Rear handle swell a poor ergo

hiwa

hiwa

Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
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I've never posted here, but I am interested in the production( BR/KSF) Recluse. I read in a search where Andy and others have come to the realization that rear handle swells ( I'm assuming where the handle either drops down near the rear/wider at the sides) is a limiting feature in regards to handle grip comfort and knives produced without this are better suited overall to a variety of handholds and general better usage overall.
I own mostly factory knives ( Only one custom actually, A Skookum BT) I am approaching the end ( Ha Ha :D) of my knife aquisition as I have way too much money accumulated in knives. I have trouble deciding on my next knife recently and my criteria is getting,shall I say, more precise. I have always thought of the handle swell as a good feature, "locking" in my grip , but have started to find it rather limiting recently. Knives of Andy's construction and others I've seen ( BHK boat-tail Scandi for ex.) have peaked my interest greatly. I like knives as tools to be properly used and cared for and the grind/heat treat issue thing I think is not a problem as I've read in recent BRKT threads and such. I think a lot of people push their knives beyond what's considered "normal" use ; even to the point of abuse.
Back to my original thought: Is the lack of a rear handle swell something that has proven it's virtue to you , and also , would the Recluse most likely serve me well as a general woods/survival knife? My uses are generally camping, bush survival , woods-bumming and such. I do not hunt much anymore , so I doubt it would see meat. Any feedback on my post would be greatly appreciated.

Pete
 
Hi hiwa,

welcome to this subforum.

As of right now, to me the two custom makers that make the best handle are Andy and Koster. Just cant be beat for my taste. The Palm swell Andy put on my Custom Recluse is just super, and the one from Bark River I have is great.

Here is a link to a thread we actually posted pics of them that you can reference

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=780183&page=2

As I stated there. to me the production recluse has been wonderful feeling. The Custom Recluse i have had only for a few days and it is even better. It melts into my hand. I do not miss a rear Palm swell, I feel if too much ergo are put into a handle then it wont fit into most people's hands. Andy I feel puts just enough with out going overboard. Case in point, I love Bark River's Canadian special as a blade, hate the finger grooves on the handle. They dont match my hand pattern...

If I were you I would grab a Custom Recluse from Andy. KSF has still many Production Recluse with synthetic and wood combos. And its A2 with a great HT. No you cant concrete blocks with these knives, but I cant fathom what woodcraft and kitchen duty they wont handle.
Hope i answered your question
 
Arijer, Thanks for answering my questions. The Recluse looks like the perfect size incl. handle/blade ratio , blade steel , width and length for me. I think I will order one from KFS in black or red micarta. I'm not worried about it being too thin for batonning as I am getting away from doing that with thin knves as I always have a hatchet or axe with me ( Boreal forest area here) A nice thin slicer like the Recluse will fit the bill nicely.I'm a fan of A2 as well. Great stuff.

Thanks once again.
 
my production recluse is quickly becoming one of my favorite blades, the design and a lot of the features(thin blade, sharp spine,and the lack of the rear handle swell) sets this blade off for me, it just sits and moves so naturally in the hand. i just sent mine off to be kydexed i missing it already.

a great all around woods blade. :thumbup:
 
My Hunter fits my hand like it MADE for it. I can use it for hours and never feel fatigued. I broke my hand a while back and still have trouble using slab handled knives, without pain. I have never, repeat, never had any pain while using my FBF. The FBF handles are without a doubt, the best designed handles avialable. That's my opinion, but alot of folks share it. I hope I helped. Moose
 
A larger rear swell can be a pain on a smaller "bushcraft", they aren't really needed in that case, but I do prefer them on a knife I am going to be chopping with.
 
Good to hear guys. Mist has a point about the swell on larger blades though. I do like it on my bigger choppers like the Junglas , BK9 , and Kukri I have. I am starting to dislike it on smaller blades. The handle on the Recluse at least looks very good to me ergonomically wise.

edit: I am also wondering if the A2 steel/heat treat is the same as is used in the rest of the Bark river line. I'm assuming it is as it's made by them.
 
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hiwa said:
Good to hear guys. Mist has a point about the swell on larger blades though. I do like it on my bigger choppers like the Junglas , BK9 , and Kukri I have. I am starting to dislike it on smaller blades. The handle on the Recluse at least looks very good to me ergonomically wise.

edit: I am also wondering if the A2 steel/heat treat is the same as is used in the rest of the Bark river line. I'm assuming it is as it's made by them.
Click to expand...

I agree on a heavy blade, that you will be swinging hard and alot, a swell, knob or ball is a must. I like the Becker setup, because you get a good setup in the middle and ball on the end. I can use mine for quite awile before fatigue sets in, but, my BK2 comes in at a pound, so.......

My Hunter is so light and easy to use, its just perfect for me.
I would assume the A2 and HT are the same, I can't see BRKT creating a new line up for a single model, even if its the best they make. Just sayin'. Moose
 
Hey Thanks Moose. That's what I figured bout the steel/treat thing. It's a chunk of money for me now , but I can't stop looking at that knife !
 
One of these day's I'm hoping to find out for myself the comfort of Andy's handles in extended use.

Since he hasn't responded to my last 2 questions (including one via PT), I only hope that my offer of doing an extended 6 month review hasn't scared him off from making one for me :p



Kind regards
Mick :D
 
hiwa,

The shape on the production recluse handle was derived from my drawing, and sample sent to Mike. It is a Fiddleback handle shape. Most of my handle shaping came from a few words of advice in posts by Hollowdweller. I may not have achieved what he was aluding to, but it is where the ideas that rea now cemented in my mind came from.

On a bushcraft knife I think two things are of utmost importance. First, the handle should index itself in your hand. Your mind should know where the edge is at all times without having to look at it. Second, the handle has to be usable in a variety of grips. The classic Woodlore handle has a swell at the butt of the knife that digs into your palm when doing any grip except the fist grip cutting forward. It is inferior to the grip I put on my knives in every handhold. JMHO.

On my choppers I leave the swell at the back. My chopper handle comes directly from my time as a Himilayan Imports khuk fan, and modder. Its useful and necessary in big knives IMO.

On all my knives the overall profile of each and every part of the handle is somewhat egg shaped. (Bigger at the spine than at the edge.) The hand loves this. Thanks Yvsa.

Also, my edges come very close to the handle. No ricasso's or choils. (Again, learned from HD.)

One more note. My handles have a depression at the side of the distal end of the handle. This is comfortable when used in the fist grip, but also useful in the chest lever grip. Your thumb fits right into this small dip, and is nice and safely away from the blade. A low angle ramp down to the steel makes for thin handle material at the bolster blade intersection (weak at the place where most warp occurs), and putting your thumb on the blade is not a good idea either.






hiwa said:
edit: I am also wondering if the A2 steel/heat treat is the same as is used in the rest of the Bark river line. I'm assuming it is as it's made by them.
Click to expand...

Yep. Same heat treat. Mike hires this process out, and it is done with molten salt baths. Can't be done better.

SouthernCross said:
One of these day's I'm hoping to find out for myself the comfort of Andy's handles in extended use.

Since he hasn't responded to my last 2 questions (including one via PT), I only hope that my offer of doing an extended 6 month review hasn't scared him off from making one for me :p



Kind regards
Mick :D
Click to expand...

Whoops, sorry Mic. Didn't mean to leave you hanging. I'd love to see your review. I'm ordering steel for your run of thin CPM 154 Ladyfingers soon. Hopefully they'll be in the works by new year.

Or, if you'd like to get something in the meantime, send me an e-mail.

Andy at fiddlebackforge dot com
 
Thanks very much for your reply Andy. Your thought , research , and implementation into handle ergonomics is very thorough. The feedback I read from other members reflects this as most all seem very happy with your knives and how they feel and work in hand. I am looking forward to owning one ( or more ) myself in the future.
 
SouthernCross said:
G'day Andy



Thank you Andy :thumbup:

I'll send you an email tonight, that way we'll have another means of communicating :thumbup:




Kind regards
Mick
Click to expand...

Excellent. PM's are a very shakey way to communicate with me since I have to mass erase them once a week.
 
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