One Talibong, Three Bowies and a Pineapple

And Yes ... a Hawaiian Pizza is Involved

Nov 14, 2022

On this week’s Knife Junkie Midweek Supplemental Podcast, I talk about budget knives — “Most Bang for the Buck Under $60” — which will be published on Wednesday. I feature both folders and fixed blades, and though I’ve carried the folders many times and have experience with their performance, I couldn’t say that about the fixies.

So, I took advantage of some unseasonably warm November weather this weekend and headed to the back yard with a bevy of fixed blades and a pile of kiln-dried grocery store firewood.

But before any batoning wood, I wanted to do a few cut tests on soft materials with my new TFW Talibong short sword and I figured I could do so while honoring my wife’s request for a Hawaiian pizza for dinner.

I set the doomed pineapple atop my newly acquired chopping stand and sealed its fate. Check out my video below.

The pizza, though of the Hawaiian variety, as delicious (something I still find difficult to admit) and the wife was happy with a belly full of pie.

With the pineapple dispatched, it was time to move on to the budget Bowies and wood. First up, the Rough Ryder Black Mule — this was my second time using the Black Mule Bowie to baton wood.

After the first go, I could detect very little dulling of the 3CR13 steel, which was astounding. After the second session of batoning hardwood, the BMB was still slicing paper. 3CR13. This just goes to show the “magic” combination of heat treat and edge geometry.

Next up, the legendary Ontario SP-10 Raider Bowie. Its saber-ground 1075 coated high carbon steel blade blew through logs like they had explosive charges in them. Often times, one blow would split the wood. I love seeing the black traction coating already giving way to reveal the steel beneath. One place the SP-10 got hung up, was a knot… perfect job for a thin, hollow ground bevel.

Next, I slid the blade of the Schrade Leroy bowie (my car bowie) in and right up to the knot and began to baton. That thin 8Cr13MOV clip point blade cut through the knot in just a couple of whacks, impressing me with it cutting power and edge retention.

All three of these budget Bowies share two things in common, outstanding use of heat treat and edge geometry to make up for performance issues that may come from using “entry level steels” and they all feature shock absorbing rubberized handles.

Cheap steel and rubber handles are, for me, “deal breakers” on more expensive knives and safe queens, but on tools used in the outdoors for hard tasks, you can’t beat them. But you can beat on them!

Take care knife junkie friend. Hope you have a great week ahead.

Bob

Orion Knives David Kam - The Knife Junkie Podcast (Episode 368)

David Kam started collecting EDC gear including knives in 2017, and began his BladeBanter YouTube knife review channel in 2018 — and Orion Knives followed soon after once his knife preferences were crystalized. Orion launched with a premium-feel folder called the Solaris, for less than $100, and followed with the Scorpio.

Check out the podcast to hear about these two knives and what’s going on now with Orion Knives, including Orion’s new prototype — a full size frame lock flipper with fuller, opening hole and hawkbill/wharncliffe blade.