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Thread: What knives did they use? Really!

  1. #1
    Boolit Master


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    What knives did they use? Really!

    Nowadays everyone has an opinion regarding that elusive best [fill in the blank]. Rather than "best" I am interested in some reality, two answers to one question - that is, the same question about Alaskan subsistence residents from different eras, Ashley Haines (first decades of twentieth century) and Dick Proenneke (middle decades of the twentieth century). I have been unsuccessful finding the answers.

    What were the configuration - dimensions and shape - and brand name if known of each man's generally carried fixed blade knife?

    Because of proximity to today, Proenneke's choice is more likely to be known or remembered.
    It’s so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don’t say it. Sam Levinson

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I have read Dick Proenneke's first book, both the modern copy, and the original. The pictures are slightly different in them both. The only knife mentioned in his book, or shown in the pictures (best I recall), is a case 4" Case Jack knife.

    He may not have had a good fixed blade with him when he wrote his diaries, as hunting wasnt his main focus of being there. I've not read the later book released, Maybe a fixed blade was mentioned or shown there.

    I havent heard or read of Ashley Haines. Can you give us references to him/her?

    This is an interesting subject to me thanks for posting. Tagged with interest.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master corbinace's Avatar
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    Because of the subsistence nature of the individuals you mention, is there a chance that they did not have the "best", but rather what ever they cold get their hands on? I envision them being well worn utilitarian tools, built to last under demanding circumstances.

    Unfortunately, I do not have anything to add the the information end of the conversation, only more questions.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy Landy88's Avatar
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    Great question.

    I wish that they'd left us with an I went to the wilds with list.
    The first purpose of the Second Amendment is too often overlooked, fostering a liberty of mind and action necessary in the people of a free republic.


    “Ironically, the only gun control in 19th century England was the policy forbidding police to have arms while on duty.”
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    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I have to agree with corbinace.

    We in the modern age with endless amounts of time on our hands and the whole world to shop in. Often get obsessed about "best" when the fact is in most situations all we really need is "functional".

    I've been there, done that myself.

    If I was setting myself up to head for Alaska to live off the land for a year or more I would buy a few Old Hickory knives and put the rest of my money into something else.

    I used to be a carbon steel snob, but I have outgrown that. A cheap 15$ Ganzo knock off with a stainless steel blade showed me the error of my ways.

    "If it will hold an edge" it can be made to work. And the difference between a 150$ knife and a 10$ old Hickory takes a butcher to truly experience. The average person will never see the difference.

    So go with what gives you confidence. Because that confidence may make a difference.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by GhostHawk View Post
    So go with what gives you confidence. Because that confidence may make a difference.
    Well said, and you could apply that philosophy to most everything we do.
    ..

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Any Cal.'s Avatar
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    Agree with Ghosthawk, to a significant degree. Functional is more important than most anything.

    But I wouldnt be using Old Hickory...

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    Nothing wrong with Old Hickory. And the price is low enough you can buy one, rework blade shape, add fancy handles, whatever you want.

    Although I have to admit for fish I am a die hard Rapala Fillet knife fan.
    I have 4, 3 sizes, small med and large.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy Landy88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GhostHawk View Post
    Although I have to admit for fish I am a die hard Rapala Fillet knife fan.
    I have 4, 3 sizes, small med and large.
    Rapalas are made by the Rapala owned Martiini, a maker worth a hard look for any outdoorsman's knife need. I have several.
    The first purpose of the Second Amendment is too often overlooked, fostering a liberty of mind and action necessary in the people of a free republic.


    “Ironically, the only gun control in 19th century England was the policy forbidding police to have arms while on duty.”
    ~ Don B. Kates, Jr.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
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    I would far prefer to have three or four decent hardware store knives than one handmade knife. If you lose your one handmade knife you don't have a knife. If you lose or break a store bought knife, you will have knives.
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    A lot of folks tend think of a fixed blade knife as a do all tool. It aint. It is a knife, and only to be used for normal knife tasks unless you're only tool happens to be that knife.

    Dick Proenneke, had an axe, a draw knife, and other wood working tools. His knife most likely only did cutting work such as taking the sharp edge off the end of a stick, sharpening pencils, cutting food, and skinning animals. Just about any knife that will take an edge will do that. Granted a moose is hard to skin, but sheep and deer arent. His jack knife paired with a decent kitchen knife would have served these purposes quite well.

  12. #12
    Boolit Bub
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    Was watching an episode of The Last Alaskans the other day and Heimo set about a caribou he'd just shot with the knife blade of what looked like a Leatherman multitool!!!!
    Maybe this is what seasoned Alaskan veterans are using these days?

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Little Oak, I seen that episode, Looked like a leatherman super tool or PST II. I seen another episode that Heimo used what I believe is a mora 511 with an orange handle.

    Glenn of the show Life below zero uses a Helle Temagami If im not mistaken.
    Last edited by Bazoo; 07-29-2017 at 11:06 PM.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy Landy88's Avatar
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    I've the Whelen and Angier books. Whelen, here, needs no intro. Angier was a publisher and co-writer of Whelen's that semi-quit it all to move to far NW Canada, pretty much right between the Haines and Proeneke eras in Alaska. Luckily for us Whelen and Bradford and Vera Angier wrote it up.

    One quirk of theirs though was, that when writing of themselves and their gear, they almost never say which or who's leaving us to guess.

    In On Your Own In The Wilderness they wrote that they both carried trapper two blade pocket knives, then show a pic of five of their fixed blades and on oversized trapper folder that they suggest as archetypes for best wilderness knives. One is clearly a standard Green River, and one an early Randall. Two go unidentified. One is written of as a hand reworked to a drop point with a larger custom handle Green River blade that one of them has carried since 1916.
    The first purpose of the Second Amendment is too often overlooked, fostering a liberty of mind and action necessary in the people of a free republic.


    “Ironically, the only gun control in 19th century England was the policy forbidding police to have arms while on duty.”
    ~ Don B. Kates, Jr.

  15. #15
    USMC 77, USRA 79


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    I have the film, alone in the wilderness, and it shows Dick Proenneke using several knives, not just draw knives. He had 2 films make, alone in the wilderness 1 and 2. It looks to me that one of his pocket knives looks a lot like a case of some sort, but I haven't watched the films in a while.
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    Boolit Master


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    Sharp and cuts wins

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy

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    Being a student of knives and cutting tools and a sheath maker for a good number of quality knife makers I have seen everything under the sun. I have owned many customs and knives made especially for my use. I am hard on knives and tools. Ask a few of my knife maker friends. The most likely culprit of a "traditional" knife is based on the Kephart style. This is also my personal favorite although the custom I carry every day isn't that style. It's simple, functional and if made from decent materials will do everything needed in the field. I live in what is now considered the wilderness here in Montana and believe me, a belt knife gets used...A LOT. My favorite maker or late is Ray Kirk. "Raker" knives. The belt knife I currently use was made by him. Mostly as I have not been able to tear it up....yet. I contacted him after chipping blades on knives tempered too hard, snapping the tip off of knives that were too skinny in the tip, all sorts of issues with knives that I would never wear out supposedly. I have several in a box here that are high dollar cutlery and aren't worth a ****. For me anymore, if I am in the market for a knife the maker will have a "MS" master blade smith rating. Not only do these guys have to make a pretty knife, they have to PROVE it to be functional and stay sharp under harsh conditions. Just my two cents. After a couple hours of discussion with Ray he designed a knife for me. Sent me one and I have carried and used it ever since. I used it last season as a step. Drove it into a tree with my ax and stood on it to access a higher limb. It will process an entire mule deer without needing to be sharpened and that includes taking the pelvis joints apart. I sharpen it whenever I think about it, which ends up being about once every couple weeks. I do hit it with a strop after every use and that keeps a shaving sharp edge on it. 52100 steel is a wonderful thing when forged properly. I am a testament to it.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Tnfalconer, that last knife you talk of, will it sharpen with an arkansas or carborundum stone? My beef with those fancy knives is while they retain an edge well, they are normally very hard to sharpen with traditional methods.

    My line of thinking is that you'll be lost without a sharpening device , dull your knife, come across an old cabin and be cursed to find only a traditional means of sharpening.

    Personally, i'd rather have to touch up a knife in the middle of processing a critter, but have ease of sharpening If I was to nick a rock. Not saying that I dont carry and use a dmt diamond sharpener however.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy

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    I have a strip of 600 grit sandpaper glued into the inside of my belt. The belt is a strop and sharpening stone essentially. To sharpen I lay it flat and make about 6 passes per side then strop twice that and it's a razor blade again.

    To answer your question it will sharpen easily with Arkansas or diamond stone. It isn't a fancy knife, just a highly specialized knife steel. I have seen lots of other "smiths" try to use it in the past and there is a VERY fine line of too soft and too hard and it takes a good bit of skill to get it right in the forge. Ray nails it everytime. It is a relatively hard cutting edge but reflexes nicely, even with heavy chopping use.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy

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    This is the knife Ray made for me. I got it from him as a bare blade and added sheep horn/amboyna burl scales myself.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails image.jpeg  

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