Older Walter Brend Model Two (Actually Being Used)

J

JollyRoger3

Joined
Oct 29, 2005
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213
I recently got this Walter Brend model Two and thought I would share it with everyone. This is an older model made back sometime in the mid 80's. Its was crafted from A2 tool steel. The blade is just shy of 8 inches in length and just a hair over 1/4 inches thick. The OAL is 13 inches. According to Walter, the guard on this is made from stainless. Its not as sculpted like the more recent Two's, but it is very robust and extremely well executed.

I had been looking for one of these A2 model Two's for a while. I ran into only one other of this size and steel. It was at a local gun show in the mid 90's. I was broke and could not afford it. The guy wanted 350.00 for it....imagine that!

When I got this it was in the same condition as if it left Walters shop. Like new. Every ding and scratch has been put on it by me.

According to Mr. Brend and others that have actually used his knives, the A2 steel model 2's were some of the toughest he ever made.

I have already dispatched, gut, skinned and parted out a goat with it, split up meat chickens, split piles of kindling and fire wood, and other around camp tasks. Its a real pleasure to use. I dulled up the false edge a bit, and it makes a great secondary heavy cutting/chopping edge.

Hope you enjoy the pics.

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I have one of the original Brends - the Bush Hog. They are indeed big bad ass knives. Very Busse-like, overbuilt powerhouses. I commend you for using a knife that collectable.
 
Awesome #2 its nice to see his knives in actual use but i don't think Mr Brend had batoning in mind when he designed it. It's more of a fighter but i'm not saying it can't be done you definately have the proof in hand. When you want to do some extreme batoning let me know and i'll trade you out of that #2. :D

Doug
 
d762nato said:
Awesome #2 its nice to see his knives in actual use but i don't think Mr Brend had batoning in mind when he designed it. It's more of a fighter but i'm not saying it can't be done you definately have the proof in hand. When you want to do some extreme batoning let me know and i'll trade you out of that #2. :D

Doug
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yeah

what he said,

i like knives being used,that is what there made for..
but batoning a no. 2
i got a Busse CGFBM who will do that way better
 
firebolt,

Well, I am glad you like your Busse.

FWIW I have owned a Busse or three, as a matter of fact I have owned and used a good many custom and factory knives in woods. I use to go by the name Vermonster on Bladeforums, run a search.

Moving on-

Thanks for the compliments guys,

Batoning with that model Two is no big deal. Yes, it will chew up a baton some, yes the #2 was not specifically designed to be used with a baton but as you can SEE, it is not an issue.....and oh my God....it actually works....(gasp)

It has a flat behind the guard to get it started into the wood, then pound away. You are not going to hurt it any, believe me. The full thickness of the blade runs all the way to the tip.

As far as it being more of a fighter, if you ask Walter that question he will say "no, it was designed to do everything". I would be inclined to agree as he designed and made it as an all purpose knife. It will chop, slice, fight, poke, pry and smash. It's a tool. I try not to get all wrapped around the axle about what does what better....I just get out and use them.

I m sure not here to try and convince anyone, just here to share.

I would have taken this with me to the Sandbox if I had it at the time. This knife is kind of like the end of a quest for me.

Here is a better pic of the spine. (And no the stone is not for sale. It is a treasured gift)

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And here is a great article from a 1984 Soldier of Fortune (Enjoy)

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holy crap that's thick!
Cool thread bro
 
thanks JollyRoger3,

off course it will do anything.. it's a good made knife.. ;-)

I'm a long time admirer off Brend grinds, and set my mind off getting a no.2 .. so saving up for a nice one
i just bought a rescue 1, and i love it, could do with a better sheath , more made to my needs ,
but that is been taken care off as we speak,
and i am following the brend-knife site every day now, waiting on news on the new line Mr. Brend is going to make.
and pretty sure I'm about to order a few

thanks again for sharing

regards, Martin
 
Very cool read JR on the Brend #2 its always been a grail of mine for sure. What do you think about the 9" version of that same knife?? Do you think it would it be to long and heavy for comfortable carrying in the woods and such? Thanks for the great read and pics.


Doug
 
Lookin' pretty and gettin' 'er done ! :thumbup:
Cool thread.
Thanks, JollyRoger3.

Doug
 
Hi Doug,

Awesome #2 its nice to see his knives in actual use but i don't think Mr Brend had batoning in mind when he designed it. It's more of a fighter but i'm not saying it can't be done you definately have the proof in hand. When you want to do some extreme batoning let me know and i'll trade you out of that #2.

Doug
Click to expand...

Spoken like someone who has never used a Brend Model 2 in the field. I carried mine for over four years while in the 101st...and used it. It went with me to Jungle School in Panama, Northern Warfare school in Alaska and it even spent a couple weeks in the Desert on training out west.

And of course on the "Back 40" at FT. Campbell.

All in all the knife performed exceptionally well in a variety of climates.

The knife is called a fighter. When I bought the knife I never envisioned it as that. After all I had an M-16 and a .45. I bought it as a serious tool that would do anything I needed it to....and it did.

That piece of wood being cut in the photo. With a Brend Mdl 2 you would not have to Baton the back of the blade.

BTW, batoning..isn't that what a hand axe is for? LOL Seriously.
 
Hi JR,

That very same article on Walter in SOF is what lead me to get my first (of many) knives from Walter.
 
Hi D762nato,

I carried a 8 1/2" model 2 in a SAS style drop kydex and cordura nylon sheath on my right thigh.

I found the knife is too big for belt carry as it is very difficult to clear the sheath.

Very comfortable for me anyway. I carried a 10" for about two seeks on a field exercise...I found this to be too big. For someone 6'2 or over, it might not have been a problem.
 
Batoning is a viable technique. Agree or not.

And NO, there is no way I was getting through that piece of maple without helping the knife through by pounding it. The focus of this thread was not to get all twisted up on "batoning". An ax is, well an ax...The long handle is for leverage so you don't (shouldn't) need a baton.

Like I said before, after speaking with Walter Brend about the design, he himself stated that it is a "it was designed to do everything", I believe he referred to the design being a combat knife, not a fighter. Big difference.

Les, it is your old posts that got me wanting one of these so badly. I do find it interesting that there is a scenario in the SOF article that almost mirrors your older Brend posts in regards to a Brend cutting ice and other knives braking.....Interesting.

As far as comfort while in tow, this size is not a problem, just tie it off so it hugs the leg or I throw in my pack. 9 inch for me, would be too big.
 
Hi JR,

Im not saying Batoning is not a viable technique. What I am saying is "right tool for the right job".

I have complete confidence in Walter's knives.

When I was told over and over and over again while I was in the Army that the factory knife they picked up in the PX would do the job. My reply to them was "well you know what your life is worth".

I would remind them of our conversation every time I saw one of their knives break! LOL
 
Les, I am tracking. I will submit that a Combat/Utility/Survival knife is designed to substitute being the "right tool for the job".

When I was in South West Asia, I used my knife for everything, from prying a crushed bumper off a tire so we could move forward, chopping out an observation/machine gun position near the Tigris River, chopped pallets and wood for fires, gut and killed sheep for Tikka and many other mundane tasks. This required an all purpose tool.
 
Hi JR,

And that is what the Brend will do. If you chopped into that log with the Model 2 and then lifted it and smacked it on the ground Walters knife would split that wood!

Unfortunately there is no one "tool" for everything. A knife...not matter how good...is only supposed to go so far. Walters will go farther than most.
 
Les,

Agreed, it is an awesome tool. I forgot to mention that the edge holding factor of this knife is excellent too, requiring infrequent and very light touch ups to keep it razor sharp.
 
Thanks JR and Les now the hunt begins but i'm going to have to sell a firearm or two to obtain one or i can find someone thats got one that likes to trade. :):thumbup:
 
d762nato,

I had been searching for one of these for a long time (not just any Model Two, but one like this.). The wait paid off. When I opened the box and unsheathed it, it exceeded my expectations. I will be buried with this knife.
 
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