Hudson Bay Company, and their tools

[silenthunterstudios]

Okay everybody, I wanna see your Hudson Bay knives, tins, bedrolls, axes etc. The famous Hudson Bay camp knife, the Hudson Bay roach belly, the Hudson Bay axe. The Hudson Bay tin. The Hudson Bay blanket and bedroll. I have two Hudson Bay Chief camp knives, one from the late Terry Baublitz, finished by Scott Gossman; and one I picked up a couple weeks ago made by Idaho Knife Works. Both are great knives. I also had a Bark River version, which I wish I would have kept now that I think about it. Hindsight is 50/50.

I also want to read your stories and see any pics or paintings of HBC life. I've read Caesars of the Wilderness, and some articles in Backwoodsman (thanks to Dan Schectman for starting the madness by posting a Dennis Miles HBC camp knife in an older issue of Tactical Knives, and the Idah HBC ).

I know a lot of makers on here have done several HBC camp knives and roach bellies. Let's see 'em! All you canuckleheads , this is your heritage! Post 'em up! Also, is your roach belly or your HBC your go to woods knife? My Baublitz held up well when taking down a willow tree (should've used a chainsaw, but where's the fun in that ).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson's_Bay_Company

 

[pitdog]

[youtube]BUWgm6Nghqo[/youtube]

 

[PayetteRucker]

Bruce Culberson is in the process of forging this one for me:

Gonna try to incorporate the Hudson Bay Point Blanket colors into the sheath, or at least the lanyard.

 

[baldtaco-II]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=735184&page=9

 

[silenthunterstudios]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=735184&page=9

Here is your post from that thread with pics

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8734147&postcount=166

 

[leon08]

I think this is my version of Hudson Bay Company knife.
Hand forged from a piece of truck spring/leaf.
Brass bolsters, pins and lanyard hole.
Enjoy.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Bill Siegle's Version

 

[Mentor]

Here's my JK Hudson Bay:

All the best,

- Mike

 

[Quirt]

Idaho Knife Works Version only shortened per my request

Blade has been intentionally shortened to make it more effective as a "non-chopping" woods knife and for general chores. It was very common when an actual Hudson knife was broken for the owner to have it reshaped and shorten and they continued to use the knife.

Knife is nibble and effective in my hands-and it is a looker - it looks like someone just lifted it from a museum! In fact this knife was "mini" featured in a woodsman magazine a few months back. They asked for a photo...I sent them these but they are so backwoodsy they couldn't work with digital images only real "high res" photos which I have none...gosh that is old time technology!

 

[Mentor]

Quirt, that's awesome.

It's the sort of shape that I had in mind when I was designing this one:

But now I want a knife with brass bolsters!

All the best,

- Mike

 

[Jeff H]

Funny, I just started reading Northern Wilderness, by Ray Mears.
There's a lot of information about the HBC in there.
I don't know much about Ray Mears - never had cable and only have intermittent "free" TV since we went digital, but my wife has bought me a couple of his books. This one has some interesting history in it. So far, no pics of the famous tools.

 

[pitdog]

Idaho Knife Works Version only shortened per my request

Blade has been intentionally shortened to make it more effective as a "non-chopping" woods knife and for general chores. It was very common when an actual Hudson knife was broken for the owner to have it reshaped and shorten and they continued to use the knife.

Knife is nibble and effective in my hands-and it is a looker - it looks like someone just lifted it from a museum! In fact this knife was "mini" featured in a woodsman magazine a few months back. They asked for a photo...I sent them these but they are so backwoodsy they couldn't work with digital images only real "high res" photos which I have none...gosh that is old time technology!

What's the blade length on that one, 6" ?

 

[untamed]

FWIW,

Ray Mears in his "Northern Wilderness" series has an episode dedicated to the Hudson Bay company.

The Company That Built a Country

(It's a 6-parter)

 

[Raining]

My Bark River Hudson Bay Camp knife.

 

[Hassilov]

They asked for a photo...I sent them these but they are so backwoodsy they couldn't work with digital images only real "high res" photos which I have none...gosh that is old time technology!

Careful who you're calling backwoods. "High Rez" photos are digital photos. Their pixel density is high enough that they're suitable for printing in magazines. If all you had were these low rez pics posted here, they couldn't print with them. They're only good enough for online use. Get a better camera if you want to be published.

 

[Quirt]

Careful who you're calling backwoods. "High Rez" photos are digital photos. Their pixel density is high enough that they're suitable for printing in magazines. If all you had were these low rez pics posted here, they couldn't print with them. They're only good enough for online use. Get a better camera if you want to be published.

Okay, let me restate for clarification...first I meant the term "backwoods" as a term of endearment. I too am backwoodsy and have a high degree of respect for the author, publisher, and the publication itself. I was using the term facetiously.

However, the author of the article could only work with actual printed photos like from a "film" camera. He could not work with any digital photos as that technology is completely alien to him. The magazine relies on independent writers and not full time staff. Unfortunately this author wasn't familiar or comfortable using digital images. By the time he asked me for film prints it was too late for the deadline so only the copy was published and not the photos.

The photos I submitted were from a $5,000 high res Nikon Digital SLR camera and are extremely high res and quality but unfortunately unusable for this author and article. Oh well....


pitdog...OAL is 10.5" and the blade length is 6"

 

[DocGP]

ML Knives Hudson Bay knife;

With Mastadon Ivory scales.

Doc

 

[dberry]

I had a bark river hudson bay camp knife once and loved it but had to sell it. I will get another one day.

 

[DocGP]

I had a bark river hudson bay camp knife once and loved it but had to sell it. I will get another one day.

I always wanted one of those. Are they gone for good or do they have to make another batch?

Doc

 

[Shotgun]

Bruce Culberson is in the process of forging this one for me:

Gonna try to incorporate the Hudson Bay Point Blanket colors into the sheath, or at least the lanyard.

That thing's badass. You got zombies over there?