Review Custom Camp Knife

Pilsner

Pilsner

Joined
Oct 28, 2017
Messages
4,464
A knife arrived with me today sent from Greece, by Bladeforums Maker Tony Mont Tony Mont . It arrived swiftly, very well packaged, with hand written instructions for sharpening angles and maintenance. Before I move to my own view, here are Tony’s specs, which are perfectly accurate:

Steel: 1070 high carbon steel
Handle: Burned oak wood with aluminum pins and lanyard tube.

Dimensions:
Overall lenght: 25 cm - 9.8''
Blade lenght: 13 cm - 5.11''
Blade widght: 3.3 cm - 1.29''
Blade thickness: 4mm - 0.157 inches
Handle lenght: 11.5 cm - 4.5''
Weight: 180 grams - 6.34 ounches

Differentially heat treated by drawing back the spine.
Finished with ferric chloride.
It comes with a leather sheath.

So, those are the numbers, and now, here she is...

ZPF955z.jpg


9vF764L.jpg


VCNOLJK.jpg


For me this knife was a case of love at first sight. I just wanted it. And now it’s here, it is not exactly what I had hoped for: it is better. It happens to be a perfect fit for my hand. The knife is also exquisitely balanced, at the exact spot where the index finger sits.

It is a relatively light knife for the size and dimensions, and so combined with the point of balance it is a ‘quick knife in the hand’. For all you hi-speed lo-drag operators out there. ;)

And it does have a beautifully aggressive look, with a tapered belly going to a ferociously sharp yet well supported tip. The deep forward choil and elegant spine ramp allow confidence in stabbing or piercing cuts.

Me? I won’t be taking out any sentries, silently or otherwise, but that isn’t what this knife is for, it just happens to look very, very cool. It’s a camp knife, and in the next ten days I’ll be able to see how it performs, with updates to this review thread.

The fit and finish are really top notch. The handle of textured burnt oak is as grippy as a wooden handle gets. It is beautifully made, I love it!

The sheath is soft leather, hand stitched and pleasingly rustic. It suits the knife perfectly.

Tony has put a great edge on it at 25 dps. Shaved hair with no problem. I’m going to leave this edge on there and see how it performs. I’m inclined to trust this maker by what I have seen so far. His communication is really great and he is a nice guy to deal with. I definitely recommend checking out his work. I’d be very surprised if I don’t end up owning more knives made by Tony Mont.

I feel quietly confident that the knife will perform well for the next part of the review. In fact, I strongly suspect that it will surpass my already high expectations.

All I can really say at this point is that it feels like ‘my knife’ already. A perfect fit for a Pilsner. :)
 
FYI any spots and smears on the blade are a result of me not properly cleaning off the oil and some spots of packaging. I had the knife delivered to my place of work - husbands take note - and didn't have much time to grab a few pictures! :D
 
Pilsner said:
A knife arrived with me today sent from Greece, by Bladeforums Maker Tony Mont Tony Mont . It arrived swiftly, very well packaged, with hand written instructions for sharpening angles and maintenance. Before I move to my own view, here are Tony’s specs, which are perfectly accurate:

Steel: 1070 high carbon steel
Handle: Burned oak wood with aluminum pins and lanyard tube.

Dimensions:
Overall lenght: 25 cm - 9.8''
Blade lenght: 13 cm - 5.11''
Blade widght: 3.3 cm - 1.29''
Blade thickness: 4mm - 0.157 inches
Handle lenght: 11.5 cm - 4.5''
Weight: 180 grams - 6.34 ounches

Differentially heat treated by drawing back the spine.
Finished with ferric chloride.
It comes with a leather sheath.

So, those are the numbers, and now, here she is...

ZPF955z.jpg


9vF764L.jpg


VCNOLJK.jpg


For me this knife was a case of love at first sight. I just wanted it. And now it’s here, it is not exactly what I had hoped for: it is better. It happens to be a perfect fit for my hand. The knife is also exquisitely balanced, at the exact spot where the index finger sits.

It is a relatively light knife for the size and dimensions, and so combined with the point of balance it is a ‘quick knife in the hand’. For all you hi-speed lo-drag operators out there. ;)

And it does have a beautifully aggressive look, with a tapered belly going to a ferociously sharp yet well supported tip. The deep forward choil and elegant spine ramp allow confidence in stabbing or piercing cuts.

Me? I won’t be taking out any sentries, silently or otherwise, but that isn’t what this knife is for, it just happens to look very, very cool. It’s a camp knife, and in the next ten days I’ll be able to see how it performs, with updates to this review thread.

The fit and finish are really top notch. The handle of textured burnt oak is as grippy as a wooden handle gets. It is beautifully made, I love it!

The sheath is soft leather, hand stitched and pleasingly rustic. It suits the knife perfectly.

Tony has put a great edge on it at 25 dps. Shaved hair with no problem. I’m going to leave this edge on there and see how it performs. I’m inclined to trust this maker by what I have seen so far. His communication is really great and he is a nice guy to deal with. I definitely recommend checking out his work. I’d be very surprised if I don’t end up owning more knives made by Tony Mont.

I feel quietly confident that the knife will perform well for the next part of the review. In fact, I strongly suspect that it will surpass my already high expectations.

All I can really say at this point is that it feels like ‘my knife’ already. A perfect fit for a Pilsner. :)
Click to expand...
Wow! Vaguely reminiscent of a Spanish belduque, which was weapon, camp knife, and status symbol all in one. Come to Colorado and let's put it through its paces!

Zieg
 
The Zieg said:
Wow! Vaguely reminiscent of a Spanish belduque, which was weapon, camp knife, and status symbol all in one. Come to Colorado and let's put it through its paces!

Zieg
Click to expand...
I’m a few thousand miles away, across the Atlantic! But I would dearly love to. I went there over 25 years ago and it was stunningly beautiful. :)
 
Pilsner said:
I’m a few thousand miles away, across the Atlantic! But I would dearly love to. I went there over 25 years ago and it was stunningly beautiful. :)
Click to expand...
Start rowing now and you can be here before another 25 years. Or get on a newfangled flying machine: I hear they can cut some time off the trip!

Zieg
 
I'm really glad that you like the knife from up close! Also, i'd like to thank you and everybody else for your kind words, really appreciated.

PS. Not a husband yet but note taken for the future!

Tony.
 
Update

Took this knife away with me for a few days to the West Country - for those outside the UK, think smugglers, pirates, cider, and The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Took it out overnight on a bivvy on Dartmoor, in some ancient woodland of English Oak. We scavenged some dead wood from the moor, hawthorn and rowan, and some larger branches of dead oak.

All the branches and twigs ranged between slick and slimy to the touch, so getting the ubiquitous fire going was going to require patience. Finding dry, dead wood on Dartmoor is as likely as finding fresh cabbages growing in Death Valley. Therefore, bark had to be scraped off (and dried for future use), and lots of middle sized branches had to be sawed up - Victorinox Huntsman - and split with the camp knife.

The hawthorn in particular is gnarly wood, and the stunted old oak trees in the weather beaten landscape produce their own kind of hardwood. This knife, from the sunny climes of Greece, performed admirably well. No real effect on the edge at all. Time was pressing and light falling, so no detailed photos of process, but rather of end results and a few shots of the excursion.

Tony’s design is excellent, there were no hot spots, and the spine, which gives a great strike to a fire steel, took no damage from splitting small kindling. The knife handles beautifully, it is light in hand but not too much so.

Getting away from civilisation involves walking a fair distance and carrying everything on your back. We took dried food so no camp kitchen duty was necessary. I will run a few kitchen tests at home and report back. Meanwhile, here are some wild Dartmoor ponies, amongst other things:

NHKyFfZ.jpg


47o9kXV.jpg


159OEZD.jpg


1reAkIc.jpg


r6VTpjN.jpg
 
Really happy that you liked the knife in action.

Very beautiful photos, it seems like you had a blast!

Tony.
 
Pilsner said:
Update

Took this knife away with me for a few days to the West Country - for those outside the UK, think smugglers, pirates, cider, and The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Took it out overnight on a bivvy on Dartmoor, in some ancient woodland of English Oak. We scavenged some dead wood from the moor, hawthorn and rowan, and some larger branches of dead oak.

All the branches and twigs ranged between slick and slimy to the touch, so getting the ubiquitous fire going was going to require patience. Finding dry, dead wood on Dartmoor is as likely as finding fresh cabbages growing in Death Valley. Therefore, bark had to be scraped off (and dried for future use), and lots of middle sized branches had to be sawed up - Victorinox Huntsman - and split with the camp knife.

The hawthorn in particular is gnarly wood, and the stunted old oak trees in the weather beaten landscape produce their own kind of hardwood. This knife, from the sunny climes of Greece, performed admirably well. No real effect on the edge at all. Time was pressing and light falling, so no detailed photos of process, but rather of end results and a few shots of the excursion.

Tony’s design is excellent, there were no hot spots, and the spine, which gives a great strike to a fire steel, took no damage from splitting small kindling. The knife handles beautifully, it is light in hand but not too much so.

Getting away from civilisation involves walking a fair distance and carrying everything on your back. We took dried food so no camp kitchen duty was necessary. I will run a few kitchen tests at home and report back. Meanwhile, here are some wild Dartmoor ponies, amongst other things:

NHKyFfZ.jpg


47o9kXV.jpg


159OEZD.jpg


1reAkIc.jpg


r6VTpjN.jpg
Click to expand...
I've camped very close to there. Spent a night in Dartmoor amongst the ponies and another sleeping inside a Neolithic stone ring in 1987. Great pics and a nice knife!

Zieg
 
The knife looks superb. That tip will make any potential agressor run away screaming before you even have to use it. ;-) Must be great for very detailed work, too. Or just to cut a steak. Some of the pics remind me of a very long time ago, last century, when I hiked the Lyke Wake Walk on the Yorkshire Moors, and those of the forest of some places near our home here in France. Mossy. Lord of the Rings indeed. The knife fits that environment beautifully ! (I can suggest some forested areas in France to test it out, too, and there is a tunnel under the Channel... Or will law enforcement confiscate it when you want to carry it on the train?)
 
schwep said:
The knife looks superb. That tip will make any potential agressor run away screaming before you even have to use it. ;-) Must be great for very detailed work, too. Or just to cut a steak. Some of the pics remind me of a very long time ago, last century, when I hiked the Lyke Wake Walk on the Yorkshire Moors, and those of the forest of some places near our home here in France. Mossy. Lord of the Rings indeed. The knife fits that environment beautifully ! (I can suggest some forested areas in France to test it out, too, and there is a tunnel under the Channel... Or will law enforcement confiscate it when you want to carry it on the train?)
Click to expand...
Thanks, S schwep :)

I’ll get in touch when next going to France. We love the countryside there, and it would be great to get some forest locations. Yeah, when you have a car load of camping gear, providing the sharp stuff is properly stowed away, it’s not a problem going across borders. :)

P.S. Bonne chance for this Saturday’s WCF - VIVE LA FRANCE! :thumbsup:
 
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That's a beautiful knife! I'm in Colorado also, but love those LOTR type settings - this knife fits right in.
 
sodak said:
That's a beautiful knife! I'm in Colorado also, but love those LOTR type settings - this knife fits right in.
Click to expand...

Thanks! :)

It’s so interesting the Tolkien connections being made. I do know the family a bit, being from a similar part of the world and other things. Once upon a time, this sort of forest was prevalent across most of England & Wales, going toward pine moving into Scotland. We are at a crux of the arboreal latitudes. However, we chopped it all down. Or, we chopped nearly all of it down. Big mistake. And a great sorrow to the likes of me.

bluepatrio said:
Great looking knife you got there.
Click to expand...

Thank you! :) Kudos to Tony Mont Tony Mont . I sharpened it up today, and he has managed to do a seriously good HT on that edge. Very, very impressive.
 
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