Cruwear micarta Bushcraft/Proficient

[curlyhairedboy]

I'll get in touch with the folks at SheathPro, thanks for the tip!

[Fireman]

A FRN model with removable scales is interesting. Maybe a hidden compartments for fire starter, etcetera with the option for after market scales. Slotted flathead screws with a lanyard charm/screwdriver/fire steel striker?

[Pancake]

FRN scales, removable or not? Solid enclosed tang could be also and option.

[sal]

Hi Pancake,

I haven't received anything from Chris yet. I'll need to use his model for a while to make any decisions.

Hey Fireman,

The beauty of the design is that's it's very highly evolved. It would be very difficult for any aftermarket maker to match. It took us months to get it right, 1 mm at a time.

sal

[Fireman]

I hear rave reviews on the handles. You guys did an amazing job. I am considering one for myself! I imagined that if there were replacement handles that they would be using the same dimensions minus the mounting hardware. It is just a beauty of a knife.

Hi Pancake,

I haven't received anything from Chris yet. I'll need to use his model for a while to make any decisions.

Hey Fireman,

The beauty of the design is that's it's very highly evolved. It would be very difficult for any aftermarket maker to match. It took us months to get it right, 1 mm at a time.

sal

[C_Claycomb]

A FRN model with removable scales is interesting. Maybe a hidden compartments for fire starter, etcetera with the option for after market scales. Slotted flathead screws with a lanyard charm/screwdriver/fire steel striker?

Are hidden compartments really useful? I have always had doubts and have tended to seen them as a gimmick. As I understand it, the idea is that if you have your knife, you always have a way to make fire, in case of an emergency. The way the folk I know deal with that is that they have a sheath made with a loop for a full size (useful size) ferro rod. If they need tinder, they may get a sheath mounted pouch, but more likely have something on their belt or in clothing pockets. Ferro rods will corrode over time so if you are somewhere really wet you need to protect them, one option being something like the Exotac Nano Strike. The chance of having the knife without the sheath is pretty low. If you have a micro ferro rod and tinder under the handle scales, how often do you check on them, or change them? Knives get washed, and there isn't a good way to seal such a compartment. Make the contents sufficiently robust/water proof and I would bet that most people will never find themselves in exactly the situation where they have no other gear, desperately need fire, and are not so cold that they will not be defeated by disassembly and un-packaging.

The spine of these knives is all the ferro rod striker anyone needs. :D By design :cool:

If the knife were made with FRN scales, that might open the door to a new sheath, something synthetic and light weight with multi carry options, which could be designed to have attachment points for ferro rod carry, or other accessories.

[C_Claycomb]

Hi Pancake,

I haven't received anything from Chris yet. I'll need to use his model for a while to make any decisions.
...

Hi Sal,

I sent two emails, at 14:53 and 16:46 MDT respectively, 29 Oct 2020 . Maybe the email-man is running slow, have you checked your spam folder? :)

Chris

[Fireman]

Great points.
I have the Esse Laser Strike and the fire starting items just hang out in there without thought but knowing they are there is reassuring to some primitive skill/bushcraft/survival nerds like me to know know I have an ace up my sleeve in case I have issues making a bow drill set work. I do occasionally check the contents and have not had issue but the tinder needs to be water resistant/proof. I may be wrong, but I was thinking voids in the handle would be easy to make. It makes more sense if the steel used was highly stain resistant. If the handles were removable and FRN without voids that would be just dandy and someone could make their own or maybe an after market option if they so desired. I like having multiple fire starter options so I don’t rely on just one way to make fire for fun or just in case. Fat-wood is my friend and usually my go to for fire starting tinder. I would make fat-wood handles for a knife like this just because I am that kinda guy and scrape off a bit if i’m in a pinch if the scales were removable and I would have a void for a small ferro rod but I do love my extra large ferro rod and that usually goes with me when I go out camping.

A FRN model with removable scales is interesting. Maybe a hidden compartments for fire starter, etcetera with the option for after market scales. Slotted flathead screws with a lanyard charm/screwdriver/fire steel striker?

Are hidden compartments really useful? I have always had doubts and have tended to seen them as a gimmick. As I understand it, the idea is that if you have your knife, you always have a way to make fire, in case of an emergency. The way the folk I know deal with that is that they have a sheath made with a loop for a full size (useful size) ferro rod. If they need tinder, they may get a sheath mounted pouch, but more likely have something on their belt or in clothing pockets. Ferro rods will corrode over time so if you are somewhere really wet you need to protect them, one option being something like the Exotac Nano Strike. The chance of having the knife without the sheath is pretty low. If you have a micro ferro rod and tinder under the handle scales, how often do you check on them, or change them? Knives get washed, and there isn't a good way to seal such a compartment. Make the contents sufficiently robust/water proof and I would bet that most people will never find themselves in exactly the situation where they have no other gear, desperately need fire, and are not so cold that they will not be defeated by disassembly and un-packaging.

The spine of these knives is all the ferro rod striker anyone needs. :D By design :cool:

If the knife were made with FRN scales, that might open the door to a new sheath, something synthetic and light weight with multi carry options, which could be designed to have attachment points for ferro rod carry, or other accessories.

[sal]

Hi Pancake,

I haven't received anything from Chris yet. I'll need to use his model for a while to make any decisions.
...

Hi Sal,

I sent two emails, at 14:53 and 16:46 MDT respectively, 29 Oct 2020 . Maybe the email-man is running slow, have you checked your spam folder? :)

Chris

Hi Chris,

Nothing yet in email or spam. Please resend. sglesser@spyderco.com and/or salglesser@aol.com

My laptop has been funny lately. I'm preparing to set up a new one (intimidating) :o . I get 100 - 200 emails per day so I have to check carefully.

sal

[Fireman]

Can someone help me with the behind the edge thickness of the Proficient? Was thinking about if I can justify it as my super cool parting knife as well as an outdoors knife :D

[sal]

Hi Fireman,

There is no justification for buying a Proficient other than I want it because of what it is. You can tune the edge to whatever works best for you. I like my S90V thin.

On the hollow handle or handle mods, I understand your thinking, but I would probably not make a Chris Claycomb handle any way other than the way he designed it. I'm not a big fan of hollow handles for knives, but I am absolutely OC when it comes to ergonomics.

To scrape off a piece of a Clacomb handle to use as fire starter, would be, in my opinion, like putting a mustache on the Mona Lisa.

I believe in the "contingency plan for the contingency plan"........................ to a point.

sal

[Fireman]

There is a typo “parting” was meant to be a “paring” knife. **** auto correct. I like a thin BTE for super steels that will not see abuse or else you are just carrying a knife that won’t slice well. I just am unfamiliar with the proficient edge profile in terms of BTE and DPS. It has to be one of the best handles on the market, able to get lots of force transferred to the cut and or long use without hotspots or fatigue.
If I got my hands on a removable handle one, I would play with some different scales mostly for fun. A lot of contingency plans are there for mental purposes only but I would get a kick out of a one off fatwood handle that I would make for myself though. We use the PACE acronym in the fire service when it comes to making plans and having back up plans and a few more plans in dynamic or dangerous situations...
Have a;
Primary plan
Alternate plan
Contingency plan and an
Emergency plan.
I try to have some redundancy in my survival stuff and my work tools.
Thank you Sal for being open to good ideas as well as listen to some out there ones. I guess I am the only guy who thinks a fatwood handle would be fun.

[sal]

Hi Fireman,

I'm not saying a fatwood knife handle is not a good idea. I just don't think I wold do that with a Claycomb handle. I am big on contingency plans or Gail and I would have never been successful. You might pick up a Mule Team and try that handle. Sounds like a fun project.

sal

[Pancake]

I hope that this project will continue, and maybe we get some more ,, primitive,, (in a good kind of way) Proficient but with that excellent handle.

[C_Claycomb]

Sal,
Your email load sounds horrifying! I feel a pang of guilt now having resent to both addresses! If it doesn't show in 24 hours I will use another account to send.

Fireman,
I like Sal's analogy regarding scraping some material off a fatwood handle, although I would have said it was more like using paint stripper No offence taken. :D Seriously though, for that sort of thing I think you would want a much simpler handle so that if you ever did have to sacrifice a piece, you could re-build it with reasonable ease once home again. There is a tutorial here somewhere with photos on how I hand made Bushcraft handles, takes me over 4 hours. If it helps you create your fatwood handle, great, but wood is a fickle thing to use for handles, and pine that is usually found in old stumps and turned into finger size splits isn't a practical material for mass manufacture. I think it is a craft-only deal.

I left a piece of fatwood in my hot car, was rewarded with a little puddle of resin on the tray's surface. *yuck*
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/fat ... le.791108/


The Proficient blade thickness immediately where the bevel ends is a consistent 0.018" for the whole edge, according to my digital Verniers and the knife I have.

Chris

[sal]

Hi Chris,

Got your email and responded. Thanx.

As far as handles, I've carved quite a few out of wood. It does take time and in the end, final mods are done with sandpaper a bit at a time.

sal

[C_Claycomb]

Thanks Sal,

Looks like I have some work ahead on both knives. I will let you know when I have made some progress.

Thanks

Chris

[Woodpuppy]

I like making ferro rod handles out of fatwood. I have thought of something like Old Hickory mod with a fatwood handle, it wood look and smell amazing.

[cycleguy]

Can the Temperance 2 be resurrected?

CG

[sal]

Hi Cycleguy,

Eric has talked about reproducing it in Golden, but were so far behind, it's questionable.

sal