Why a Nessmuk?

If you look at Sears' drawing of his fixed blade, it actually has a relatively decent point on it. Many modern versions seem to take the humped back to a butcher knife-like extreme, which loses the fine point. But for detail work he had his moose-pattern slipjoint anyhow. :)
 
Hmm, I guess your right in way....Afterall, he is dead now. Didn't survive!!!

What does one mean, he wasn't surviving??? Is surviving some kind of pasttime. You throw yourself naked into the forest and try to return to civilization in 72hrs? Might be the stuff of reality TV but not the stuff of life.

Sorry, but I find this whole concept comical. I doubt there are many "survivors" on this forum who could work the woods like Nesmuk or Kephart could. Try reading their books and see what camping in the old days really meant!

I'm not saying people go jumping into a weekend of survival, I'm just saying that a lot of people have a survival mindset about their camping now, they buy knives and gear that can stand up to abuse should they end up in a survival situation, his gear worked for what he needed it for in his daily camp life and not what he would need it for if he had lost everything else.

Basically he knew what he was doing, like other lifelong hunters and outdoorsman he relied on his knowledge of the outdoors to get him home safe and not a big survival knife, he knew what worked for him and that's his trio of cutting tools, not a jack of all trades survival knife.

Oh and I have read Woodcraft and Camping, in fact I was rereading part of it last night.
 
Here is my "traditional" Nessie. This one is a Fiddleback. It is made of O1, has a convex saber grind and a razor sharp edge. It excels at slicing meat, one of the things it was originally designed for. I'm going deer hunting next weekend and hope to see how it does on skinning.

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Here is my Koster Nessie. It is not exactly traditional but I really like it for fire prep. It is 1/8in stock with a scandi edge and forge scale finish. I like that the scale was left on because I think it gives the knife a little nostalgic touch. I have battoned the crap out of it through some very seasoned oak and the edge has never rolled or chipped.

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I don't use my "camp" knives as survival knives. Why? Because I have never had to "survive" anywhere that I could not get help in a few days it it were needed. I like to go backpack camping and have stayed out for 7-10 days a couple times a year, although I have not done this in several years. I have no problem taking either Nessie with me as my primary belt knife when I camp. Instead of a hatchet I carry my BRKT golok and a swiss army to round out my trio.
 
Nessmuks have a very unique design that allows it to do several things well. Many fixed blade bushcraft knives do not have a design that makes them very efficient at food prep, which Nessmuks are great at. Most Nessmuks are designed so that if you have the blade flat on a cutting surface, there is clearance between your fingers, which are under the handle, and the cutting surface. As a restaurant professional and avid outdoorsman, I can assure you this is definitely a plus on any knife used for food prep, being in a kitchen or in the woods.

Also, the higher blade height gives them a good edge geometry for slicing and skinning.

As someone else already mentioned, they just work. Some people think they are ugly, but I find them to be very capable outdoors knives. Many people out there have a tendency to lean towards fighting and military type knives with very beefy spine thickness and straight blades that don't often make them as capable as they could be.

Get a Nessmuk and you won't be disappointed!
 
I'm not saying people go jumping into a weekend of survival, I'm just saying that a lot of people have a survival mindset about their camping now, they buy knives and gear that can stand up to abuse should they end up in a survival situation, his gear worked for what he needed it for in his daily camp life and not what he would need it for if he had lost everything else.

So why do you say he didn't have a survival mindset? Because he didn't chose a thick'un knife - in fact he chastised them. At the same time, he was a hell of an axe-man.

What is the difference in terms of survivor mindset between one person who chooses a thin knife and a double bit (customized) axe versus a person who chooses a big thick'un knife? Do you really think a thick'un knife is more durable and likely to stand up to abuse then a Nesmuk axe? Why is choosing a single tool any more survival mindset then a well thought out kit? Does a survival mindset, if it exists, entail requiring any kind of equipment?

BTW my use of the word thick'un is a paradoy of Al Bundy's favorite porn mag - bigg'uns and because I am bugging the hell out of Rick Marchand on the thick knives thing....
 
I think of the all in one 'survival' type knife as sort of like all-season tires - ok at everything, but never the best at any one thing. To have the best performance year round you need summer tires and winter tires, but if you can only have one set, get the all-seasons.
 
So why do you say he didn't have a survival mindset? Because he didn't chose a thick'un knife - in fact he chastised them. At the same time, he was a hell of an axe-man.

What is the difference in terms of survivor mindset between one person who chooses a thin knife and a double bit (customized) axe versus a person who chooses a big thick'un knife? Do you really think a thick'un knife is more durable and likely to stand up to abuse then a Nesmuk axe? Why is choosing a single tool any more survival mindset then a well thought out kit? Does a survival mindset, if it exists, entail requiring any kind of equipment?

BTW my use of the word thick'un is a paradoy of Al Bundy's favorite porn mag - bigg'uns and because I am bugging the hell out of Rick Marchand on the thick knives thing....

No a survival mindset doesn't require specific equipment nor does it require a single tool, all I meant by survival mindset was that a person who buys gear specifically for survival situations would be more focused on survival, as in their primary reason for buying that gear was for survival situations, I don't mean that they or their tools would be better off in a survival situation.

Nessmuk as far as I know bought his gear for his camping trips and what he intended to do on them, I'm sure if he ended up in a survival situation he would have been able to get through it just fine but he didn't buy the gear specifically for those kinds of situations.

That's all I'm saying, I'm not saying either way is better or anything like that. I'm not trying to insult anyones style of camping here and I really don't see how my first post on this thread started this little arguement, all I meant was that he was a regular outdoorsman and was there to relax, not obsess about surviving life threatening situations that may or may not come up.
 
No a survival mindset doesn't require specific equipment nor does it require a single tool, all I meant by survival mindset was that a person who buys gear specifically for survival situations would be more focused on survival, as in their primary reason for buying that gear was for survival situations, I don't mean that they or their tools would be better off in a survival situation.

Nessmuk as far as I know bought his gear for his camping trips and what he intended to do on them, I'm sure if he ended up in a survival situation he would have been able to get through it just fine but he didn't buy the gear specifically for those kinds of situations.

That's all I'm saying, I'm not saying either way is better or anything like that. I'm not trying to insult anyones style of camping here and I really don't see how my first post on this thread started this little arguement, all I meant was that he was a regular outdoorsman and was there to relax, not obsess about surviving life threatening situations that may or may not come up.

I don't view it as an argument Tye...Just a conversation and it is related to Nesmuk in a sort of quasi kind of way which happens to occur in a thread about a Nessy knife.

Truly, I am curious about the line thinking though of survivor mindset and how it influences consumer choices today. I think you are right, that many people will choose a knife based on a fantasy about SHTF or zombies or whatever. We joke about that all the time on these forums, but I think you are probably right. There is a large fraction of members here with boarder line paranoid delusions about what camping is and what survival is and why they need a knife for one or the other. The sheer popularity of tactical this and tacitcal that represents another facet of this which is fascinating yet seemingly totally counterproductive to the actual pursuits of the person in question.

Nesmuk never heard the word zombie in his life. He was familiar with wars, but as you say he was out there to smooth it not survive. He had a far greater likelihood of running into predators than we do. He had no access to cell phones. He went for far longer periods then most people do today and with less tools, less provisioned food and less gear. He was smoothing it, dealing with what was and not what might be. In the end, I think Nesmuk was a survivor. I think most folks are just dreamers. You can include me in that category to. Still, my dreams tend towards the wet side of things rather than nightmares :D
 
My reading of Nessmuk leads me to believe that he didn't worry about "survival" knives as he didn't need to. He had the skill set and mindset to improvise, overcome, survive (to borrow a saying). He had his preferences, of course, but he didn't have to rely on specific tools. He relied on his skill sets.

I don't think anyones posts were intended to belittle, the way I read them.

Doc
 
It works.






The design of the nessmuk is as a simple efficient slicer, that's comfortable and easy to use for skinning and camp cooking and basic woodcraft. Thin blade, thin grind, offset handle. There's not much more to it.

'nuf said.:thumbup:
 
Here are two excerpts copied from his Woodcraft book. You can read it online here.

"A word as to knife, or knives. These are of prime necessity and should be of the best, both as to shape and temper. The "bowies" and "hunting knives" usually kept on sale, are thick, clumsy affairs, with a sort of ridge along the middle of the blade, murderous-looking, but of little use; rather fitted to adorn a dime novel or the belt of "Billy the Kid," than the outfit of the hunter. The one shown in the cut is thin in the blade and handy for skinning, cutting meat, or eating with. The strong double-bladed pocket knife is the best model I have yet found and, in connection with the sheath knife, is all sufficient for camp use."

^That was after describing how he prefers his hatchet - double sided, with one thicker edge for knots and tough stuff, and a thinner edge for easier chopping.

And this excerpt reads as if it comes straight out of a survival book:

"Nine men out of ten, on finding themselves lost in the woods, fly into a panic and quarrel with the compass. Never do that. The compass is always right, or nearly so. It is not many years since an able-bodied man—sportsman of course—lost his way in the North Woods and took fright, as might be expected. He was well armed and well found for a week in the woods. What ought to have been only an interesting adventure, became a tragedy. He tore through thickets and swamps in his senseless panic, until he dropped and died through fright, hunger and exhaustion.

A well authenticated story is told of a guide in the Oswegatchie region, who perished in the same way. Guides are not infallible; I have known more than one to get lost. Wherefore, should you be tramping through a pathless forest on a cloudy day, and should the sun suddenly break from under a cloud in the northwest about noon, don't be scared. The last day is not at hand and the planets have not become mixed; only, you are turned. You have gradually swung around, until you are facing northwest when you meant to travel south. It has a muddling effect on the mind—this getting lost in the woods. But, if you can collect and arrange your gray brain matter and suppress all panicky feeling, it is easily got along with. For instance; it is morally certain that you commenced swinging to southwest, then west, to northwest. Had you kept on until you were heading directly north, you could rectify your course simply by following a true south course. But, as you have varied three-eighths of the circle, set your compass and travel by it to the southeast, until, in your judgment, you have about made up the deviation; then go straight south and you will not be far wrong. Carry the compass in your hand and look at it every few minutes; for the tendency to swerve from a straight course when a man is once lost—and nearly always to the right—is a thing past understanding."
 
I'm not saying people go jumping into a weekend of survival, I'm just saying that a lot of people have a survival mindset about their camping now, they buy knives and gear that can stand up to abuse should they end up in a survival situation, his gear worked for what he needed it for in his daily camp life and not what he would need it for if he had lost everything else.

Basically he knew what he was doing, like other lifelong hunters and outdoorsman he relied on his knowledge of the outdoors to get him home safe and not a big survival knife, he knew what worked for him and that's his trio of cutting tools, not a jack of all trades survival knife......
Note: Bolded emphasis added by myself.

I have to say that I agree with this :thumbup:

I must also admit that after nearly 40 years of living in and around the bush, I'm still trying to get my head around all the Outdoor / Wilderness Survival chat I've seen on the net over the last 6 years.

My guess is the whole internet concept of "survival" has come about as a result of the disconnect with nature that has resulted from increased Urbanisation. IMO this has resulted in a subconcious fear of the wilderness rather than an understanding of it.





Kind regards
Mick
 
The Nessmuk is popular because it is the anti-tactical knife. A knife made for knife work, rather than a knife like object turned into a prybar that is meant to do the work of an axe.

Sears liked his thin of blade and wide at the back. They excell at skinning, and food prep slicing chores. They are capable of lots more. I've batonned mine crossgrain through 1.5" branches. I do this carefully though. Its a knife, not a prybar/axe/bulldozer.


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Looking at it from a cynical, market-driven angle that belies my love for a good Nessmuk

Mystique: Sears, an old, skinny, consumption-ridden man who could was better at W&SS than the majority of the W&SS gurus did one drawing of the knife and talked about it in one paragraph of his book - the Boba Fett factor if you will.

The Club Mentality: The major manufacturers haven't really given this knife much notice, but the "Makers" have. It's a pretty exclusive circle that own them, and an even more exclusive circle that makes them.

Aesthetics: They're downright sexy. If I order a custom knife, I want it to look good.

Fad: Let's face it, for the most part, we're a bunch of fad queens on this board. When Nessmuks were popular, we wanted them. When Bushcraft-type blades were popular, we wanted them. Now we want scandi bushcrafts! And there's good reasons for owning each of them. Remember the opinion of scandis on this board when we were all rushing to get Nessmuks? Scandi grinds are a PitA to sharpen. They're delicate - a good convex edge slices just as well if done properly. Now Nessmuks are thought more negatively - convex doesn't slice as well as scandi, they don't have a good point on them for poking and drilling, they're a kitchen knife, not an outdoors knife, etc.

That being said, I love my Fiddleback. It looks awesome, slices like no one's business, easy to sharpen. Is it the "best" woodlands knife? Probably not. There probably isn't a "best", and I have no problems carrying it with me in the wilds. And the best thing is I use it all the time. In the kitchen, around the house, etc.

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I have a Koster Nessmuk (FFG) and a Koster Kit Knife (Scandi but much smaller) and they have been working just fine. I had Dan grind the FFG Nessie really thin behind the edge for use in the kitchen where it will spend it's time until I sharpen up through the blade into thicker steel.

Before I picked up those Koster knives, I had purchased an old kitchen cleaver and reshaped it like the Koster Nessies I had viewed on this forum. I did a Scandi-vex (looks like a scandi grind, but is convex) grind on it with a belt sander that has a bevel that measures about 5/16" from the edge up to the full blade thickness which is about 1/16" to 3/32".

I use it to chop through frozen chunks of meat that will not fit into a crockpot. There is often little to no edge damage which seems crazy to me given how hard I'm blasting this thing into the frozen roasts. It is made from a carbon steel that rusts up easily if I do not keep it clean, dry and oiled.
 
After that calling out, ^ (good post BTW wintermute)

I'd like to point out that after you make the initial splits at the seams, you do not need a knife to skin just about anything worth skinning. Just get it started and pull. Less likely that you will puncture the hide that way. You can get a rabbit tube too ;)

I have one Nessmuk patterned blade. It's just a cut down Green River (I think) skinner. It's a fun knife to use, and slices very nicely. Full flat grind with convex polished edge.
 
kgd said:
I don't view it as an argument Tye...Just a conversation and it is related to Nesmuk in a sort of quasi kind of way which happens to occur in a thread about a Nessy knife.

Truly, I am curious about the line thinking though of survivor mindset and how it influences consumer choices today.
Ahh well then no worries, your first reply to mine seemed a tad argumentative but it's hard to tell the tone over the internet you know.

SouthernCross said:
I have to say that I agree with this

I must also admit that after nearly 40 years of living in and around the bush, I'm still trying to get my head around all the Outdoor / Wilderness Survival chat I've seen on the net over the last 6 years.

My guess is the whole internet concept of "survival" has come about as a result of the disconnect with nature that has resulted from increased Urbanisation. IMO this has resulted in a subconcious fear of the wilderness rather than an understanding of it.





Kind regards
Mick
I'd have to agree with you there. A long time ago outdoorsmen seemed to have a better understanding of the wilderness (well not how to conserve it :eek:), they were out there so much that another day in the woods to them would probably be a survival situation to most now. Over the years as we've moved away from and relied on the wilderness less we've lost a lot of those skills, so what do we do? We rely on what we know now, technology (and I don't just mean GPS I mean a tent, matches/lighter or sleeping bag even), and with technology comes the fear of losing it, and so we prepare for that day with gear that we feel is necessary and don't think will fail us. Like I said earlier though, look at lifelong hunters and outdoorsmen of today and though some use the "best" up to date gear a lot of them are completely happy using gear that a lot of us on here would think unfit for such activities. The difference is they have learned to use that gear over their lifetimes so they have the knowledge to get by with it.

Of course it could also be we just like buying new knives and stuff, I know I do.:D

Oh and nice trio jds1, love that axe!
 
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