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Skookum Bush Tool - Legit Tip?

M

Mr.eTrain

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May 1, 2023
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8
Hello,

I recently purchased a “New” Skookum Bush Tool knife from an original owner and it looks to have a bent/blunt tip on it. I am being told by the seller and several other individuals that this is how the knife maker (Rod Garcia) “does his tips” and this is normal. I don’t mean to call foul and maybe I am just ignorant, but I have never seen or purchased a new knife sold in this condition. The seller will accept a refund so I just need to know if this is as it should be or is it damaged goods.

If anyone in this community has any knowledge or experience with this knife/maker and can post any reference sources to help support this statement would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

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The micro tanto tip is how these knives come direct from the maker. I’ve owned a dozen or two of them.

There is a video on YouTube where Rod discusses the tanto tip modification if I remember correctly.
 
That simply looks like a bent or damaged tip to me and I have owned 3 or 4 of these. Rod went to a micro tanto because tip damage and breaking like this was so common. The few of mine with the micro tanto had a very distinct, precisely ground flat, not rounded and ragged like this. Your may have started with the micro tanto and then saw some hard use.
 
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… I have no experience with the maker, but if the pictures indicate what is considered “new”, I’d hope to spend very little on it or look elsewhere.

“How he does his tips” sounds like a guy turning a problem into a “feature”.

I’ll be watching for additional, more informed, opinions.
 
Heirphoto said:
That simply looks like a bent or damaged tip to me and I have owned 3 or 4 of these. Rod went to a micro tanto because tip damage and breaking like this was so common. The few of mine with the micro tanto had a very distinct, precisely ground flat, not rounded and ragged like this. Your may have started with the micro tanto and then saw some hard use.
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This tip looks like it has been reworked.
 
Mr.eTrain said:
I recently purchased a “New” Skookum Bush Tool knife from an original owner and it looks to have a bent/blunt tip on it.
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The scuffing on the primary bevel is concerning to me, as well.
 
EngrSorenson said:
…
“How he does his tips” sounds like a guy turning a problem into a “feature”.
Click to expand...
Many have felt the same. Very hard tips and a true zero grind with absolutely no secondary leads to lots of missing Skokum tips. I still love his knives and am on the long list for a new one.....again.
 
Heirphoto said:
Many have felt the same. Very hard tips and a true zero grind with absolutely no secondary leads to lots of missing Skokum tips. I still love his knives and am on the long list for a new one.....again.
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What’s the steel?
 
I don't really understand the "why" or how the maker thinks it's an improvement, but when he started with the so called "micro tanto tip" as a fix to tips breaking ... sadly that's how many have looked. One side kind of ground funky and almost like a tiny piece of material is bent over on the other side.

For me it would be issue enough to take a hard pass on the knife.
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
I don't really understand the "why" or how the maker thinks it's an improvement, but when he started with the so called "micro tanto tip" as a fix to tips breaking ... sadly that's how many have looked. One side kind of ground funky and almost like a tiny piece of material is bent over on the other side.

For me it would be issue enough to take a hard pass on the knife.
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I almost admire the salesmanship, but I agree with you. Seems like there should be a better way to fix this issue.
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
I don't really understand the "why" or how the maker thinks it's an improvement, but when he started with the so called "micro tanto tip" as a fix to tips breaking ... sadly that's how many have looked. One side kind of ground funky and almost like a tiny piece of material is bent over on the other side.

For me it would be issue enough to take a hard pass on the knife.
Click to expand...
I'm kind of remembering the micro as being a one sided grind as well. Been a long time since I handled one.

I have not needed a bushcraft knife for years now but did get a reminder from Rod a while back that I was still on the list.
 
Probably ~4 years ago, but this was the tip on mine as received from Rod.
 
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A tip photo from the web. Not mine but just how I remember mine, maybe 1/16" perfectly flat "missing tip", beveled (on one side as I recall) and not ground off square and blunt, nor rounded and rolled as in the OP's photos.

View attachment 2513910
 
Thanks everyone for the info and feed back, much appreciated!

I did some research and in deed found a Tanto tip is part of the over all SBT design… I cleaned the blade of the dry frog lube and the tip does not look nearly as bad as in the photos, it’s more of a blunt and not rolled edge. I feel much better with everything based on this info.

Thanks again!
 
Man that guy has a good thing going. Rudimentary knife!? Check. Absurd backlog? .Check. Bad fix for a poor design? Check.
 
I don’t see the bunted tip as a desirable feature on an expensive custom knife, and I don’t think that it looks like a Tanto tip. I dropped a Roselli hunting knife that hit tip first on the bottom frame of a large gun safe, and the tip stayed perfectly intact. Maybe the Roselli forged carbon steel can better sustain such an impact.
 
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