Swamp Rat and SYKCO Chat

[Uncle Timbo]

Finally got some time for some hiking this weekend after some illness detours and then working through work nonsense. It seems like I have another wood hungry rodent chewing on my turf.

I'm really curious where this guy is dragging these off to. Not sure how far beavers drag sticks around but I didn't see anything downstream during the hike. Maybe when things freeze over again I'll do some more investigating downstream and into the wetter parts of the area that are hard to traverse during the warmer months. It's been an odd fall and winter so far, snow on Halloween and rain on Christmas and New Year. Can't say I hate the warmer weather given the bug I had the past 2 weeks.

Hey BE - what's better at cutting them trees down, Bucky the Beaver or Ratty the Ratweiler?

 

[bikerector]

Hey BE - what's better at cutting them trees down, Bucky the Beaver or Ratty the Ratweiler?

Close competition I think. If I knew how much of that tree was drug off I would have a better idea. The one he chewed 1/2 through is a good 30-40 ft tall or so and the one that's knocked downed is completely gone already besides the one stick I found. To be fair, I may have finished cleaning that one up early this year after cleaning up the trails in the spring but I don't recall.

I kind of want to set up a trail cam now.

 

[bikerector]

Hey BE - what's better at cutting them trees down, Bucky the Beaver or Ratty the Ratweiler?

I may have been naughty this week and have a 1311 on the way. Now I know I can outclass that beaver in a wood chip making contest. I've been spying one of those for a while after getting the 911 and liking that resiprene handle for chopping. It may be the first busse kin I own that I leave the coating on for a while since I plan to give this a workout in some winter hiking during some extended time off from work in the coming months.

Don't worry, the ratty still gets lots of carry time because it does so many things in a more portable package. It just does so much work for such a small package... in busse terms.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

BE - I'm not saying you aren't hardy, but ol Bucky is out there in any kind of weather. He keeps chugging along, no matter what. We can't wait to see that 1311 up against him.

 

[Chucktabulous]

I'm almost suspecting I should be quiet here since there is minimal reference to my rat knife.
I have, and really, really like, the Rodent 9.
Very little reference to it in this thread.
In fact, when I sold off the vast majority of my knife collection I never considered selling my R9.
I'm keeping it, maybe I'll be buried with it.
I haven't had any opportunities to use or handle other rats so I wouldn't know what my ideal SW knife is.
Nonetheless, I'm totally satisfied with my R9 and I'm keeping it.
I'm not ashamed.

 

[bikerector]

I'm almost suspecting I should be quiet here since there is minimal reference to my rat knife.
I have, and really, really like, the Rodent 9.
Very little reference to it in this thread.
In fact, when I sold off the vast majority of my knife collection I never considered selling my R9.
I'm keeping it, maybe I'll be buried with it.
I haven't had any opportunities to use or handle other rats so I wouldn't know what my ideal SW knife is.
Nonetheless, I'm totally satisfied with my R9 and I'm keeping it.
I'm not ashamed.

And absolutely no reason you should be.

 

[Andy the Aussie]

I'm almost suspecting I should be quiet here since there is minimal reference to my rat knife.
I have, and really, really like, the Rodent 9.
Very little reference to it in this thread.
In fact, when I sold off the vast majority of my knife collection I never considered selling my R9.
I'm keeping it, maybe I'll be buried with it.
I haven't had any opportunities to use or handle other rats so I wouldn't know what my ideal SW knife is.
Nonetheless, I'm totally satisfied with my R9 and I'm keeping it.
I'm not ashamed.

.....nor should you be !!!! The R9 is by all accounts a great blade. The handle on the R series didn't work for me so I don't have one, but that does not mean it is not perfect for you !!!!!!

 

[bikerector]

I'm almost suspecting I should be quiet here since there is minimal reference to my rat knife.
I have, and really, really like, the Rodent 9.
Very little reference to it in this thread.
In fact, when I sold off the vast majority of my knife collection I never considered selling my R9.
I'm keeping it, maybe I'll be buried with it.
I haven't had any opportunities to use or handle other rats so I wouldn't know what my ideal SW knife is.
Nonetheless, I'm totally satisfied with my R9 and I'm keeping it.
I'm not ashamed.

PS. pics please. I've always liked the looks of the R9 and was on the hunt for one when I found a nice deal on a mil-overrun 911 instead. The R9 is a looker.

 

[Chucktabulous]

PS. pics please. I've always liked the looks of the R9 and was on the hunt for one when I found a nice deal on a mil-overrun 911 instead. The R9 is a looker.

Sorry, don't know how to put pictures in my posts.
It's probably a simply thing for a computer saavy person, but that ain't me.
If its simple to explain how to post a picture, please tell me.

Edit: K, think I got it now. Image is in the next post.
It hasn't been used for probably more than an hour 1/2, maybe two hours, but I love the feel of it and it chops well enough for me. Seems to do really well, but I have little experience with large choppers.
Can't use it too much where I currently live. The sheeple are very fear based around these parts.
They don't seem to understand that they are miles more dangerous to innocents when they text and drive than I'll ever be.

 

[Chucktabulous]

 

[bikerector]

Love the matching sheath! Very nice package.

 

[Chucktabulous]

Love the matching sheath! Very nice package.

If I remember correctly its a MadCatz sheath.
No complaints with that sheath, or blade.

 

[bikerector]

If I remember correctly its a MadCatz sheath.
No complaints with that sheath, or blade.

Mashed Cat? Haven't seen one with the dangler attachment but it looks good.

Now... you need to knock some of that coating off and get some use . Knives looks best when they're in use, haha. I'm a bit biased though, as I have the luxury of a large park right behind my house with lots of woods and swamp to explore into.

 

[Chucktabulous]

.....nor should you be !!!! The R9 is by all accounts a great blade. The handle on the R series didn't work for me so I don't have one, but that does not mean it is not perfect for you !!!!!!

Something about the handle IS perfect for me.
Its an odd looking design but I have little fear of slippage. I have used various hand tools my whole life and this bugger seats perfectly in my hand.
A hammer with a ergo, rubbery, grippy handle is more prone to slip in my hand than this bugger.
The downside is that it isn't very wise to use it around the parts I live in now so it only gets vacation use.
Good thing I don't plan on living here forever, or even much longer.

 

[Chucktabulous]

Mashed Cat? Haven't seen one with the dangler attachment but it looks good.

Now... you need to knock some of that coating off and get some use . Knives looks best when they're in use, haha. I'm a bit biased though, as I have the luxury of a large park right behind my house with lots of woods and swamp to explore into.

Oops. Your correct. Mashed Cat.
I got it years ago.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Chuck - that's one sweet blade there my friend. Here's hoping you get to take a vacation when the weather breaks.

 

[Chucktabulous]

Chuck - that's one sweet blade there my friend. Here's hoping you get to take a vacation when the weather breaks.

Thanks. As I've said before it's one of my blades that I couldn't sell no matter what when things got tight for me.
To be honest I like it better than the Busse's I've handled. The handles on the Busse's I've swung just don't fit my hand well for whatever reason. I have difficulty getting a direct chop with the typical Busse grip, I tend to twist/deflect more on impact. I'll chalk it up to user error. I've been swinging tools my whole life and rarely have a deflection issue.
The balance with this R9 and the way the first two fingers allow me to whip the blade is pretty remarkable to me.
No deflection issues with this blade at all.
Now I just gotta move somewhere I can use it without alarming the cactus huggers.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Thanks. As I've said before it's one of my blades that I couldn't sell no matter what when things got tight for me.
To be honest I like it better than the Busse's I've handled. The handles on the Busse's I've swung just don't fit my hand well for whatever reason. I have difficulty getting a direct chop with the typical Busse grip, I tend to twist/deflect more on impact. I'll chalk it up to user error. I've been swinging tools my whole life and rarely have a deflection issue.
The balance with this R9 and the way the first two fingers allow me to whip the blade is pretty remarkable to me.
No deflection issues with this blade at all.
Now I just gotta move somewhere I can use it without alarming the cactus huggers.

Cactus Huggers! HA!
I love that.
How far do you have to go before prying eyes aren't an issue?
I know what you mean about that...one knife that does it for you. For me it's a Ratweiler in any configuration. I'm fortunate enough right now to have an Infiweiler. But as others here already know, I'm rehabbing a rotator cuff procedure. I'm hoping for late spring, summer for sure. I live in OH right now but we go down to the MIL's in WV where theres a little bit of wood for her to eat.
I'm like you, I CAN'T WAIT.

 

[bikerector]

Cactus Huggers! HA!
I love that.
How far do you have to go before prying eyes aren't an issue?
I know what you mean about that...one knife that does it for you. For me it's a Ratweiler in any configuration. I'm fortunate enough right now to have an Infiweiler. But as others here already know, I'm rehabbing a rotator cuff procedure. I'm hoping for late spring, summer for sure. I live in OH right now but we go down to the MIL's in WV where theres a little bit of wood for her to eat.
I'm like you, I CAN'T WAIT.

Somehow, I thought you lived further away. OH isn't a bad trip for me. Maybe once you're rehabbed I'll have to see if you're up to some shenanigans and we can meet face to face for the first time and compare swamp rat collections, you know, and see who's bigger and all that boy's shenanigans stuff.

I'll be tied to the house for a few months with a cute little partner in crime, that I'm already developing into an instigator of momma's wrath. When mom's away, the boys will play. He'll have to stay away from the ratweiler for a few years but I'm working things out in my head when I can get him hiking and such with me and then when can he start using objects that are sharper than a wood dowel. I may need to start actually considering some of those small rodent solutions and small handled things coming across the exchange for the little lumberjack (Jack's his name, BTW... and he has plenty of plaid flannel already).

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Sounds good BE. Just think, you get to live your childhood again. Do me one favor, when you take Jack fishing for the first time, but him a simple, two-piece cane pole. It's the simplest means of fishing there is and it's a lot of fun.
Maybe you could whittle him a knife outta wood this winter?