TxSportsman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2014
- Messages
- 1,674
Review: W.A. Surls Huntsman
Disclaimer: I am not a knife aficionado, I purchase knives solely for hard use and am not a collector. As such, my knowledge of knives is based upon my experience using them and nothing more. I wish I had these knives a few months ago so I could have really put them through the paces during Whitetail season, but unfortunately that just wasnt an option as this model is new to his line. I have been lucky enough to own two of Allens Hunstman model knives. The difference between the two, other than handle material, is that one has a guard and one does not. To this point I do not believe Allen has produced any more guard less Hunstman, but I could be wrong. Please correct me if I am. Here are the stats on the two knives;
Specifications:
W.A. Surls Huntsman Huntsman ( only one guard-less thus far) with glacier blue jade G10 over natural liners with mosaics flat ground on 3/32" A2 SFT with lanyard hole
OAL: 7 3/16
Blade Length: 3 1/8
Handle: 4 1/16
Cutting Edge: 3
Weight: 3.935 OZ
W.A. Surls Hunstman OD green bolstered with bog oak scales, OD green liners and black pins flat ground on 3/32 A2 SFT with lanyard hole
OAL: 7.25
Blade Length: 3 1/16
Handle: 4 3/16
Cutting Edge: 3
Weight: 3.495 OZ
Sheath:
Allen does not offer custom sheaths with his knives, therefor you will be searching for one to fit once you receive the knife. Luckily, we are blessed by many excellent sheath makers on these forums and in the Fiddleback Forge sub forum. I have carried both knives for EDC and as you can see in the picture, the model fits very nicely in a JouFuu ISP style sheath that is fitted for the Fiddleback Forge models of Patch, Hiking Buddy, Bushboot, EDC-II and the Handyman. You can find his leather work here  http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/925-Joufuu-Leathers
Though this knife is on the lighter side (Bog Oak: w/sheath 5.235 OZ and w/o 3.495 OZ and G10: w/sheath: 5.675 w/o 3.935) I do prefer this style of sheath as it keeps the weight off of my belt and makes knife access super easy. In addition, if I am going through brush I dont have to worry about snagging when my shirt is tucked in. This is obviously a personal preference and there are many other opinions and options available that would pair up nicely. The knife fits snugly in the sheath and gives good blade retention. I will probably end up wet shaping one of the sheaths to fit the model as I did with my Fiddleback Forge Runt for a perfect fit, but even if you leave it as is I feel you will really enjoy this combination of the knife and sheath.
Handle Ergonomics and Materials:
I think what really shines about this model is the contour and size of the handle. I have medium sized hands and this is one of the most comfortable handles in a custom knife that I have ever owned or held.
Comparison: Fiddleback Forge Patch knife vs W.A. Surls Huntsman
I chose these two knives for handle comparison, not because they are supposed to be similar, but because these are my two favorite handle configurations I have found so far for a game prep/EDC style knife. As compared to my favorite game cleaner from this past year, the Fiddleback Forge Patch Knife, I do prefer the slightly wider handle on the W.A. Surls Huntsman. I do not have a caliper, but here are a couple measurements;
W.A. Surls Huntsman 3/32 SFT: palm swell roughly ¾ thick, handle height 1 1/8 tall
Fiddleback Forge Patch Knife 1/8 TT: palm swell roughly 5/8 thick, handle height 7/8 tall
This particular Fiddleback Forge Patch Knife is a thin 1/8 TT stock. I have handled other Patch Knives that would spec up more similarly to the Huntsman.
The palm swell on the Huntsman sits perfectly in the center of my hand and I am easily able to get a full four finger grip on the knife with a little of the butt end of the knife extended past my hand. I would say with extra-large hands someone may struggle a little with a full grip, and the guardless blade on the blue G10 knife may prove to be somewhat troublesome during game prep or any time the knife becomes slick. To that point, for grip considerations I do prefer the G10 handle material to the OD green micarta and bog oak. I soaked both knives and then handled them to simulate being blood covered and the G10 was tackier. During dry conditions the bog oak provides a little more grip due the natural texturing of the wood.
Blade and use:
The blade shape on the Huntsman fits exactly what the knife name entails. This is a perfect style blade for game cleaning and prep. Though I have not had a chance to clean a Whitetail sized animal with it, I know for a fact that it will really shine. The 3/32 A2 stock keeps it slicey and nimble enough to work an animal over with some speed. It may not be the preferred shape for caping an animal where every cut matters, but for a quick game prep and skinning there isnt a blade shape that I prefer more than that of the Huntsman. At 3/32 I also doubt that it will be well fit for much bone splitting action other than the small ribs close to the sternum of a Whitetail and possibly the pelvic bone. I found out many years ago that I dont care for a large knife when cleaning animals so the OAL of 7.25 will have this knife finding a semi-permanent spot in my jeans come deer season. The edge of both knives came razor sharp but did lose their luster a little bit quicker than I would have liked. I cant complain about edge retention, but its just something I noticed. Possibly a characteristic of A2? I prefer to re-edge my blades anyways with my Wicked Edge system and Strops.
And finally, the most notable difference between the two knives is the guard and the lack-there-of. For most game prepping and cleaning applications when the knife is bound to get wet, I would prefer to have a guard like the bog oak variant. For regular EDC and light game applications I prefer the guard-less setup. I dont feel like my hand is ever in danger on the knife without the guard as the handle really locks in though I will say with a reverse grip my palm gets a tad close to the cutting edge on the guard-less version. Comparably speaking, with the same reverse grip, my hand is a little more protected from the blade on the guarded version. Between the two I feel the guarded version supplies a more user friendly setup but your mileage may vary.
During normal EDC and outdoor tasks (cutting rope, zip ties, letter opener, gardening, feed sacks etc.) both knives performed perfectly. Will either replace my Fiddleback Forge Runt for regular fixed blade EDC? Probably not will either of them get plenty of pocket time as a change of pace? Most probably so. Even at its middle sized stature, I find a smaller OAL sized knife to fit my preference. When hunting season rolls around I always switch to a blade that will double as an EDC and game cleaning machine this knife will fit that bill perfectly.
Final thoughts:
So, if I had to choose one of the two which would it be? Wow tough choice! I am still battling that as I type this. Both of these knives bring a different curb appeal. But if I HAD to sell one I would probably let go of the Bog Oak. In the end I prefer the grip, look, and durability of the blue G10 handle material. I like the way it shows sunlight outside, the way it handles water, and the mosaic pins. The guard-less setup may not be for the beginning user, but I dont feel as though it will impact me in any way whether during EDC use or cleaning a mess of deer in an evening.
I hope this review wasnt too scattered and provided some decent feedback. I have never written a knife or gear review before today. Ill add more pictures as time permits, and if anyone would like to ask any questions please feel free.
Thanks to Allen Surls for many incredible knives and working with me multiple times over the past few months. I am looking forward to checking my mailbox later this week!
Thank you for reading.
Disclaimer: I am not a knife aficionado, I purchase knives solely for hard use and am not a collector. As such, my knowledge of knives is based upon my experience using them and nothing more. I wish I had these knives a few months ago so I could have really put them through the paces during Whitetail season, but unfortunately that just wasnt an option as this model is new to his line. I have been lucky enough to own two of Allens Hunstman model knives. The difference between the two, other than handle material, is that one has a guard and one does not. To this point I do not believe Allen has produced any more guard less Hunstman, but I could be wrong. Please correct me if I am. Here are the stats on the two knives;
Specifications:
W.A. Surls Huntsman Huntsman ( only one guard-less thus far) with glacier blue jade G10 over natural liners with mosaics flat ground on 3/32" A2 SFT with lanyard hole
OAL: 7 3/16
Blade Length: 3 1/8
Handle: 4 1/16
Cutting Edge: 3
Weight: 3.935 OZ
W.A. Surls Hunstman OD green bolstered with bog oak scales, OD green liners and black pins flat ground on 3/32 A2 SFT with lanyard hole
OAL: 7.25
Blade Length: 3 1/16
Handle: 4 3/16
Cutting Edge: 3
Weight: 3.495 OZ
Sheath:
Allen does not offer custom sheaths with his knives, therefor you will be searching for one to fit once you receive the knife. Luckily, we are blessed by many excellent sheath makers on these forums and in the Fiddleback Forge sub forum. I have carried both knives for EDC and as you can see in the picture, the model fits very nicely in a JouFuu ISP style sheath that is fitted for the Fiddleback Forge models of Patch, Hiking Buddy, Bushboot, EDC-II and the Handyman. You can find his leather work here  http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/925-Joufuu-Leathers
Though this knife is on the lighter side (Bog Oak: w/sheath 5.235 OZ and w/o 3.495 OZ and G10: w/sheath: 5.675 w/o 3.935) I do prefer this style of sheath as it keeps the weight off of my belt and makes knife access super easy. In addition, if I am going through brush I dont have to worry about snagging when my shirt is tucked in. This is obviously a personal preference and there are many other opinions and options available that would pair up nicely. The knife fits snugly in the sheath and gives good blade retention. I will probably end up wet shaping one of the sheaths to fit the model as I did with my Fiddleback Forge Runt for a perfect fit, but even if you leave it as is I feel you will really enjoy this combination of the knife and sheath.
Handle Ergonomics and Materials:
I think what really shines about this model is the contour and size of the handle. I have medium sized hands and this is one of the most comfortable handles in a custom knife that I have ever owned or held.
Comparison: Fiddleback Forge Patch knife vs W.A. Surls Huntsman
I chose these two knives for handle comparison, not because they are supposed to be similar, but because these are my two favorite handle configurations I have found so far for a game prep/EDC style knife. As compared to my favorite game cleaner from this past year, the Fiddleback Forge Patch Knife, I do prefer the slightly wider handle on the W.A. Surls Huntsman. I do not have a caliper, but here are a couple measurements;
W.A. Surls Huntsman 3/32 SFT: palm swell roughly ¾ thick, handle height 1 1/8 tall
Fiddleback Forge Patch Knife 1/8 TT: palm swell roughly 5/8 thick, handle height 7/8 tall
This particular Fiddleback Forge Patch Knife is a thin 1/8 TT stock. I have handled other Patch Knives that would spec up more similarly to the Huntsman.
The palm swell on the Huntsman sits perfectly in the center of my hand and I am easily able to get a full four finger grip on the knife with a little of the butt end of the knife extended past my hand. I would say with extra-large hands someone may struggle a little with a full grip, and the guardless blade on the blue G10 knife may prove to be somewhat troublesome during game prep or any time the knife becomes slick. To that point, for grip considerations I do prefer the G10 handle material to the OD green micarta and bog oak. I soaked both knives and then handled them to simulate being blood covered and the G10 was tackier. During dry conditions the bog oak provides a little more grip due the natural texturing of the wood.
Blade and use:
The blade shape on the Huntsman fits exactly what the knife name entails. This is a perfect style blade for game cleaning and prep. Though I have not had a chance to clean a Whitetail sized animal with it, I know for a fact that it will really shine. The 3/32 A2 stock keeps it slicey and nimble enough to work an animal over with some speed. It may not be the preferred shape for caping an animal where every cut matters, but for a quick game prep and skinning there isnt a blade shape that I prefer more than that of the Huntsman. At 3/32 I also doubt that it will be well fit for much bone splitting action other than the small ribs close to the sternum of a Whitetail and possibly the pelvic bone. I found out many years ago that I dont care for a large knife when cleaning animals so the OAL of 7.25 will have this knife finding a semi-permanent spot in my jeans come deer season. The edge of both knives came razor sharp but did lose their luster a little bit quicker than I would have liked. I cant complain about edge retention, but its just something I noticed. Possibly a characteristic of A2? I prefer to re-edge my blades anyways with my Wicked Edge system and Strops.
And finally, the most notable difference between the two knives is the guard and the lack-there-of. For most game prepping and cleaning applications when the knife is bound to get wet, I would prefer to have a guard like the bog oak variant. For regular EDC and light game applications I prefer the guard-less setup. I dont feel like my hand is ever in danger on the knife without the guard as the handle really locks in though I will say with a reverse grip my palm gets a tad close to the cutting edge on the guard-less version. Comparably speaking, with the same reverse grip, my hand is a little more protected from the blade on the guarded version. Between the two I feel the guarded version supplies a more user friendly setup but your mileage may vary.
During normal EDC and outdoor tasks (cutting rope, zip ties, letter opener, gardening, feed sacks etc.) both knives performed perfectly. Will either replace my Fiddleback Forge Runt for regular fixed blade EDC? Probably not will either of them get plenty of pocket time as a change of pace? Most probably so. Even at its middle sized stature, I find a smaller OAL sized knife to fit my preference. When hunting season rolls around I always switch to a blade that will double as an EDC and game cleaning machine this knife will fit that bill perfectly.
Final thoughts:
So, if I had to choose one of the two which would it be? Wow tough choice! I am still battling that as I type this. Both of these knives bring a different curb appeal. But if I HAD to sell one I would probably let go of the Bog Oak. In the end I prefer the grip, look, and durability of the blue G10 handle material. I like the way it shows sunlight outside, the way it handles water, and the mosaic pins. The guard-less setup may not be for the beginning user, but I dont feel as though it will impact me in any way whether during EDC use or cleaning a mess of deer in an evening.
I hope this review wasnt too scattered and provided some decent feedback. I have never written a knife or gear review before today. Ill add more pictures as time permits, and if anyone would like to ask any questions please feel free.
Thanks to Allen Surls for many incredible knives and working with me multiple times over the past few months. I am looking forward to checking my mailbox later this week!
Thank you for reading.
Last edited:
