Carothers vs Fiddleback

David45 said:
Maybe I should be more specific. Perhaps a decent comparison would be between the CPK Field Knife vs the FBF Bushfinger or Bushcrafter.

I’m try to see if I can benefit from the collective experience around this fantastic forum so I can avoid the buying and selling approach to find the blade in that 4” - 5” camp/food prep sweet spot.
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Used the FK and a Bushfinger to cut up the goods for some stew yesterday . Using my kitchen scale the FK is just under 8oz, the Bushfinger is about 4.5oz so that's a pretty significant difference right there.

The Bushfinger did really well trimming and cutting up the roast and making the parallel cuts for dicing the onion, the FK did better with the potatoes, carrots, and celery. If I had to cut up a bunch of raw meat again I'd pick the Bushfinger but they're close enough for me I wouldn't be too concerned over which I had for cooking one meal at a time.

I've used them both for doing wood cutting/ carving but not at the same time. If I were breaking down wood for a fire or carving notches for a tripod or something similar I'd go for the FK. If I were doing any finer work like carving a spoon I'd prefer the Bushfinger.

Dunno if that is any use but there it is. My .02. YMMV. Data usage may apply.

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You get some funny looks when you have company over and you keep taking pictures while making supper.
 
grogimus said:
Used the FK and a Bushfinger to cut up the goods for some stew yesterday . Using my kitchen scale the FK is just under 8oz, the Bushfinger is about 4.5oz so that's a pretty significant difference right there.

The Bushfinger did really well trimming and cutting up the roast and making the parallel cuts for dicing the onion, the FK did better with the potatoes, carrots, and celery. If I had to cut up a bunch of raw meat again I'd pick the Bushfinger but they're close enough for me I wouldn't be too concerned over which I had for cooking one meal at a time.

I've used them both for doing wood cutting/ carving but not at the same time. If I were breaking down wood for a fire or carving notches for a tripod or something similar I'd go for the FK. If I were doing any finer work like carving a spoon I'd prefer the Bushfinger.

Dunno if that is any use but there it is. My .02. YMMV. Data usage may apply.

Vs6jZzh.jpg

eBtbNHY.jpg

Qb9Pb2g.jpg

3Gr4zNy.jpg


You get some funny looks when you have company over and you keep taking pictures while making supper.
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Sounds to me like you're shaking off the Tibetan monk's lifestyle and Gypsy was just wondering about sharing her space with another female, albeit one from a different species than hers (I hope :D )

Regarding the topic, we already know that that the current CPK pattern is missing a bush-crafty knife and also a dedicated slicer. Hopefully between the FK-2.0, the DEK-1 and also the reincarnation of the Skinner, that gap will be nicely filled :thumbsup:
 
FBF offers so many patterns and variations in patterns there is likely to be something small-medium that fits ones needs. I have several I would prefer for delicate tasks over any of my CPK, and folders.

On that note, I have been using my R. Erickson Hunter (which is also in 3V by Peters, using Omega Protocol?) as a meat knife in the kitchen, and it beats anything I have from any other maker. It's so damn slicey it's crazy. And it's a wicked comfortable organic feeling wood handle.

Before I piss a bunch of people off...

I'm not saying CPK/LA can't do better, just that they haven't yet. And no, a D2 Skinner doesn't compare for processing meat. I've had a whole bunch of favorite knives that were displaced when CPK/LA made a similar model, but they may not get around to making a knife for every need, and I need something now.
 
CPK needs to make a thinner FK knife. It's way too heavy for its size. They need something between the edc & FK that's more of a bushcraft style knife.
 
Bmurray said:
CPK needs to make a thinner FK knife. It's way too heavy for its size. They need something between the edc & FK that's more of a bushcraft style knife.
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This may trigger Nathan to reopend. I can not and will not speak for him, but if I had the time I would search and dig up a quote from him from way back when he had said that his patterns are not produced for “bushcraft”. I’ll try to find that quote from Nathan.
 
Casinostocks said:
This may trigger Nathan to reopend. I can not and will not speak for him, but if I had the time I would search and dig up a quote from him from way back when he had said that his patterns are not produced for “bushcraft”. I’ll try to find that quote from Nathan.
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I know it’s not a Bushcraft knife, I’m saying it would be nice to see one from CPK. The fk would shine even more imo if it were 5/32” not 3/16”.
 
Bmurray said:
I know it’s not a Bushcraft knife, I’m saying it would be nice to see one from CPK. The fk would shine even more imo if it were 5/32” not 3/16”.
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Oh yes, I understood what you were saying and from all the info tidbits here and there, the next gen FK will be a thinner and lighter blade which will perhaps also lend itself to better use for those interested in bushcraft.
 
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Bmurray said:
I know it’s not a Bushcraft knife, I’m saying it would be nice to see one from CPK. The fk would shine even more imo if it were 5/32” not 3/16”.
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Hence the long awaited much anticipated thinner, leaner FK 2.0. Which, hopefully ends up being the slicing machine we all hope for. I figure the lessons Nathan learns from making the competition chopper will translate to the projects that come after. I don't expect the FK2.0 to replace the Fk1 any more than the HDFK did, but I hope it compliments it by adding something between the EDC and the FK, that is a great little carver and slicer. I'm not saying Nathan and Lorien don't know how to make a dedicated slicer, they just haven't yet.
 
JustinFournier said:
Hence the long awaited much anticipated thinner, leaner FK 2.0. Which, hopefully ends up being the slicing machine we all hope for. I figure the lessons Nathan learns from making the competition chopper will translate to the projects that come after. I don't expect the FK2.0 to replace the Fk1 any more than the HDFK did, but I hope it compliments it by adding something between the EDC and the FK, that is a great little carver and slicer. I'm not saying Nathan and Lorien don't know how to make a dedicated slicer, they just haven't yet.
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I have to get one when released.
 
I do like the rounded profile of the Bushfinger handle over the FK. Totally subjective but I'd use the HDFK over the FK pretty much always.
 
grogimus said:
As far as 'bushcraft' the most important thing in the sticks is building a fire. No knife I'd rather have than an HDFK if I could only have one.
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I’m waiting for my Sagewood sheath for the HDFK to compare the same setup as my FK. I’m on the fence between the two but I’m leaning towards the FK and a silky saw because there ain’t much they can’t do and together are close the HDFK in weight.

I sure love the HDFK, and hope it translates to something perfectly carryable when I add a sheath. Funny though that a user HDFK found it’s way into both of my CPK user setups while a FK did not. I should add one cause saying that sounds bad.

A generous forum member is going to send me 4 FBF models from my list to try out and compare against the ones I already have, the EDC2 I hope to get soon and the FK I’m using.

It’s such a good time to be in the hobby.
 
grogimus said:
As far as 'bushcraft' the most important thing in the sticks is building a fire. No knife I'd rather have than an HDFK if I could only have one.
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Way to heavy and thick to do any carving or delicate task. it can be done but not ideal. I sold my HDFK right away because I don’t like knives like this. Same with my FBF camp knife. Just too much blade. Would rather use my belt axe for any heavy chors. I use to love the big knives but as Ive gotten old, I just don’t have any use for them.
 
Bmurray said:
Way to heavy and thick to do any carving or delicate task. it can be done but not ideal. I sold my HDFK right away because I don’t like knives like this. Same with my FBF camp knife. Just too much blade. Would rather use my belt axe for any heavy chors. I use to love the big knives but as Ive gotten old, I just don’t have any use for them.
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I grew up on a ~4” blade and an axe so I feel that.

I really struggle to find use for big knives and choppers are still little foreign.

The main reason I started looking into so many different options is the realization a silky saw or equivalent is so much more efficient than an axe for some tasks. But then you can’t split with a saw and rip cuts suck. So I started looking into bigger blades that could split or baton to make up for no axe, but then they aren’t nimble or light. I carry a 3-5oz knife 24/7 so a small knife is comfy, 10oz, not so much.

But then I miss the small blades and go back to them.

That’s where I got into the FBF lineup.

Some days I figure a small blade might as well be a folder for how awesome some of the are now. There is very little I would do with a sub 4” fixed that I wouldn’t do with my pocket knife anyways.

Soooooo I dunno.

The search has lead me through dozens of knives that I no longer have but the journey was, and remains great fun.

Right now as I stand:

Shirogorov for folders.
FBF for small-medium fixed.
CPK for medium-large fixed.
Silky for saws
Autine for axes. I haven’t tried Liam’s work because I don’t see any reason to wait as long as his list is because I’m not that bias towards US makers. I have several European axes and all are awesome.
 
JustinFournier said:
I grew up on a ~4” blade and an axe so I feel that.

I really struggle to find use for big knives and choppers are still little foreign.

The main reason I started looking into so many different options is the realization a silky saw or equivalent is so much more efficient than an axe for some tasks. But then you can’t split with a saw and rip cuts suck. So I started looking into bigger blades that could split or baton to make up for no axe, but then they aren’t nimble or light. I carry a 3-5oz knife 24/7 so a small knife is comfy, 10oz, not so much.

But then I miss the small blades and go back to them.

That’s where I got into the FBF lineup.

Some days I figure a small blade might as well be a folder for how awesome some of the are now. There is very little I would do with a sub 4” fixed that I wouldn’t do with my pocket knife anyways.

Soooooo I dunno.

The search has lead me through dozens of knives that I no longer have but the journey was, and remains great fun.

Right now as I stand:

Shirogorov for folders.
FBF for small-medium fixed.
CPK for medium-large fixed.
Silky for saws
Autine for axes. I haven’t tried Liam’s work because I don’t see any reason to wait as long as his list is because I’m not that bias towards US makers. I have several European axes and all are awesome.
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Check out the work from Toronto Blacksmith. The best I’ve had.
 
JustinFournier said:
...

Right now as I stand:

Shirogorov for folders.
FBF for small-medium fixed.
CPK for medium-large fixed.
Silky for saws
Autine for axes. I haven’t tried Liam’s work because I don’t see any reason to wait as long as his list is because I’m not that bias towards US makers. I have several European axes and all are awesome.
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I'm sticking to my own lanes as on some I'm not in financial your league (yet) :)
Shirogorov Spyderco for folders.
FBF FK and current EDC2 or small-medium fixed.
CPK for medium-large fixed.
Silky for saws
Autine Gränsfors Bruks for axes (not paying $300 for a hatchet 'cause that's another guilty pleasure which I do not need!).
 
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