for a new bow drill and to sand the the wood with knife held 90 degrees to the working piece, the extended guard acted well as a guide or rest piece to draw the stick against and sand down those rough edges.

I know you have been busy, busy this week. I will get with you after your thread tonight or tomorrow. Thank you again.
 
Danny - Sorry it took me so long to get to this, but holy cow. This is a superb evaluation. Just like everyone else has said, the photos are fantastic, as well as all the information. It really looks like a great knife. Seeing it next to a woodsman is helpful, as is seeing it in the different grip positions. Looks like you've got some big mitts!
 
Danny - Sorry it took me so long to get to this, but holy cow. This is a superb evaluation. Just like everyone else has said, the photos are fantastic, as well as all the information. It really looks like a great knife. Seeing it next to a woodsman is helpful, as is seeing it in the different grip positions. Looks like you've got some big mitts!
Thanks Ryan. It's a niche knife, but a worthy one if you are looking for that style of blade. I liked it enough to buy it from Chris after playing with it for a while.

I hope to take it out before the year end for some "one knife" scenarios over a weekend. I am keeping fingers crossed for a nasty winter, so I have more help around with kids and can sneak off more often. I am not sure if Chris has ever discussed his heat treat, but his cpm154 has been good for me on EDC uses and typical camp/fire chores. I have no interest in cutting a shit ton of rope, needlessly slicing cardboard or any other such tasks just to "experiment" but there will be plenty of frozen branches to bang on here pretty soon.
 
Two days ago I recieved my first O K/T: A sweet Guardless Warthog.
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So what I wanted to do is some testing and a review.

The knife is an O K/T Warthog (Gaurdless Variant)
3/32" (0.99") CPM-154 Tapered Tang
Charcoal Grey G10 over Grey G10 with Black accent liner (Sandblasted)
OAL 7 1/4"
Blade 3 1/4"
3.52oz

I'm not really sure why, but I added a pink lanyard. Other than that, it is how I recieved it.

Also, before I get started, do not expect high quality photos.
I am NOT a photographer.

I started by slicing a variety of ingredients for an omelette.
Starting with onions and peppers.
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Next some tomatoes and avocado.
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And then some sausage links.
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The knife performed very well as a paring knife. The wide blade coupled with thin stock, 0.99", resulted in a nicely thin dimension behind the edge.

Next, mixing up some eggs along with what was the second cup of coffee.
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The omelette turned out delicious. But due to some overfilling and poor flipping by me, the end result was definitely not picture worthy.

After slicing the food for breakfast, there was no appreciable difference in the sharpness of the edge.

Side note: I have what some might call a sharpening fetish. I'm the guy who sharpens brand new knives and can't bear to have a knife that is less than "scary" sharp. This Warthog was the first knife in quite a while that I have not "needed" to sharpen upon receiving.
This thing had by far the best edge that I have ever seen from a brand new knife. Shaving hair, slicing phone book paper, anything you might need to do, an excellent edge.
Incredibly well done, Chris!

I next moved out to the woods for some carving tasks and a few glamour shots.
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I did a few basic bushcraft notches and the knife performed very well in the bushcraft roll.
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It also did quite well at feather sticking.
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I love the blade thickness. It's thick enough to be tough but still thin enough to slice like a laser.

Doing some light batoning.
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While I was out, I also got some in-hand shots. For size reference: a size large glove is just very slightly big on me, but a medium is too small.
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Hammer grip.
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Overhand pinch grip.
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Draw cut.
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Drawing pinch grip.
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Reverse grip.
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A few shots of the handle profile.
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And a shot of the VERY thin taper that Chris put on this.
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While carving the wood I didn't notice any hot spots on the handle, and the blade shape worked very well overall.

After finishing with the wood, the edge was still just as sharp as I had received it.
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So I decided to test the edge retention with some extra cardboard boxes that I had lying around.
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This is the point at which I was really surprised. I expected it would take about one USPS small flat rate box to take the edge below hair shaving.
In the end, it took me completely slicing up the equivalent of four USPS small flat rate boxes to get the 1/2" of the edge that was doing the most cutting below hair shaving. And even at that point it would slice phone book paper pretty well.
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To say I was impressed would be an understatement.

I don't know what your heat treat process is, Chris. But whatever you're doing, it works!

My original intention with this purchase was to get a knife to use for backpacking, hiking, camping, EDC, and just general utility. In those roles, I think that this knife will perform exceptionally.

That is about all I have for now.
If anyone out there is on the fence about picking up a Warthog... Do it!
Chris does a fantastic job with this model and it is about the perfect size for a very usable knife.

Also, if anyone has any questions regarding this knife or you want to see some comparison shots with other knives, please don't hesitate to ask.

- Daniel

P.S. I am currently working on acquiring a good Kydex sheath and in the next few days I will probably put a new edge on the knife.
I'll hopefully update this post when I get those things done.

P.P.S. this is my first review so I have no idea if it will be any good or not. If you have any suggestions or critiques please feel free to share them with me.
 
Two days ago I received my first O K/T
Huh, I thought you were part of the OKT Club already but ... Welcome! And congrats on a great start. I appreciated all the pics and have regular Warthogs but this puts the guardless one on my watch list.


Side note: I have what some might call a sharpening fetish. I'm the guy who sharpens brand new knives and can't bear to have a knife that is less than "scary" sharp. This Warthog was the first knife in quite a while that I have not "needed" to sharpen upon receiving.
This thing had by far the best edge that I have ever seen from a brand new knife. Shaving hair, slicing phone book paper, anything you might need to do, an excellent edge.
Incredibly well done, Chris!

This is sooo funny and I'm right there with you on the sharpening. Being that this is your first OKT, rest assured that all of Chris' knives arrive holy hell sharp.
 
Huh, I thought you were part of the OKT Club already but ... Welcome! And congrats on a great start. I appreciated all the pics and have regular Warthogs but this puts the guardless one on my watch list.




This is sooo funny and I'm right there with you on the sharpening. Being that this is your first OKT, rest assured that all of Chris' knives arrive holy hell sharp.

Thank you!
I had been waiting a while for the right one to show up, and last week it did.
If you're a fan of really slicey knives, then you'll probably like a 3/32" guardless Warthog.
 
That was a very well done review Daniel, especially for a first go at it. Food prep, woodworking, cardboard, in-hand shots and good photos of it all. Nice! Maybe next time add a comparison photo or two with another popular knife to show scale against something people are familiar with. That can be a knife from another maker such as a Fiddleback Hiking Buddy or something similar since this is your first knife from Chris. I do this because some people respond to numbers while others prefer to be shown. My other suggestion is don't be afraid to make a comment or state an opinion about any feature(s) you don't like or would like to see changed in the future. Chris is receptive to feedback. Other than that, I look forward to your next review. Everyone who does reviews develops their own style over time. Just be true to yourself and what you see and you will do fine.

You did great with that choice as a first Osprey K&T. I was surprised that guardless Warthog didn't sell in the first few minutes it was available. I like the Charcoal G10 with the black pinstripe. Thanks for the review.

Phil
 
That was a very well done review Daniel, especially for a first go at it. Food prep, woodworking, cardboard, in-hand shots and good photos of it all. Nice! Maybe next time add a comparison photo or two with another popular knife to show scale against something people are familiar with. That can be a knife from another maker such as a Fiddleback Hiking Buddy or something similar since this is your first knife from Chris. I do this because some people respond to numbers while others prefer to be shown. My other suggestion is don't be afraid to make a comment or state an opinion about any feature(s) you don't like or would like to see changed in the future. Chris is receptive to feedback. Other than that, I look forward to your next review. Everyone who does reviews develops their own style over time. Just be true to yourself and what you see and you will do fine.

You did great with that choice as a first Osprey K&T. I was surprised that guardless Warthog didn't sell in the first few minutes it was available. I like the Charcoal G10 with the black pinstripe. Thanks for the review.

Phil

Thank you for the feedback! I will definitely bear those things in mind during later reviews.
 
SPOwnson/Daniel.

Thanks for an excellent contribution. I really enjoyed reading your review. I must admit, that was the very knife I was hedging back forth on purchasing during the sales thread. I like the color combination, the lack of guard, and the incredibly thin taper. I'm glad you are enjoying it, and I hope to pick up my first OKT soon as well. Cheers.
 
SPOwnson/Daniel.

Thanks for an excellent contribution. I really enjoyed reading your review. I must admit, that was the very knife I was hedging back forth on purchasing during the sales thread. I like the color combination, the lack of guard, and the incredibly thin taper. I'm glad you are enjoying it, and I hope to pick up my first OKT soon as well. Cheers.

Thank you, Sir.
I was in the same position watching the sales thread for a couple days hoping and at the same time dreading that someone else would take that Warthog. And then I saw someone else stating an interest and then I knew that I couldn't let it go by.
Good luck in picking up your first OKT!
 
Daniel,

That was an very well thought out and executed review. If you hadn't mentioned it was your first review, I would not have been able to tell. It was awesome to see that you were excited enough about your first Osprey K/T to post up your first review!


Side note: I have what some might call a sharpening fetish. I'm the guy who sharpens brand new knives and can't bear to have a knife that is less than "scary" sharp. This Warthog was the first knife in quite a while that I have not "needed" to sharpen upon receiving.
This thing had by far the best edge that I have ever seen from a brand new knife. Shaving hair, slicing phone book paper, anything you might need to do, an excellent edge.
Incredibly well done, Chris!

Thank you!! A sharp edge is a must!
I share the same appreciation of sharp things like you, after establishing the micro bevel I spend a considerable amount of time on each knife, hand sharpening and stropping to ensure a razors edge heel to tip. I like to send all of my knives out as sharp as I would want to have them, shaving sharp and ready to rock out of the box.



This is the point at which I was really surprised. I expected it would take about one USPS small flat rate box to take the edge below hair shaving.
In the end, it took me completely slicing up the equivalent of four USPS small flat rate boxes to get the 1/2" of the edge that was doing the most cutting below hair shaving. And even at that point it would slice phone book paper pretty well.

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To say I was impressed would be an understatement.

I don't know what your heat treat process is, Chris. But whatever you're doing, it works!

That's great to see! I feel like I have my CPM154 heat treatment dialed in pretty well. I will be interested to see how a cryo quench added to my recipe would add to the edge retention. How would you say it compares in your experience to other steels or other CPM154 knives?


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:thumbup::thumbup::D:D
This made me chuckle, because I could see myself doing this, when I get a knife in my hand that is really sharp and a pleasure to cut with I can make quite a mess.

P.P.S. this is my first review so I have no idea if it will be any good or not. If you have any suggestions or critiques please feel free to share them with me.

You did an excellent job on your first review, and I look forward to reading more from you, I don't have any critiques for you! Just advice to enjoy yourself!
Thank you for taking the time, and take pictures to share you thoughts and findings on receiving your first Osprey K/T.
 
That was a very well done review Daniel, especially for a first go at it. Food prep, woodworking, cardboard, in-hand shots and good photos of it all. Nice! Maybe next time add a comparison photo or two with another popular knife to show scale against something people are familiar with. That can be a knife from another maker such as a Fiddleback Hiking Buddy or something similar since this is your first knife from Chris. I do this because some people respond to numbers while others prefer to be shown. My other suggestion is don't be afraid to make a comment or state an opinion about any feature(s) you don't like or would like to see changed in the future. Chris is receptive to feedback. Other than that, I look forward to your next review. Everyone who does reviews develops their own style over time. Just be true to yourself and what you see and you will do fine.

You did great with that choice as a first Osprey K&T. I was surprised that guardless Warthog didn't sell in the first few minutes it was available. I like the Charcoal G10 with the black pinstripe. Thanks for the review.

Phil



Great points Phil, I don't have anything to add to this. Other than I would fall in the latter category of preferring visuals over numbers. Thank you for pointing these out!
I will be using the Charcoal Grey G10 more, I like the way it looks!
 
That's great to see! I feel like I have my CPM154 heat treatment dialed in pretty well. I will be interested to see how a cryo quench added to my recipe would add to the edge retention. How would you say it compares in your experience to other steels or other CPM154 knives?

In order to answer this question I wanted to do some more testing so I could get a thorough response.
I don't have any other knives in CPM-154, but I do have two knives in steels which I think will compare quite well: A Spyderco Paramilitary 2 in CPM-S30V and a Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter in CTS-XHP.

I got some more of that same cardboard that I had leftover and tried to do the same style of cutting that I had done with the Warthog.

From what I could tell the Ultimate Hunter cut only about 2/3 of what the Warthog did before losing its hair shaving edge, and the Paramilitary cut only about 4/5 of what the Warthog cut.

Those are only estimations, and there are definitely other variables having to do with edge geometry and how my cutting style might have changed from knife to knife. So this is by no means a definitive result. I will however say that, out of the three, the Warthog was the best slicer.
 
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In order to answer this question I wanted to do some more testing so I could get a thorough response.
I don't have any other knives in CPM-154, but I do have two knives in steels which I think will compare quite well: A Spyderco Paramilitary 2 in CPM-S30V and a Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter in CTS-XHP.

I got some more of that same cardboard that I had leftover and tried to do the same style of cutting that I had done with the Warthog.

From what I could tell the Ultimate Hunter cut only about 2/3 of what the Warthog did before losing its hair shaving edge, and the Paramilitary cut only about 4/5 of what the Warthog cut.

Those are only estimations, and there are definitely other variables having to do with edge geometry and how my cutting style might have changed from knife to knife. So this is by no means a definitive result. I will however say that, out of the three, the Warthog was the best slicer.

Sounds like a good little field test you put up there. Its great to hear the the Warthog performed well. Thank you for sharing with us!
 
The Guardless Warthog - A demonstration of Utility and Style - A Review

Good afternoon everybody.

I wanted to do a thorough review now that I have had some time to play with my new warthog and my first OKT from Chris. First off, much thanks to Chris for always first making such great knives for all of us, and secondly, for having such a fun atmosphere for all of us to contribute to. I had some help from a few friends in sharking this knife, and wanted to thank them as well.

Some of the specs on this knife are my ideal. This is a damn good knife, all which will be revealed in short time.

My aim is to make this review two to three parts. This will break it up into more easily digestible sections, as well as allow more time to add additional observations and experience as I carry the knife and really put it through its paces. This first introductory section will cover my first few weeks with the knife. It will also include some basic measurements and specifications of the knife, as well as initial impressions, intended uses, and other thoughts that don't require an extended set of observations. I will still try to add as much empirical data as I can, especially to try and help others if they want to decide to purchase a knife like this one.

Part 1

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Specifications

OKT Warthog (No Guard)

Steel: CPM 154 - 3/32 Blade stock, Tapered tang, hammered flats

Grind: Flat Grind with convex secondary bevel

Materials: OD Green Canvas Micarta over Natural w/ Ruby Red accent liner (Sandblasted)

Natural Pins

Overall length: ~7.310"

Blade length: ~3.450"

Cutting edge length:~ 3.125"

Blade Height: ~1.375"

Handle length: ~4.250"

Weight: 3.20 oz



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I wear a large size glove. Here are some shots of the knife in hand and showcasing some of its dimensions:

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What a taper! I really like how thin this blade stock gets. The balance on this blade is incredible. The balance point is right in front of the second set of pins, and can sit freely balanced on one finger. This makes it for comfortable to hold and use.

When unpacking this beauty, my initial reactions were nothing short of incredible. The fit and finish on the knife is superb.. about as flawless as you can get. Chris' sandblasted finish makes for an incredible texture. I'm now a lifelong fan. It's just smooth enough, while simultaneously having a great grip. The contours of the knife during various grips were also part of this jaw dropping first impression. The knife molds to your hand, as everyone around here can attest to. The indentations and the curvatures are smooth and well thought out - something you can't help but admire the second you handle the knife.

The hammered flats were the next big thing I noticed. In my uses so far, they seem to be both resilient to show damage and beautiful. I really enjoy this texturing over any other finish I've yet to see.

So far my uses and intended uses for the knife include light kitchen duty both at home and at camp, EDC/utility in pocket, bushcraft work and fire starting, hiking companion, fishing, and potentially hunting later this year.

For many, this might be a bit small and thin for some of the uses I've listed. In my experience, 3/32" is the sweet spot for these tasks in terms of blade thickness. I want to be able to slice and do draw cuts effectively, maybe even chopping on small vegetables effectively. In regards to blade length and handle size, most of my tasks don't require heavy chopping or batoning pieces thicker than wrist thickness because I usually have an axe with me.

My reasoning for selecting the guardless variant of this knife are twofold. First, I like the amount of effective cutting edge that is gained by this design strategy. I like it a lot more for sharpening, as well as really having the ability to use my whole blade. With the placement of the pointer finger in the groove and design of this knife, I have no fear or experience slipping forward past the guard at all.

The second reason I wanted the guardless variant was to aid in food preparation and squeeze a little bit more blade height out of the design.

With those reasons in mind, and after several weeks of use, the guardless warthog has succeeded in both those rationales.

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To draw on more specific experiences and observations, I decided to do some backyard bushcraft tasks. I hope Daniel (SPOwnson) from the review above me doesn't mind that my review and tests look a lot like his. I realized after doing them that we asked a lot of the same tasks of our nearly identical warthogs. In a way, I think this is a good thing because it shows a side by side comparison with the same knife from two different users in two different parts of the country. There is definitely value in that. Also, I believe it demonstrates we may have very similar taste and usage in our knife selection, so we can see if we have the same reactions and thoughts.

Continuing on, I started by working some wood.

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I chose three pieces from this region.

The first piece, on the left, is western red cedar. It grows abundantly here in riparian areas. It is also referred to as The Tree of Life in this region for it's unlimited number of uses, including cordage, clothing, cooking, shelter, canoeing, to name a few. It is a very soft wood that burns easily.

The second is Oregon Big Leaf Maple. This species is also very common here, often covered in ferns, moss, and lichen due to the make up of its bark and water content. It is not as hard as sugar maples you find in Canada or the East coast, but it is much harder than cedar and the third piece of wood in my sample. Notice the bark has been removed in this piece.


The third and final piece on the right is black cottonwood. From what I have heard, the cottonwoods got their name because of how soft their wood is. These are very common across the country, but here, they specialize in wetland habitats.

I wanted to make some notches and feathersticks with each type of wood. In a way, I got to compare and contrast the woods and the warthog at the same time:

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Feathersticks

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^Cedar Featherstick

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^Bigleaf Maple Featherstick


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Notching

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^Bigleaf Maple Stake Notch

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^Cottonwood Stake Notch


For some reason, the photos from the cottonwood featherstick, as well as the cedar notches are just not showing up from my file transfer. I'll see if I can add them later.
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Reactions

In line with expectations, the black cottonwood was the easiest to carve, followed by the western red cedar, and finally, the big leaf maple.

The warthog did well working all three. The edge retention is very good, even after doing some food prep tests earlier with the knife and carrying it quite frequently. A quick stropping session also brings back the bite very quickly on the CPM 154.

The thickness of the handle on this model, while very comfortable for EDC and weight, was a bit thin for my handsize doing these tasks. Especially extended wood carving and featherstick making. I'd say that there is a tradeoff there though, which I'll address later.

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In this set of photos, I'm demonstrating using the knife to split/baton small pieces of cedar, as well as prepare a small fire.

The knife batons very well, despite it's size, and is perfect for a small fire on a fishing trip or day hike.
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Here is in in-sheath shot of the knife and how I've been carrying it.

The sheath is by Jason at Diomedes and has a pocket clip for inside pants carry. It's been quite comfortable and very convienent.

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Part 1 Conclusions

This warthog has been nothing short of stellar.

It is a great jack of all trades knife. It can do all of the tasks I wanted it to, and I can still carry it every day in my pocket to work, in a backpack, or in a duffel bag. It's a compact size but not too compact that you can't cook with it. It's a lot like a versatile, strong paring knife with a lot more nuance!

This knife fits into my favorite scheme of blade shapes and sizes, and it's exceeded my already high expectations and hopes regarding Chris and OKT.

Of course, a good review wouldn't be complete without some things I may change about the knife if I could.

First, if I could, I'd add just a touch more handle thickness to reduce hand fatigue during extended usage, but not compromise the easy carry by going full on woodlore coke bottle thickness.

Second, I'd like to see a tad more length on the handle to accommodate my specific hand size and shape. Even something as small as 1/8" might create a small fraction of length so my hand would be almost coddled by the entire handle, instead of being at the end of it.

Clearly, these changes are small things that don't prevent me from loving this knife. Since writing this review, I have taken the knife on numerous trips and gotten a lot more experiences with it. All of which I'd like to share in Part 2, alongside more adventure photos.

*The tradeoff I mentioned above in regards to the handle thickness - I recognize that thin steels generally amount to thinner handles. Usually, people who are looking for a blade with thin steel plan on having a light duty, edc option. For me, even in my larger blades, I like 3/32, especially in kitchen work, and therefore want slightly thicker handles to increase comfort without compromising slicing/cutting ability.

I hope this first installment was helpful in anyone considering a warthog, OKT, or just some of us in the group who enjoy reading analysis of our favorite tools. Thanks again everybody, and stay tuned :)

-Ryan
 
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Ryan:

Super job with your review of the WH. You did a fine job translating your actual experiences with your knife into words so a reader could easily relate to the task at hand. I found your comment about handle length most interesting, along with your rationale on the benefits of a guardless variant. I personally own three WH's and every time I put a grip on one there is a little voice in the back of my head that says..."I wish this handle was about 1/4" longer". I wear a size XL glove so I would need another quarter inch to have the handle fill my hand. Since Chris is a good listener we can only hope that he'll take these comments to heart.

Looking forward to reading more as your experience with the knife continues to evolve.

Peter
 
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