Is the Skookum Bush Tool all that...

A lot of knives seem to have intangible value. The only thing harder than figuring out why one bushcraft shaped knife will have a fanatical following and another near mirror image will be meh will be these threads where the cons try to dissect the intangible and the pros try to rebut their talking points.

There's a lot of knives that I don't like that I'd never buy. I don't care why other people like them. There are even more knives that I like that I'd still never buy.

It's really the opposite of hoeing your own garden.
 
I agree with both of the paragraphs in his post.

You agree with someone who who questions the integrity of a person they've never had dealings with and doesn't offer any proof of that alleged lack of integrity. Good for you.
 
So you’re trolling him because he hurt your friends feelings?

That’s mature.

You're the one trolling. He didn't hurt my friends feelings, he impugned his reputation and spoke about things he knows nothing about. If I knew you personally to be a person of integrity and he wrote about you what he wrote about Mr. Garcia I'd defend your reputation as well.
 
I'd like to know exactly what this knife does well that many others don't.

It's admirable that Rod doesn't take a deposit up front for a knife that won't be delivered for years -- if ever. That practice shows integrity in my book. Although his lack of communication would worry me.

The Skookum looks to me like a well made, but pretty ordinary bushcraft knife, fairly priced by Rod. But what we're trying to figure out is whether the huge premium charged by flippers makes any sense.

Personally, I don't think there is any such thing as the best bushcraft knife in the world. The "bush" you're operating in will usually require some specific attributes of your knife. I live in the rain forest. I carry a different knife than I would in the high desert or in the Arctic.

I would hate the sheath because I don't want to dangle a knife that big off my neck, but maybe for the Inuit it makes sense.

Rod's website, last updated a decade ago, advises new owners that the knife they receive will still have a wire edge. To me, that's not the proper way to deliver a knife, especially to someone whose waited years.

The steels he uses are well known. He grinds his Scandi edge a bit more obtuse than most, but I have no idea if that's good or bad.

Mostly, I don't see this thread as being about Rod. He sounds like a super clever, super busy guy who makes a good knife and doesn't communicate well. I just don't see any evidence that this knife is the best in the world nor any evidence that makes it worth the price flippers are charging. Other companies have knifes out that follow Mors' design recommendations. Can they really be that different from the Skookum?

A minor point, more than a few of those other knives are copies of the Skookum Bush Tool. Rod's been making them for quite a while now, his design predates a lot of the more recent bushcrafting fad.
 
Given your stated lack of knowledge or experience with the knives in question, one might think you're talking thru your ass...again.

He impugned someone I know to be a decent man in this forum, he gets called out in this forum.

And just to be fair. Given that his "opinion" was based on zero personal knowledge and you claim to have personal experience with the knife and maker, I'd be curious as to what you agree with specifically.

You agree with someone who who questions the integrity of a person they've never had dealings with and doesn't offer any proof of that alleged lack of integrity. Good for you.

You're the one trolling. He didn't hurt my friends feelings, he impugned his reputation and spoke about things he knows nothing about. If I knew you personally to be a person of integrity and he wrote about you what he wrote about Mr. Garcia I'd defend your reputation as well.
I don't need to eat dog poop to know it won't taste good. Look at the experiences other well respected members have had. I trust them more than some guy who is not delivering promised work. And the secondary market prices are far off of what you can get elsewhere, with better materials and reputation. Just my opinion of course.

Sorry my opinion got you so upset. I don't think taking it personally and insulting me was neccessary. This is supposed to be a discussion about the knife in question.
 
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You're the one trolling. He didn't hurt my friends feelings, he impugned his reputation and spoke about things he knows nothing about. If I knew you personally to be a person of integrity and he wrote about you what he wrote about Mr. Garcia I'd defend your reputation as well.
I stated my opinion and had interest in this way before you decided to derail this thread and troll another member on here with nonsense.
As far as “impugning” goes, re-read his post. Saying that a knife “isn’t all that” isn’t disrespectful to the maker.

Rod makes a nice knife that are well worth the prices he charges.
The secondary market prices are what we’re talking about.
 
Yep, I'm about seven years, and the guy never responded to phone calls or emails that I sent around MY four year mark. I don't think he's actually making them anymore.
Personally I’d email every week until you get an answer.
My friend that received his Skookum a few months ago received email replies quite a few times from Rod.
 
I don't need to eat dog poop to know it won't taste good. Look at the experiences other well respected members have had. I trust them more than some guy who is not delivering promised work. And the secondary market prices are far off of what you can get elsewhere, with better materials and reputation. Just my opinion of course.

Sorry my opinion got you so upset. I don't think taking it personally and insulting me was neccessary. This is supposed to be a discussion about the knife in question.

" There are far too many reputable makers giving you more for less than to support this guy. Just my opinion of course."

If you aren't implying here that Mr. Garcia isn't reputable what exactly are you saying?

As far as the prices of his knives in the secondary market goes, the fact that they are what they are shows us that his knives are apparently worth more than all those many other makers knives you're referring to are worth.

Your opinion is worth nothing when it's based on no personal experience with the product or the maker.
 
Why not take issue with the maker's lack of making promised knives? Did you not read the rest of the thread?

Yes I did and I can't tell you why some people seem to have trouble getting their knives. As I stated previously my first Skookum was purchased in person from the maker and the 2nd one was delivered when and as promised.

Like those folks I can only go by what I've experienced with the maker and his products.
 
" There are far too many reputable makers giving you more for less than to support this guy. Just my opinion of course."

If you aren't implying here that Mr. Garcia isn't reputable what exactly are you saying?

As far as the prices of his knives in the secondary market goes, the fact that they are what they are shows us that his knives are apparently worth more than all those many other makers knives you're referring to are worth.

Your opinion is worth nothing when it's based on no personal experience with the product or the maker.

Yes I did and I can't tell you why some people seem to have trouble getting their knives. As I stated previously my first Skookum was purchased in person from the maker and the 2nd one was delivered when and as promised.

Like those folks I can only go by what I've experienced with the maker and his products.
I'm not implying anything. I said exactly what I meant.

I'm still not sure why you are taking my opinion on the subject so personally as to tell me I'm talking out of my ass.

Seems to me, these knives are way over priced on the secondary market (the topic) and the maker has some communication and delivery time frame issues (brought up by folks on order). Other well respected makers don't. Enough said. I'm done discussing this topic with you. Enjoy your evening.
 
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Yep, I'm about seven years, and the guy never responded to phone calls or emails that I sent around MY four year mark. I don't think he's actually making them anymore.

Thankfully, I'm too cheap to get into the custom game. I can't imagine waiting 4 (dodgeem33) or 7 years for a knife. I'm guessing most makers come thru in delivering on their knives but I've seen my share of horror stories on the forum. :poop:

I hope you folks get your knives. :thumbsup:
 
I'm asking that we stay on topic here. Kindly take differential opinions on others to a PM.
There's a whole heaping lot of good insight here on the positives and negatives of the SBT. I'd hate to see this locked up by the MOD SQUAD.
Thank you all kindly!
 
Here's a somewhat minor point about the SBT. The rear lanyard hole is a little too far forward from the end of the knife for this guy to put a piece of brightly colored paracord. I think it would interfere with gripping the knife. Could you imagine losing a $500 knife in the woods somewhere? If it were me, you'd see a grown hillbilly cry like a baby. :thumbsdown:
 
Personally I’d email every week until you get an answer.
My friend that received his Skookum a few months ago received email replies quite a few times from Rod.

Candidly speaking, I placed that order with Rod years and years ago now, and my taste in knives was completely different. As I said, I am long past any sort of strong feelings about why I was completely ghosted by Rod, and I'm not even interested in the knives at this point. If I was suddenly contacted out of the blue, I'd probably actually be more irritated than anything else, because that would tell me that someone in this thread or who had read it somehow DOES have contact with Rod, and went to him to remind him that he left at least one (most likely many more) costumer hanging when he disappeared into the ether (what is) years and years ago now and he was just trying to do damage control. My first email to Rod was almost seven years ago, and my last email contact with him was over three years ago. The four year wait came and went. I don't know why I was ghosted, and at this point, don't really care. Those knives were meant to be something special for my father and I to use when camping and being involved with the Boy Scouts together. That time came and went.

So, Rod, if you come see this thread, my first name is Forrest, and you can remove me from the list. Thanks for literally nothing.
 
" There are far too many reputable makers giving you more for less than to support this guy. Just my opinion of course."

If you aren't implying here that Mr. Garcia isn't reputable what exactly are you saying?

As far as the prices of his knives in the secondary market goes, the fact that they are what they are shows us that his knives are apparently worth more than all those many other makers knives you're referring to are worth.

Your opinion is worth nothing when it's based on no personal experience with the product or the maker.

To be fair, let's put this into its proper context. Survive?!Knives knives command a higher-than-direct-from-maker price on the secondary market because they are similarly hard to come by, because so many people are either still waiting, or never even received their knives when deadlines came up and went past years and years in the making. We know full well that S?!K aren't great, honorable, or reputable folks, that is not in contention. Like these SBTs, there's nothing world shattering about S?!K knives, other than that they are rare.

I don't know Rod Garcia in the slightest, and I AM glad that you somehow were one of the folks who had an inside track and got your knives. Others of us clearly are not, and thus never got knives we ordered. It is what it is.
 
I'm asking that we stay on topic here. Kindly take differential opinions on others to a PM.
There's a whole heaping lot of good insight here on the positives and negatives of the SBT. I'd hate to see this locked up by the MOD SQUAD.
Thank you all kindly!

Agree.
Give your opinion on the topic.
Opinions on other posters belong in Whine and Cheese.
 
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