Spyderco Forums

Ok so I'm wondering if folks do any feathersticking with their spydercos.

I did a bunch last summer. Both the stretch 2 and the endela were great at this. I'm curious how small I can go. I'm probably gonna go grab a log this week and see how the dragonfly and delica fare.

I'm curious how small folks here have gone.

Glad you brought this up.

Gives me the opportunity to point out of the probably most overlooked advantage of the spyderedge / SE:

- In my experience an SE Spyderco is just vastly superior over a PE when it comes to "feathersticking"

- For one probably due to the acute chisel grind
- But even more so due to the SE scallops themselves I guess: Just try for yourself, they produce great and amazingly fine "feathers" that will catch a spark like crazy

Concerning your question: When I had only my comboedge Delica for serrations, I often brought this in the outdoors, partly because even that very short serrated section was so good in producing feather sticks...

I prefer to use a knife that I can get a full grip on when I make feathersticks, though I could probably make do with a Chaparral in a pinch.

Also, my feathersticks are only for photo ops and practice. I have never needed to start a fire in the backyard, and it's been ages since I went hiking.

I have featherticked with my Shaman, and my Stretch, but just for fun. Of the two, the Shaman is superior due to its larger, more comfortable handle and straight, humpless spine.

I do have other knives for working with wood - their convex grinds and large, comfortable handles work much better.

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:42 am

amazingly fine "feathers”

Bloke wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 1:27 am

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:42 am

amazingly fine "feathers”

Where have you been hiding? Welcome back. You've been sorely missed.

Bloke wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 1:27 am

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:42 am

amazingly fine "feathers”

What the purpose of feathersticking? Kindling?

jmj3esq wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 5:53 am

What the purpose of feathersticking? Kindling?

Yes, processing wood in a way that it will catch a spark and enflame easier.

Especially with wet wood it helps a lot to firstly baton smaller branches (just one or two fingers thick, this can be done with an (better unlocked) folder blade) and then make "feathers" on the dry, freshly exposed surfaces.

NOT only helpful when using a fire steel/ magnesium rod, but also when using a lighter or matches

Adding a twist to the serrated vs plain edge question as speed matters too, not just the quality of a feather stick

Is serrated quicker than plain edge?

https://masterwoodsman.com/2014/speed-matters/

Christian Noble wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 8:05 am

Adding a twist to the serrated vs plain edge question as speed matters too, not just the quality of a feather stick

Is serrated quicker than plain edge?

https://masterwoodsman.com/2014/speed-matters/

Very nice read, thanks!
As you are also the author, you are actually quite a "pro" - ever tried a serrated Spydie for feathersticking?

If so, what is your opinion?

I am not a pro but not a noob either, and as said: The Spyderedge produces amazing feathersticks very quick and easy for me...

Bloke wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 1:27 am

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:42 am

amazingly fine "feathers”

....
And Alex, my friend, sooooo glad to see you around here again!!!

I’ve just been knocking up feather sticks today at work with my Magnacut mule and it works a treat (although it definitely helps if it is freshly sharpened). My favourite knives for feather sticks are my Yojumbo, Yojimbo and PM2 tanto. It occurs to me as I write this that they’re all hollow ground blades, although I can’t imagine how that would be helpful apart from them being thin behind the edge and hellaciously sharp

JoviAl wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 9:02 am

I’ve just been knocking up feather sticks today at work with my Magnacut mule and it works a treat (although it definitely helps if it is freshly sharpened). My favourite knives for feather sticks are my Yojumbo, Yojimbo and PM2 tanto. It occurs to me as I write this that they’re all hollow ground blades, although I can’t imagine how that would be helpful apart from them being thin behind the edge and hellaciously sharp

What might (just might) also contribute to those models working better for you in feathersticking: The completely straight edge resp at least edge section.
I personally do like that in feathersticking and whittling better than a continuously curved edge (for example the Stretch (long completely straight edge section) works better for me in that capacities than the Manix)

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 9:10 am

JoviAl wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 9:02 am

I’ve just been knocking up feather sticks today at work with my Magnacut mule and it works a treat (although it definitely helps if it is freshly sharpened). My favourite knives for feather sticks are my Yojumbo, Yojimbo and PM2 tanto. It occurs to me as I write this that they’re all hollow ground blades, although I can’t imagine how that would be helpful apart from them being thin behind the edge and hellaciously sharp

What might (just might) also contribute to those models working better for you in feathersticking: The completely straight edge resp at least edge section.
I personally do like that in feathersticking and whittling better than a continuously curved edge (for example the Stretch (long completely straight edge section) works better for me in that capacities than the Manix)

I hadn’t considered that but you may be on to something there buddy! They are easy to work with as they are predictable, and I’m sure that predictability likely comes from the completely flat section of blade as you mentioned. This is the main reason I’m always baffled when I see threads saying things like “who even uses a tanto?! ” etc - they are utterly brilliant for wood work and bush craft in my experience.

Super interesting answers here. I'm going to try out some serrated options (I have an endela and salt 2 I can give it a whirl on). I would think it'd be slower because the teeth would add pressure in non-downward angles, but maybe not.

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 8:32 am

Christian Noble wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 8:05 am

Adding a twist to the serrated vs plain edge question as speed matters too, not just the quality of a feather stick

Is serrated quicker than plain edge?

https://masterwoodsman.com/2014/speed-matters/

Very nice read, thanks!
As you are also the author, you are actually quite a "pro" - ever tried a serrated Spydie for feathersticking?

If so, what is your opinion?

I am not a pro but not a noob either, and as said: The Spyderedge produces amazing feathersticks very quick and easy for me...

Thank you. And I would say the pros are the ones making their livelihood actually living and/or teaching outdoors living skills. Not me these days, but sincere thank you again.

To answer your question, I don’t own any serrated knives, I know, blasphemy — and I own way too many knives in H1, all PE, which by the way is my EDC, a Salt 2 and lately the ARK . The PE rationale for me has been wanting to be able to carve very fine notches, sharpening in the field, and the occasional scraping.

Maybe I am wrong here, but my train of thought has been serrated cuts extremely well, rope as an example is more easily cut by serrated that PE with everything else be equal. Making a featherstick, while not the finest type of incision, is still somewhat fine and the wood is being sliced, and not so much cut if that makes sense. All that said, serrated can surely slice, and maybe better than PE for something like featherstick, but I am thinking that is only up to a point.

I am not even a noob on serrated, so keep all that in mind please. And at the end of day, aren’t they all serrated anyway if you look under a microscope? I leave my H1 very “toothy” these days thanks to vivi.

I've done it for the heck of it with this little fella a few times, was surprisingly very capable!

I have many, many times over the years (decades).

One thing I wasn't expecting (but perhaps should have known better), now many many years ago, was/is just how good the hollow ground H1s (Gen 1 & 2 P/E Pac Salts in my usage) feathered. I surmised it was/is due to the hollow grind.
If you are good at feathering, and have not tried a hollow grind PacSalt - give it a try - I think yer gonna like what it does.

I have also used other Spydies, e.g. Delicas, Stretch 1s, Enduras, Bushcraft, ...

The best two for it, in my own usage/experience, are the Bushcraft (no surprise there right?), and the hollow ground Pacific Salt P/E.

u.w.

Only hollow ground I have is my ticn salt. Gonna give that a try. And I guess my manbug too??